ʿAisha said, "Messenger of Allah ﷺ ordered Abu Bakr to lead the people in the prayer during his illness and so he led them in prayer." ʿUrwa, a sub narrator, added, "Messenger of Allah ﷺ felt a bit relieved and came out and Abu Bakr was leading the people. When Abu Bakr saw the Prophet ﷺ he retreated but the Prophet beckoned him to remain there. Messenger of Allah ﷺ sat beside Abu Bakr. Abu Bakr was following the prayer of Messenger of Allah ﷺ and the people were following the prayer of Abu Bakr."  

أَمَرَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَبَا بَكْرٍ أَنْ يُصَلِّيَ بِالنَّاسِ فِي مَرَضِهِ فَكَانَ يُصَلِّي بِهِمْ قَالَ عُرْوَةُ فَوَجَدَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فِي نَفْسِهِ خِفَّةً فَخَرَجَ فَإِذَا أَبُو بَكْرٍ يَؤُمُّ النَّاسَ فَلَمَّا رَآهُ أَبُو بَكْرٍ اسْتَأْخَرَ فَأَشَارَ إِلَيْهِ أَنْ كَمَا أَنْتَ فَجَلَسَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ حِذَاءَ أَبِي بَكْرٍ إِلَى جَنْبِهِ فَكَانَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ يُصَلِّي بِصَلاَةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَالنَّاسُ يُصَلُّونَ بِصَلاَةِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ  

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ ordered Abu Bakr that he should lead people in prayer during his illness, and he led them in prayer. ʿUrwa said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ felt relief and went (to the mosque) and Abu Bakr was leading the people in prayer. When Abu Bakr saw him he began to withdraw, but the Messenger of Allah ﷺ signaled him to remain where he was. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ sat opposite to Abu Bakr by his side. Abu Bakr said prayer following the prayer of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and the people said prayer following the prayer of Abu Bakr.  

أَمَرَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَبَا بَكْرٍ أَنْ يُصَلِّيَ بِالنَّاسِ فِي مَرَضِهِ فَكَانَ يُصَلِّي بِهِمْ قَالَ عُرْوَةُ فَوَجَدَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ مِنْ نَفْسِهِ خِفَّةً فَخَرَجَ وَإِذَا أَبُو بَكْرٍ يَؤُمُّ النَّاسَ فَلَمَّا رَآهُ أَبُو بَكْرٍ اسْتَأْخَرَ فَأَشَارَ إِلَيْهِ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَىْ كَمَا أَنْتَ فَجَلَسَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ حِذَاءَ أَبِي بَكْرٍ إِلَى جَنْبِهِ فَكَانَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ يُصَلِّي بِصَلاَةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَالنَّاسُ يُصَلُّونَ بِصَلاَةِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ  

“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ told Abu Bakr to lead the people in prayer when he was sick, and Abu Bakr used to lead them in prayer. Then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ began to feel a little better, so he came out, and saw Abu Bakr leading the people in prayer. When Abu Bakr saw him, he stepped back, but the Messenger of Allah ﷺ gestured to him to stay where he was. Then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ sat beside Abu Bakr. Abu Bakr was following the prayer of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and the people were following the prayer of Abu Bakr.”  

أَمَرَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَبَا بَكْرٍ أَنْ يُصَلِّيَ بِالنَّاسِ فِي مَرَضِهِ فَكَانَ يُصَلِّي بِهِمْ فَوَجَدَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ خِفَّةً فَخَرَجَ وَإِذَا أَبُو بَكْرٍ يَؤُمُّ النَّاسَ فَلَمَّا رَآهُ أَبُو بَكْرٍ اسْتَأْخَرَ فَأَشَارَ إِلَيْهِ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَىْ كَمَا أَنْتَ فَجَلَسَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ حِذَاءَ أَبِي بَكْرٍ إِلَى جَنْبِهِ فَكَانَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ يُصَلِّي بِصَلاَةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَالنَّاسُ يُصَلُّونَ بِصَلاَةِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ  

Yahya related to me from Malik from Hisham ibn Urwa from his father that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ came out during his illness, and approached and found Abu Bakr standing, leading the people in prayer. Abu Bakr began to go back, but the Messenger of Allah ﷺ indicated to him to stay where he was. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ sat by the side of Abu Bakr, and Abu Bakr prayed following the prayer of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ who was sitting, and the people prayed following the prayer of Abu Bakr.  

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ خَرَجَ فِي مَرَضِهِ فَأَتَى فَوَجَدَ أَبَا بَكْرٍ وَهُوَ قَائِمٌ يُصَلِّي بِالنَّاسِ فَاسْتَأْخَرَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ فَأَشَارَ إِلَيْهِ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَنْ كَمَا أَنْتَ فَجَلَسَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ إِلَى جَنْبِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ فَكَانَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ يُصَلِّي بِصَلاَةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَهُوَ جَالِسٌ وَكَانَ النَّاسُ يُصَلُّونَ بِصَلاَةِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ  

“When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ fell ill with the sickness that would be his last” – (One of the narrators) Abu Mu’awiyah said: “When he was overcome by sickness” – “Bilal came to tell him that it was time for prayer. He said, ‘Tell Abu Bakr to lead the people in prayer.’ We said: ‘O Messenger of Allah! Abu Bakr is a tender-hearted man, and when he takes your place he will weep and not be able to do it. Why do you not tell ‘Umar to lead the people in prayer?’ He said: ‘Tell Abu Bakr to lead the people in prayer; you are (like) the female companions of Yusuf.’” She said: “So we sent word to Abu Bakr, and he led the people in prayer. Then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ began to feel a little better, so he came out to the prayer, supported by two men with his feet making lines along the ground. When Abu Bakr realized that he was there, he wanted to step back, but the Prophet ﷺ gestured to him to stay where he was. Then (the two men) brought him to sit beside Abu Bakr, and Abu Bakr was following the lead of the Prophet ﷺ and the people were following Abu Bakr.” (Using translation from Ibn Mājah 1232)   

لَمَّا مَرِضَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ مَرَضَهُ الَّذِي مَاتَ فِيهِ جَاءَهُ بِلَالٌ يُؤْذِنُهُ بِالصَّلَاةِ فَقَالَ «مُرُوا أَبَا بَكْرٍ فَلْيُصَلِّ بِالنَّاسِ» قُلْنَا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّ أَبَا بَكْرٍ رَجُلٌ أَسِيفٌ وَمَتَى يَقُمْ مَقَامَكَ يَبْكِ فَلَوْ أَمَرْتَ عُمَرَ أَنْ يُصَلِّيَ بِالنَّاسِ قَالَ «مُرُوا أَبَا بَكْرٍ لِيُصَلِّيَ بِالنَّاسِ» ثَلَاثَ مَرَّاتٍ «فَإِنَّكُنَّ صَوَاحِبَاتُ يُوسُفَ» قَالَتْ فَأَرْسَلْنَا إِلَى أَبِي بَكْرٍ فَصَلَّى بِالنَّاسِ فَوَجَدَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ مِنْ نَفْسِهِ خِفَّةً فَخَرَجَ يُهَادَى بَيْنَ رَجُلَيْنِ وَرِجْلَاهُ تَخُطَّانِ فِي الْأَرْضِ فَلَمَّا حَسَّ * بِهِ أَبُو بَكْرٍ ذَهَبَ يَتَأَخَّرُ فَأَوْمَأَ إِلَيْهِ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ أَنْ مَكَانَكَ قَالَ فَجَاءَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ فَجَلَسَ إِلَى جَنْبِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ فَكَانَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ يَأْتَمُّ بِالنَّبِيِّ ﷺ وَالنَّاسُ يَأْتَمُّونَ بِأَبِي بَكْرٍ  

When the Prophet, became ill in his fatal illness, Someone came to inform him about the prayer, and the Prophet ﷺ told him to tell Abu Bakr to lead the people in the prayer. I said, "Abu Bakr is a softhearted man and if he stands for the prayer in your place, he would weep and would not be able to recite the Qur'an." The Prophet ﷺ said, "Tell Abu Bakr to lead the prayer." I said the same as before. He (repeated the same order and) on the third or the fourth time he said, "You are the companions of Joseph. Tell Abu Bakr to lead the prayer." So Abu Bakr led the prayer and meanwhile the Prophet ﷺ felt better and came out with the help of two men; as if I see him just now dragging his feet on the ground. When Abu Bakr saw him, he tried to retreat but the Prophet ﷺ beckoned him to carry on. Abu Bakr retreated a bit and the Prophet ﷺ sat on his (left) side. Abu Bakr was repeating the Takbir (Allahu Akbar) of Messenger of Allah ﷺ for the people to hear. (Using translation from Bukhārī 712)   

لَمَّا مَرِضَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ مَرَضَهُ الَّذِي مَاتَ فِيهِ أَتَاهُ بِلَالٌ يُؤْذِنُهُ بِالصَّلَاةِ فَقَالَ مُرُوا أَبَا بَكْرٍ فَيُصَلِّيَ بِالنَّاسِ فَقَالَتْ إِنَّ أَبَا بَكْرٍ رَجُلٌ أَسِيفٌ وَإِنَّهُ إِنْ يَقُمْ مَقَامَكَ يَبْكِ فَلَا يَقْدِرُ عَلَى الْقِرَاءَةِ فَقَالَ مُرُوا أَبَا بَكْرٍ فِي الثَّالِثَةِ أَوْ فِي الرَّابِعَةِ إِنَّكُنَّ صَوَاحِبُ يُوسُفَ مُرُوا أَبَا بَكْرٍ فَيُصَلِّيَ بِالنَّاسِ فَقَامَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ ؓ فَصَلَّى بِالنَّاسِ وَخَرَجَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ يُهَادَى بَيْنَ رَجُلَيْنِ كَأَنِّي أَنْظُرُ إِلَيْهِ يَخُطُّ بِرِجْلَيْهِ الْأَرْضَ فَلَمَّا رَآهُ أَبُو بَكْرٍ ذَهَبَ يَتَأَخَّرُ فَأَشَارَ إِلَيْهِ أَنْ صَلِّ فَقَامَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ وَقَعَدَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ إِلَى جَنْبِهِ يُصَلِّي وَأَبُو بَكْرٍ يُسْمِعُ النَّاسَ