Worthy of the Caliphate in the Eyes of Hazrat Uthman (ra)
Urwah bin Zubair relates that Marwan bin Hakam said that the year in which there was an outbreak of a disease which caused [severe] nosebleeds, Hazrat Uthman bin Affan (ra) also suffered greatly from this, to the extent that it prevented him from performing the Hajj and he even wrote down his will. In that moment, one of the Quraish approached him and said, “Elect someone as the Caliph,” i.e., due to his severe condition. Hazrat Uthman (ra) asked, “Have people made this request?” To which he replied in the affirmative. Hazrat Uthman (ra) asked who they wish to be appointed as the Caliph, but to this he remained silent. Then another person came, who the narrator says he believes was Harith, and he also asked him to appoint a Caliph. Hazrat Uthman (ra) asked, “Is this what the people are asking?” to which he replied, “Yes”. Hazrat Uthman (ra) asked, “Who should be the Caliph after me?”, to which the man remained silent. Hazrat Uthman (ra) then said, “Perhaps they desire to elect Hazrat Zubair (ra).” To which he replied, “Yes”. Hazrat Uthman (ra) then said, “By Him in Whose Hands is my life, as far as I know, he is the best among the people,” i.e., referring to Hazrat Zubair (ra), “and was the dearest to the Holy Prophet (sa).”
(Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab Fazail Ashab al-Nabi (sa), Bab Manaqib al-Zubair bin al-Awwam, Hadith 3717)