حَدَّثَنَا عَفَّانُ حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادُ بْنُ سَلَمَةَ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ زَيْدٍ عَنْ أَبِي رَافِعٍ أَنَّ عُمَرَ بْنَ الْخَطَّابِ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ كَانَ مُسْتَنِدًا إِلَى ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ وَعِنْدَهُ ابْنُ عُمَرَ وَسَعِيدُ بْنُ زَيْدٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا فَقَالَ اعْلَمُوا أَنِّي لَمْ أَقُلْ فِي الْكَلَالَةِ شَيْئًا وَلَمْ أَسْتَخْلِفْ مِنْ بَعْدِي أَحَدًا وَأَنَّهُ مَنْ أَدْرَكَ وَفَاتِي مِنْ سَبْيِ الْعَرَبِ فَهُوَ حُرٌّ مِنْ مَالِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ فَقَالَ سَعِيدُ بْنُ زَيْدٍ أَمَا إِنَّكَ لَوْ أَشَرْتَ بِرَجُلٍ مِنْ الْمُسْلِمِينَ لَأْتَمَنَكَ النَّاسُ وَقَدْ فَعَلَ ذَلِكَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ وَأْتَمَنَهُ النَّاسُ فَقَالَ عُمَرُ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَدْ رَأَيْتُ مِنْ أَصْحَابِي حِرْصًا سَيِّئًا وَإِنِّي جَاعِلٌ هَذَا الْأَمْرَ إِلَى هَؤُلَاءِ النَّفَرِ السِّتَّةِ الَّذِينَ مَاتَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَهُوَ عَنْهُمْ رَاضٍ ثُمَّ قَالَ عُمَرُ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ لَوْ أَدْرَكَنِي أَحَدُ رَجُلَيْنِ ثُمَّ جَعَلْتُ هَذَا الْأَمْرَ إِلَيْهِ لَوَثِقْتُ بِهِ سَالِمٌ مَوْلَى أَبِي حُذَيْفَةَ وَأَبُو عُبَيْدَةَ بْنُ الْجَرَّاحِ
مسند امام احمد بن حنبل · Hadith 129
It was narrated from Abu Rafi' that 'Umar bin al-Khattab was leaning on Ibn 'Abbas, and Ibn 'Umar and Sa'eed bin Zaid were with him. He said: You should note that I have not said anything about kalalah and I have not appointed anyone to succeed me. Whoever of Arab captives are present when I die, are to be freed although they are among the wealth of Allah, may He be glorified and exalted. Sa'eed bin Zaid said: Why don't you suggest a man among the Muslims so that the people may follow your advice? Abu Bakr did that and the people followed his advice and trusted him. 'Umar said: I have noticed too much greed and ambition, and I will leave this matter to be decided by these six people with whom the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) was pleased when he died. Then 'Umar said: If one of the two men were still alive, I would have referred to this matter to him and I would have trusted him: Salim the freed slave of Abu Hudhaifah and Abu 'Ubaidah bin al-Jarrah.
Translated by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan · Reviewed by Islamic University of Madinah · Published March 2020