حَدَّثَنَا
وَكِيعٌ ، قَالَ : حَدَّثَنَا
الْأَعْمَشُ ، عَنْ
إِبْرَاهِيمَ ، عَنِ
الْأَسْوَدِ ، عَنْ
عَائِشَةَ ، قَالَتْ : لَمَّا مَرِضَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مَرَضَهُ الَّذِي مَاتَ فِيهِ ، جَاءَهُ بِلَالٌ يُؤْذِنُهُ بِالصَّلَاةِ ، فَقَالَ : " مُرُوا أَبَا بَكْرٍ فَلْيُصَلِّ بِالنَّاسِ " ، قُلْنَا : يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ، إِنَّ أَبَا بَكْرٍ رَجُلٌ أَسِيفٌ قَالَ الْأَعْمَشُ : رَقِيقٌ وَمَتَى يَقُومُ مَقَامَكَ يَبْكِي ، فَلَا يَسْتَطِيعُ ، فَلَوْ أَمَرْتَ عُمَرَ ، قَالَ : " مُرُوا أَبَا بَكْرٍ فَلْيُصَلِّ بِالنَّاسِ " ، قُلْنَا : يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ، إِنَّ أَبَا بَكْرٍ رَجُلٌ أَسِيفٌ ، وَمَتَى يَقُومُ مَقَامَكَ يَبْكِي ، فَلَا يَسْتَطِيعُ ، فَلَوْ أَمَرْتَ عُمَرَ يُصَلِّي بِالنَّاسِ ، قَالَ :
" مُرُوا أَبَا بَكْرٍ يُصَلِّي بِالنَّاسِ ، فَإِنَّكُنَّ صَوَاحِبُ يُوسُفَ " . فَأَرْسَلْنَا إِلَى أَبِي فَصَلَّى بِالنَّاسِ ، فَوَجَدَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مِنْ نَفْسِهِ خِفَّةً ، فَخَرَجَ يُهَادَى بَيْنَ رَجُلَيْنِ ، وَرِجْلَاهُ تَخُطَّانِ فِي الْأَرْضِ ، فَلَمَّا أَحَسَّ بِهِ أَبُو بَكْرٍ ، ذَهَبَ يَتَأَخَّرُ ، فَأَوْمَأَ إِلَيْهِ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَيْ : مَكَانَكَ ، فَجَاءَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ حَتَّى جَلَسَ إِلَى جَنْبِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ ، وَكَانَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ يَأْتَمُّ بِالنَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ، وَالنَّاسُ يَأْتَمُّونَ بِأَبِي بَكْرٍ .
It is narrated from Hazrat Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) that when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was afflicted with his final illness, once Hazrat Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him) came to inform him about the prayer. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "Tell Abu Bakr to lead the people in prayer." We said, "O Messenger of Allah! Abu Bakr is a soft-hearted man; when he stands in your place, he will begin to weep and will not be able to control himself. Therefore, please order Umar to do it." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) gave the same order again, and we repeated our statement. For the third time, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "Tell Abu Bakr to lead the people in prayer. You are like the women of Yusuf." So I sent the message to my father. After a while, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) felt some relief from his illness and came out supported by two men, such that his feet were dragging lines on the ground. When Hazrat Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) realized this, he began to step back, but the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) gestured to him to remain in his place and himself sat down to the side of Hazrat Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him). Thus, Hazrat Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was following the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and the people were following Hazrat Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him).