Prophecy Regarding his Khilafat
With regard to Hazrat Uthman’s (ra) Khilafat, there is a prophecy of the Holy Prophet (sa). It has been mentioned briefly before regarding the wearing of a cloak and the hypocrites taking it off. This tradition is narrated by Hazrat Abu Bakarahra that one day, the Holy Prophet (sa) asked, “Has anyone among you seen a dream?” One person said that he had seen [a dream] that a scale descended from the Heavens and the Holy Prophet (sa) and Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) were weighed against one another and the Holy Prophet (sa) was heavier. Then, Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) was weighed against Hazrat Umar (ra) and Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) was heavier. Then Hazrat Umar (ra) was weighed against Hazrat Uthman (ra) and Hazrat Umar (ra) was heavier. Then the scales were raised back up to the Heavens. We looked to the face of the Holy Prophet (sa) and saw that he was displeased by this.” The Holy Prophet (sa) was not overjoyed by this dream but instead he was greatly displeased.
(Sunan Abi Dawud, Kitab al-Sunnah, Bab fi al-Khulafa, Hadith 2634)
Another narration is as follows: Hazrat Jabir bin Abdillah (ra) narrates that the Holy Prophet (sa) once said, “In the night, a righteous person was shown in a dream that Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) was joined with the Holy Prophet (sa) and Hazrat Umar (ra) was joined to Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) and Hazrat Uthman (ra) was joined with Hazrat Umar (ra).” Hazrat Jabir (ra) further narrates, “When the Holy Prophet (sa) stood up to depart, we said that the righteous person represented the Holy Prophet (sa) and for some of them to be joined to others meant that these people would be the rulers over this matter”, i.e. faith, “which Allah the Almighty established through His Prophet (sa).”
(Sunan Abi Dawud, Kitab al-Sunnah, Bab fi al-Khulafa, Hadith 2636)