Musnad Ahmad

Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that once I was sitting in the gathering of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), when Ma'iz bin Malik came and confessed to adultery once before the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) sent him back. The same happened the second time. When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) sent him back the third time, I said to him: If you confess a fourth time, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) will order the punishment of stoning for you. However, he came and confessed his crime a fourth time as well. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) stopped him and inquired about him from the people. The people said that we only know good about him. In any case, according to the prescribed procedure, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered him to be stoned.

Hazrat Rafi’ Ta’i, who was a companion of Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) in the Battle of Dhat al-Salasil, says: I asked Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) about the statements made regarding the allegiance of the Ansar. He then narrated those statements which the Ansar had said, or which he himself had said, or which Sayyiduna Umar Farooq (may Allah be pleased with him) had said to the Ansar. He also reminded them that, by the order of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), during his final illness, those people continued to pray under my leadership. Upon this, all the Ansar pledged allegiance to me and I accepted it on their behalf. Later, I feared that this might become a cause for some trial, and indeed, after that, the trial of apostasy occurred.

Sayyiduna Wahshi bin Harb (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) had a special flag prepared in honor of Sayyiduna Khalid bin Walid (may Allah be pleased with him) for fighting against the apostates, and said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) say: The best servant of Allah and the best individual of his tribe is Khalid bin Walid, who is one of the swords of Allah, which Allah has drawn from its sheath against the disbelievers and hypocrites.

Awsat says that one year after the passing of the Prophet (peace be upon him), I came to Madinah Munawwarah, and I found Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) delivering a sermon to the people. He said: At this very place, last year, the Prophet (peace be upon him) stood among us to deliver a sermon. Saying this, he began to weep, and this happened three times. Then he said: O people! Seek forgiveness from Allah, for after faith, no one has been given a blessing greater than well-being. Likewise, after disbelief, no one has been given anything worse than doubt. Adhere to truthfulness, for truthfulness is associated with righteousness, and both of these will be in Paradise. Protect yourselves from lying, for lying is associated with sin, and both of these will be in Hell.

It is narrated from Sayyida Aisha Siddiqa (may Allah be pleased with her) that when the last moments of the worldly life of Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) approached, he asked, "What day is it today?" People informed him that it was Monday. He said, "If I pass away tonight, do not wait for tomorrow, but bury me tonight, because the day and night that are closer to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) are more beloved to me."

Sayyiduna Abu Ubaidah reports that exactly one year after the passing of the Prophet (peace be upon him), Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) once stood to deliver a sermon and said: "Last year, the Prophet (peace be upon him) also stood in this very place and said: 'Ask Allah for well-being, for no human being has been given a blessing greater than well-being. Adhere to truthfulness and righteousness, for both of these will be in Paradise. Avoid lying and sin, for both of these will be in Hell.'"

Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah honor his face) says that whenever I heard a hadith from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), Allah would benefit me from it as He willed. Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated this hadith to me, and he is truthful in narrating this hadith, that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "If any Muslim commits a sin, then performs ablution, then offers two units of prayer, and seeks forgiveness from Allah for that sin, Allah will surely forgive his sin." After that, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) recited these two verses: «وَمَن يَعْمَلْ سُوءًا أَوْ يَظْلِمْ نَفْسَهُ ثُمَّ يَسْتَغْفِرِ اللَّـهَ يَجِدِ اللَّـهَ غَفُورًا رَّحِيمًا» [4-النساء:110] "Whoever commits a sin or wrongs himself, then seeks forgiveness from Allah, he will find Allah Most Forgiving, Most Merciful." And «وَالَّذِينَ إِذَا فَعَلُوا فَاحِشَةً أَوْ ظَلَمُوا أَنفُسَهُمْ ذَكَرُوا اللَّـهَ فَاسْتَغْفَرُوا لِذُنُوبِهِمْ وَمَن يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلَّا اللَّـهُ وَلَمْ يُصِرُّوا عَلَىٰ مَا فَعَلُوا وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ» [3-آل عمران:135] "Those who, when they commit a sin or wrong themselves . . . ."

This narration is also reported through another chain in the same manner, except that in it, this statement of Imam Shu’bah (may Allah have mercy on him) is transmitted: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) recited one of these two verses.

Sayyiduna Umar Farooq (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that once Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) stood before us to deliver a sermon and said: Last year, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) stood among us in the same way and said: After faith and conviction, no blessing greater than well-being has been distributed among the people. Remember! Truthfulness is in Paradise, and falsehood and sin are in Hell.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Bara’ bin Azib (may Allah be pleased with him) that when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was migrating from Makkah Mukarramah to Madinah Munawwarah, he felt thirsty on the way. Coincidentally, a shepherd of goats passed by. Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) says: I took a bowl and milked a little milk in it for the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and brought it to him. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) drank it until I was pleased.

Once, Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) submitted in the court of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), "O Messenger of Allah! Teach me a supplication which I may recite in the morning, evening, and when I lie down on my bed." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) taught this supplication: «اللَّهُمَّ فَاطِرَ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ ، عَالِمَ الْغَيْبِ وَالشَّهَادَةِ ، أَوْ قَالَ : اللَّهُمَّ عَالِمَ الْغَيْبِ وَالشَّهَادَةِ ، فَاطِرَ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ ، رَبَّ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ وَمَلِيكَهُ ، أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ ، أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ نَفْسِي ، وَشَرِّ الشَّيْطَانِ وَشِرْكِهِ» "O Allah! O Creator of the heavens and the earth, Knower of the unseen and the seen, Sustainer and Owner of everything! I bear witness that there is no deity except You. I seek refuge in You from the evil of my own self, from the evil of Satan and from his associating (others with You)."

This hadith has also been narrated through another chain of transmission, which is mentioned in the text.

Qais reports that once Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) stood up to deliver a sermon and said: O people! You recite this verse: «يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا عَلَيْكُمْ أَنفُسَكُمْ لَا يَضُرُّكُم مَّن ضَلَّ إِذَا اهْتَدَيْتُمْ إِلَى اللَّـهِ مَرْجِعُكُمْ جَمِيعًا فَيُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ» [5-المائدة:105] "O you who believe! Take care of your own selves. If you follow the right guidance, no one who goes astray can harm you." And you do not interpret it in its correct context. I heard the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) say: When people see an evil being committed and do not try to change it, soon Allah's punishment will encompass all of them.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Barzah Aslami (may Allah be pleased with him) that a man spoke disrespectfully about Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) and used extremely harsh words. I said, "Shall I not strike his neck?" Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) lovingly rebuked me and said, "After the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), this is not for anyone." (The punishment for disrespect in the rank of Prophethood is indeed this, but for ourselves we will not permit it.)

It is narrated from Sayyida Aisha Siddiqa (may Allah be pleased with her) that one day Sayyida Fatima (may Allah be pleased with her) sent a servant to Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) with a request for her inheritance from the khums of Madinah, Fadak, and Khaybar. Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) said that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Inheritance is not established in our wealth; rather, whatever we leave behind is all charity. However, the family of Muhammad may eat from this wealth. And I swear by Allah that I will not abandon the way I saw the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) acting, and I will act in the same manner as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did." Thus, Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) refused to give anything from it to Sayyida Fatima (may Allah be pleased with her), which caused some heaviness in the heart of Sayyida Fatima (may Allah be pleased with her) (due to human nature). Abu Bakr Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "By Him in Whose hand is my soul, the relatives of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) are dearer to me in maintaining ties of kinship than my own relatives. But regarding this wealth, in the matter of difference of opinion between you and me, I will not turn away from the truth, and I will not abandon acting in the way I heard the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) act."

Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah honor his face and be pleased with him) says that whenever I heard a hadith from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), Allah, as He willed, made me benefit from it. And when another person narrated a hadith of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to me, I would make him swear an oath about it. When he swore that he had heard this hadith from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), only then would I accept his statement as true. Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated this hadith to me, and he is truthful in narrating this hadith, that he heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) say: Whoever commits a sin, then performs ablution and does it well, then prays two rak‘ahs of prayer and seeks forgiveness from Allah for his sin, Allah will surely forgive his sin. Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) recited this verse: «وَالَّذِينَ إِذَا فَعَلُوا فَاحِشَةً أَوْ ظَلَمُوا أَنفُسَهُمْ . . . » [3-آل عمران:135] "And those who, when they commit a sin or wrong themselves . . . ."

Sayyiduna Zaid bin Thabit (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) sent me news about the memorizers of the Qur'an who were martyred in the Battle of Yamama and said to me: "Zaid! You are a wise young man, and we do not find any fault in you. You have also served as the scribe of revelation for the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Therefore, collect the Qur'an from various places and compile it together."

It is narrated from Sayyida Aisha Siddiqa (may Allah be pleased with her) that after the blessed passing of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), one day Sayyida Fatima (may Allah be pleased with her) and Sayyiduna Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) came to Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) to claim the inheritance of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). At that time, their demand was for the land of Fadak and a share of Khaybar. After listening to both of them, Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) say that inheritance is not established in our wealth; rather, whatever we leave behind is charity. However, the family of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) may eat from this wealth, and I swear that I will not abandon the way I saw the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) act.

Ibn Abi Mulaykah (may Allah have mercy on him) says that once Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) was addressed as "O Caliph of Allah," so he said: I am not the Caliph of Allah, rather I am the Caliph of the Messenger of Allah, and I am content with that rank.

It is narrated from Abu Salamah (may Allah have mercy on him) that Sayyida Fatimah (may Allah be pleased with her) asked Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him): "When you depart from this world, who will inherit from you?" He replied: "My wife and children." Sayyida Fatimah (may Allah be pleased with her) asked: "Then why are we not the heirs of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)?" He replied: "I heard the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) say that inheritance is not established in the wealth of a Prophet. However, I will continue to provide for and support those whom the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to provide for and support, and I will spend on those on whom the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to spend."

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Barzah Aslami (may Allah be pleased with him) that once we were engaged in some work with Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him). During this, Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) became angry with a Muslim for some reason, and his anger increased greatly. When I saw the situation, I said, "O Successor of the Messenger of Allah! Should I not strike his neck?" When I mentioned killing, he changed the subject and topic of conversation altogether. When we dispersed after finishing there, Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) sent for me through a messenger and said, "Abu Barzah! What were you saying?" I replied, "By Allah, I do not remember." He said, "Recall, when you saw me angry with a person, you said, 'O Successor of the Messenger of Allah! Should I not strike his neck?' Do you remember? Would you really have done so?" I swore and replied, "Yes! If you even now command me, I will carry it out." He said, "Alas! By Allah! After the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), this is not for anyone."

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The miswak is a means of purification for the mouth and the pleasure of the Lord."

Once, Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) submitted in the court of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him): O Messenger of Allah! Teach me a supplication which I may recite in the morning and evening. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Recite this, «اللَّهُمَّ عَالِمَ الْغَيْبِ وَالشَّهَادَةِ ، فَاطِرَ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ ، رَبَّ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ وَمَلِيكَهُ ، أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ ، أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ نَفْسِي ، وَمِنْ شَرِّ الشَّيْطَانِ وَشِرْكِهِ» "O Allah! Creator of the heavens and the earth, Knower of the unseen and the seen, Sustainer and Owner of everything! I bear witness that there is no deity except You. I seek refuge in You from the evil of my own self, from the evil of Satan and his polytheism." And he instructed him to recite this supplication in the morning, evening, and when lying down on the bed.

Ibn Abi Mulaykah (may Allah have mercy on him) says that once Sayyiduna Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) was addressed as "O Caliph of Allah," so he said: "I am not the Caliph of Allah, rather I am the Caliph of the Messenger of Allah, and I am content with that rank."

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Ibn Abi Mulaykah (may Allah have mercy on him) that if the rein of Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddiq’s (may Allah be pleased with him) camel slipped from his hand and fell, he would strike the front leg of his camel, it would sit down, and he would pick up the rein himself. We said, “Why do you not order us to hand it to you?” He replied: “My beloved (peace and blessings be upon him) commanded me not to ask anyone for anything.”

Sayyiduna Abu Ubaidah reports that exactly one year after the passing of the Prophet (peace be upon him), Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) once stood up to deliver a sermon and said: "Last year, the Prophet (peace be upon him) also stood in this very place and said: 'Ask Allah for well-being, for no human being has been given a blessing greater than well-being. Adopt truthfulness and goodness, for both of these will be in Paradise, and avoid lying and sin, for both of these will be in Hell.'"

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: I have been commanded to fight the people until they say «لا اله الا الله», but when they say this statement, they have protected their lives and wealth from me, except for a right that is due from them, and their reckoning is with Allah. When the trial of apostasy arose, Sayyiduna Umar Farooq (may Allah be pleased with him) said to Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him): How can you fight these people when you have also heard this hadith of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)? He replied: By Allah! I will not differentiate between prayer and zakat, and whoever differentiates between the two, I will surely fight him. Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) says: We also joined him in that fight, and then we realized that guidance and righteousness were in that.

Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) once said to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): O Messenger of Allah! After this verse «لَّيْسَ بِأَمَانِيِّكُمْ وَلَا أَمَانِيِّ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ مَن يَعْمَلْ سُوءًا يُجْزَ بِهِ» [4-النساء:123] "What goodness remains that neither your desires nor the desires of the People of the Book are to be considered, whoever does evil will be recompensed for it..." So will we be punished for every bad deed? The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Abu Bakr! May Allah forgive you, do you not fall ill? Do you not face distress? Do you not become sad? Do you not suffer pain and hardship? He replied: Why not! The Prophet said: That is the recompense.

Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) once said to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): "O Messenger of Allah! After this verse, what goodness remains «لَّيْسَ بِأَمَانِيِّكُمْ وَلَا أَمَانِيِّ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ مَن يَعْمَلْ سُوءًا يُجْزَ بِهِ» that 'Neither your desires nor the desires of the People of the Book are of any account; whoever does evil will be recompensed for it...'? So will we be punished for every bad deed?" The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Abu Bakr! May Allah have mercy on you, do you not fall ill? Do you not face distress? Do you not become sad? Do you not suffer pain and hardship?" He replied, "Why not!" The Prophet said: "That is the recompense."

Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) once said to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him): "O Messenger of Allah! What goodness remains after this verse?" Then he mentioned the complete hadith.

Abu Bakr bin Abi Zuhair says that when this verse was revealed «لَّيْسَ بِأَمَانِيِّكُمْ وَلَا أَمَانِيِّ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ مَن يَعْمَلْ سُوءًا يُجْزَ بِهِ» [4-النساء:123] that "Neither your desires nor the desires of the People of the Book are of any account; whoever does evil will be recompensed for it," then our master Abu Bakr Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) submitted: O Messenger of Allah! Will we be punished for every bad deed? The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Abu Bakr! May Allah have mercy on you. Do you not fall ill? Do you not face distress? Do you not become sad? Do you not suffer hardship and pain? This is the recompense."

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) that Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) wrote a letter to him in which he stated: These are the prescribed rules of Zakat which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) himself established for the Muslims. These are the same rules which Allah commanded His Messenger, and according to these rules, when Zakat is collected from the Muslims, they should pay it, and if anyone is asked for more than this, he should not give more. The details of this summary are as follows: For less than twenty-five camels, one goat is obligatory for every five camels. When the number of camels reaches twenty-five, one bint makhad (a she-camel that has entered its second year) is obligatory, and this remains up to thirty-five camels. If someone does not have a bint makhad, then he should give an ibn labun male (a camel that has entered its third year). When the number of camels reaches thirty-six, up to forty-five, one bint labun is obligatory. When the number of camels reaches forty-six, one hiqqah (a she-camel that has entered its fourth year and is able to be mounted by a male at night) becomes obligatory. This ruling remains up to sixty. When the number reaches sixty-one, up to seventy-five, one jaz’ah (a camel that has entered its fifth year) is obligatory. When the number reaches seventy-six, up to ninety, two bint labun are obligatory. When the number reaches ninety-one, up to one hundred and twenty, two hiqqah are obligatory, which are able to be mounted by a male. When the number exceeds one hundred and twenty, then for every forty, one bint labun, and for every fifty, one hiqqah is obligatory.

And if the ages of the camels for Zakat are different, then if a person is obliged to give a jaz’ah in Zakat but does not have a jaz’ah and has a hiqqah, then that will be accepted from him, and if he only has a jaz’ah, then it will be taken from him and the Zakat collector will give him twenty dirhams or two goats. And if the aforementioned person has a bint labun, then that will be taken from him and two goats will be given to him, provided it is easy, or twenty dirhams will be taken. If a person is obliged to give a bint labun but has a hiqqah, then that will be taken from him and the Zakat collector will give him twenty dirhams or two goats. And if the aforementioned person has a bint makhad, then that will be taken from him and goats will be taken, provided it is easy, or twenty dirhams will be taken. And if a person is obliged to give a bint makhad and only has an ibn labun male, then that will be accepted from him and nothing else will be taken. And if a person only has four camels, then Zakat is not obligatory on him, but if the owner wishes to give something, it is up to him.

Regarding grazing goats (those that feed themselves), the details of Zakat are as follows: When the number of goats reaches forty, up to one hundred and twenty, only one goat is obligatory. When the number exceeds one hundred and twenty, up to two hundred, two goats are obligatory. When the number exceeds two hundred, up to three hundred, three goats are obligatory. After that, for every hundred, one goat is obligatory. Note that in Zakat, extremely old and defective animals should not be taken, nor should very fine animals be taken, unless the one giving Zakat wishes to give them voluntarily. Also, to avoid Zakat, scattered animals should not be gathered, nor should gathered animals be scattered. And if there are two types of animals (for example, goats and camels), then Zakat will be distributed equally between them. Also, if a person’s grazing goats are less than forty, then nothing is obligatory on him, unless the owner himself wishes to give. Also, for minted silver coins, one-fortieth (2.5%) is obligatory. So if a person only has one hundred and ninety dirhams, then nothing is obligatory on him, unless the owner himself wishes to give Zakat.

Abdur Razzaq says that the people of Makkah used to say: Ibn Jurayj learned prayer from Sayyiduna Ata bin Abi Rabah, Ata learned from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Zubair (may Allah be pleased with him), Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Zubair (may Allah be pleased with him) learned from his grandfather Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him), and Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) learned from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). Abdur Razzaq says: I have not seen anyone performing prayer better than Ibn Jurayj.

Sayyiduna Umar Farooq (may Allah be pleased with him) says that my daughter Hafsa’s husband, Khunais bin Hudhafah or Hudhaifah, passed away and she became a widow. He was a Badri companion and died in Madinah Munawwarah. I met Sayyiduna Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) and presented to him the proposal of marrying my daughter. He asked me for some time to think and after a few days said that at present he had no intention of getting married. After that, I met Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) and said the same to him, that if you wish, I can marry my daughter Hafsa to you, but he did not give me any answer. I was more upset with him than with Sayyiduna Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him). After a few days, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) sent a marriage proposal for Hafsa for himself, so I married Hafsa (may Allah be pleased with her) to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Coincidentally, I met Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) and he said, “Perhaps you were upset that you offered Hafsa to me and I did not give you any answer?” I said, “Yes, that is so.” He said, “The fact is, when you made this offer to me, there was nothing preventing me from accepting it, but I had heard the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) mention Hafsa. I did not want to disclose the secret of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). If the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) had left her, I would certainly have married her.”

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "No ill-mannered person will enter Paradise." Upon this, a man asked, "O Messenger of Allah! Did you not tell us that there will be the most slaves and orphans in this Ummah?" (Meaning, it is possible and even happens that people behave badly with them.) He replied, "Why not!" He said, "Why not! However, you should honor them just as you honor your own children, and feed them from what you eat yourselves." The people asked, "O Messenger of Allah! What benefit will we get from this in this world?" He replied, "That good horse which you prepare, you can use it for Jihad in the way of Allah, and your slave can suffice for your needs. Remember! If he performs Salah, then he is your brother." The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) repeated this statement twice.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Zaid bin Thabit (may Allah be pleased with him) that once Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) sent a messenger to me with the news of the martyrs of the Battle of Yamama. When I presented myself before him, Sayyiduna Umar Farooq (may Allah be pleased with him) was also present there. Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) began the conversation and said: Umar came to me and said that there was a fierce battle in Yamama and a large number of the reciters (Qurra) among the Muslims were martyred. I fear that if the Qurra continue to be martyred in different places in this way, the Qur'an may be lost, as there may not remain anyone who has memorized it. Therefore, my opinion is that I should advise you to collect the Qur'an. I said to Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him): How can I do something which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) did not do? But he said to me: By Allah! This is nothing but good, and he continued to insist upon me regarding this matter until Allah Almighty opened my heart to it, and my opinion became the same as that of Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him). Sayyiduna Zaid bin Thabit (may Allah be pleased with him) says that Sayyiduna Umar Farooq (may Allah be pleased with him) was also present there, but out of respect for Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him), he did not speak. Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) himself said: You are a wise young man and you have also served as the scribe of revelation for the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), so you should carry out the task of collecting the Qur'an. Sayyiduna Zaid (may Allah be pleased with him) says: By Allah! If they had ordered me to move a mountain from its place, it would not have been heavier upon me than this command to collect the Qur'an. So I also said to them: How can you do something which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) did not do? (But when my heart was also opened to it, I began this work and completed it.)

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) that when the blessed soul of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) departed and Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) was chosen as the Caliph, a difference of opinion arose between Sayyiduna Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) and Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) regarding the inheritance of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him), while deciding the matter, said: "Whatever the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) left behind and did not touch, I too will not touch it." When Sayyiduna Umar Farooq (may Allah be pleased with him) was chosen as the Caliph, both of them brought their matter to him, but he also said: "Whatever Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) did not touch, I too will not touch it." When the caliphate was entrusted to Sayyiduna Uthman Ghani (may Allah be pleased with him), both of them also came to Sayyiduna Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him). After hearing their position, Sayyiduna Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) remained silent and bowed his head. Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) says: "I feared that Sayyiduna Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) might take it into the possession of the government, so I placed my hand between the two shoulders of my father, Sayyiduna Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him), and said to him: 'Dear father! I adjure you to hand it over to Ali (may Allah be pleased with him).' Thus, he handed it over to Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him)."

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Zubair (may Allah be pleased with him) that once we were sitting with Sayyiduna Farooq-e-Azam (may Allah be pleased with him) when suddenly Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) and Sayyiduna Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) arrived, and both of their voices were raised. Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Abbas! Stop, I know what you want to say. You say that Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was your nephew, so you should get half of the wealth. And O Ali! I also know what you want to say. Your opinion is that the daughter of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was in your marriage, and her share is half. And whatever was in the hands of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) is present with me. We have seen what the method of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was in this regard. After the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) was appointed as the caliph, and he did what the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to do. After Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), I was made the caliph. I swear by Allah that just as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) did, I will continue to try my utmost to do the same. Then he said that Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated this hadith to me and swore by Allah for his truthfulness that he heard the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) say that the wealth of the noble Prophets (peace be upon them) is not inherited; their legacy is distributed among the poor Muslims and the needy. And Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) also narrated this hadith to me and swore by Allah for his truthfulness that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "No Prophet departs from this world until he follows one of his followers." In any case, whatever was with the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) is present here, and we have also seen the method of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). Now, if both of you want me to hand over these endowments to you, and you will act in them as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) used to do, then I will hand them over to you. Hearing this, both of them went into seclusion for a while. After a short while, when they returned, Sayyiduna Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said that you may hand over these endowments to Ali; I give this permission with the happiness of my heart.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) that Sayyida Fatima (may Allah be pleased with her) once came to Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) and Sayyiduna Umar Farooq (may Allah be pleased with him) and demanded the inheritance of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). Both of them said, "We heard the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) say that inheritance will not be established in my wealth."

Qais bin Abi Hazim, may Allah have mercy on him, says: I was sitting in the company of Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddiq, may Allah be pleased with him, one month after the blessed passing of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. A caller announced among the people that the prayer was ready, and this was the first prayer after the Prophet’s passing for which the Muslims were called by saying “As-salatu jami‘ah.” So the people gathered, and Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddiq, may Allah be pleased with him, ascended the pulpit. This was his first sermon which he delivered before the people of Islam. In this sermon, he first praised and glorified Allah, then said: O people! I wished that someone other than me would take on this responsibility. If you wish to see me adhere to the Sunnah of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, I do not have the strength to fulfill it completely. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, was protected from the attacks of Satan, and revelation would descend upon him from the heavens (so how can I be equal to him?).