“When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ fell ill with the sickness that would be his last” – (One of the narrators) Abu Mu’awiyah said: “When he was overcome by sickness” – “Bilal came to tell him that it was time for prayer. He said, ‘Tell Abu Bakr to lead the people in prayer.’ We said: ‘O Messenger of Allah! Abu Bakr is a tender-hearted man, and when he takes your place he will weep and not be able to do it. Why do you not tell ‘Umar to lead the people in prayer?’ He said: ‘Tell Abu Bakr to lead the people in prayer; you are (like) the female companions of Yusuf.’” She said: “So we sent word to Abu Bakr, and he led the people in prayer. Then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ began to feel a little better, so he came out to the prayer, supported by two men with his feet making lines along the ground. When Abu Bakr realized that he was there, he wanted to step back, but the Prophet ﷺ gestured to him to stay where he was. Then (the two men) brought him to sit beside Abu Bakr, and Abu Bakr was following the lead of the Prophet ﷺ and the people were following Abu Bakr.”  

لَمَّا مَرِضَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ مَرَضَهُ الَّذِي مَاتَ فِيهِ وَقَالَ أَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ لَمَّا ثَقُلَ جَاءَ بِلاَلٌ يُؤْذِنُهُ بِالصَّلاَةِ فَقَالَ مُرُوا أَبَا بَكْرٍ فَلْيُصَلِّ بِالنَّاسِ قُلْنَا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّ أَبَا بَكْرٍ رَجُلٌ أَسِيفٌ تَعْنِي رَقِيقٌ وَمَتَى مَا يَقُومُ مُقَامَكَ يَبْكِي فَلاَ يَسْتَطِيعُ فَلَوْ أَمَرْتَ عُمَرَ فَصَلَّى بِالنَّاسِ فَقَالَ مُرُوا أَبَا بَكْرِ فَلْيُصَلِّ بِالنَّاسِ فَإِنَّكُنَّ صَوَاحِبَاتُ يُوسُفَ قَالَتْ فَأَرْسَلْنَا إِلَى أَبِي بَكْرٍ فَصَلَّى بِالنَّاسِ فَوَجَدَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ مِنْ نَفْسِهِ خِفَّةً فَخَرَجَ إِلَى الصَّلاَةِ يُهَادَى بَيْنَ رَجُلَيْنِ وَرِجْلاَهُ تَخُطَّانِ فِي الأَرْضِ فَلَمَّا أَحَسَّ بِهِ أَبُو بَكْرٍ ذَهَبَ لِيَتَأَخَّرَ فَأَوْمَى إِلَيْهِ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ أَنْ مَكَانَكَ قَالَ فَجَاءَ حَتَّى أَجْلَسَاهُ إِلَى جَنْبِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ فَكَانَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ يَأْتَمُّ بِالنَّبِيِّ ﷺ وَالنَّاسُ يَأْتَمُّونَ بِأَبِي بَكْرٍ  

“When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ fell ill with what would be his final illness, he was in the house of ‘Aishah. He said: ‘Call ‘Ali for me.’ ‘Aishah said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, should we call Abu Bakr for you?’ He said: ‘Call him.’ Hafsah said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, should we call ‘Umar for you?’ He said: ‘Call him.’ Ummul-Fadl said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, should we call Al-‘Abbas for you?’ He said: ‘Yes.’ When they had gathered, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ lifted his head, looked and fell silent. ‘Umar said: ‘Get up and leave the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.’ Then Bilal came to tell him that the time for prayer had come, and he said: ‘Tell Abu Bakr to lead the people in prayer.’ ‘Aishah said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, Abu Bakr is a soft and tender-hearted man, and if he does not see you, he will weep and the people will weep with him. If you tell ‘Umar to lead the people in prayer (that would be better).’ Abu Bakr went out and led the people in prayer, then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ felt a little better, so he came out, supported by two men, with his feet making lines along the ground. When the people saw him, they said: ‘Subhan-Allah,’ to alert Abu Bakr. He wanted to step back, but the Prophet ﷺ gestured him to stay where he was. Then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ came and sat on his right. Abu Bakr stood up and he was following the lead of the Prophet ﷺ, and the people were following the lead of Abu Bakr. Ibn ‘Abbas said; ‘And the Messenger of Allah ﷺ started to recite from where Abu Bakr had reached.’”  

لَمَّا مَرِضَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ مَرَضَهُ الَّذِي مَاتَ فِيهِ كَانَ فِي بَيْتِ عَائِشَةَ فَقَالَ ادْعُوا لِي عَلِيًّا قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ نَدْعُو لَكَ أَبَا بَكْرٍ قَالَ ادْعُوهُ قَالَتْ حَفْصَةُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ نَدْعُو لَكَ عُمَرَ قَالَ ادْعُوهُ قَالَتْ أُمُّ الْفَضْلِ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ نَدْعُو لَكَ الْعَبَّاسَ قَالَ نَعَمْ فَلَمَّا اجْتَمَعُوا رَفَعَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ رَأْسَهُ فَنَظَرَ فَسَكَتَ فَقَالَ عُمَرُ قُومُوا عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ ثُمَّ جَاءَ بِلاَلٌ يُؤْذِنُهُ بِالصَّلاَةِ فَقَالَ مُرُوا أَبَا بَكْرٍ فَلْيُصَلِّ بِالنَّاسِ فَقَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّ أَبَا بَكْرٍ رَجُلٌ رَقِيقٌ حَصِرٌ وَمَتَى لاَ يَرَاكَ يَبْكِي وَالنَّاسُ يَبْكُونَ فَلَوْ أَمَرْتَ عُمَرَ يُصَلِّي بِالنَّاسِ فَخَرَجَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ فَصَلَّى بِالنَّاسِ فَوَجَدَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ مِنْ نَفْسِهِ خِفَّةً فَخَرَجَ يُهَادَى بَيْنَ رَجُلَيْنِ وَرِجْلاَهُ تَخُطَّانِ فِي الأَرْضِ فَلَمَّا رَآهُ النَّاسُ سَبَّحُوا بِأَبِي بَكْرٍ فَذَهَبَ لِيَسْتَأْخِرَ فَأَوْمَأَ إِلَيْهِ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ أَىْ مَكَانَكَ فَجَاءَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَجَلَسَ عَنْ يَمِينِهِ وَقَامَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ فَكَانَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ يَأْتَمُّ بِالنَّبِيِّ ﷺ وَالنَّاسُ يَأْتَمُّونَ بِأَبِي بَكْرٍ قَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ فَأَخَذَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ مِنَ الْقِرَاءَةِ مِنْ حَيْثُ كَانَ بَلَغَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ قَالَ وَكِيعٌ وَكَذَا السُّنَّةُ قَالَ فَمَاتَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فِي مَرَضِهِ ذَلِكَ  

“When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ fell ill with what would be his final illness, he was in the house of ‘Aishah. He said: ‘Call ‘Ali for me.’ ‘Aishah said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, should we call Abu Bakr for you?’ He said: ‘Call him.’ Hafsah said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, should we call ‘Umar for you?’ He said: ‘Call him.’ Ummul-Fadl said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, should we call Al-‘Abbas for you?’ He said: ‘Yes.’ When they had gathered, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ lifted his head, looked and fell silent. ‘Umar said: ‘Get up and leave the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.’ Then Bilal came to tell him that the time for prayer had come, and he said: ‘Tell Abu Bakr to lead the people in prayer.’ ‘Aishah said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, Abu Bakr is a soft and tender-hearted man, and if he does not see you, he will weep and the people will weep with him. If you tell ‘Umar to lead the people in prayer (that would be better).’ Abu Bakr went out and led the people in prayer, then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ felt a little better, so he came out, supported by two men, with his feet making lines along the ground. When the people saw him, they said: ‘Subhan-Allah,’ to alert Abu Bakr. He wanted to step back, but the Prophet ﷺ gestured him to stay where he was. Then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ came and sat on his right. Abu Bakr stood up and he was following the lead of the Prophet ﷺ, and the people were following the lead of Abu Bakr. Ibn ‘Abbas said; ‘And the Messenger of Allah ﷺ started to recite from where Abu Bakr had reached.’” (Using translation from Ibn Mājah 1235)   

لَمَّا مَرِضَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ مَرَضَهُ الَّذِي مَاتَ فِيهِ كَانَ فِي بَيْتِ عَائِشَةَ فَقَالَ ادْعُوا لِي عَلِيًّا قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ نَدْعُو لَكَ أَبَا بَكْرٍ؟ قَالَ ادْعُوهُ قَالَتْ حَفْصَةُ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ نَدْعُو لَكَ عُمَرَ؟ قَالَ ادْعُوهُ قَالَتْ أُمُّ الْفَضْلِ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ نَدْعُو لَكَ الْعَبَّاسَ؟ قَالَ ادْعُوهُ فَلَمَّا اجْتَمَعُوا رَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ فَلَمْ يَرَ عَلِيًّا فَسَكَتَ فَقَالَ عُمَرُ قُومُواعَنْ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ فَجَاءَ بِلَالٌ يُؤْذِنُهُ بِالصَّلَاةِ فَقَالَ مُرُوا أَبَا بَكْرٍ يُصَلِّي بِالنَّاسِ فَقَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ إِنَّ أَبَا بَكْرٍ رَجُلٌ حَصِرٌ وَمَتَى مَا لَا يَرَاكَ النَّاسُ يَبْكُونَ فَلَوْ أَمَرْتَ عُمَرَ يُصَلِّي بِالنَّاسِ فَخَرَجَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ فَصَلَّى بِالنَّاسِ وَوَجَدَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ مِنْ نَفْسِهِ خِفَّةً فَخَرَجَ يُهَادَى بَيْنَ رَجُلَيْنِ وَرِجْلَاهُ تَخُطَّانِ فِي الْأَرْضِ فَلَمَّا رَآهُ النَّاسُ سَبَّحُوا أَبَا بَكْرٍ فَذَهَبَ يَتَأَخَّرُ فَأَوْمَأَ إِلَيْهِ أَيْ مَكَانَكَ فَجَاءَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ حَتَّى جَلَسَ قَالَ وَقَامَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ عَنْ يَمِينِهِ وَكَانَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ يَأْتَمُّ بِالنَّبِيِّ ﷺ وَالنَّاسُ يَأْتَمُّونَ بِأَبِي بَكْرٍ قَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ وَأَخَذَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ مِنَ الْقِرَاءَةِ مِنْ حَيْثُ بَلَغَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ وَمَاتَ فِي مَرَضِهِ ذَاكَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ وَقَالَ وَكِيعٌ مَرَّةً فَكَانَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ يَأْتَمُّ بِالنَّبِيِّ ﷺ وَالنَّاسُ يَأْتَمُّونَ بِأَبِي بَكْرٍ  

“When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ fell ill with the sickness that would be his last” – (One of the narrators) Abu Mu’awiyah said: “When he was overcome by sickness” – “Bilal came to tell him that it was time for prayer. He said, ‘Tell Abu Bakr to lead the people in prayer.’ We said: ‘O Messenger of Allah! Abu Bakr is a tender-hearted man, and when he takes your place he will weep and not be able to do it. Why do you not tell ‘Umar to lead the people in prayer?’ He said: ‘Tell Abu Bakr to lead the people in prayer; you are (like) the female companions of Yusuf.’” She said: “So we sent word to Abu Bakr, and he led the people in prayer. Then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ began to feel a little better, so he came out to the prayer, supported by two men with his feet making lines along the ground. When Abu Bakr realized that he was there, he wanted to step back, but the Prophet ﷺ gestured to him to stay where he was. Then (the two men) brought him to sit beside Abu Bakr, and Abu Bakr was following the lead of the Prophet ﷺ and the people were following Abu Bakr.” (Using translation from Ibn Mājah 1232)   

لَمَّا مَرِضَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ مَرَضَهُ الَّذِي مَاتَ فِيهِ جَاءَهُ بِلَالٌ يُؤْذِنُهُ بِالصَّلَاةِ فَقَالَ مُرُوا أَبَا بَكْرٍ فَلْيُصَلِّ بِالنَّاسِ قُلْنَا يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ إِنَّ أَبَا بَكْرٍ رَجُلٌ أَسِيفٌ قَالَ الْأَعْمَشُ رَقِيقٌ وَمَتَى مَا يَقُومُ مَقَامَكَ يَبْكِي فَلَا يَسْتَطِيعُ فَلَوْ أَمَرْتَ عُمَرَ؟ قَالَ مُرُوا أَبَا بَكْرٍ فَلْيُصَلِّ بِالنَّاسِ قُلْنَا يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ إِنَّ أَبَا بَكْرٍ رَجُلٌ أَسِيفٌ وَمَتَى يَقُومُ مَقَامَكَ يَبْكِي فَلَا يَسْتَطِيعُ فَلَوْ أَمَرْتَ عُمَرَ يُصَلِّي بِالنَّاسِ؟ قَالَ مُرُوا أَبَا بَكْرٍ يُصَلِّي بِالنَّاسِ فَإِنَّكُنَّ صَوَاحِبُ يُوسُفَ فَأَرْسَلْنَا إِلَى أَبِي بَكْرٍ فَصَلَّى بِالنَّاسِ فَوَجَدَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ مِنْ نَفْسِهِ خِفَّةً فَخَرَجَ يُهَادَى بَيْنَ رَجُلَيْنِ وَرِجْلَاهُ تَخُطَّانِ فِي الْأَرْضِ فَلَمَّا أَحَسَّ بِهِ أَبُو بَكْرٍ ذَهَبَ يَتَأَخَّرُ فَأَوْمَأَ إِلَيْهِ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ أَيْ مَكَانَكَ فَجَاءَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ حَتَّى جَلَسَ إِلَى جَنْبِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ وَكَانَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ يَأْتَمُّ بِالنَّبِيِّ ﷺ وَالنَّاسُ يَأْتَمُّونَ بِأَبِي بَكْرٍ  

[Machine] The Prophet ﷺ fainted and then woke up and said, "Did the people pray?" We said, "No." He said, "Tell Abu Bakr to lead the people in prayer." So, I said, "O Messenger of Allah, Abu Bakr is a tender-hearted person, he will not be able to lead the people in prayer when you are not there." He said, "Aasim, and the tender-hearted person is the best of the merciful." He said, "Tell Abu Bakr to lead the people in prayer." He said that three times, and each time I replied to him. She said, "So Abu Bakr led the people in prayer." Then, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ felt a lightness in his soul, and he went out between Barirah and Nubata, and said, "I am looking at his two sandals making tracks in the sand, and I'm looking at the soles of his feet." He said to them, "Sit me next to Abu Bakr." So, when Abu Bakr saw him, he started to move aside, but he gestured to him to stay in his place. So, they made him sit next to Abu Bakr. She said, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ prayed while he was sitting, and Abu Bakr was standing, leading the people in prayer with the prayer of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and the people were praying with the prayer of Abu Bakr."  

أُغْمِيَ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ ثُمَّ أَفَاقَ فَقَالَ «أَصَلَّى النَّاسُ؟ » قُلْنَا لَا قَالَ «مُرُوا أَبَا بَكْرٍ فَلْيُصَلِّ بِالنَّاسُ؟ » فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّ أَبَا بَكْرٍ رَجُلٌ أَسِيفٌ إِذَا قَامَ مَقَامَكَ لَمْ يَسْتَطِعْ أَنْ يُصَلِّيَ بِالنَّاسِ قَالَ عَاصِمٌ وَالْأَسِيفُ الرَّقِيقُ الرَّحِيمُ قَالَ «مُرُوا أَبَا بَكْرٍ أَنْ يُصَلِّيَ بِالنَّاسِ» قَالَ ذَلِكَ ثَلَاثَ مَرَّاتٍ كُلُّ ذَلِكَ أَرُدُّ عَلَيْهِ قَالَتْ فَصَلَّى أَبُو بَكْرٍ بِالنَّاسِ ثُمَّ إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَجَدَ خِفَّةً مِنْ نَفْسِهِ فَخَرَجَ بَيْنَ بَرِيرَةَ وَنُوبَةَ إِنِّي لَأَنْظُرُ إِلَى نَعْلَيْهِ تَخُطَّانِ فِي الْحَصَا وَأَنْظُرُ إِلَى بُطُونِ قَدَمَيْهِ فَقَالَ لَهُمَا «أَجْلِسَانِي إِلَى جَنْبِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ» فَلَمَّا رَآهُ أَبُو بَكْرٍ ذَهَبَ يَتَأَخَّرُ فَأَوْمَأَ إِلَيْهِ أَنِ اثْبُتْ مَكَانَكَ فَأَجْلَسَاهُ إِلَى جَنْبِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ قَالَتْ فَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ «يُصَلِّي وَهُوَ جَالِسٌ وَأَبُو بَكْرٍ قَائِمٌ يُصَلِّي بِصَلَاةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَالنَّاسُ يُصَلُّونَ بِصَلَاةِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ»  

[Machine] I traveled with Ibn Abbas from Medina to Sham (Syria). So, I asked him, and he mentioned the narration regarding the illness of the Prophet ﷺ until he said, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ saw himself being light, so he came out leaning with the help of two men. When the people noticed, they began to say tasbih (glorify Allah through praises). Abu Bakr moved back, so the Prophet ﷺ signaled him with his hand indicating for him to stay where he was. Then the Prophet ﷺ started the prayer from where Abu Bakr had left off reciting the Quran. Abu Bakr was standing and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was sitting. Abu Bakr approached the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and the people approached Abu Bakr. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ did not finish the prayer until he became heavy (due to illness). Then he came out leaning with the help of two men, and his feet were dragging on the ground. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ died and he did not leave any instructions concerning his successor, and it is also narrated from another perspective from Aisha."  

سَافَرْتُ مَعَ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ مِنَ الْمَدِينَةِ إِلَى الشَّامِ فَسَأَلْتُهُ فَذَكَرَ الْحَدِيثَ فِي مَرَضِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ إِلَى أَنْ قَالَ فَرَأَى رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ مِنْ نَفْسِهِ خِفَّةً فَخَرَجَ يُهَادَى بَيْنَ رَجُلَيْنِ فَلَمَّا أَحَسَّ النَّاسُ سَبَّحُوا فَذَهَبَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ ؓ يَتَأَخَّرُ فَأَشَارَ إِلَيْهِ بِيَدِهِ مَكَانَكَ فَاسْتَفْتَحَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ مِنْ حَيْثُ انْتَهَى أَبُو بَكْرٍ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ وَأَبُو بَكْرٍ قَائِمٌ وَرَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ جَالِسٌ فَائْتَمَّ أَبُو بَكْرٍ بِرَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ وَائْتَمَّ النَّاسُ بِأَبِي بَكْرٍ فَمَا قَضَى رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ الصَّلَاةَ حَتَّى ثَقُلَ جِدًّا فَخَرَجَ يُهَادَى بَيْنَ رَجُلَيْنِ وَإِنَّ رِجْلَيْهِ لَتَخُطَّانِ فِي الْأَرْضِ فَمَاتَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ وَلَمْ يُوصِ وَبِمَعْنَاهُ رُوِيَ مِنْ وَجْهٍ آخَرَ عَنْ عَائِشَةَ