Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah

Hazrat Ubaidullah bin Utbah narrates that I went to Ummul Momineen Hazrat Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her), and I asked her, "Will you tell me about the illness of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) at the time of his passing?" She replied, "Why not. When the blessed health of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) became very heavy, he asked, 'Have the people performed the prayer?' I said, 'No, not yet. O Messenger of Allah! They are waiting for you.' He said, 'Place water for me in a vessel.' So we did so. He performed ablution, then he tried to get up with difficulty, but he fainted. After a while, when he regained consciousness, he asked, 'Have the people performed the prayer?' We said, 'No, they are waiting for you.' He said, 'Place water for me in a vessel.' We did so. He performed ablution, then he tried to get up with difficulty, but he fainted. After a while, when he regained consciousness, he asked, 'Have the people performed the prayer?' We said, 'No, O Messenger of Allah! They are waiting for you.' The people were staying in the mosque waiting to perform the Isha prayer with you. Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) sent a message to Hazrat Abu Bakr to lead the people in prayer. When the Prophet's (peace and blessings be upon him) messenger came to Hazrat Abu Bakr and informed him that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was instructing him to lead the prayer, Hazrat Abu Bakr, who was a soft-hearted man, said to Hazrat Umar, 'You lead the prayer.' Hazrat Umar said, 'You are more deserving of it.' So, during those days, Hazrat Abu Bakr led the people in prayer. Hazrat Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) says that then the blessed health of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) improved somewhat, so he went to the mosque for the Zuhr prayer, walking between two men with their support. At that time, Abu Bakr was leading the people in prayer. When Hazrat Abu Bakr saw the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), he began to step back. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) gestured to him not to step back and said to the two men, 'Seat me beside him.' So they seated the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) beside him. Hazrat Abu Bakr was standing and following the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in prayer, and the people were following Hazrat Abu Bakr in prayer. The Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was praying while sitting. Hazrat Ubaidullah says that I went to Hazrat Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) and said to him, 'Shall I narrate to you the incident of the Prophet's (peace and blessings be upon him) illness at the time of his passing, as Hazrat Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated to me?' He said, 'Yes, narrate it.' I narrated it, and he did not deny a single thing from that incident."