The Arabic includes the chain of narration (sanad) and the collector's commentary; the English translation shows the Prophet's words only.
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْيَمَانِ، أَخْبَرَنَا شُعَيْبٌ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي خَارِجَةُ بْنُ زَيْدٍ الأَنْصَارِيُّ، أَنَّ أُمَّ الْعَلاَءِ، امْرَأَةً مِنْ نِسَائِهِمْ قَدْ بَايَعَتِ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَخْبَرَتْهُ أَنَّ عُثْمَانَ بْنَ مَظْعُونٍ طَارَ لَهُ سَهْمُهُ فِي السُّكْنَى حِينَ أَقْرَعَتِ الأَنْصَارُ سُكْنَى الْمُهَاجِرِينَ. قَالَتْ أُمُّ الْعَلاَءِ فَسَكَنَ عِنْدَنَا عُثْمَانُ بْنُ مَظْعُونٍ، فَاشْتَكَى، فَمَرَّضْنَاهُ حَتَّى إِذَا تُوُفِّيَ وَجَعَلْنَاهُ فِي ثِيَابِهِ دَخَلَ عَلَيْنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقُلْتُ رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكَ أَبَا السَّائِبِ، فَشَهَادَتِي عَلَيْكَ لَقَدْ أَكْرَمَكَ اللَّهُ. فَقَالَ لِي النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم " وَمَا يُدْرِيكِ أَنَّ اللَّهَ أَكْرَمَهُ ". فَقُلْتُ لاَ أَدْرِي بِأَبِي أَنْتَ وَأُمِّي يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ. فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " أَمَّا عُثْمَانُ فَقَدْ جَاءَهُ ـ وَاللَّهِ ـ الْيَقِينُ وَإِنِّي لأَرْجُو لَهُ الْخَيْرَ، وَاللَّهِ مَا أَدْرِي وَأَنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ مَا يُفْعَلُ بِي ". قَالَتْ فَوَاللَّهِ لاَ أُزَكِّي أَحَدًا بَعْدَهُ أَبَدًا، وَأَحْزَنَنِي ذَلِكَ قَالَتْ فَنِمْتُ فَأُرِيتُ لِعُثْمَانَ عَيْنًا تَجْرِي، فَجِئْتُ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَأَخْبَرْتُهُ فَقَالَ " ذَلِكَ عَمَلُهُ ".
That when the Ansar drew lots as to which of the emigrants should dwell with which of the Ansar, the
name of `Uthman bin Mazun came out (to be in their lot). Um Al-Ala further said, "Uthman stayed
with us, and we nursed him when he got sick, but he died. We shrouded him in his clothes, and Allah's
Apostle came to our house and I said, (addressing the dead `Uthman), 'O Abu As-Sa'ib! May Allah be
merciful to you. I testify that Allah has blessed you.' The Prophet (ﷺ) said to me, "How do you know that
Allah has blessed him?" I replied, 'I do not know O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! May my parents be sacrificed for
you.' Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, 'As regards `Uthman, by Allah he has died and I really wish him every
good, yet, by Allah, although I am Allah's Messenger (ﷺ), I do not know what will be done to him.' Um Al-
Ala added, 'By Allah I shall never attest the piety of anybody after him. And what Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)s
said made me sad." Um Al-Ala further said, "Once I slept and saw in a dream, a flowing stream for
`Uthman. So I went to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and told him about it, he said, 'That is (the symbol of) his
deeds."
Narrated by Narrated Um Al-Ala:
Context
Um Al-Ala recounts her experience with Uthman bin Mazun, who passed away while staying with her family. When she expressed her belief that he was blessed, the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) reminded her that only Allah knows the fate of individuals. This interaction emphasizes the uncertainty of divine judgment and the importance of humility in assessing others' piety.
Modern Application
This hadith teaches us to refrain from making definitive judgments about others' spiritual states. In our daily interactions, it encourages humility and the understanding that only Allah knows the true condition of a person's heart.
Topics
This hadith is tagged with Divine Justice and Treatment of the Dead because it reflects on the uncertainty of divine judgment and the respect owed to the deceased.
O you who have believed, testimony [should be taken] among you when death approaches one of you at the time of bequest - [that of] two just men from among you or two others from outside if you are traveling through the land and the disaster of death should strike you. Detain them after the prayer and let them both swear by Allah if you doubt [their testimony, saying], "We will not exchange our oath for a price, even if he should be a near relative, and we will not withhold the testimony of Allah. Indeed, we would then be of the sinful."
Then after distress, He sent down upon you security [in the form of] drowsiness, overcoming a faction of you, while another faction worried about themselves, thinking of Allah other than the truth - the thought of ignorance, saying, "Is there anything for us [to have done] in this matter?" Say, "Indeed, the matter belongs completely to Allah." They conceal within themselves what they will not reveal to you. They say, "If there was anything we could have done in the matter, some of us would not have been killed right here." Say, "Even if you had been inside your houses, those decreed to be killed would have come out to their death beds." [It was] so that Allah might test what is in your breasts and purify what is in your hearts. And Allah is Knowing of that within the breasts.
And whoever obeys Allah and the Messenger - those will be with the ones upon whom Allah has bestowed favor of the prophets, the steadfast affirmers of truth, the martyrs and the righteous. And excellent are those as companions.
And the first forerunners [in the faith] among the Muhajireen and the Ansar and those who followed them with good conduct - Allah is pleased with them and they are pleased with Him, and He has prepared for them gardens beneath which rivers flow, wherein they will abide forever. That is the great attainment.