Reports on the virtues of Abu Bakr and Umar (may Allah be pleased with them), the other caliphs and others

Sayyidah Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her) reports that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "In the heaven there are two angels; one of them commands severity and the other commands gentleness, and both are right: one is Jibril and the other is Mika'il. And there are two prophets; one of them commands severity and the other commands gentleness, and both are right." Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) mentioned Sayyiduna Ibrahim (peace be upon him) and Sayyiduna Nuh (peace be upon him). (Then he said:) "I have two companions; one of them commands strictness and the other advises gentleness, and both are right." Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) mentioned Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) and Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him).
Tabarani recorded it, and its narrators are thiqat (trustworthy).

Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) narrates: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Indeed, Allah Almighty has supported me with four people who are both ministers and deputies." We said: "O Messenger of Allah! Who are these four?" The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Two of them are from the people of the heaven and two are from the people of the earth." I asked: "Who are the two from the people of the heaven?" The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Jibril and Mika'il." We asked: "Who are the two from the people of the earth?" The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Abu Bakr and Umar."
Tabarani recorded it. Its chain contains a narrator, Muhammad bin Mujib al-Thaqafi, who is a kadhdhab (liar).
Bazzar recorded it. Its chain contains a narrator, Abd al-Rahman bin Malik bin Mighwal, who is a kadhdhab (liar).

Abu Arwa al-Dawsi narrates: I was with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) when Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) and Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "All praise belongs to Allah Almighty, Who has supported me through you two."
Bazzar recorded it, and Tabarani in al-Mu'jam al-Kabir and al-Mu'jam al-Awsat. Its chain contains a narrator, Asim bin Umar bin Hafs, whom Ibn Hibban declared thiqah (trustworthy), saying: he makes mistakes and contradicts others; the majority declared him da'if (weak). The remaining narrators of this report are thiqat (trustworthy).

Sayyiduna al-Bara' bin Azib (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to Sayyiduna Abu Bakr and Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both): "All praise belongs to Allah Almighty, Who has supported me through you two. Had you two not differed from each other before me, I would not have gone against (the agreed opinion of) you two."
Tabarani recorded it in al-Mu'jam al-Awsat. Its chain contains a narrator, Habib bin Abi Habib, the scribe of Malik, who is matruk (abandoned).

Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) and Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) say regarding the statement of Allah Almighty: (Allah Almighty says:) "And the righteous among the believers." They say: This verse was revealed concerning Sayyiduna Abu Bakr and Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both).
Tabarani recorded it in al-Mu'jam al-Awsat. Its chain contains a narrator, Furat bin al-Sa'ib, who is matruk (abandoned).

Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Indeed, every prophet has close companions from his Ummah, and my close companions from among my Companions are Abu Bakr and Umar."
Tabarani recorded it. Its chain contains a narrator, Abd al-Rahim bin Hammad al-Thaqafi, who is da'if (weak).

Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) narrates: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) intended to send someone on a task, and it was an important task. Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was on the right side of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) was on his left side. Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said to him: "Why do you not send these two?" The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "How can I send these two, when their position in the religion is that of hearing and sight in the head?"
Tabarani recorded it. Its chain contains a narrator, Furat bin al-Sa'ib, who is matruk (abandoned). (Allamah Haythami says:) I say: This hadith has another route in the chapter on the virtues of a group of the Companions.

Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Amr (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Learn the Qur'an from four people: Ibn Umm Abd (that is, Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him)), Mu'adh (bin Jabal), Ubayy (bin Ka'b) and Salim (the freed slave of Abu Hudhayfah). I intended to send them to various peoples, just as Sayyiduna Isa bin Maryam (peace be upon him) sent the Disciples to the people." A man said to him: "O Messenger of Allah! Why do you not send Sayyiduna Abu Bakr and Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both)?" The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "I cannot do without these two; their likeness in the religion is that of hearing and sight." (Allamah Haythami says:) I say: The opening part of this narration is mentioned in the Sahih.
Tabarani recorded it. Its chain contains a narrator, Muhammad, a mawla (client) of Banu Hashim, whom I do not know. The remaining narrators of this report are thiqat (trustworthy). (Allamah Haythami says:) I say: It also has a route from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both), which is da'if (weak), and it will come in the chapter on the virtues of a group of the Companions at the beginning of the next volume.

Sayyiduna Amr bin al-As (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "I intended to send Mu'adh bin Jabal, Salim the freed slave of Abu Hudhayfah, Ubayy bin Ka'b and Abdullah bin Mas'ud to various peoples, just as Sayyiduna Isa bin Maryam (peace be upon him) sent the Disciples." A man said: "Why do you not send Sayyiduna Abu Bakr and Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both), for they would convey the message better?" The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "I cannot do without these two, for their position in the religion is that of hearing and sight."
Tabarani recorded it. Its chain contains a narrator who is not named.

Sayyiduna Hudhayfah bin al-Yaman (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "I intended to send teachers among the people, just as Sayyiduna Isa bin Maryam (peace be upon him) sent the Disciples." It was said: "Why do you not send Sayyiduna Abu Bakr and Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both)?" The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Their position in the religion is that of the head in the body."
Tabarani recorded it in al-Mu'jam al-Awsat. Its chain contains a narrator, Hafs bin Umar al-Ayli, who is da'if (weak).

Sayyiduna Ibn Ghanm (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to Sayyiduna Abu Bakr and Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both): "If you two agree together on a counsel, I will not go against you two."
Ahmad recorded it, and its narrators are thiqat (trustworthy), except that the narrator Ibn Ghanm did not hear from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).

Sayyiduna Abu al-Darda' (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "After me, follow Abu Bakr and Umar, for these two are the extended rope of Allah. Whoever holds fast to these two has held fast to the firm handhold that will never break."
Tabarani recorded it, and its chain contains narrators whom I do not know.

Sayyiduna Abu Juhayfah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: I visited Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) in his house and said: "O best of people after the Messenger of Allah!" He said: "Stop, O Abu Juhayfah! Woe to you! Shall I not tell you who are the best of people after the Messenger of Allah? They are Sayyiduna Abu Bakr and Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both)." (Then Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said:) "O Abu Juhayfah! Woe to you! Love for me and hatred for Sayyiduna Abu Bakr and Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) cannot come together in the heart of a believer."
Tabarani recorded it in al-Mu'jam al-Awsat. Its chain contains a narrator, al-Fadl bin al-Mukhtar, who is da'if (weak).

Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: We used to sit with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) as though birds were perched on our heads. None of us would speak; only Sayyiduna Abu Bakr and Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) would speak.
Tabarani recorded it in al-Mu'jam al-Awsat. Its chain contains a narrator, Rahmah bin Mus'ab, who is da'if (weak).

Sayyiduna Abu Sa'id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said about Sayyiduna Abu Bakr and Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both): "These two are the leaders of all the mature men among the people of Paradise, of the earlier and the later generations."
Bazzar recorded it, and Tabarani recorded it in al-Mu'jam al-Awsat. Its chain contains a narrator, Ali bin Abis, who is da'if (weak).

Sayyiduna Jabir bin Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with them both) narrates: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Abu Bakr and Umar are the leaders of the mature men among the people of Paradise, of the earlier and the later generations. O Ali! Do not tell the two of them this."
Tabarani recorded it in al-Mu'jam al-Awsat from his teacher al-Miqdam bin Dawud. Ibn Daqiq al-Id says he was declared thiqah (trustworthy), while Imam Nasa'i (may Allah have mercy on him) and others declared him da'if (weak). The remaining narrators of this report are the narrators of the Sahih.

Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) narrated a similar report from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), the text of which is that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Abu Bakr and Umar are the leaders of (all) the mature men among the people of Paradise, of the earlier and the later generations, except the prophets and messengers. O Ali! Do not tell the two of them this."
Bazzar recorded it and said: To our knowledge, no one narrated it from Ubaydullah bin Umar except Abd al-Rahman bin Malik bin Mighwal. I say: this narrator is matruk (abandoned).

Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) came out walking between Sayyiduna Abu Bakr and Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) and said: "This is how we will be raised on the Day of Resurrection."
Tabarani recorded it in al-Mu'jam al-Awsat. Its chain contains a narrator, Khalid bin Yazid al-Umari, who is a kadhdhab (liar).

Sayyiduna Ammar bin Yasir (may Allah be pleased with him) says: Whoever gives any of the Companions precedence over Sayyiduna Abu Bakr and Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) has disparaged the Muhajirun, the Ansar and twelve thousand Companions of Sayyiduna Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) (or has found fault with them).
Tabarani recorded it in al-Mu'jam al-Awsat. Its chain contains a narrator, Hazim bin Jabalah, whom I do not know. The remaining narrators of this report are thiqat (trustworthy).

Ibn Abi Hazim narrates: A man came to Sayyiduna Ali bin al-Husayn (that is, Imam Zayn al-Abidin) and asked: "What was the position of Sayyiduna Abu Bakr and Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)?" He said: "The same position that the two of them have now."
Abdullah recorded it. I do not know the narrator Ibn Abi Hazim, and Abdullah's teacher is thiqah (trustworthy).

Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) says: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) went ahead, Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) came second, and Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) came third. Then a trial (fitnah) threw us into confusion (the narrator is unsure; perhaps the words are:) then a trial befell us; Allah Almighty will pardon whomever He wills.
Ahmad recorded it. He said that Sayyiduna Ali's (may Allah be pleased with him) saying 'then a trial threw us into confusion' was meant as an expression of humility. Tabarani recorded it in al-Mu'jam al-Awsat, and the narrators of Ahmad are thiqat (trustworthy).

In a narration recorded by him, the words are: On the day of (the Battle of) Basrah a man delivered a sermon; this was at the time when Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) had gained the upper hand. Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "This is an eloquent orator." Then the narrator mentioned the narration as before.

Sayyiduna Jabir bin Samurah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: I heard the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) say: "The people of the high ranks (in Paradise) will be seen by those below them just as the stars are seen on the horizon of the sky, and Abu Bakr and Umar are among them (the people of the high ranks), and how excellent they are!"
Tabarani recorded it. Its chain contains a narrator, al-Rabi' bin Sahl al-Wasiti, whom I do not know. The remaining narrators of this report are thiqat (trustworthy).

Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "A man from the people of the high ranks (Illiyyin) will look down upon the people of Paradise as though he were a shining star, and Abu Bakr and Umar are among them (the people of the high ranks), and how excellent the two of them are!"
Tabarani recorded it in al-Mu'jam al-Awsat, and its narrators are the narrators of the Sahih, except Salm bin Qutaybah, and he is thiqah (trustworthy).

Sayyiduna Sahl bin Abi Hathmah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to a man: "When I, Abu Bakr and Umar have died, then if you are able to die, do die."
Tabarani recorded it in al-Mu'jam al-Awsat. Its chain contains a narrator, Salm bin Maymun al-Khawwas, who is da'if (weak) due to his inattentiveness.

Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) narrates: Until he met Allah Almighty, Sayyiduna Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) never sat on the step of the pulpit where the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to sit; until he met Allah Almighty, Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) never sat on the step on which Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) used to sit; and until he met Allah Almighty, Sayyiduna Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) never sat in the place where Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) used to sit.
Tabarani recorded it in al-Mu'jam al-Awsat, and its narrators are thiqat (trustworthy), though there is disagreement about some of them.

Qays bin Abi Hazim narrates: One day Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) addressed the people from the pulpit of Madinah and said in his sermon: "Indeed, in the Gardens of Eden ('Adn) there is a palace with five hundred doors, and at each door there will be five thousand wide-eyed houris; none will enter that palace except a prophet." Then he turned towards the blessed grave of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and said: "Congratulations to you, O occupant of this grave!" Then Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "Or a siddiq (will enter it)." Then he turned towards the grave of Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) and said: "Congratulations to you, O Abu Bakr!" Then he said: "Or a martyr (will enter it)." Then he turned to himself and said: "O Umar, where will you attain martyrdom?" Then he said: "The One Who brought me out of Makkah and made me emigrate to Madinah is also able to bring martyrdom to me." Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) says: So Allah Almighty granted him martyrdom at the hand of a most wicked man, who was the slave of Sayyiduna al-Mughirah (may Allah be pleased with him).
Tabarani recorded it in al-Mu'jam al-Awsat, and its narrators are the narrators of the Sahih, except Sharik al-Nakha'i, and he is thiqah (trustworthy), though there is disagreement about him.

Sayyiduna Sahl bin Sa'd (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: Once Mount Uhud trembled while the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), Sayyiduna Abu Bakr, Sayyiduna Umar and Sayyiduna Uthman (may Allah be pleased with them) were on it. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "O Uhud, stand firm! Upon you are a prophet, a siddiq and two martyrs."
Abu Ya'la recorded it, and its narrators are the narrators of the Sahih.

Sayyiduna Buraydah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was sitting on Mount Hira', and with him were Sayyiduna Abu Bakr, Sayyiduna Umar and Sayyiduna Uthman (may Allah be pleased with them). The mountain moved, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "O Hira', stand firm! Upon you are a prophet, a siddiq and a martyr."
Ahmad recorded it, and its narrators are the narrators of the Sahih.

Sayyiduna Zayd bin Arqam (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) sent me and said: "Go until you reach Abu Bakr. You will find him sitting in his house in the ihtiba' posture. Tell him: 'The Messenger of Allah sends you greetings of peace and says to you: Accept the glad tidings of Paradise.' Then go until you come to the mountain pass; there you will meet Umar, riding a donkey, with his forehead shining (that is, there will be no hair on the front part of his head). Tell him: 'The Messenger of Allah sends you greetings of peace and says to you: Accept the glad tidings of Paradise.' Then go until you come to the market; there you will find Uthman buying and selling. Tell him: 'The Messenger of Allah sends you greetings of peace and says: Accept the glad tidings of Paradise after a severe trial.'" (The narrator states:) I set off and came to Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him). I found him sitting in his house in the ihtiba' posture, just as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) had said. I said to him: "The Messenger of Allah has sent you greetings of peace and has said: Accept the glad tidings of Paradise." He asked: "Where is the Messenger of Allah?" I said: "He is at such-and-such a place." So he got up and went towards the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Then I came to the mountain pass, and there was Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), riding a donkey, with the front part of his head shining, just as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) had said. I said: "The Messenger of Allah has sent you greetings of peace and has said: Accept the glad tidings of Paradise." He asked: "Where is the Messenger of Allah?" I replied: "He is at such a place." Then he too went off. Then I set off until I came to the market, and there I met Sayyiduna Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him), who was buying and selling, just as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) had said. I said: "The Messenger of Allah has sent you greetings of peace and has said: Accept the glad tidings of Paradise after a severe trial." He asked: "Where is the Messenger of Allah?" I told him he was at such a place. He took me by the hand, and then we all came into the presence of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Sayyiduna Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) said to him: "O Messenger of Allah! Zayd came to me and said: 'The Messenger of Allah has sent you greetings of peace and has said: Accept the glad tidings of Paradise after a severe trial.' O Messenger of Allah! What trial will befall me? By the One who sent you with the truth, I have never sung, nor have I ever wished for it, and since I gave you my pledge of allegiance I have never touched my private part with my right hand." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "That is how it will be" (that is, you will have to face a trial).
Tabarani recorded it in al-Mu'jam al-Awsat, and in al-Mu'jam al-Kabir in abridged form, and in it he added these words: "Indeed, Allah Almighty will clothe you with a shirt; if the hypocrites want you to take it off, do not take it off." Its chain contains a narrator, Abd al-A'la bin Abi al-Musawir, whom the majority declared da'if (weak); in one report from Yahya bin Ma'in he was declared thiqah (trustworthy), but the well-known report from him is that he declared him weak.

Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Amr bin al-As (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: I was with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in one of the gardens of Madinah, when a man came and asked permission to enter. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Get up, give him permission to come in, and give him the glad tidings of Paradise." The narrator says: I got up and told the man to come in, and it was Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him). I gave him the glad tidings of Paradise, and he praised Allah Almighty and sat down. Then a man came and asked permission to enter, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Get up, give him permission, and give him the glad tidings of Paradise." I got up and told him to come in; it was Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him). I told him to come in and gave him the glad tidings of Paradise, and he too began praising Allah Almighty until he sat down. Then another, soft-voiced man came, and he too asked permission to enter, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Get up, give him permission, give him the glad tidings of Paradise, and tell him that a trial will befall him." I got up and told him to come in; it was Sayyiduna Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him). I gave him the glad tidings of Paradise and told him that a trial would befall him. He said: "O Allah! I ask for patience," until he sat down. I said: "O Messenger of Allah! Where will I be?" The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "You will be with your father."
Tabarani recorded it, and these are his words; Ahmad recorded it in abridged form through various chains. Some of the narrators of Tabarani and some of the narrators of Ahmad are the narrators of the Sahih. (Allamah Haythami says:) I say: the hadith of Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) will come at the end of the chapter on the virtues of Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him).