Bukhari

Hadith Commentary:
➊
When Abu Bakr radi Allahu anhu assumed leadership, he faced several types of tribulations: the tribulation of those who withheld zakat, the tribulation of apostasy, and the tribulation concerning the finality of prophethood were foremost among them.
He remained actively engaged in suppressing these, and thus did not find time for welfare and social works, nor did the series of conquests continue during his caliphate.

➋
The weakness mentioned in the hadith refers to the short duration of his caliphate.
It is not intended as a criticism of him or to belittle him, but rather to state the actual situation.

➌
“May Allah forgive him.” These words are also used in accordance with the customary style prevalent among the Arabs.
In another narration, this is further clarified.
In it, another dream is mentioned.
Samurah ibn Jundub radi Allahu anhu narrates that a man came to the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam and said:
“O Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam! I saw in a dream that a bucket of water descended from the sky. Abu Bakr radi Allahu anhu came and took hold of it by both its sides and drank a little water from it. Then Umar radi Allahu anhu came, took hold of it by both its sides, and drank, and drank his fill from it. After him, Uthman radi Allahu anhu drank his fill from it. Then Ali radi Allahu anhu came, took hold of it by both its sides, and the bucket shook and some of its splashes fell upon him.”
(Sunan Abi Dawud, al-Sunnah, Hadith: 4637 and Musnad Ahmad: 21/5)

Hadith Commentary:
This is an indication towards assuming the Islamic Caliphate, as after the passing of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), Abu Bakr as-Siddiq (radi Allahu anhu) took charge for about two and a half years. Afterwards, the era of al-Faruq (radi Allahu anhu) began, and he fulfilled the rights of the Caliphate such that the flood of Islamic conquests reached far and wide, and the doors of progress were opened in every branch of the Caliphate.
All these circumstances were shown to the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) in a dream.

Hadith Commentary:
➊
In this hadith, the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said:
"May Allah forgive Abu Bakr's (radi Allahu anhu) weakness."
This weakness does not imply any deficiency in the virtues of Abu Bakr (radi Allahu anhu), because his caliphate lasted only two years.
During those two years, the trial of apostasy (irtidad) arose, and those who withheld zakat (man‘i al-zakat) caused separate troubles.
Even if someone as stern and strong as Umar (radi Allahu anhu) had been in such circumstances, he would not have been able to face the situation.

➋
The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) spoke in accordance with the idiomatic expressions of the Arabs.
According to us, the explanation is that this contains an indication towards the associative relationship (nisbat ittihadi) that Abu Bakr (radi Allahu anhu) had with the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam).

➌
May Allah forgive him—by these words, he was informed of the nearness of his death, just as the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) was informed of the nearness of his passing in the verse: ﴿إِذَا جَاءَ نَصْرُ اللَّهِ وَالْفَتْحُ﴾ ().
Because of these meanings, Imam Bukhari (rahimahullah) has included this narration in the chapter of the virtues of Abu Bakr (radi Allahu anhu). What greater virtue can there be than an associative relationship with the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam)?
And Allah knows best.

Hadith Commentary:
The Noble Messenger (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), at every step, used the phrase "in sha Allah," thereby making every action dependent upon the will of Allah, the Exalted.

The expression of drawing water with a bucket is an allusion to carrying out the affairs of the caliphate.

The era of Abu Bakr as-Siddiq (radi Allahu anhu) was also successful, but in the era of Umar al-Faruq (radi Allahu anhu), the expansion that Islam attained and the consolidation of the caliphate became manifest and evident.

This is what is being indicated.

Hadith Commentary:
1.
By "Ibn Abi Quhafah" is meant Abu Bakr al-Siddiq radi Allahu anhu.
He drew two buckets.
The expression of drawing buckets refers to carrying out the affairs of the caliphate.
The weakness attributed to Abu Bakr radi Allahu anhu in the hadith refers to the scarcity of war booty, because during his era some people had apostatized.
He remained engaged in suppressing them to bring them back to the religion of Islam.
This action holds a rank far greater than conquests and the resulting war booty.
Since the act of apostasy occurred during his reign, this mentioned weakness was attributed to him, but then it was forgiven because Sayyiduna Abu Bakr al-Siddiq radi Allahu anhu expended all his energies in bringing them back to Islam.
2.
After him, the strength and skill with which Umar radi Allahu anhu drew the bucket is also an indication of his successful period of rule.
In this hadith, the water drawn by the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam is attributed to the will of Allah, because nothing is outside the will of Allah.
A person also has his own will, but that too is under the will of Allah, as Allah the Exalted says:
"And you do not will except that Allah wills." (al-Dahr 30)
This means that a person's own will is not everything unless the will of Allah is present, and the will of Allah is not arbitrary, rather its foundation is His wisdom and vast knowledge.

Hadith Commentary:
Those individuals are truly worthy of praise who bring comfort and ease to the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) even in a dream. How fortunate are both of those esteemed personalities that, until the Day of Resurrection, they are resting beside the Noble Messenger (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam).

Hadith Commentary:
1.
The scholars of dream interpretation say that if a person is lying on his back in a dream, its interpretation is the firmness of his affairs.
Also, the world will be in his grasp, because the strongest and most stable support is to lean on the ground. And if he is lying face down and resting, then the matter will be the opposite, because in this way, the one who is wrapped up knows nothing of what is happening.
(Fath al-Bari: 12/518)
2.
In any case, these individuals are praiseworthy—
those who, even in dreams, are concerned with bringing comfort to the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam).
How fortunate are both the elders, Abu Bakr (radi Allahu anhu) and Umar (radi Allahu anhu), that as a reward for providing comfort to the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), they themselves are resting at his side until the Day of Resurrection.

Hadith Commentary:
Vocabulary of the Hadith:
(1)
Qalib:
An unlined well.
(2)
Dalu:
A bucket.
(3)
Dhanub:
A filled bucket.
(4)
Gharb:
A large bucket.
(5)
‘Abqari:
One who accomplishes great deeds,
possessor of extraordinary ability,
unique and unparalleled.
(6)
‘Atan:
The place where camels are made to sit after being given water.

Benefits and Issues:
The Noble Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) likened authority and the period of rule to a well, and the ruler to the one who draws water, from which it is understood that the ruler’s duty is to safeguard the interests and welfare of the people and to provide for their necessities of life, so that they may live in peace and tranquility.

The duration of the caliphate of Abu Bakr (radi Allahu anhu) was only two years and a few months, and even in that, a considerable amount of time was spent in suppressing the fitnah of apostasy. In this way, Abu Bakr eradicated all kinds of rebellions and conspiracies, thereby creating an opportunity for ‘Umar (radi Allahu anhu) to govern in peace and tranquility, and laid the foundation for the flood of conquests during his era.

Therefore, during the era of ‘Umar (radi Allahu anhu), Islam was widely propagated and the Islamic empire expanded greatly. In the era of Abu Bakr (radi Allahu anhu), time was spent quelling rebellions and conspiracies, so the scope of Islamic conquests could not be broadened, nor could the affairs of the Muslims be attended to as they were in the era of ‘Umar (radi Allahu anhu). This has been described as weakness, but there is no shortcoming on the part of Abu Bakr (radi Allahu anhu) in this, and the phrase wallahu yaghfir lahu (“and Allah will forgive him”) is not meant to indicate any deficiency of his; rather, it was a common expression among the Muslims, considered an embellishment of speech, and in it there is also an indication towards the vastness of ‘Umar’s era, that in it people would attain great prosperity and abundance, and comforts and conveniences would be created for the Muslims.

And according to the Prophet’s (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) prophecy, after him, Abu Bakr (radi Allahu anhu) became his caliph for a short period, and after him, for a long period, ‘Umar (radi Allahu anhu) became caliph and rendered great service to Islam and the Muslims, and benefited them immensely.

Hadith Commentary:
Vocabulary of the Hadith:
Liyaruwhani:
So that, by departing from the trials and tribulations of this world, I may attain the comfort and tranquility of the Hereafter.
In this too, in the dream, you (the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) were shown the era of the caliphate of Abu Bakr and Umar (radi Allahu anhuma),
which is an explicit proof that Abu Bakr and Umar were your rightful successors, and they did not, Allah forbid, seize the caliphate by force, but rather fulfilled the right of the caliphate properly.