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۔»  

[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»  

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".  

"أَبُو بَكْر صَاحِبى وَمُؤْنِسى في الغَار فَأعرِفُوا ذَلك لَهُ، فَلَو كُنْتُ مُتَّخِذًا خليلًا لاتَّخَذْتُ أَبَا بَكْر خَلِيلًا، سُدَّوا كُلَّ خَوْخَةٍ في هَذَا المسجد غَيْر خَوْخَةِ أَبِى بكْر"  

"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.  

"إِنَّه ليْسَ من النَّاس أحدٌ أَمَنَّ علىَّ في نفسَه ومالِه من أَبى بكر بِن أَبى قحافة، ولو كنتُ متخذًا من النَّاسِ خليلًا لاتخذْتُ أبا بكرٍ خليلًا ولكنْ خُلَّةُ الإسلامِ أفْضلُ، سُدُّوا عنِّى كُلَّ خَوْخَة في هذا المسجد غير خَوْخَةِ أبى بكر ".