[Machine] A man entered upon me in the afternoon and I said, "O Abdullah, what do you need?" He replied, "I arrived and my companion and I have a need for sheltering our camels, so I entered to seek shade and drink some water." So I got up and went to a sour, acidic pasture and gave him water to drink. I asked him, "O Abdullah, who are you?" He said, "I am Abu Bakr, the companion of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, whom you have heard about." I then mentioned some battles and raids we had in the pre-Islamic era, and how Allah has brought unity and peace among us. He said, "That's right" and interlaced his fingers. I asked him, "O Abdullah, how long will people be in this state?" He replied, "As long as the leaders are upright." I said, "And who are the leaders?" He said, "Do you not see how a specific person is followed by and obeyed by the noble ones, as long as they remain upright?"
دَخَلَ عَلَيَّ رَجُلٌ بِالظَّهِيرَةِ قُلْتُ يَا عَبْدَ اللَّهِ مَا حَاجَتُكَ؟ قَالَ «أَقْبَلْتُ وَصَاحِبٌ لِي فِي بُغَاءِ إِبِلٍ لَنَا فَدَخَلْتُ أَسْتَظِلُّ بِالظِّلِّ وَاشْرَبُ مِنَ الشَّرَابِ» فَقُمْتُ إِلَى ضَيْحَةٍ حَامِضَةٍ وَلَبِينَةٍ حَامِضَةٍ فَسَقَيْتُهُ وَقُلْتُ يَا عَبْدَ اللَّهِ مَنْ أَنْتَ؟ قَالَ «أَنَا أَبُو بَكْرٍ صَاحِبُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ الَّذِي سَمِعْتِ بِهِ» قَالَ فَذَكَرْتُ خَثْعَمًا وَغَزْوَ بَعْضِنَا بَعْضًا فِي الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ وَمَا جَاءَ اللَّهُ مِنَ الِإِلْفَةِ وَأَطْنَابِ الْفَسَاطِيطِ هَكَذَا وَشَبَّكَ بَيْنَ أَصَابِعِهِ قَالَتْ فَقُلْتُ يَا عَبْدَ اللَّهِ حَتَّى مَتَى أَمْرُ النَّاسِ هَكَذَا؟ قَالَ «مَا اسْتَقَامَتِ الْأَئِمَّةُ» قَالَتْ قُلْتُ وَمَا الْأَئِمَّةُ؟ قَالَ «أَلَمْ تَرَيْ إِلَى الْحُوَى يَكُونُ فِيهِ السَّيِّدُ يَتَّبِعُونَهُ وَيُطِيعُونَهُ مَا اسْتَقَامَ أُولَئِكَ»