Abu Bakr's precedence in leading the prayer
[AI] When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ became gravely ill, and I was with him among a group of Muslims, Bilal called for the prayer, and he said: "Tell someone to lead the people in prayer." He said: I went out, and there was Umar among the people, while Abu Bakr was absent, so I said: Stand up, Umar, and lead the people in prayer. He stood, and when Umar said the takbir, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ heard his voice, and Umar was a man with a loud voice. He said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ then said: "Where is Abu Bakr? Allah ﷻ and the Muslims refuse that; Allah ﷻ and the Muslims refuse that." He said: Then he sent for Abu Bakr, and he came after Umar had prayed that prayer, and he led the people in prayer. Abdullah ibn Zam'ah said: Umar said to me: Woe to you, Ibn Zam'ah, what have you done to me? By Allah ﷻ, when you told me to do that, I only thought that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had ordered you to do so, and were it not for that, I would not have led the people in prayer. He said: I said: By Allah ﷻ, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ did not order me, but when I did not see Abu Bakr, I thought you were the worthiest of those present to lead the prayer.
لَمَّا اسْتُعِزَّ بِرَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ، وَأَنَا عِنْدَهُ فِي نَفَرٍ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ، قَالَ: دَعَا بِلَالٌ لِلصَّلَاةِ، فَقَالَ: «مُرُوا مَنْ يُصَلِّي بِالنَّاسِ». قَالَ: فَخَرَجْتُ، فَإِذَا عُمَرُ فِي النَّاسِ، وَكَانَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ غَائِبًا، فَقَالَ: قُمْ يَا عُمَرُ، فَصَلِّ بِالنَّاسِ. قَالَ: فَقَامَ، فَلَمَّا كَبَّرَ عُمَرُ سَمِعَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ صَوْتَهُ، وَكَانَ عُمَرُ رَجُلًا مُجْهِرًا. قَالَ: فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ: «فَأَيْنَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ؟ يَأْبَى اللهُ ذَلِكَ وَالْمُسْلِمُونَ، يَأْبَى اللهُ ذَلِكَ وَالْمُسْلِمُونَ». قَالَ: فَبَعَثَ إِلَى أَبِي بَكْرٍ، فَجَاءَ بَعْدَ أَنْ صَلَّى عُمَرُ تِلْكَ الصَّلَاةَ، فَصَلَّى بِالنَّاسِ. قَالَ: وَقَالَ عَبْدُ اللهِ بْنُ زَمْعَةَ: قَالَ لِي عُمَرُ: وَيْحَكَ، مَاذَا صَنَعْتَ بِي يَا ابْنَ زَمْعَةَ؟ وَاللهِ، مَا ظَنَنْتُ حِينَ أَمَرْتَنِي إِلَّا أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ أَمَرَكَ بِذَلِكَ، وَلَوْلَا ذَلِكَ مَا صَلَّيْتُ بِالنَّاسِ. قَالَ: قُلْتُ: وَاللهِ، مَا أَمَرَنِي رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ، وَلَكِنْ حِينَ لَمْ أَرَ أَبَا بَكْرٍ، رَأَيْتُكَ أَحَقَّ مَنْ حَضَرَ بِالصَّلَاةِ.
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