Abū Bakr and ʿUmar's opinion on the meaning of the word kalālah and what Abū Bakr used to say after stating an opinion
Abū Bakr was asked about the ˹meaning of˺ kalālah. He said: I will give my own opinion about it, so if this ˹verdict˺ is correct, it is from Allah, and if it is mistaken, it is from me and Shayṭān, and Allah ˹and His Messenger˺ are free from it. ˹The meaning of˺ kalālah refers to the one who has neither descendants nor ascendants. When ʿUmar became the khalīfah, he said, ˹the meaning of˺ kalālah refers to the one without a child, and in another wording, who has no child to him. When ʿUmar was pushed ˹about his differing view˺, he said: I am certainly embarrassed to oppose Abū Bakr, I now see that ˹the meaning of˺ kalālah refers to the one who has neither descendants nor ascendants.
سُئِلَ أبو بكرٍ عن الكلالةِ فقالَ: إِنِّى أقولُ فيهَا برأيى، فإن كانَ صوابًا فمِنَ الله لَا شريكَ لهُ، وإِنْ كانَ خطأً فمنِّى ومنَ الشيطانِ، والله منهُ برىِءٌ، أُراهُ مَا خَلَا الولدَ والوالدَ، فلمَّا استُخْلِفَ عمرُ قَالَ: الكلالةُ ما عَدَا الولدَ وفِى لفظٍ: منْ لَا ولَدَ لَهُ: فلمَّا طُعِنَ عمرُ قَالَ: إِنِّى لأَسْتَحِى أَنْ أُخالفَ أَبَا بَكْرٍ أَرَى أَنَّ الكلالةَ ما عدَا الوالدَ والولدَ۔