"Messenger of Allah ﷺ in his fatal illness came out with a piece of cloth tied round his head and sat on the pulpit. After thanking and praising Allah he said, "There is no one who had done more favor to me with life and property than Abu Bakr bin Abi Quhafa. If I were to take a Khalil, I would certainly have taken Abu- Bakr but the Islamic brotherhood is superior. Close all the small doors in this mosque except that of Abu Bakr." (Using translation from Bukhārī 467)
خَرَجَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ فِي مَرَضِهِ الَّذِي مَاتَ فِيهِ عَاصِبًا رَأْسَهُ فِي خِرْقَةٍ فَقَعَدَ عَلَى الْمِنْبَرِ فَحَمِدَ اللهَ وَأَثْنَى عَلَيْهِ ثُمَّ قَالَ إِنَّهُ لَيْسَ أَحَدٌ أَمَنَّ عَلَيَّ فِي نَفْسِهِ وَمَالِهِ مِنْ أَبِي بَكْرِ بْنِ أَبِي قُحَافَةَ وَلَوْ كُنْتُ مُتَّخِذًا مِنَ النَّاسِ خَلِيلًا لاتَّخَذْتُ أَبَا بَكْرٍ خَلِيلًا وَلَكِنْ خُلَّةُ الْإِسْلامِ أَفْضَلُ سُدُّوا عَنِّي كُلَّ خَوْخَةٍ فِي هَذَا الْمَسْجِدِ غَيْرَ خَوْخَةِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ