The excellences and standing of the Prophet's Companions.
286 · Hadith
Anas b. Malik reported that Abu Bakr Siddiq reported him thus:I saw the feet of the polytheists very close to us as we were in the cave. I said: Allah's Messenger, if one amongst them were to see at his feet he would have surely seen us. Thereupon he said: Abu Bakr, what can befall two who have Allah as the third One with them
Abu Sa'id reported that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) sat on the pulpit and said:Allah gave a choice to His servant that he may opt the beauties of the world or that which is with Him and the servant chose that which was with Him. Thereupon Abu Bakr wept and he wept bitterly and said: Let our fathers and our mothers be taken as ransom for you. It was Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) who had been given the choice and Abu Bakr knew it better than us, and Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) is reported to have said: Behold, of all people the most generous toward me in regard to his companionship and his property was Abu Bakr and were I to choose anyone as my bosom friend, I would have chosen Abu Bakr as my dear friend, but (for him) I cherish Islamic brotherliness and love. There shall be left open no window in the mosque except Abu Bakr's window
This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Abu Sa'id Khudri through another chain of transmitters
Abdullah b. Mas'ud reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:If I were to choose a bosom friend I would have definitely chosen Abu Bakr as my bosom friend, but he is my brother and my companion and Allah, the Exalted and Gliorious. has taken your brother and companion (meaning Prophet himself) as a friend
Abdullah reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:If I were to choose from my Umma anyone as my bosom friend, I would have chosen Abu Bakr
Abdullah reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:If I were to choose as my bosom friend I would have chosen the son of Abu Quhafa (Abu Bakr) as my bosom friend
Abdullah reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:If I were to choose amongst the people of earth someone as my bosom friend, I would have chosen the son of Abu Quhafa as my friends but God has taken your companion as a friend
This hadith has been narrated through another chain of transmitters and the one narrated on the authority of Abdullah (the words are):" Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) is reported to have said: Behold I am free from the dependence of all bosom friends and if I were to choose anyone as bosom friend I would have taken Abu Bakr as my bosom friend. Allah has taken your companion as a friend
Amr b. al-'As reported that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) sent him in command of the army despatched to Dhat-as-Salasil. When 'Amr b. al-'As came back to the Prophet (ﷺ) he said:Who amongst people are dearest to you? He said: A'isha. He then said: Who amongst men? He said: Her father, and I said: And who next? He said: Umar. He then enumerated some other men
Ibn Abu Mulaika reported:I heard `A'isha as saying and she was asked as to whom Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) would have nominated as his successor if he had to nominate one at all. She said: Abu Bakr. It was said to her: Then whom after Abu Bakr? She said: `Umar. It was said to her. Then whom after `Umar? She said: Abu `Ubaida b. al-Jarrah, and then she kept quiet at this
A'isha reported that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) in his (last) illness asked me to call Abu Bakr, her father, and her brother too, so that he might write a document, for he feared that someone else might be desirous (of succeeding him) and that some claimant may say:I have better claim to it, whereas Allah and the Faithful do not substantiate the claim of anyone but that of Abu Bakr
Abu Huraira reported that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said:Who amongst you is fasting today? Abu Bakr said: I am. He (again) said: Who amongst you followed a funeral procession today? Abu Bakr said: I did. He (the Prophet) again said: Who amongst you served food to the needy? Abu Bakr said: I did. He (again) said: Who amongst you has today visited the sick? Abu Bakr said: I did. Thereupon Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: Anyone in whom (these good deeds) are combined will certainly enter paradise
Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:A person had been driving an ox loaded with luggage. The ox looked towards him and said: I have not been created for this but for lands (i. e. for ploughing the land and for drawing out water from the wells for the purpose of irrigating the lands). The people said with surprise and awe: Hallowed be Allah, does the ox speak? Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: I believe it and so do Abu Bakr and 'Umar. Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: A shepherd was tendirig the flock when a wolf came there and took away one goat. Tile shepherd pursued it (the wolf) and rescued it (the goat) from that (wolf). The wolf looked towards him and said: Who would save it on the day when there will be no shepherd except me? Thereupon people said: Hallowed be Allah I Thereupon Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: I believe in it and so do Abu Bakr and Umar believe
This hadith has been transmitted on the authority of Zuhri, and there is a clear mention of the stories of ox and goat (and the words are):I believe in it and so do Abu Bakr and Umar, but they were not at that time present there
Ibn Abu Mulaika reported:I heard Ibn 'Abbas as saying: When 'Umar b. Khattab was placed in the coffin the people gathered around him. They praised him and supplicated for him before the bier was lifted up, and I was one amongst them. Nothing attracted my attention but a person who gripped my shoulder from behind. I saw towards him and found that he was 'Ali. He invoked Allah's mercy upon 'Umar and said: You have left none behind you (whose) deeds (are so enviable) that I love to meet Allah with them. By Allah, I hoped that Allah would keep you and your two associates together. I had often heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: I came and there came too Abu Bakr and 'Umar; I entered and there entered too Abu Bakr and 'Umar; I went out and there went out too Abu Bakr and 'Umar, and I hope and think that Allah will keep you along with them
Abu Sa'id Khudri reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as say ing:While I was asleep I saw people being presented to me (in a dream) and they wore shirts and some of these reached up to the breasts and some even beyond them. Then there happened to pass 'Umar b. Khattab and his shirt had been trailing. They said: Allah's Messeneer, how do you interpret the dream? He said: (As strength of) faith
Hamza b. Abdullah b. 'Umar b. Khattab reported on the authority of his father that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said:While I was asleep I saw (in a dream) a cup containing milk being presented to me. I took out of that until I perceived freshness being reflected through my nails. Then I presented the leftover to 'Umar b. Khattab. They said: Allah's Messenger: How do you interpret it? He said: This implies knowledge
Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:While I was asleep I saw myself on a well with a leathern bucket on a pulley. I drew (water) out of that as Allah wished me (to draw). Then the son of Abu Quhafa (Abu Bakr) drew from it one bucketful or two and there was some weakness in drawing that (may Allah forgive him). Then that bucket (changed into a large bucket) and Ibn Khattab drew it. I did not see any strongest man drawing it like 'Umar b. Khattab. He brought out so much water that the camels of the people had enough to drink and then laid down (for rest)
Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:I saw Ibn Abu Quhafa drawing (water) ; the rest of the hadith is the same
Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:While I was asleep I saw myself drawing water from my tank in order to quench the thirst of the people that there came to me Abu Bakr. He took hold of the leathern bucket from my hand so that he should serve water to the people. He drew two bucketfuls and there was some weakness in his drawing (Allah may forgive him). Then there came Ibn Khattab and he took hold of that, and I did not see a person stronger than he (drawing water) until the people went away with their thirst quenched and the tank filled with water