حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَکْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ وَوَکِيعٌ عَنْ الْأَعْمَشِ ح و حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ حَدَّثَنَا وَکِيعٌ عَنْ الْأَعْمَشِ عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ الْأَسْوَدِ عَنْ عَائِشَةَ قَالَتْ لَمَّا مَرِضَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّی اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مَرَضَهُ الَّذِي مَاتَ فِيهِ وَقَالَ أَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ لَمَّا ثَقُلَ جَائَ بِلَالٌ يُؤْذِنُهُ بِالصَّلَاةِ فَقَالَ مُرُوا أَبَا بَکْرٍ فَلْيُصَلِّ بِالنَّاسِ قُلْنَا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّ أَبَا بَکْرٍ رَجُلٌ أَسِيفٌ تَعْنِي رَقِيقٌ وَمَتَی مَا يَقُومُ مَقَامَکَ يَبْکِي فَلَا يَسْتَطِيعُ فَلَوْ أَمَرْتَ عُمَرَ فَصَلَّی بِالنَّاسِ فَقَالَ مُرُوا أَبَا بَکْرٍ فَلْيُصَلِّ بِالنَّاسِ فَإِنَّکُنَّ صَوَاحِبَاتُ يُوسُفَ قَالَتْ فَأَرْسَلْنَا إِلَی أَبِي بَکْرٍ فَصَلَّی بِالنَّاسِ فَوَجَدَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّی اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مِنْ نَفْسِهِ خِفَّةً فَخَرَجَ إِلَی الصَّلَاةِ يُهَادَی بَيْنَ رَجُلَيْنِ وَرِجْلَاهُ تَخُطَّانِ فِي الْأَرْضِ فَلَمَّا أَحَسَّ بِهِ أَبُو بَکْرٍ ذَهَبَ لِيَتَأَخَّرَ فَأَوْمَی إِلَيْهِ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّی اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَنْ مَکَانَکَ قَالَ فَجَائَ حَتَّی أَجْلَسَاهُ إِلَی جَنْبِ أَبِي بَکْرٍ فَکَانَ أَبُو بَکْرٍ يَأْتَمُّ بِالنَّبِيِّ صَلَّی اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَالنَّاسُ يَأْتَمُّونَ بِأَبِي بَکْرٍ
ابن ماجہ · Hadith 1232
It was narrated that 'Aishah said: "When the Messenger of Allah SAW 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 tenderhearted man, and when he takes your place he will weep and will 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 SAW began to feel a little better, so he came out to the prayer, supported by two men and with his feet making lines along the ground. When Abu Bakr realized that he was there, he wanted to step back, but the Prophet SAW 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 SAW and the people were following Abu Bakr." (Sahih).
Translated by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan · Reviewed by Islamic University of Madinah · Published March 2020