Narrator:Uthmān ibn ‘Affān
وَعَن أبي سلهة مولى عُثْمَان رَضِي الله عَنْهُمَا قَالَ: جَعَلَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يُسِرُّ إِلَى عُثْمَانَ وَلَوْنُ عُثْمَانَ يَتَغَيَّرُ فَلَمَّا كَانَ يَوْم الدَّار قُلْنَا: أَلا نُقَاتِل؟ قَالَ: لَا أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَهِدَ إِلَيَّ أَمْرًا فَأَنَا صَابِرٌ نَفسِي عَلَيْهِ
وَعَن أبي حبيبةَ أَنَّهُ دَخَلَ الدَّارَ وَعُثْمَانُ مَحْصُورٌ فِيهَا وَأَنَّهُ سَمِعَ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ يَسْتَأْذِنُ عُثْمَانَ فِي الْكَلَامِ فَأَذِنَ لَهُ فَقَامَ فَحَمِدَ اللَّهَ وَأَثْنَى عَلَيْهِ ثُمَّ قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ: " إِنَّكُمْ سَتَلْقَوْنَ بَعْدِي فِتْنَةً وَاخْتِلَافًا - أَوْ قَالَ: اخْتِلَافًا وَفِتْنَةً - فَقَالَ لَهُ قَائِلٌ مِنَ النَّاسِ: فَمَنْ لَنَا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ؟ أَوْ مَا تَأْمُرُنَا بِهِ؟ قَالَ: «عَلَيْكُمْ بِالْأَمِيرِ وَأَصْحَابِهِ» وَهُوَ يُشِيرُ إِلَى عُثْمَانَ بِذَلِكَ. رَوَاهُمَا الْبَيْهَقِيّ فِي «دَلَائِل النبوَّة»
Abu Sahla `Uthman's client said:
The Prophet began to tell `Uthman something in private and `Uthman's colour changed. On the day of the house, we asked him if he would not fight and he replied, "No, God's messenger charged me with something and I shall show endurance in adhering to it." Abu Habiba told that he entered the house when `Uthman was besieged in it and heard Abu Huraira asking `Uthman's permission to speak. He granted him permission, so he got up, praised and extolled God, then stated that he had heard God's messenger say, "After I am gone you will encounter civil strife and disagreement (or he said, disagreement and civil strife)." One of the people asked him, "To whom should we adhere, messenger of God?" or, "What do you command us to do? He replied, "Adhere to the commander and his companions," pointing at the same time to Uthman. Baihaqi transmitted the two traditions in Dala'il an-nubuwa
Cited in Mishkat al-Masabih (No. 0f).