"Messenger of Allah ﷺ in his fatal illness came out with a piece of cloth tied round his head and sat on the pulpit. After thanking and praising Allah he said, "There is no one who had done more favor to me with life and property than Abu Bakr bin Abi Quhafa. If I were to take a Khalil, I would certainly have taken Abu- Bakr but the Islamic brotherhood is superior. Close all the small doors in this mosque except that of Abu Bakr." (Using translation from Bukhārī 467)  

خَرَجَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ فِي مَرَضِهِ الَّذِي مَاتَ فِيهِ عَاصِبٌ رَأْسَهُ بِخِرْقَةٍ فَقَعَدَ عَلَى الْمِنْبَرِ ثُمَّ حَمِدَ اللهَ ﷻ وَأَثْنَى عَلَيْهِ ثُمَّ قَالَ «إِنَّهُ لَيْسَ مِنَ النَّاسِ أَمَنُّ عَلَيَّ بِنَفْسِهِ وَمَالِهِ مِنْ أَبِي بَكْرِ بْنِ أَبِي قُحَافَةَ وَلَوْ كُنْتُ مُتَّخِذًا خَلِيلًا لَاتَّخَذْتُ أَبَا بَكْرٍ خَلِيلًا وَلَكِنْ خُلَّةُ الْإِسْلَامِ أَفْضَلُ سُدُّوا عَنِّي كُلَّ خَوْخَةٍ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ غَيْرَ خَوْخَةِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ»  

[Machine] The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "Indeed, the most trustworthy among the people in my company and with regards to their wealth is Abu Bakr. If I were to take a close friend, I would have taken Abu Bakr as a friend. However, we are brothers in Islam. There is not a single khawfah (green stalk) in the masjid except it is the khawfah of Abu Bakr."  

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ «إِنَّ أَمَنَّ النَّاسِ عَلَيَّ فِي صُحْبَتِهِ وَمَالِهِ أَبُو بَكْرٍ وَلَوْ كُنْتُ مُتَّخِذًا خَلِيلًا لَاتَّخَذْتُ أَبَا بَكْرٍ خَلِيلًا وَلَكِنْ أُخُوَّةُ الْإِسْلَامِ وَلَا يَبْقَيَنَّ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ خَوْخَةٌ إِلَّا خَوْخَةَ أَبِي بَكْرٍ»  

If I were to choose a bosom friend I would have definitely chosen Abu Bakr as my bosom friend, but he is my brother and my companion and Allah, the Exalted and Gliorious. has taken your brother and companion (meaning Prophet himself) as a friend. (Using translation from Muslim 2383a)   

عَنْ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ قَالَ «لَوِ اتَّخَذْتُ خَلِيلًا لَاتَّخَذْتُ أَبَا بَكْرٍ خَلِيلًا وَلَكِنَّهُ أَخِي وَصَاحِبِي وَقَدِ اتَّخَذَ اللهُ صَاحِبَكُمْ خَلِيلًا»  

that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "I free myself of the friendship of every Khalil, and if I were to take a Khalil then I would have taken Ibn Abi Quhafah as a Khalil. And indeed your companion is Allah's Khalil." (Using translation from Tirmidhī 3655)  

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ «إِنِّي أَبْرَأُ إِلَى كُلِّ خَلِيلٍ مِنْ خِلَّةٍ وَلَوْ كُنْتُ مُتَّخِذًا خَلِيلًا لَاتَّخَذْتُ ابْنَ أَبِي قُحَافَةَ خَلِيلًا وَإِنَّ صَاحِبَكُمْ خَلِيلُ اللهِ»  

"It was said: 'O Messenger of Allah, which of the people is most beloved to you?' He said: "Aishah.' It was asked, 'And among men?' He said: 'Her father.'" (Using translation from Ibn Mājah 101)   

قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ أَيُّ النَّاسِ أَحَبُّ إِلَيْكَ؟ قَالَ «عَائِشَةُ» قُلْتُ لَيْسَ مِنَ النِّسَاءِ قَالَ «أَبُوهَا»  

Who fasted among you today? Abu Bakr (Allah be pleased with him) replied: I did. He (the Prophet again) said: Who among you followed a bier today? Abu Bakr (Allah be pleased with him) replied: I did. He (the Prophet again) said: Who among you fed a poor man today? Abu Bakr (Allah he pleased with him) replied: I did. He (again) said: Who among you visited an invalid today? Abu Bakr (Allah be pleased with him) said: I did. Upon this the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: Anyone in whom (these good deeds) are combined will certainly enter paradise. (Using translation from Muslim 1028)   

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ «مَنْ أَصْبَحَ مِنْكُمُ الْيَوْمَ صَائِمًا؟» قَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ أَنَا قَالَ «فَمَنْ أَطْعَمَ الْيَوْمَ مِسْكِينًا؟» قَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ أَنَا قَالَ «فَمَنْ شَهِدَ مِنْكُمُ الْيَوْمَ جِنَازَةً؟» قَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ أَنَا قَالَ «فَمَنْ عَادَ مِنْكُمُ الْيَوْمَ مَرِيضًا؟» قَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ أَنَا  

"I heard the Messenger of Allah say" 'Whoever spends on a pair of things in the cause of Allah, he will be called from the gates of Paradise: O slave of Allah, this is good for you. Paradise had (several) gates. Whoever is one of the people of Salah, he will be called from the gate of prayer. Whoever is one of the people of Jihad, will be called from the gate of Jihad. Whoever is one of the people of charity will be called from the gate of charity. And whoever is one of the people of fasting will be called from the gate of Ar-Rayyan." Abu Bakr said: "Is there any need for anyone to be called from all of these gates? Will anyone be called from all of them, O Messenger of Allah?" He said: "Yes, and I hope that you will be among them." (Using translation from Nasāʾī 2439)  

سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ «مَنْ أَنْفَقَ زَوْجَيْنِ مِنْ شَيْءٍ مِنَ الْأَشْيَاءِ فِي سَبِيلِ اللهِ دُعِيَ مِنْ أَبْوَابِ الْجَنَّةِ هَذَا خَيْرٌ وَلِلْجَنَّةِ أَبْوَابٌ فَمَنْ كَانَ مِنْ أَهْلِ الصَّلَاةِ دُعِيَ مِنْ بَابٌ الصَّلَاةِ وَمَنْ كَانَ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْجِهَادِ دُعِيَ مِنْ بَابٌ الْجِهَادِ وَمَنْ كَانَ مِنْ أَهْلِ الصَّدَقَةِ دَعِي مِنْ بَابٌ الصَّدَقَةِ وَمَنْ كَانَ مِنْ أَهْلِ الصِّيَامِ دُعِيَ مِنْ بَابٌ الرَّيَّانَ» قَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ هَلْ عَلَى الَّذِي يُدْعَى مِنْ تِلْكَ الْأَبْوَابِ مِنْ ضَرُورَةٍ؟ فَهَلْ يُدْعَى مِنْهَا كُلُّهَا أَحَدُ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ؟ قَالَ «نَعَمْ وَأَرْجُو أَنْ تَكُونَ مِنْهُمْ»  

[Machine] "Omar said, 'Two swords in one sheath are not suitable.' Then he took the hand of Abu Bakr and said, 'Who possesses these three?' [When he said to his companion].' Who is his companion? [When they both were in the cave].' Who are they both? [When he said, 'Indeed, Allah is with us].' With whom is he? Then he pledged allegiance to him and said, 'Pledge allegiance, as the people have pledged allegiance, to the best and most beautiful of them.'"  

عُمَرُ «سِيفَانِ فِي غِمْدٍ وَاحِدٍ إِذًا لَا يَصْلُحَانِ ثُمَّ أَخَذَ بِيَدِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ» فَقَالَ مَنْ لَهُ هَذِهِ الثَّلَاثُ {إِذْ يَقُولُ لِصَاحِبِهِ} [التوبة 40] مَنْ صَاحِبُهُ؟ {إِذْ هُمَا فِي الْغَارِ} [التوبة 40] مَنْ هُمَا؟ {إِنَّ اللهَ مَعَنَا} [التوبة 40] مَعَ مَنْ؟ ثُمَّ بَايَعَهُ ثُمَّ قَالَ «بَايِعُوا فَبَايَعَ النَّاسُ أَحْسَنَ بَيْعَةٍ وَأَجْمَلَهَا»  

"The Messenger of Allah said: 'The wealth of none of you has benefited me as much as the wealth of Abu Bakr.'" Abu Bakr wept and said: 'O Messenger of Allah, I and my wealth are only for you, O Messenger of Allah.'" (Using translation from Ibn Mājah 94)   

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ «مَا نَفَعَنَا مَالٌ مَا نَفَعَنَا مَالُ أَبِي بَكْرٍ» قَالَ فَبَكَى أَبُو بَكْرٍ وَقَالَ «وَهَلْ أَنَا وَمَالِي إِلَّا لَكَ؟»