[Machine] I was never eager for leadership, neither by day nor by night. I was not interested in it, nor did I ask Allah for it, privately or publicly. But I feared discord, and I have no comfort in leadership. However, I was entrusted with a great responsibility that I am not capable of handling and it can only be fulfilled with the strength from Allah. If I wished, the strongest of people would have accepted my position today, but the immigrants accepted what they said and offered no excuses. Ali and Zubair said, "We were only angry because we were excluded from the consultation, and we believe that Abu Bakr is the most deserving person after the Messenger of Allah, ﷺ . He is the companion in the cave and the second of two. Indeed, we recognize his honor and greatness, and the Messenger of Allah, ﷺ , commanded him to lead the people in prayer while he was alive."
مَا كُنْتُ حَرِيصًا عَلَى الْإِمَارَةِ يَوْمًا وَلَا لَيْلَةً قَطُّ وَلَا كُنْتُ فِيهَا رَاغِبًا وَلَا سَأَلْتُهَا اللهَ فِي سِرٍّ وَلَا عَلَانِيَةٍ وَلَكِنِّي أَشْفَقْتُ مِنَ الْفِتْنَةِ وَمَا لِي فِي الْإِمَارَةِ مِنْ رَاحَةٍ وَلَكِنْ قُلِّدْتُ أَمْرًا عَظِيمًا مَا لِي بِهِ طَاقَةٌ وَلَا يُدَانُ إِلَّا بِتَقْوِيَةِ اللهِ ولَوَدِدْتُ أَنَّ أَقْوَى النَّاسِ عَلَيْهَا مَكَانِي عَلَيْهَا الْيَوْمَ فَقَبِلَ الْمُهَاجِرُونَ مِنْهُ مَا قَالَ وَمَا اعْتَذَرَ بِهِ وَقَالَ عَلِيٌّ وَالزُّبَيْرُ ؓ مَا غَضِبْنَا إِلَّا لِأَنَّا أُخِّرْنَا عَنِ الْمُشَاوَرَةِ وَإِنَّا نَرَى أَبَا بَكْرٍ أَحَقَّ النَّاسِ بِهَا بَعْدَ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ إِنَّهُ لَصَاحِبُ الْغَارِ وَثَانِي اثْنَيْنِ وَإِنَّا لَنَعْرِفُ شَرَفَهُ وَكُبْرَهُ وَلَقَدْ أَمَرَهُ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ بِالصَّلَاةِ بِالنَّاسِ وَهُوَ حَيٌّ