حَدَّثَنَا سَعِيدُ بْنُ أَبِي مَرْيَمَ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ، عَنْ شَرِيكِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللهِ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ الْمُسَيِّبِ، عَنْ أَبِي مُوسَى الأَشْعَرِيِّ قَالَ: خَرَجَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَوْمًا إِلَى حَائِطٍ مِنْ حَوَائِطِ الْمَدِينَةِ لِحَاجَتِهِ، وَخَرَجْتُ فِي أَثَرِهِ، فَلَمَّا دَخَلَ الْحَائِطَ جَلَسْتُ عَلَى بَابِهِ، وَقُلْتُ: لَأَكُونَنَّ الْيَوْمَ بَوَّابَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم، وَلَمْ يَأْمُرْنِي، فَذَهَبَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَضَى حَاجَتَهُ وَجَلَسَ عَلَى قُفِّ الْبِئْرِ، وَكَشَفَ عَنْ سَاقَيْهِ، وَدَلاَّهُمَا فِي الْبِئْرِ، فَجَاءَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ لِيَسْتَأْذِنَ عَلَيْهِ لِيَدْخُلَ، فَقُلْتُ: كَمَا أَنْتَ حَتَّى أَسْتَأْذِنَ لَكَ، فَوَقَفَ، وَجِئْتُ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقُلْتُ: يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ، أَبُو بَكْرٍ يَسْتَأْذِنُ عَلَيْكَ؟ فَقَالَ: ائْذَنْ لَهُ، وَبَشِّرْهُ بِالْجَنَّةِ، فَدَخَلَ فَجَاءَ عَنْ يَمِينِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم، فَكَشَفَ عَنْ سَاقَيْهِ وَدَلاَّهُمَا فِي الْبِئْرِ. فَجَاءَ عُمَرُ، فَقُلْتُ: كَمَا أَنْتَ حَتَّى أَسْتَأْذِنَ لَكَ، فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم: ائْذَنْ لَهُ، وَبَشِّرْهُ بِالْجَنَّةِ، فَجَاءَ عُمَرُ عَنْ يَسَارِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَكَشَفَ عَنْ سَاقَيْهِ وَدَلاَّهُمَا فِي الْبِئْرِ فَامْتَلَأَ الْقُفُّ، فَلَمْ يَكُنْ فِيهِ مَجْلِسٌ. ثُمَّ جَاءَ عُثْمَانُ، فَقُلْتُ: كَمَا أَنْتَ حَتَّى أَسْتَأْذِنَ لَكَ، فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم: ائْذَنْ لَهُ، وَبَشِّرْهُ بِالْجَنَّةِ مَعَهَا بَلاَءٌ يُصِيبُهُ، فَدَخَلَ فَلَمْ يَجِدْ مَعَهُمْ مَجْلِسًا، فَتَحَوَّلَ حَتَّى جَاءَ مُقَابِلَهُمْ عَلَى شَفَةِ الْبِئْرِ، فَكَشَفَ عَنْ سَاقَيْهِ ثُمَّ دَلاَّهُمَا فِي الْبِئْرِ، فَجَعَلْتُ أَتَمَنَّى أَنْ يَأْتِيَ أَخٌ لِي، وَأَدْعُو اللَّهَ أَنْ يَأْتِيَ بِهِ، فَلَمْ يَأْتِ حَتَّى قَامُوا.
Abu Musa al-Ash'ari said, "The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, went out one day to one of the walled gardens of Madina, and I went out after him. When he entered the garden, I sat at the gate and said, I will be the doorkeeper of the Messenger of Allah today even if he has not commanded me to do it.' The Prophet went and answered a call of nature and then sat on the edge of the well. He uncovered his legs and dangled them in the well. Abu Bakr came and asked for permission to enter.' I said, 'Stay where you are until I ask permission for you.' He waited and I went to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and said, 'Messenger of Allah, it is Abu Bakr asking permission to come in.' He said, 'Let him in and give him the good news of the Garden.' He entered and sat at the right side of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. uncovered his legs and dangled them in the water. Then 'Umar came. I said, 'Stay where you are until I ask permission for you.' The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, 'Let him in and give him the good news of the Garden.' 'Umar went in and sat at the left side of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, uncovered his legs and dangled his feet in the well. The rim of the well was then full and there was no place left to sit. Then 'Uthman came. I said, 'Stay where you are until I ask permission for you.' The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, 'Let him in and give him the good news of the Garden as well as an affliction which will befall him.' 'Uthman came in and could not find a place with them. He moved around until he was facing them on the other side of the well, uncovered his legs and dangled them in the well. I began to wish that a brother of mine would come and I asked Allah to make him come, but he did not come before they had got up."
Reported by Ahmad (No. 14831, 14832). Cited in Al-Adab al-Mufrad (No. 1151).