Hadithcore
Sahih al-Bukhari, 2778
sahih

Abu 'Abdur-Rahman narrated:

When 'Uthman (ra) was circled (by the rebels), he looked upon them from above and said, "Ias you by Allah, I ask nobody but the Companions of the Prophet (ﷺ), dont you know that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, 'Whoever will (buy and) dig the well of Ruma will be granted Paradise,' and I (bought and) dug it? Don't you know that he said. 'Whoever equip the army of 'Usra (i.e., Tabuk's Ghazwa) will be granted Paradise,' and I equipped it ?" They attested whatever he said. When 'Umar founded his endowment he said, "Its administrator can eat from it." The management of the endowment can be taken over by the founder himself or any other person, for both cases are permissible.

وَقَالَ عَبْدَانُ أَخْبَرَنِي أَبِي، عَنْ شُعْبَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي إِسْحَاقَ، عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، أَنَّ عُثْمَانَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ حَيْثُ حُوصِرَ أَشْرَفَ عَلَيْهِمْ وَقَالَ أَنْشُدُكُمْ وَلاَ أَنْشُدُ إِلاَّ أَصْحَابَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم، أَلَسْتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏"‏ مَنْ حَفَرَ رُومَةَ فَلَهُ الْجَنَّةُ ‏"‏‏.‏ فَحَفَرْتُهَا، أَلَسْتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّهُ قَالَ ‏"‏ مَنْ جَهَّزَ جَيْشَ الْعُسْرَةِ فَلَهُ الْجَنَّةُ ‏"‏‏.‏ فَجَهَّزْتُهُمْ‏.‏ قَالَ فَصَدَّقُوهُ بِمَا قَالَ‏.‏ وَقَالَ عُمَرُ فِي وَقْفِهِ لاَ جُنَاحَ عَلَى مَنْ وَلِيَهُ أَنْ يَأْكُلَ‏.‏ وَقَدْ يَلِيهِ الْوَاقِفُ وَغَيْرُهُ فَهْوَ وَاسِعٌ لِكُلٍّ‏.‏

Isnad

6 transmitters
'Abdullah bin 'Uthman - ''Aabadan'Uthman bin Jabla bin Abi RuwadShu'bah bin al-HajjajAbu Ishaq al-Sabay'ai'Abu 'Abdur Rahman al-Salmi'Uthman ibn 'Affaan
References2 variants
In-Book Reference
Book 55, Hadith 41
USC-MSA web (English) reference
Vol. 4, Book 51, Hadith 38 (deprecated numbering scheme)
Sharh · explanationclick to expand
When some Muslims rebelled against the Caliph ‘Uthmaan ibn ‘Affaan (may Allah be pleased with him), they laid siege to his house in Al-Madeenah for a long period of time. He (may Allah be pleased with him) looked from the top of his house and reminded them of his merits and virtues that were particular to him, and of his giving and contributions in support of Islam and for the benefit of Muslims, aspiring only to the reward of Allah, Exalted is He. He (may Allah be pleased with him) urged the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) who were present at that time to attest to his words, saying: “I adjure you by Allah, and I adjure nobody but the Companions of the Prophet ﷺ; do you not know that Allah's Messenger ﷺ said, 'Whoever will (buy and) dig the well of Rumah will be granted Paradise,' and I (bought and) dug it?” He (may Allah be pleased with him) bought this well and donated it as an endowment for the benefit of Muslims when the emigrants settled in Al-Madeenah and Muslims needed more water, and its previous owner used to sell them its water. He (may Allah be pleased with him) added: “Do you not know that he ﷺ said. 'Whoever equips the army of ‘Usrah (i.e., the Battle of Tabook) will be granted Paradise,' and I equipped it?” He (may Allah be pleased with him) reminded them that he (may Allah be pleased with him)had funded the Muslim army that marched to fight the Romans during the Battle of Tabook in 9 A.H. It was known as the army of ‘Usrah, meaning ‘hardship’. The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) attested whatever he (may Allah be pleased with him) said. Some of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) who were present then were ‘Alee ibn Abee Taalib, Talhah, Al-Zubayr, and Sa‘d ibn Abee Waqqaas (may Allah be pleased with them). It should be noted that his statements aimed to refute the rebels’ false accusations against him regarding the neglect of his duties as a Caliph and nepotism towards his relatives (i.e., appointing his relatives and people from his clan in positions of power). .