How to reconcile the hadith (Cover your thigh, for it is part of the 'awrah) with the entry of Abu Bakr and 'Umar upon the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) while part of his thigh was uncovered

Question:
He says: May Allah reward you. I am confused about how to reconcile two hadiths: the hadith "Cover your thigh, for it is part of the 'awrah," and the hadith about Abu Bakr and 'Umar entering upon the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) while part of his thigh (peace and blessings be upon him) was uncovered. When 'Uthman entered, he covered it and said, "Do I not feel shy of a man from whom the angels feel shy?" How do we reconcile the two hadiths?

Answer:
Yes. The hadiths differ on this matter, and the scholars differ on whether the thigh is part of the 'awrah or not. The stronger position, and Allah knows best, is that it is part of the 'awrah. When two hadiths conflict, one indicating prohibition and the other indicating permissibility, the one indicating prohibition is given precedence because it is safer. Yes.