Morals Resembling the Holy Prophet (sa)

The Holy Prophet (sa) narrated that one who resembled him the most in morals was Hazrat Uthman (ra). Hazrat Abdur Rahman (ra) bin Uthman relates that the Holy Prophet (sa) visited his daughter and at the time, she was washing Hazrat Uthman’s (ra) hair. The Holy Prophet (sa) stated, “O my daughter! Treat Abu Abdillah”, i.e. Uthman, “in the most excellent manner, for in morals, he resembles me the most among my companions.”

(Majma al-Zawa‘id wa Manba al-Fawa‘id, Kitabul Manaqib, Bab ma Ja‘a fi Khuluqih, Hadith 14500, Vol. 9, p. 58, Dar al-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 2001)

Hazrat Yahya bin Abdir Rahman bin Hatib relates that he heard his father say that among all the companions of the Holy Prophet (sa), there was no one better than Hazrat Uthman (ra) in expressing himself in a most comprehensive and beautiful manner and he would not engage in unnecessary talk.

(Ibn Saad, Al-Tabaqat al-Kubra, Vol. 3, Uthman (ra) bin Affan [Beirut, Lebanon: Dar Ihya al-Turath al-Arabi, 1996], p. 32)

Hazrat Abu Hurrairah (ra) narrates that he presented himself before the daughter of the Holy Prophet (sa), Hazrat Ruqaiyyah (ra).

Instead of Hazrat Ruqaiyyah (ra), perhaps it is meant Hazrat Umm Kulthum (ra) because according to the narrations, Hazrat Ruqaiyyah (ra) passed away in the days of the Battle of Badr and Hazrat Abu Hurairah (ra) accepted Islam five years after that and then came to Medina. Therefore, perhaps Hazrat Umm Kulthum (ra) is meant here because she passed away in 9 AH.

In any case, the narration states that he presented himself before the daughter of the Holy Prophet (sa), who was the wife of Hazrat Uthman (ra) and she had a comb in her hand. She stated, “Just now the Holy Prophet (sa) left from here. I was combing his hair and he asked me, ‘How do you find Abu Abdillah (Hazrat Uthman (ra)?’ I replied, ‘He is excellent.’ Upon this, the Holy Prophet (sa) stated, ‘Thus, you should also treat him with respect for in morals he resembles me the most among my companions.’”

(Majma al-Zawa‘id wa Manba al-Fawa‘id, Kitab al-Manaqib, Bab ma Ja‘a fi Khuluqih, Hadith 14501, Vol. 9, p. 58, Dar al-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 2001)