I entered upon the Messenger of Allah ﷺ in the mosque of Madinah, and he kept saying: “Where is so-and-so, son of so-and-so?” He continued checking on them and sending for them until they gathered before him. Then he said: “I am telling you a matter, so memorize it, understand it, and convey to those after you: “indeed Allah has chosen from His creation certain ones”, then he recited: {Allah chooses from the angels messengers and from the people} [Al-Hajj: 75]. “A people whom He admits into Paradise. And I am choosing from you whom I love to choose, and I will make brotherhood between you just as Allah made brotherhood between the angels. Stand, O Abu Bakr”. So he stood and knelt before him. He said: “You have with me a favor for which Allah will reward you; if I were to take an intimate friend, I would take you as an intimate friend; you are to me in the position of my shirt to my body” , and he moved his shirt with his hand. Then he said: “Come near, O ‘Umar ” so he came near. He said: “You used to be very harsh against us, O Abu Hafs, so I supplicated to Allah to strengthen the religion through you or through Abu Jahl, and Allah did that through you, and you were the more beloved of the two to me; you are with me in Paradise, the third of three of this Ummah.” Then he moved aside and established brotherhood between him and Abu Bakr. Then he called ‘Uthman and said: “Come near, O ‘Uthman, come near, O ‘Uthman” , and he kept bringing him closer until his knee touched the knee of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. Then he looked at him and looked at the sky and said: “Glory be to Allah the Magnificent” three times. Then he looked at ‘Uthman and saw his buttons undone, so the Messenger of Allah ﷺ fastened them with his hand and said: “Gather the sides of your cloak to your chest, for indeed you have a significant status among the people of the heaven; you are among those who will come to me at the Pond while his veins are gushing blood, so I will say: who did this to you? And you will say: so-and-so and so-and-so; and that is the speech of Jibril (Peace be upon him) when he called from heaven: “indeed ‘Uthman is trustworthy over everyone who abandons”. Then he called Abd al-Rahman ibn ‘Awf and said: “Come near, O trustworthy of Allah and the trustworthy in heaven; Allah will give you authority over your wealth with truth; indeed I have for you a supplication which I have delayed.” He said: “Choose for me, O Messenger of Allah.” He said: “You entrusted me, O Abd al-Rahman, a trust—may Allah increase your wealth” , and he was moving his hand. Then he moved aside and established brotherhood between him and ‘Uthman. Then Talha and al-Zubayr entered, so he said: “Come near to me” and they came near, and he said: “You two are my disciples like the disciples of ‘Isa son of Maryam (Peace be upon him)”, then he established brotherhood between them. Then he called Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqas and ‘Ammar ibn Yasir and said: “O ‘Ammar, the rebellious group will kill you” , then he established brotherhood between them. Then he called ‘Uwaymir Abu al-Darda and Salman al-Farisi, and said: “O Salman, you are from us, People of the House; Allah has given you the first knowledge and the last knowledge and the first book and the last book.” Then he said: “Shall I guide you, O Abu al-Darda?” He replied: “Yes, by my father and mother, O Messenger of Allah.” He said: “If you rescue them, they will rescue you; if you leave them, they will not leave you; if you flee from them, they will catch you, so lend them your honor for the day of your poverty”, then he established brotherhood between them. Then he looked at the faces of his companions and said: “Rejoice and be content, for you are the first who will come to me at the Pond, and you are in the highest chambers.” Then he looked at ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar and said: “Praise be to Allah who guides from misguidance”. Then ‘Ali said: “O Messenger of Allah, my soul has gone and my back is broken when I saw you do with your companions what you did other than me; if it is from displeasure toward me, then to you belongs the excuse and honor.” He said: “By the One who sent me with the truth, I did not delay you except for myself; you are to me in the position of Harun to Musa, and you are my inheritor”. He asked: “O Messenger of Allah, what do I inherit from you?” He replied: “What the prophets inherit.” He said: “And what did the prophets before you inherit?” He said: “The Book of Allah and the Sunnah of their prophet; and you are with me in my palace in Paradise with my daughter Fatimah, and my companion”. Then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ recited: {Brothers upon couches facing one another} [Al-Hijr: 47]: “Those who love one another for the sake of Allah will look at one another”.