What the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did

Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: During the final illness of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), Sayyiduna Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him) came to inform him of the prayer, and he said: "Tell Abu Bakr to lead the prayer." We said: "O Messenger of Allah! Abu Bakr is a gentle, tender-hearted man; when he stands in your place he will not be able to bear it and will start weeping. It would be better if you ordered Umar to lead the prayer." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Tell Abu Bakr himself to lead the people in prayer. You are like the women around Yusuf." So word was sent to Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), and he led the people in prayer. After a while the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) felt some relief in his blessed body, so he went out to the prayer supported between two men, his feet dragging along the ground. When Sayyiduna Abu Bakr sensed the arrival of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), he began to step back. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) gestured to him to stay in his place. Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) sat down beside Sayyiduna Abu Bakr; Sayyiduna Abu Bakr was following the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and the people were following Sayyiduna Abu Bakr.

Sayyiduna Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: During the final illness of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), Sayyiduna Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him) came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to inform him of the prayer. He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "O Bilal, you have conveyed (the message); now whoever wishes may pray, and whoever wishes may leave it." He said: "O Messenger of Allah, then who will lead the people in prayer?" He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Tell Abu Bakr to lead the people in prayer." When Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) stepped forward to lead the prayer, the curtains of the blessed chamber of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) were lifted and we looked at him; it was as though he were a white sheet of paper. He had a black wrap on him. Sayyiduna Abu Bakr thought that perhaps he wished to come out, so he stepped back from the place of prayer. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) signalled to him to carry on leading the prayer. So Sayyiduna Abu Bakr led the people in prayer. After that we did not see the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) again, and he passed away that same day.

Sayyiduna Abu Musa (may Allah be pleased with him) said: During the final illness of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), when his illness became severe, he said: "Tell Abu Bakr to lead the prayer." At this Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: "He is a soft-hearted man; when he stands in your place he will not be able to lead the people in prayer." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Tell Abu Bakr himself to lead the prayer; you are like the women (in the story) of Yusuf." So Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) led the people in prayer during the blessed lifetime of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).

Sayyiduna Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) led the people in prayer, and Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was behind him. Whenever the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said the takbir, Sayyiduna Abu Bakr would say the takbir aloud to convey the sound of the takbir to the people.

Sayyiduna Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) passed away, the Ansar said: "There will be one leader from us and one from you." At this Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) came to them and said to them: "O company of the Ansar, do you not know that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered Abu Bakr to lead the people in prayer?" They said: "Yes, indeed, that is exactly so." Sayyiduna Umar said: "Then which of you would be content to go ahead of Abu Bakr?"

Abu Salamah bin Abd al-Rahman said: When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was afflicted with his final illness, he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Order Abu Bakr to lead the people in prayer." After a while he (peace and blessings be upon him) felt some relief in his blessed body, so he came out. When Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) saw him coming, he began to step back. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) signalled to him to remain standing in his place. Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) came and sat beside Sayyiduna Abu Bakr. Sayyiduna Abu Bakr was following the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and the people were praying behind Sayyiduna Abu Bakr, following him.

Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: During his final illness, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) fainted. When he came round, he asked: "Have the people prayed?" We said: "No." He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Order Abu Bakr to lead the people in prayer." We said: "O Messenger of Allah, he is an extremely soft-hearted and tender man; when he stands in your place he will not be able to lead the people in prayer." Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) fainted again, and when he came round he said the same thing again. I answered him three times, and he said: "You are like the women who were with Yusuf. Tell Abu Bakr to lead the prayer." Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: After a while the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) felt some relief in his blessed body, and he went out supported by Barirah and Nubah. Because of the weakness in his blessed body both his feet were dragging along the ground, and I could see the whiteness of the soles of his feet. At that time Abu Bakr was leading the people in prayer. When he saw him (peace and blessings be upon him), he began to step back, but the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) signalled to him to remain standing there. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) sat down beside him. Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was praying following the lead of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and the people were following Sayyiduna Abu Bakr.

Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: During his final illness, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) prayed behind Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), sitting.

Ubaydullah bin Abdullah bin Utbah said: I went to Umm al-Mu'minin Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) and said to her: "Will you tell me about the final illness of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)?" She said: "Certainly. When he (peace and blessings be upon him) became very heavy (with illness), he asked: 'Have the people prayed?' I said: 'No, not yet. O Messenger of Allah, they are waiting for you.' He said: 'Put some water in the tub for me.' So we did that. He took a bath, then he got up with difficulty, but he fainted. After a while he came round and asked: 'Have the people prayed?' We said: 'No, they are waiting for you.' He said: 'Put some water in the tub for me.' We did that. He took a bath, then he got up with difficulty, but he fainted. After a while he came round and asked: 'Have the people prayed?' We said: 'No, O Messenger of Allah, they are waiting for you.' The people were staying in the mosque, waiting for him to pray the Isha prayer. Then he (peace and blessings be upon him) sent a message to Abu Bakr to lead the people in prayer. The messenger of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) came to Abu Bakr and told him: 'The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) commands you to lead the people in prayer.' Abu Bakr was a soft-hearted man, and he said to Umar: 'You lead the prayer.' Umar said: 'You are more entitled to it.' So during those days Abu Bakr led the people in prayer." Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: "Then his condition improved somewhat, and he went to the mosque for the Zuhr prayer, walking between two men and leaning on them. At that time Abu Bakr was leading the people in prayer. When Abu Bakr saw the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), he began to step back. He signalled to him not to step back and said to those two men: 'Seat me beside him.' They seated the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) beside him. Abu Bakr was standing and following the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and the people were following the prayer of Abu Bakr, while the blessed Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was praying sitting."
Ubaydullah said: I went to Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) and said to him: "Shall I relate to you the account of the final illness of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated to me?" He said: "Yes, relate it." I related it, and he did not reject a single thing in that account.

Sayyiduna Mughirah bin Shu'bah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) prayed behind Sayyiduna Abd al-Rahman bin Awf (may Allah be pleased with him).

Sayyiduna Sahl bin Sa'd (may Allah be pleased with him) said: There was some dispute among the Ansar, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) went to them to make peace between them. When he (peace and blessings be upon him) came back, Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was leading the people in prayer, and he prayed behind Sayyiduna Abu Bakr.