Bukhari

Hadith Commentary:
The correspondence between the hadith and the chapter is evident in that the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) granted Abu Bakr (radi Allahu anhu) a distinguished status, and to this day, this historical place has been preserved in the Prophet’s Mosque (Masjid Nabawi).

Hadith Commentary:
➊
In one narration, the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said:
“No one has done more favor to me than Abu Bakr (radi Allahu anhu); he sacrificed his life, spent his wealth, and gave his beloved daughter and the light of his eyes to me in marriage.”
(al-Mu‘jam al-Kabir by al-Tabarani: 191/11)

➋
It should be clear that in the hadith, the “door” refers to the window (khawkha) of Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (radi Allahu anhu), which opened towards the mosque and was allowed to remain open.
The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) granted Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (radi Allahu anhu) a distinguished status.
Even today, this historical site can be seen in the Prophet’s Mosque (Masjid al-Nabawi), where it is written: (Khawkhat Abi Bakr).

➌
In another hadith:
The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) ordered that all doors opening towards the mosque be closed, but the door of Ali (radi Allahu anhu) was left as it was.
(Musnad al-Imam Ahmad: 175/1)
This hadith does not contradict the aforementioned narration, because the door of Ali (radi Allahu anhu) refers to an actual door, while the door of Abu Bakr (radi Allahu anhu) refers to a window that opened towards the mosque.
In reality, those living near the mosque, for their own convenience, had opened doors from their houses towards the mosque, which were later ordered to be closed; only Ali’s (radi Allahu anhu) door was allowed to remain open because his door did not open to the outside.
After this, people made small windows opening towards the mosque, so a second prohibition was issued that all those windows should be closed.
However, Abu Bakr’s (radi Allahu anhu) window was to remain open.

➍
The hadith scholars (muhaddithun) have written that this action was a clear indication towards the caliphate of Abu Bakr (radi Allahu anhu), so that he would have ease in managing the affairs of the caliphate.
(Fath al-Bari: 20/7)

Hadith Commentary:
What happened was that the Muslims who lived around the Mosque of the Prophet (Masjid al-Nabawi) had each opened a window from their respective homes towards the mosque, so that they could quickly go to the mosque or, whenever they wished, behold the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) from their own homes. The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) ordered that all these windows be closed, and only the window of Abu Bakr (radi Allahu anhu) should remain open.

Some have regarded this hadith as evidence for the caliphate (khilafah) of Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (radi Allahu anhu) and for his absolute superiority.

Hadith Commentary:
➊
Some of the noble Companions (radi Allahu anhum) had opened windows from their homes towards the Prophet’s Mosque (Masjid Nabawi) for their own convenience.
The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) ordered all those windows to be closed, but he made an exception for the window of Abu Bakr (radi Allahu anhu), so that his distinctive status among the other Companions (radi Allahu anhum) would remain evident.
The preservation of this window and opening is a clear indication towards the caliphate (khilafah) of Abu Bakr (radi Allahu anhu).
➋
In this hadith, “companionship” (rifaqah) refers to the journey of migration (hijrah), in which no other Companion participated.
And Allah knows best.

Hadith Commentary:
➊
Imam Bukhari rahimahullah intends to clarify the ruling regarding opening a window from a house adjacent to the mosque towards the mosque to facilitate entry into the mosque. From the aforementioned narrations, it is understood that this is a special permission for people of knowledge and virtue, that for the sake of ease in attending the mosque, they may open a window or the like from the rear side of their house.

The house of Abu Bakr as-Siddiq radi Allahu anhu was adjacent to the mosque, and its main door was on the western side, but on its rear side there was a window for entering the Prophet’s Mosque, through which he would come and go to the mosque when needed.

Other Companions radi Allahu anhum ajma‘in had also opened windows from their respective houses towards the Prophet’s Mosque.

The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, during his final illness and by Allah’s command, ordered all those doors and windows to be closed, and said that all doors except the window of Abu Bakr should be closed.

➋
This hadith also contains an indication towards the caliphate of Abu Bakr as-Siddiq radi Allahu anhu, that during his caliphate, it would be convenient for him to come and lead the prayers.

Accordingly, Ibn Hibban rahimahullah has explained this narration in these words:
This hadith is a clear proof of Abu Bakr as-Siddiq radi Allahu anhu being the caliph after the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, because by saying that all the windows of the Companions except that of Abu Bakr should be closed, he completely ended everyone’s interest regarding the caliphate.
(Fath al-Bari: 7/19)

Shah Waliullah Muhaddith Dehlawi rahimahullah writes in Sharh Tarajim Bukhari that for those of sound nature, this narration is a completely clear argument regarding the caliphate of Abu Bakr as-Siddiq radi Allahu anhu.

This is supported by several ahadith, one of which is that a woman came to the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, and he told her to come again:
She said:
If I come again and you have departed from this world, to whom should I go? He said:
“If you do not find me, then go to Abu Bakr radi Allahu anhu.”
(Sahih al-Bukhari, Virtues of the Companions of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, Hadith: 3659)

➌
The virtue of keeping a door open towards the Prophet’s Mosque is also narrated regarding Ali radi Allahu anhu, as the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said:
“All the doors of the mosque should be closed, but the door of Ali radi Allahu anhu should not be closed.”
(Musnad Ahmad: 1/331)

The door of Ali radi Allahu anhu’s house opened into the Prophet’s Mosque.

Imam Ibn al-Jawzi rahimahullah declared this narration fabricated and wrote that the Rawafid fabricated this narration to oppose the virtue of Abu Bakr as-Siddiq radi Allahu anhu. However, Hafiz Ibn Hajar rahimahullah, while discussing this narration, stated that this narration regarding the merit of Ali radi Allahu anhu is established through multiple chains, and some narrations are of the level of hasan, so it is not correct to declare it fabricated.

However, the apparent contradiction between them can be resolved as follows: these incidents of closing the doors did not occur at the same time, but on two separate occasions.

The keeping open of Ali radi Allahu anhu’s door was from an earlier time, and the reason was that his house had only one door, which opened into the mosque. Due to this necessity, when the doors were first ordered to be closed, Ali radi Allahu anhu’s door remained open while the other doors were closed.

But windows were kept open to reduce the distance when entering the Prophet’s Mosque.

Then, a few days before his passing, when the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam came to the mosque, he ordered all those windows to be closed as well, except for the window of Abu Bakr as-Siddiq radi Allahu anhu, so that after the Prophet’s passing, it would be easy for him to perform the duty of leading the prayers, and there would also be a clear indication regarding the caliphate of Abu Bakr as-Siddiq radi Allahu anhu.

Hafiz Ibn Hajar rahimahullah has attributed this reconciliation to Abu Bakr Kalabazi rahimahullah and Imam Tahawi rahimahullah.
(Fath al-Bari: 7/20)

➍
From the narration of Ibn Abbas radi Allahu anhu, it is known that this incident occurred during the Prophet’s final illness. Four days before his passing, on Thursday morning, the incident of the parchment (qarṭās) occurred, when the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam wished to dictate something, but due to the mutual disagreement and commotion among the people, it was not possible.

“After that, he rested:
Then at the time of Zuhr, when he felt some relief from the illness, he instructed that seven water skins be poured over his head, perhaps he would feel some comfort and be able to make some bequests to certain people.
When this was done, he felt somewhat better.
Then, taking support from Abbas radi Allahu anhu and Ali radi Allahu anhu, he came to the mosque, led the Zuhr prayer, and then sat on the pulpit and delivered a sermon.
This sermon was the last sermon of his life. The incident of the parchment occurred in the morning, and on the same day after Zuhr, he delivered the sermon.
From this, it is understood that the content of the sermon was what he intended to dictate.”

➎
Khillah (خُلَّة) refers to a relationship that can only exist between Allah Ta‘ala and His servant. That is why the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam used such words which indicate that such a relationship is not possible between Abu Bakr and himself. However, the highest possible level of Islamic brotherhood and religious love is established between Abu Bakr as-Siddiq radi Allahu anhu and the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam; no one else has such affection or brotherhood as he does. The merit of Abu Bakr as-Siddiq radi Allahu anhu described in these words is that there is no one in the entire Ummah of his rank.
...
radi Allahu anhu.
...

It should be noted that the house of Abu Bakr as-Siddiq radi Allahu anhu was adjacent to the Prophet’s Mosque and located between Bab as-Salam and Bab ar-Rahmah. Later, he sold this house and spent its price on the collective needs of the Muslims, but even after that, the house remained famous as the house of Abu Bakr radi Allahu anhu.

Now, a permanent door of the Prophet’s Mosque is named “Bab Abi Bakr,” and at the place of that window, it is written:
(hadhihi khawkhat Abi Bakr as-Siddiq radi Allahu anhu)

Note:
...
The remaining benefits of these two ahadith will be written in “Kitab Fada’il Ashab an-Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam,” insha’Allah Ta‘ala.

Explanation:
1:
That is: May the lifespans of our parents be given to you (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), so that your presence and protection may remain over us for a long and extended period.

2:
This is evidence of the superiority of Abu Bakr (radi Allahu anhu) over all the Companions.
This door in the Prophet’s Mosque (Masjid Nabawi) still exists today.
The first door to the right of the mihrab is Bab al-Salam, and the second is the Khawkha (small door) of Abu Bakr (radi Allahu anhu).