حَدَّثَنَا عَفَّانُ حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادُ بْنُ سَلَمَةَ أَنْبَأَنَا أَبُو سِنَانٍ عَنْ يَزِيدَ بْنِ مَوْهَبٍ أَنَّ عُثْمَانَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ لِابْنِ عُمَرَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ اقْضِ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ فَقَالَ لَا أَقْضِي بَيْنَ اثْنَيْنِ وَلَا أَؤُمُّ رَجُلَيْنِ أَمَا سَمِعْتَ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ مَنْ عَاذَ بِاللَّهِ فَقَدْ عَاذَ بِمَعَاذٍ قَالَ عُثْمَانُ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ بَلَى قَالَ فَإِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ أَنْ تَسْتَعْمِلَنِي فَأَعْفَاهُ وَقَالَ لَا تُخْبِرْ بِهَذَا أَحَدًا
مسند امام احمد بن حنبل · Hadith 475
It was narrated from Yazeed bin Mawhab that 'Uthman (RA) said to Ibn 'Umar (RA): Judge between the people. He said: I will not judge between two people or lead two men in prayer. Did you not hear the Prophet (PBUH) say, "Whoever seeks refuge with Allah has indeed sought refuge with a powerful one"? "Uthman (RA) said: Yes I did. He said: Then I seek refuge with Allah lest you appoint me to some post. So 'Uthman (RA) let him off and said: Do not tell anyone else about this.
Translated by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan · Reviewed by Islamic University of Madinah · Published March 2020