صحيح مسلم
Sahih Muslim
كتاب الإمارة
The Book on Government
باب الاِسْتِخْلاَفِ وَتَرْكِهِ:
Chapter: Appointing a successor or not doing so
Hadith 1823
This hadith is listed as number 4713 in Maktaba Shamila
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو كُرَيْبٍ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْعَلَاءِ ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو أُسَامَةَ ، عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ عُرْوَةَ ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ ، عَنْ ابْنِ عُمَرَ ، قَالَ : " حَضَرْتُ أَبِي حِينَ أُصِيبَ ، فَأَثْنَوْا عَلَيْهِ ، وَقَالُوا : جَزَاكَ اللَّهُ خَيْرًا ، فَقَالَ : رَاغِبٌ وَرَاهِبٌ ، قَالُوا : اسْتَخْلِفْ ، فَقَالَ : أَتَحَمَّلُ أَمْرَكُمْ حَيًّا وَمَيِّتًا ، لَوَدِدْتُ أَنَّ حَظِّي مِنْهَا الْكَفَافُ لَا عَلَيَّ ، وَلَا لِي فَإِنْ أَسْتَخْلِفْ ، فَقَدِ اسْتَخْلَفَ مَنْ هُوَ خَيْرٌ مِنِّي يَعْنِي أَبَا بَكْرٍ ، وَإِنْ أَتْرُكْكُمْ ، فَقَدْ تَرَكَكُمْ مَنْ هُوَ خَيْرٌ مِنِّي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ، قَالَ : عَبْدُ اللَّهِ فَعَرَفْتُ أَنَّهُ حِينَ ذَكَرَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ غَيْرُ مُسْتَخْلِفٍ " .
It has been narrated on the authority of 'Abdullah bin 'Umar who said: I was present with my father when he was wounded. People praised him and said: May God give you a noble recompense! He said: I am hopeful (of God's mercy) as well as afraid (of His wrath) People said: Appoint anyone as your successor. He said: Should I carry the burden of conducting your affairs in my life as well as in my death? (So far as Caliphate is concerned) I wish I could acquit myself (before the Almighty) in a way that there is neither anything to my credit nor anything to my discredit. If I would appoint my successor, (I would because) one better than me did so. (He meant Abu Bakr.) If I would leave You alone, (I would do so because) one better than me, i. e. the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) , did so. 'Abdullah says: When he mentioned the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) I understood that he would not appoint anyone as Caliph.
