حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ دَاوُدَ بْنِ سُفْيَانَ وَسَلَمَةُ قَالَا حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ أَخْبَرَنَا مَعْمَرٌ عَنْ الزُّهْرِيِّ عَنْ سَالِمٍ عَنْ ابْنِ عُمَرَ قَالَ قَالَ عُمَرُ إِنِّي إِنْ لَا أَسْتَخْلِفْ فَإِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّی اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ لَمْ يَسْتَخْلِفْ وَإِنْ أَسْتَخْلِفْ فَإِنَّ أَبَا بَکْرٍ قَدْ اسْتَخْلَفَ قَالَ فَوَاللَّهِ مَا هُوَ إِلَّا أَنْ ذَکَرَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّی اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَأَبَا بَکْرٍ فَعَلِمْتُ أَنَّهُ لَا يَعْدِلُ بِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّی اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَحَدًا وَأَنَّهُ غَيْرُ مُسْتَخْلِفٍ
سنن ابودوٗد · Hadith 2939
Narrated Ibn Umar: Umar said: I shall not appoint a successor, for the Messenger of Allah ﷺ did not appoint a successor. If I appoint a successor (I can do so), for Abu Bakr had appointed a successor. He Ibn Umar) said: I swear by Allah, he did not mention (anyone) but the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and Abu Bakr. So I learnt he would not equate anyone with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, for he did not appoint any successor.
Translated by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan · Reviewed by Islamic University of Madinah · Published March 2020