The Prophet ﷺ delivered a sermon and said, "Allah gave a choice to one of (His) slaves either to choose this world or what is with Him in the Hereafter. He chose the latter." Abu Bakr wept. I said to myself, "Why is this Sheikh weeping, if Allah gave choice to one (of His) slaves either to choose this world or what is with Him in the Here after and he chose the latter?" And that slave was Messenger of Allah ﷺ himself. Abu Bakr knew more than us. The Prophet ﷺ said, "O Abu Bakr! Don't weep. The Prophet ﷺ added: Abu- Bakr has favored me much with his property and company. If I were to take a Khalil from mankind I would certainly have taken Abu Bakr but the Islamic brotherhood and friendship is sufficient. Close all the gates in the mosque except that of Abu Bakr.  

خَطَبَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ فَقَالَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ خَيَّرَ عَبْدًا بَيْنَ الدُّنْيَا وَبَيْنَ مَا عِنْدَهُ فَاخْتَارَ مَا عِنْدَ اللَّهِ فَبَكَى أَبُو بَكْرٍ ؓ فَقُلْتُ فِي نَفْسِي مَا يُبْكِي هَذَا الشَّيْخَ إِنْ يَكُنِ اللَّهُ خَيَّرَ عَبْدًا بَيْنَ الدُّنْيَا وَبَيْنَ مَا عِنْدَهُ فَاخْتَارَ مَا عِنْدَ اللَّهِ فَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ هُوَ الْعَبْدَ وَكَانَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ أَعْلَمَنَا قَالَ يَا أَبَا بَكْرٍ لاَ تَبْكِ إِنَّ أَمَنَّ النَّاسِ عَلَىَّ فِي صُحْبَتِهِ وَمَالِهِ أَبُو بَكْرٍ وَلَوْ كُنْتُ مُتَّخِذًا خَلِيلاً مِنْ أُمَّتِي لاَتَّخَذْتُ أَبَا بَكْرٍ وَلَكِنْ أُخُوَّةُ الإِسْلاَمِ وَمَوَدَّتُهُ لاَ يَبْقَيَنَّ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ باب إِلاَّ سُدَّ إِلاَّ باب أَبِي بَكْرٍ  

Messenger of Allah ﷺ sat on the pulpit and said, "Allah has given one of His Slaves the choice of receiving the splendor and luxury of the worldly life whatever he likes or to accept the good (of the Hereafter) which is with Allah. So he has chosen that good which is with Allah." On that Abu Bakr wept and said, "Our fathers and mothers be sacrificed for you." We became astonished at this. The people said, "Look at this old man! Messenger of Allah ﷺ talks about a Slave of Allah to whom He has given the option to choose either the splendor of this worldly life or the good which is with Him, while he says. 'our fathers and mothers be sacrifice(i for you." But it was Messenger of Allah ﷺ who had been given option, and Abu Bakr knew it better than we. Messenger of Allah ﷺ added, "No doubt, I am indebted to Abu Bakr more than to anybody else regarding both his companionship and his wealth. And if I had to take a Khalil from my followers, I would certainly have taken Abu Bakr, but the fraternity of Islam is. sufficient. Let no door (i.e. Khoukha) of the Mosque remain open, except the door of Abu Bakr."  

عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ ؓ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ جَلَسَ عَلَى الْمِنْبَرِ فَقَالَ إِنَّ عَبْدًا خَيَّرَهُ اللَّهُ بَيْنَ أَنْ يُؤْتِيَهُ مِنْ زَهْرَةِ الدُّنْيَا مَا شَاءَ وَبَيْنَ مَا عِنْدَهُ فَاخْتَارَ مَا عِنْدَهُ فَبَكَى أَبُو بَكْرٍ وَقَالَ فَدَيْنَاكَ بِآبَائِنَا وَأُمَّهَاتِنَا فَعَجِبْنَا لَهُ وَقَالَ النَّاسُ انْظُرُوا إِلَى هَذَا الشَّيْخِ يُخْبِرُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ عَنْ عَبْدٍ خَيَّرَهُ اللَّهُ بَيْنَ أَنْ يُؤْتِيَهُ مِنْ زَهْرَةِ الدُّنْيَا وَبَيْنَ مَا عِنْدَهُ وَهْوَ يَقُولُ فَدَيْنَاكَ بِآبَائِنَا وَأُمَّهَاتِنَا فَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ هُوَ الْمُخَيَّرَ وَكَانَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ هُوَ أَعْلَمَنَا بِهِ وَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ إِنَّ مِنْ أَمَنِّ النَّاسِ عَلَىَّ فِي صُحْبَتِهِ وَمَالِهِ أَبَا بَكْرٍ وَلَوْ كُنْتُ مُتَّخِذًا خَلِيلاً مِنْ أُمَّتِي لاَتَّخَذْتُ أَبَا بَكْرٍ إِلاَّ خُلَّةَ الإِسْلاَمِ لاَ يَبْقَيَنَّ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ خَوْخَةٌ إِلاَّ خَوْخَةُ أَبِي بَكْرٍ  

that Messenger of Allah ﷺ sat on the pulpit and said, "Allah gave a choice to a servant that he may opt for the beauties of the world or that which is with Him. And the servant chose that which was with Him." Thereupon Abū Bakr wept and he wept a lot and said: "Let our fathers and our mothers be taken as ransom for you." It was Messenger of Allah ﷺ who had been given the choice, and Abū Bakr knew it better than us.

Messenger of Allah ﷺ is reported to have said, "Behold, of all people the most generous toward me in regard to his companionship and his property was Abū Bakr. Were I to choose anyone as my khalīl (close friend), I would have chosen Abū Bakr as my khalīl, but ˹for him I cherish˺ Islamic brotherhood. There shall be left open no window ˹facing˺ Masjid ˹al-Nabawī˺ except Abū Bakr's window."  

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ جَلَسَ عَلَى الْمِنْبَرِ فَقَالَ «عَبْدٌ خَيَّرَهُ اللَّهُ بَيْنَ أَنْ يُؤْتِيَهُ زَهْرَةَ الدُّنْيَا وَبَيْنَ مَا عِنْدَهُ۔ فَاخْتَارَ مَا عِنْدَهُ۔» فَبَكَى أَبُو بَكْرٍ وَبَكَى، فَقَالَ: فَدَيْنَاكَ بِآبَائِنَا وَأُمَّهَاتِنَا۔ قَالَ فَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ هُوَ الْمُخَيَّرُ وَكَانَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ أَعْلَمَنَا بِهِ۔

وَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ «إِنَّ أَمَنَّ النَّاسِ عَلَىَّ فِي مَالِهِ وَصُحْبَتِهِ أَبُو بَكْرٍ۔ وَلَوْ كُنْتُ مُتَّخِذًا خَلِيلاً، لاَتَّخَذْتُ أَبَا بَكْرٍ خَلِيلاً، وَلَكِنْ أُخُوَّةُ الإِسْلاَمِ۔ لاَ تُبْقَيَنَّ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ خَوْخَةٌ إِلاَّ خَوْخَةَ أَبِي بَكْرٍ۔»  

"The Messenger of Allah ﷺ sat upon the Minbar and said: 'Indeed a worshiper has been given a choice by Allah, between Him giving him from the bounty of this life as much as he wishes, and between what is with Him. So he chose what is with Him.' So Abu Bakr said: 'We will ransom our fathers and mothers for you O Messenger of Allah!'" He said: "So we were amazed. Then the people said: 'Look at this old man. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ informs about a worshiper whom Allah gave the choice, between Him giving him from the bounty of this life as much as he wishes, and between that which is with Allah, and he says: 'We will ransom our fathers and mothers for you?' But the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was the one given the choice, and Abu Bakr was the most knowledgeable of it among them. So the Prophet ﷺ said: 'From those who were most beneficial to me among the people in their companionship and their wealth was Abu Bakr. And if I were to take a Khalil, I would would have taken Abu Bakr as a Khalil. But rather, the brotherhood of Islam. Let there not remain a door in the Masjid except the door of Abu Bakr.'"  

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ جَلَسَ عَلَى الْمِنْبَرِ فَقَالَ إِنَّ عَبْدًا خَيَّرَهُ اللَّهُ بَيْنَ أَنْ يُؤْتِيَهُ مِنْ زَهْرَةِ الدُّنْيَا مَا شَاءَ وَبَيْنَ مَا عِنْدَهُ فَاخْتَارَ مَا عِنْدَهُ فَقَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ فَدَيْنَاكَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ بِآبَائِنَا وَأُمَّهَاتِنَا قَالَ فَعَجِبْنَا فَقَالَ النَّاسُ انْظُرُوا إِلَى هَذَا الشَّيْخِ يُخْبِرُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ عَنْ عَبْدٍ خَيَّرَهُ اللَّهُ بَيْنَ أَنْ يُؤْتِيَهُ مِنْ زَهْرَةِ الدُّنْيَا مَا شَاءَ وَبَيْنَ مَا عِنْدَ اللَّهِ وَهُوَ يَقُولُ فَدَيْنَاكَ بِآبَائِنَا وَأُمَّهَاتِنَا قَالَ فَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ هُوَ الْمُخَيَّرَ وَكَانَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ هُوَ أَعْلَمَنَا بِهِ فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ إِنَّ مِنْ أَمَنِّ النَّاسِ عَلَىَّ فِي صُحْبَتِهِ وَمَالِهِ أَبُو بَكْرٍ وَلَوْ كُنْتُ مُتَّخِذًا خَلِيلاً لاَتَّخَذْتُ أَبَا بَكْرٍ خَلِيلاً وَلَكِنْ أُخُوَّةُ الإِسْلاَمِ لاَ تَبْقَيَنَّ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ خَوْخَةٌ إِلاَّ خَوْخَةُ أَبِي بَكْرٍ  

[Machine] The Messenger of Allah ﷺ addressed the people and said, "Indeed, Allah ﷻ has chosen a servant between the worldly life and what he possesses." He said, "So, this servant chose what is with Allah." Abu Bakr cried, and we were amazed at his crying, that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ informed us about a servant who was chosen, while he was the chosen one. And Abu Bakr was the most knowledgeable among us about him. So the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "Indeed, if I were to take a close friend from the people other than my Lord, I would have taken Abu Bakr. But the brotherhood of Islam and his love for it has no door left open in the masjid, except for the door of Abu Bakr."  

خَطَبَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ النَّاسَ فَقَالَ إِنَّ اللهَ ﷻ خَيَّرَ عَبْدًا بَيْنَ الدُّنْيَا وَبَيْنَ مَا عِنْدَهُ قَالَ فَاخْتَارَ ذَلِكَ الْعَبْدُ مَا عِنْدَ اللهِ قَالَ فَبَكَى أَبُو بَكْرٍ فَعَجِبْنَا لِبُكَائِهِ أَنْ خَبَّرَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ عَنْ عَبْدٍ خُيِّرَ وَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺالْمُخَيَّرَ وَكَانَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ أَعْلَمَنَا بِهِ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ إِنَّ أَمَنَّ النَّاسِ عَلَيَّ فِي صُحْبَتِهِ وَمَالِهِ أَبُو بَكْرٍ وَلَوْ كُنْتُ مُتَّخِذًا مِنَ النَّاسِ خَلِيلًا غَيْرَ رَبِّي لَاتَّخَذْتُ أَبَا بَكْرٍ وَلَكِنْ أُخُوَّةُ الْإِسْلَامِ أَوْ مَوَدَّتُهُ لَا يَبْقَى بَابٌ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ إِلَّا سُدَّ إِلَّا بَابَ أَبِي بَكْرٍ  

[Machine] The Messenger of Allah ﷺ delivered a sermon and said, "Verily, Allah has given the choice to His servant between what He pleases of the flowers of this worldly life and his meeting with Him, so he chose to meet his Lord." Abu Bakr wept and said, "Rather! I would ransom you with my father and mother." The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "Be silent, O Abu Bakr." Then he said, "If anyone is to be trusted with the wealth and life of the people, it is Abu Bakr. If I were to take an intimate friend from among mankind, I would have taken Abu Bakr as my intimate friend. However, the bond of Islam and mutual love remains in this mosque. There is no thicket except it has been removed, except the thicket of Abu Bakr." Abu Sa'eed said, "So I said, 'It is amazing for the Messenger of Allah ﷺ to inform us that Allah has given the choice to a servant between the worldly life and the Hereafter, and this person is weeping. And when there is someone who is given the choice, it is the Messenger of Allah ﷺ , and when there is someone who is weeping, it is Abu Bakr. And when there is Abu Bakr, he knows the Messenger of Allah ﷺ better than us."  

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ خَطَبَ فَقَالَ «إِنَّ اللَّهَ خَيَّرَ عَبْدًا بَيْنَ أَنْ يُؤْتِيَهُ مِنْ زَهْرَةِ الدُّنْيَا مَا شَاءَ وَبَيْنَ لِقَائِهِ فَاخْتَارَ لِقَاءَ رَبِّهِ» فَبَكَى أَبُو بَكْرٍ وَقَالَ بَلْ نَفْدِيكَ بِآبَائِنَا وَأَبْنَائِنَا فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ «اسْكُتْ يَا أَبَا بَكْرٍ» ثُمَّ قَالَ «إِنَّ أَمَنَّ النَّاسِ عَلَيَّ فِي صُحْبَتِهِ وَمَالِهِ أَبُو بَكْرٍ وَلَوْ كُنْتُ مُتَّخِذًا خَلِيلًا مِنَ النَّاسِ لَاتَّخَذْتُ أَبَا بَكْرٍ وَلَكِنْ أُخُوَّةُ الْإِسْلَامِ وَمَوَدَّتُهُ أَلَا لَا يَبْقِيَنَّ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ خَوْخَةٌ إِلَّا سُدَّتْ إِلَّا خَوْخَةَ أَبِي بَكْرٍ» قَالَ أَبُو سَعِيدٍ فَقُلْتُ «الْعَجَبُ يُخْبِرُنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَنَّ عَبْدًا خَيَّرَهُ اللَّهُ بَيْنَ الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ وَهَذَا يَبْكِي وَإِذَا الْمُخَيَّرُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَإِذَا الْبَاكِي أَبُو بَكْرٍ وَإِذَا أَبُو بَكْرٍ أَعْلَمُنَا بِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ»  

that Messenger of Allah ﷺ sat on the pulpit and said, "Allah gave a choice to a servant that he may opt for the beauties of the world or that which is with Him. And the servant chose that which was with Him." Thereupon Abū Bakr wept and he wept a lot and said: "Let our fathers and our mothers be taken as ransom for you." It was Messenger of Allah ﷺ who had been given the choice, and Abū Bakr knew it better than us.

Messenger of Allah ﷺ is reported to have said, "Behold, of all people the most generous toward me in regard to his companionship and his property was Abū Bakr. Were I to choose anyone as my khalīl (close friend), I would have chosen Abū Bakr as my khalīl, but ˹for him I cherish˺ Islamic brotherhood. There shall be left open no window ˹facing˺ Masjid ˹al-Nabawī˺ except Abū Bakr's window." (Using translation from Muslim 2382a)  

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ جَلَسَ عَلَى الْمِنْبَرِ فَقَالَ «إِنَّ عَبْدًا خَيَّرَهُ اللَّهُ بَيْنَ أَنْ يُؤْتِيَهُ مِنْ زَهْرَةِ الدُّنْيَا مَا شَاءَ وَبَيْنَ مَا عِنْدَهُ فَاخْتَارَ مَا عِنْدَهُ» فَبَكَى أَبُو بَكْرٍ وَقَالَ فَدَيْنَاكَ بِآبَائِنَا وَأُمَّهَاتِنَا فَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ هُوَ الْمُخَيَّرُ وَكَانَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ أَعْلَمَنَا بِهِ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ «إِنَّ أَمَنَّ النَّاسِ عَلَيَّ فِي مَالِهِ وَصَحِبْتِهِ أَبُو بَكْرٍ وَلَوْ كُنْتُ مُتَّخِذًا خَلِيلًا لَاتَّخَذْتُ أَبَا بَكْرٍ خَلِيلًا وَلَكِنْ أُخُوَّةُ الْإِسْلَامِ لَا يَبْقِيَنَّ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ خَوْخَةٌ إِلَّا خَوْخَةُ أَبِي بَكْرٍ»  

The Prophet ﷺ delivered a sermon and said, "Allah gave a choice to one of (His) slaves either to choose this world or what is with Him in the Hereafter. He chose the latter." Abu Bakr wept. I said to myself, "Why is this Sheikh weeping, if Allah gave choice to one (of His) slaves either to choose this world or what is with Him in the Here after and he chose the latter?" And that slave was Messenger of Allah ﷺ himself. Abu Bakr knew more than us. The Prophet ﷺ said, "O Abu Bakr! Don't weep. The Prophet ﷺ added: Abu- Bakr has favored me much with his property and company. If I were to take a Khalil from mankind I would certainly have taken Abu Bakr but the Islamic brotherhood and friendship is sufficient. Close all the gates in the mosque except that of Abu Bakr. (Using translation from Bukhārī 466)   

"إِنَّ الله خيَّرَ عَبْدًا بَينَ الدُّنْيَا وَبينَ مَا عنْدَهُ فَاخْتَارَ ذَلِكَ الْعبْدُ مَا عنْدَ الله، فَبَكى أَبُو بَكْرٍ فَقَال: يَا أَبَا بَكْرٍ: لَا تَبْكِ، إِنَّ أمَنَّ النَّاس عَلَيَّ فِي صُحْبَتِه وَمَالِهِ أَبُو بَكْر، وَلَوْ كُنْتُ مُتَّخِذًا خليلًا غَيرَ ربِّي لاتَّخَذْتُ أبَا بَكْر خَلِيلًا، وَلكِنْ أُخُوَّةُ الإِسْلَام وَمَوَدتهُ. لا يَبْقَيَنَّ فِي الْمَسْجِد بَابٌ إلا سُدَّ (إلا) بَاب أبِي بَكْرٍ".  

"إِنَّ منْ أَمَنِّ النَّاسِ عَلَىّ بصحبته وماله أبو بكرٍ، ولو كنت متخذًا خليلًا غيرَ ربِّى لاتخذت أَبا بكرٍ، ولكن أُخُوَّةُ الإِسلامِ ومودَّتُه، لا يَبْقَيَنَّ في المسجدِ بابٌ إِلَّا سُدَّ، إِلَّا بابَ أَبى بكرٍ".

قاله ﷺ في مرضه.  

"عَنْ عَائِشَةَ قَالَتْ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ : إنَّ عَبْدًا مِنْ عِبَادِ اللهِ قَدْ خُيِّرَ بَيْنَ مَا عِنْدَ اللهِ وَبَيْنَ الدُّنْيَا، فَاخْتَارَ مَا عِنْدَ اللهِ. فَلَمْ يَفْقَهْهَا أَحَدٌ إِلَّا أَبُو بَكْرٍ فَبَكَى

فَقَالَ لَهُ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ : عَلَى رِسْلِكَ يَا أَبَا بَكْرٍ! سُدُّوا هَذِهِ الأَبْوَابَ الشَّوَارِعَ فِي المَسْجِدِ إِلَّا بَابَ أَبَا بَكْرٍ، فَإِنِّي لَا أَعْلَمُ امرءًا أَفْضَلَ عِنْدِي يَدًا فِي الصَّحَابَةِ مِنْ أَبِي بَكْرٍ".