Silsilat al-Ahadith al-Sahihah

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Rabi’ah Aslami (may Allah be pleased with him), he says: I used to serve the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). He gave me a piece of land, and he also gave a piece of land to Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him). The world overcame us, and we had a dispute over a date-palm tree. Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “This is within the boundary of my land.” I said: “This is within my boundary.” There was harsh talk between me and Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), and Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) said a word which I disliked, and he himself was also ashamed. (Eventually) he said to me: “O Rabi’ah! Say to me the same word so that it may be recompensed.” But I said that I would not do so. Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “You must say it, otherwise I will complain to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).” I said: “I will not say such a (word).” Rabi’ah says: Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) left the land and went towards the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), and I also followed behind him. Some people from the tribe of Banu Aslam came and said: “May Allah have mercy on Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), what will he complain to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) about you, when he has already said such and such to you?” I said: “Do you know who this is? This is Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him), he was the second of the two in the cave (of Thawr), and he is the elder of the Muslims. So beware (lest it happens) that he sees you helping me against him and becomes angry, then he goes to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), and he becomes displeased because of his anger, and then Allah becomes displeased because of their displeasure, and Rabi’ah is destroyed.” They said: “Then what do you command us to do?” He said: “You go away.” (So it happened that) Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) went to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), and I also followed him alone. So he came to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and related the matter as it was. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) raised his head towards me and said: “O Rabi’ah, what is the matter between you and al-Siddiq?” I said: “O Messenger of Allah! The matter was such and such. Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) said a word to me which I disliked, then he also told me to say the same to him so that it would be even.” The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Alright, now you have not repeated that (word in retaliation), rather you should say: ‘O Abu Bakr! May Allah forgive you. O Abu Bakr! May Allah forgive you.’” When Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) left from there, he was weeping.