حَدَّثَنَا رَوْحٌ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ عَنْ يَزِيدَ بْنِ خُمَيْرٍ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ سُلَيْمَ بْنَ عَامِرٍ رَجُلًا مِنْ أَهْلِ حِمْصَ وَكَانَ قَدْ أَدْرَكَ أَصْحَابَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَقَالَ مَرَّةً قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَوْسَطَ الْبَجَلِيَّ عَنْ أَبِي بَكْرٍ الصِّدِّيقِ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ سَمِعْتُهُ يَخْطُبُ النَّاسَ وَقَالَ مَرَّةً حِينَ اسْتُخْلِفَ فَقَالَ إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَامَ عَامَ الْأَوَّلِ مَقَامِي هَذَا وَبَكَى أَبُو بَكْرٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ فَقَالَ أَسْأَلُ اللَّهَ الْعَفْوَ وَالْعَافِيَةَ فَإِنَّ النَّاسَ لَمْ يُعْطَوْا بَعْدَ الْيَقِينِ شَيْئًا خَيْرًا مِنْ الْعَافِيَةِ وَعَلَيْكُمْ بِالصِّدْقِ فَإِنَّهُ فِي الْجَنَّةِ وَإِيَّاكُمْ وَالْكَذِبَ فَإِنَّهُ مَعَ الْفُجُورِ وَهُمَا فِي النَّارِ وَلَا تَقَاطَعُوا وَلَا تَبَاغَضُوا وَلَا تَحَاسَدُوا وَلَا تَدَابَرُوا وَكُونُوا إِخْوَانًا كَمَا أَمَرَكُمْ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ
مسند امام احمد بن حنبل · Hadith 34
It was narrated that Yazeed bin Khumair said: I heard Sulaim bin 'Amir, a man from Homs who met the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (PBUH), say - on one occasion he said: I heard Awsat al-Bajali narrate from Abu Bakr as-Siddeeq he said: I heard him addressing the people - and on another occasion he said; when he was appointed as caliph - he said: The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) stood last year where I am standing. Abu Bakr wept and said: "I ask Allah for pardon and well-being, for people are never given anything, after certainty of faith, that is better than well being. You should be truthful, for it leads to Paradise, and beware of lying, for it goes with immorality, and they lead to Hell. Do not sever ties with one another, do not hate one another, do not envy one another, do not turn your backs on one another; be brothers, as Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, has enjoined you."
Translated by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan · Reviewed by Islamic University of Madinah · Published March 2020