حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، عَنْ سِمَاكِ بْنِ حَرْبٍ، قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ عَبَّادَ بْنَ زَاهِرٍ أَبَا رُوَاعٍ، قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ عُثْمَانَ
رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ يَخْطُبُ فَقَالَ إِنَّا وَاللَّهِ قَدْ صَحِبْنَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِي السَّفَرِ وَالْحَضَرِ وَكَانَ يَعُودُ مَرْضَانَا وَيَتْبَعُ جَنَائِزَنَا وَيَغْزُو مَعَنَا وَيُوَاسِينَا بِالْقَلِيلِ وَالْكَثِيرِ وَإِنَّ نَاسًا يُعْلِمُونِي بِهِ عَسَى أَنْ لَا يَكُونَ أَحَدُهُمْ رَآهُ قَطُّ
I heard Abbad ibn Zahir Abu Ruwa say: I heard Uthman (رضي الله عنه) delivering a khutbah in which he said: By Allah, l accompanied the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) whilst travelling and not traveling; he used to visit our sick, attend our funerals, go out on campaign with us and comfort us with whatever means he could. Some people tell me about him and perhaps none of them ever saw him.