Arabic (Original)
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.
English Translation
It was narrated from Yazeed bin Mawhab that `Hadrat Uthman (may Allah be well pleased with him) said to Hadrat Ibn `Umar (may Allah be well pleased with him). Judge between the people. He said: I will not judge between two people or lead two men in prayer. Did you not hear the Noble Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) say, `Whoever seeks refuge with Allah has indeed sought refuge with a powerful one`?`Hadrat Uthman (may Allah be well pleased with him) said. Yes I did. He said: then I seek refuge with Allah lest you appoint me to some post. So Hadrat Uthman (may Allah be well pleased with him) let him off and said: Do not tell anyone else about this.