حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو ظَفَرٍ عَبْدُ السَّلاَمِ، حَدَّثَنَا جَعْفَرٌ، عَنْ عَوْفٍ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ الْحَجَّاجَ، يَخْطُبُ وَهُوَ يَقُولُ إِنَّ مَثَلَ عُثْمَانَ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ كَمَثَلِ عِيسَى ابْنِ مَرْيَمَ ثُمَّ قَرَأَ هَذِهِ الآيَةَ يَقْرَؤُهَا وَيَفُسِّرُهَا { إِذْ قَالَ اللَّهُ يَا عِيسَى إِنِّي مُتَوَفِّيكَ وَرَافِعُكَ إِلَىَّ وَمُطَهِّرُكَ مِنَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا } يُشِيرُ إِلَيْنَا بِيَدِهِ وَإِلَى أَهْلِ الشَّامِ .
‘Awf said:I heard al-Hajjaj addressing the people say: The similitude of ‘Uthman with Allah is like the similitude of Jesus son of Mary. He then recited the following verse and explained it: “Behold! Allah said: O Jesus! I will take thee and raise thee to Myself and clear thee (of the falsehood) of those who blaspheme.” He was making a sign with his hand to us and to the people of Syria