Acceptance of Islam
With regard to his acceptance of Islam, it is related by Yazid bin Rauman:
“Once, both Hazrat Uthman (ra) bin Affan and Hazrat Talha (ra) bin Ubaidillah followed Hazrat Zubair bin Awam and went to the Holy Prophet (sa). The Holy Prophet (sa) presented the message of Islam to both of them, recited [a portion of] the Holy Quran, informed them of the responsibilities placed upon them by Islam and the honour and respect that would be bestowed upon them by Allah the Almighty. Upon this, both Hazrat Uthman (ra) and Hazrat Talhah (ra) accepted Islam and testified to the truthfulness of the Holy Prophet (sa). Following this, Hazrat Uthman (ra) said, ‘O Messenger (sa) of Allah! I have just returned from Syria. When we had set up our camp between Ma‘an and Zarqa …”
Ma‘an is a city in the south of Jordan, near the border of the Hijaz and Zarqa is situated close to Ma‘an.
Nevertheless, he says, “… and were asleep, when someone loudly proclaimed, ‘Awake, O you who are asleep, as certainly Ahmad has appeared in Mecca.’ Upon returning, we came to learn about your claim.”
Hazrat Uthman (ra) was amongst the early converts of Islam and accepted Islam before the Holy Prophet (sa) entered Dar al-Arqam.
(Ibn Saad, Al-Tabaqat al-Kubra, Vol. 3, Uthman (ra) bin Affan [Beirut, Lebanon: Dar Ihya al-Turath al-Arabi, 1996], p. 31) (Mu‘jam al-Buldan, Vol. 3 [Beirut, Lebanon: Dar al-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah], p. 320 & 472)