حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَزِيدَ حَدَّثَنَا نَافِعُ بْنُ عُمَرَ الْجُمَحِيُّ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَبِي مُلَيْكَةَ قَالَ قِيلَ لِأَبِي بَكْرٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ يَا خَلِيفَةَ اللَّهِ فَقَالَ بَلْ خَلِيفَةُ مُحَمَّدٍ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَأَنَا أَرْضَى بِهِ
مسند امام احمد بن حنبل · Hadith 64
It was narrated that 'Abdullah bin Abi Mulaikah said: It was said to Abu Bakr: O khaleefah of Allah. He said: Rather [I am] the khaleefalt (lit. successor) of Muhammad (PBUH), and I am pleased with that.
Translated by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan · Reviewed by Islamic University of Madinah · Published March 2020