Caution: Translations of Quran and Ḥadīth may lead to possible misapplications and misinterpretations. This site is intended for students of sacred knowledge that are proficient in comprehending classical Arabic and have a strong foundation in Islamic sciences. Also note that religious injunctions rely on several aspects beyond what one may glean through reading individual aḥādīth.
muslim:419aʿAmr al-Nāqid And Ḥasan al-Ḥulwānī Waʿabd b. Ḥumayd > ʿAbd > al-Ākharān > Yaʿqūb Wahū Ibn Ibrāhīm b. Saʿd from my father > Ṣāliḥ > Ibn Shihāb > Anas b. Mālik

[Machine] Here is the translation of the passage into English:

Abu Bakr was leading them in prayer during the illness of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ in which he passed away. On the Monday when they were lined up for prayer, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ pulled aside the curtain of the room and looked at us while standing, his face appearing like a page from the Quran. Then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ smiled, laughing. We were astonished while we were in the prayer due to our joy at the appearance of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ . Abu Bakr retreated to join the row, thinking that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ would come out to lead the prayer. But the Messenger of Allah ﷺ signaled to them with his hand to complete their prayer. Then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ went back and let the curtain fall. On that day, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ passed away.  

مسلم:٤١٩aحَدَّثَنِي عَمْرٌو النَّاقِدُ وَحَسَنٌ الْحُلْوَانِيُّ وَعَبْدُ بْنُ حُمَيْدٍ قَالَ عَبْدٌ أَخْبَرَنِي وَقَالَ الآخَرَانِ حَدَّثَنَا يَعْقُوبُ وَهُوَ ابْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ سَعْدٍ وَحَدَّثَنِي أَبِي عَنْ صَالِحٍ عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي أَنَسُ بْنُ مَالِكٍ

أَنَّ أَبَا بَكْرٍ كَانَ يُصَلِّي لَهُمْ فِي وَجَعِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ الَّذِي تُوُفِّيَ فِيهِ حَتَّى إِذَا كَانَ يَوْمُ الاِثْنَيْنِ وَهُمْ صُفُوفٌ فِي الصَّلاَةِ كَشَفَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ سِتْرَ الْحُجْرَةِ فَنَظَرَ إِلَيْنَا وَهُوَ قَائِمٌ كَأَنَّ وَجْهَهُ وَرَقَةُ مُصْحَفٍ ثُمَّ تَبَسَّمَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ ضَاحِكًا قَالَ فَبُهِتْنَا وَنَحْنُ فِي الصَّلاَةِ مِنْ فَرَحٍ بِخُرُوجِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَنَكَصَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ عَلَى عَقِبَيْهِ لِيَصِلَ الصَّفَّ وَظَنَّ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ خَارِجٌ لِلصَّلاَةِ فَأَشَارَ إِلَيْهِمْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ بِيَدِهِ أَنْ أَتِمُّوا صَلاَتَكُمْ قَالَ ثُمَّ دَخَلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَأَرْخَى السِّتْرَ قَالَ فَتُوُفِّيَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ مِنْ يَوْمِهِ ذَلِكَ  


See similar narrations below:

Collected by Bukhārī, Aḥmad, Bayhaqī
bukhari:1205Bishr b. Muḥammad > ʿAbdullāh > Yūnus > al-Zuhrī > Anas b. Mālik > al-Muslimīn Baynā

While Abu Bakr was leading the people in the morning prayer on a Monday, the Prophet ﷺ came towards them suddenly having lifted the curtain of 'Aisha's house, and looked at them as they were standing in rows and smiled. Abu Bakr tried to come back thinking that Allah's Apostle wanted to come out for the prayer. The attention of the Muslims was diverted from the prayer because they were delighted to see the Prophet. The Prophet ﷺ waved his hand to them to complete their prayer, then he went back into the room and let down the curtain. The Prophet expired on that very day.  

البخاري:١٢٠٥حَدَّثَنَا بِشْرُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ قَالَ يُونُسُ قَالَ الزُّهْرِيُّ أَخْبَرَنِي أَنَسُ بْنُ مَالِكٍ

أَنَّ الْمُسْلِمِينَ بَيْنَا هُمْ فِي الْفَجْرِ يَوْمَ الاِثْنَيْنِ وَأَبُو بَكْرٍ ؓ يُصَلِّي بِهِمْ فَفَجَأَهُمُ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ قَدْ كَشَفَ سِتْرَ حُجْرَةِ عَائِشَةَ ؓ فَنَظَرَ إِلَيْهِمْ وَهُمْ صُفُوفٌ فَتَبَسَّمَ يَضْحَكُ فَنَكَصَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ ؓ عَلَى عَقِبَيْهِ وَظَنَّ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ يُرِيدُ أَنْ يَخْرُجَ إِلَى الصَّلاَةِ وَهَمَّ الْمُسْلِمُونَ أَنْ يَفْتَتِنُوا فِي صَلاَتِهِمْ فَرَحًا بِالنَّبِيِّ ﷺ حِينَ رَأَوْهُ فَأَشَارَ بِيَدِهِ أَنْ أَتِمُّوا ثُمَّ دَخَلَ الْحُجْرَةَ وَأَرْخَى السِّتْرَ وَتُوُفِّيَ ذَلِكَ الْيَوْمَ  

bukhari:754Yaḥyá b. Bukayr > Layth b. Saʿd > ʿUqayl > Ibn Shihāb > Anas > Baynamā

While the Muslims were offering the Fajr prayer, Messenger of Allah ﷺ suddenly appeared before them by living the curtain of the dwelling place of ʿAisha, looked towards the Muslims who were standing in rows. He smiled with pleasure. Abu Bakr started retreating to join the row on the assumption that the Prophet wanted to come out for the prayer. The Muslims intended to leave the prayer (and were on the verge of being put to trial), but the Prophet ﷺ beckoned them to complete their prayer and then he let the curtain fall. He died in the last hours of that day.  

البخاري:٧٥٤حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ بُكَيْرٍ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا لَيْثُ بْنُ سَعْدٍ عَنْ عُقَيْلٍ عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي أَنَسٌ قَالَ

بَيْنَمَا الْمُسْلِمُونَ فِي صَلاَةِ الْفَجْرِ لَمْ يَفْجَأْهُمْ إِلاَّ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ كَشَفَ سِتْرَ حُجْرَةِ عَائِشَةَ فَنَظَرَ إِلَيْهِمْ وَهُمْ صُفُوفٌ فَتَبَسَّمَ يَضْحَكُ وَنَكَصَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ ؓ عَلَى عَقِبَيْهِ لِيَصِلَ لَهُ الصَّفَّ فَظَنَّ أَنَّهُ يُرِيدُ الْخُرُوجَ وَهَمَّ الْمُسْلِمُونَ أَنْ يَفْتَتِنُوا فِي صَلاَتِهِمْ فَأَشَارَ إِلَيْهِمْ أَتِمُّوا صَلاَتَكُمْ فَأَرْخَى السِّتْرَ وَتُوُفِّيَ مِنْ آخِرِ ذَلِكَ الْيَوْمِ  

bukhari:4448Saʿīd b. ʿUfayr > al-Layth > ʿUqayl > Ibn Shihāb > Anas b. Mālik

While the Muslims were offering the Fajr prayer on Monday and Abu Bakr was leading them in prayer, suddenly Messenger of Allah ﷺ lifted the curtain of ʿAisha's dwelling and looked at them while they were in the rows of the prayers and smiled. Abu Bakr retreated to join the row, thinking that Allah's Apostle wanted to come out for the prayer. The Muslims were about to be put to trial in their prayer (i.e. were about to give up praying) because of being overjoyed at seeing Messenger of Allah ﷺ. But Allah's Apostle beckoned them with his hand to complete their prayer and then entered the dwelling and let fall the curtain.  

البخاري:٤٤٤٨حَدَّثَنَا سَعِيدُ بْنُ عُفَيْرٍ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي اللَّيْثُ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي عُقَيْلٌ عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي أَنَسُ بْنُ مَالِكٍ ؓ

أَنَّ الْمُسْلِمِينَ بَيْنَا هُمْ فِي صَلاَةِ الْفَجْرِ مِنْ يَوْمِ الاِثْنَيْنِ وَأَبُو بَكْرٍ يُصَلِّي لَهُمْ لَمْ يَفْجَأْهُمْ إِلاَّ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَدْ كَشَفَ سِتْرَ حُجْرَةِ عَائِشَةَ فَنَظَرَ إِلَيْهِمْ وَهُمْ فِي صُفُوفِ الصَّلاَةِ ثُمَّ تَبَسَّمَ يَضْحَكُ فَنَكَصَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ عَلَى عَقِبَيْهِ لِيَصِلَ الصَّفَّ وَظَنَّ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ يُرِيدُ أَنْ يَخْرُجَ إِلَى الصَّلاَةِ فَقَالَ أَنَسٌ وَهَمَّ الْمُسْلِمُونَ أَنْ يَفْتَتِنُوا فِي صَلاَتِهِمْ فَرَحًا بِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَأَشَارَ إِلَيْهِمْ بِيَدِهِ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَنْ أَتِمُّوا صَلاَتَكُمْ ثُمَّ دَخَلَ الْحُجْرَةَ وَأَرْخَى السِّتْرَ  

bukhari:680Abū al-Yamān > Shuʿayb > al-Zuhrī

Anas bin Malik Al-Ansari, told me, "Abu Bakr used to lead the people in prayer during the fatal illness of the Prophet ﷺ till it was Monday. When the people aligned (in rows) for the prayer the Prophet ﷺ lifted the curtain of his house and started looking at us and was standing at that time. His face was (glittering) like a page of the Qur'an and he smiled cheerfully. We were about to be put to trial for the pleasure of seeing the Prophet, Abu Bakr retreated to join the row as he thought that the Prophet ﷺ would lead the prayer. The Prophet ﷺ beckoned us to complete the prayer and he let the curtain fall. On the same day he died."  

البخاري:٦٨٠حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْيَمَانِ قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا شُعَيْبٌ عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي أَنَسُ بْنُ مَالِكٍ الأَنْصَارِيُّ وَكَانَ تَبِعَ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ وَخَدَمَهُ وَصَحِبَهُ

أَنَّ أَبَا بَكْرٍ كَانَ يُصَلِّي لَهُمْ فِي وَجَعِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ الَّذِي تُوُفِّيَ فِيهِ حَتَّى إِذَا كَانَ يَوْمُ الاِثْنَيْنِ وَهُمْ صُفُوفٌ فِي الصَّلاَةِ فَكَشَفَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ سِتْرَ الْحُجْرَةِ يَنْظُرُ إِلَيْنَا وَهْوَ قَائِمٌ كَأَنَّ وَجْهَهُ وَرَقَةُ مُصْحَفٍ ثُمَّ تَبَسَّمَ يَضْحَكُ فَهَمَمْنَا أَنْ نَفْتَتِنَ مِنَ الْفَرَحِ بِرُؤْيَةِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ فَنَكَصَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ عَلَى عَقِبَيْهِ لِيَصِلَ الصَّفَّ وَظَنَّ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ خَارِجٌ إِلَى الصَّلاَةِ فَأَشَارَ إِلَيْنَا النَّبِيُّ ﷺ أَنْ أَتِمُّوا صَلاَتَكُمْ وَأَرْخَى السِّتْرَ فَتُوُفِّيَ مِنْ يَوْمِهِ  

ahmad:12666ʿAbd al-Razzāq And Muḥammad b. Bakr > Ibn Jurayj > Ibn Shihāb > Anas b. Mālik

[Machine] He said that the last glance I had towards the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was when he was complaining, so he ordered Abu Bakr to lead the prayer for the people. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ uncovered the curtain of Aisha's room and looked at the people. I looked at his face and it appeared to me like the page of a Qur'an until Abu Bakr stumbled on his heels to reach the front row, thinking that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ wanted to lead the prayer for the people. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ smiled when he saw them in rows and gestured with his hand to them to complete their prayer, and he stood a curtain between him and them. He passed away on that day.  

أحمد:١٢٦٦٦حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بَكْرٍ قَالَا أَخْبَرَنَا ابْنُ جُرَيْجٍ أَخْبَرَنِي ابْنُ شِهَابٍ عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ

أَنَّهُ قَالَ آخِرُ نَظْرَةٍ نَظَرْتُهَا إِلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ أَنَّهُ اشْتَكَى فَأَمَرَ أَبَا بَكْرٍ فَصَلَّى لِلنَّاسِ فَكَشَفَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ سُتْرَةَ حُجْرَةِ عَائِشَةَ فَنَظَرَ إِلَى النَّاسِ فَنَظَرْتُ إِلَى وَجْهِهِ كَأَنَّهُ وَرَقَةُ مُصْحَفٍ حَتَّى نَكَصَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ عَلَى عَقِبَيْهِ لِيَصِلَ إِلَى الصَّفِّ وَظَنَّ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ يُرِيدُ أَنْ يُصَلِّيَ لِلنَّاسِ فَتَبَسَّمَ حِينَ رَآهُمْ صُفُوفًا وَأَشَارَ بِيَدِهِ إِلَيْهِمْ أَنْ أَتِمُّوا صَلَاتَكُمْ وَأَرْخَى السِّتْرَ بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَهُمْ فَتُوُفِّيَ مِنْ يَوْمِهِ ذَلِكَ  

bayhaqi:5046Muḥammad b. ʿAbdullāh al-Ḥāfiẓ > Abū al-ʿAbbās Muḥammad b. Yaʿqūb > Muḥammad b. Isḥāq al-Ṣaghānī > Abū al-Yamān > Shuʿayb > al-Zuhrī > Anas

Anas bin Malik Al-Ansari, told me, "Abu Bakr used to lead the people in prayer during the fatal illness of the Prophet ﷺ till it was Monday. When the people aligned (in rows) for the prayer the Prophet ﷺ lifted the curtain of his house and started looking at us and was standing at that time. His face was (glittering) like a page of the Qur'an and he smiled cheerfully. We were about to be put to trial for the pleasure of seeing the Prophet, Abu Bakr retreated to join the row as he thought that the Prophet ﷺ would lead the prayer. The Prophet ﷺ beckoned us to complete the prayer and he let the curtain fall. On the same day he died." (Using translation from Bukhārī 680)   

البيهقي:٥٠٤٦أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللهِ الْحَافِظُ ثنا أَبُو الْعَبَّاسِ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَعْقُوبَ ثنا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ إِسْحَاقَ الصَّغَانِيُّ أنبأ أَبُو الْيَمَانِ أنبأ شُعَيْبٌ عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ

أَخْبَرَنِي أَنَسُ بْنُ مَالِكٍ الْأَنْصَارِيُّ وَكَانَ تَبِعَ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ وَخَدَمَهُ وَصَحِبَهُ أَنَّ أَبَا بَكْرٍ ؓ كَانَ يُصَلِّي بِهِمْ فِي وَجَعِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ الَّذِي تُوُفِّيَ فِيهِ حَتَّى إِذَا كَانَ يَوْمُ الِاثْنَيْنِ وَهُمْ صُفُوفٌ فِي الصَّلَاةِ كَشَفَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ سِتْرَ الْحُجْرَةِ يَنْظُرُ إِلَيْنَا وَهُوَ قَائِمٌ كَأَنَّ وَجْهَهُ وَرَقَةُ مُصْحَفٍ ثُمَّ تَبَسَّمَ فَضَحِكَ قَالَ فَهَمَمْنَا أَنْ نَفْتَتِنَ فِي الصَّلَاةِ مِنْ فَرِحٍ بِرُؤْيَةِ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ وَنَكَصَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ عَلَى عَقِبَيْهِ لِيَصِلَ الصَّفَّ وَظَنَّ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ خَارِجٌ إِلَى الصَّلَاةِ قَالَ فَأَشَارَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ إِلَيْنَا بِيَدِهِ أَنْ أَتِمُّوا صَلَاتَكُمْ ثُمَّ دَخَلَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ وَأَرْخَى السِّتْرَ فَتُوُفِّيَ مِنْ يَوْمِهِ ذَلِكَ  

رَوَاهُ الْبُخَارِيُّ فِي الصَّحِيحِ عَنْ أَبِي الْيَمَانِ وَأَخْرَجَهُ مُسْلِمٌ مِنْ وَجْهٍ آخَرَ عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ
bayhaqi:16584Abū Saʿīd

Anas bin Malik Al-Ansari, told me, "Abu Bakr used to lead the people in prayer during the fatal illness of the Prophet ﷺ till it was Monday. When the people aligned (in rows) for the prayer the Prophet ﷺ lifted the curtain of his house and started looking at us and was standing at that time. His face was (glittering) like a page of the Qur'an and he smiled cheerfully. We were about to be put to trial for the pleasure of seeing the Prophet, Abu Bakr retreated to join the row as he thought that the Prophet ﷺ would lead the prayer. The Prophet ﷺ beckoned us to complete the prayer and he let the curtain fall. On the same day he died." (Using translation from Bukhārī 680)   

البيهقي:١٦٥٨٤أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو سَعِيدِ بْنُ أَبِي عَمْرٍو الصَّيْرَفِيُّ ثَنَا أَبُو مُحَمَّدٍ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللهِ الْمُزَنِيُّ أَنْبَأَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى الْحَكَّانِيُّ ثَنَا أَبُو الْيَمَانِ أَخْبَرَنِي شُعَيْبُ بْنُ أَبِي حَمْزَةَ عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ قَالَ

أَخْبَرَنِي أَنَسُ بْنُ مَالِكٍ وَكَانَ تَبِعَ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ وَخَدَمَهُ وَصَحِبَهُ أَنَّ أَبَا بَكْرٍ الصِّدِّيقَ ؓ كَانَ يُصَلِّي لَهُمْ فِي وَجَعِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ الَّذِي تُوُفِّيَ فِيهِ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ حَتَّى إِذَا كَانَ يَوْمُ الْإِثْنَيْنِ وَهُمْ صُفُوفٌ فِي الصَّلَاةِ كَشَفَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ سِتْرَ الْحُجْرَةِ يَنْظُرُ إِلَيْنَا وَهُوَ قَائِمٌ كَأَنَّ وَجْهَهُ وَرَقَةُ مُصْحَفٍ ثُمَّ تَبَسَّمَ قَالَ فَهَمَمْنَا أَنْ نَفْتَتِنَ بِرُؤْيَتِهِ وَنَحْنُ فِي الصَّلَاةِ مِنْ فَرَحٍ بِرَسُولِ الله ﷺ وَنَكَصَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ ؓ عَلَى عَقِبَيْهِ لِيَصِلَ الصَّفَّ وَظَنَّ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ خَارِجٌ إِلَى الصَّلَاةِ قَالَ فَأَشَارَ إِلَيْنَا رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ أَنْ أَتِمُّوا صَلَاتَكُمْ ثُمَّ دَخَلَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ وَأَرْخَى السِّتْرَ فَتُوُفِّيَ مِنْ يَوْمِهِ ذَلِكَ  

رَوَاهُ الْبُخَارِيُّ فِي الصَّحِيحِ عَنْ أَبِي الْيَمَانِ