Abu Musa reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, became ill, and when his condition was critical, he said, “Tell Abu Bakr to lead the people in prayer.” Aisha said, “He is a soft-hearted man. He will not be able to lead in your place.” The Prophet said again, “Tell Abu Bakr to lead the people in prayer.” Aisha repeated her concern again, but the Prophet said, “Tell Abu Bakr to lead the people in prayer. Verily, you are like the companions of Joseph.” A messenger was sent to Abu Bakr, and he led the people in prayer during the Prophet’s lifetime.
Aisha said, “I argued back on that with the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him. Nothing made me continue talking back, except that it occurred to me, the people would never love a man who took his place. I thought that no one could take his place but that people would see it as a bad omen. Thus, I wanted the Prophet to give up the idea of Abu Bakr succeeding him.”
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 678, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 418
Grade: Muttafaqun Alayhi (authenticity agreed upon) according to Al-Bukhari and Muslim
عَنْ أَبِي مُوسَى قَالَ مَرِضَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَاشْتَدَّ مَرَضُهُ فَقَالَ مُرُوا أَبَا بَكْرٍ فَلْيُصَلِّ بِالنَّاسِ قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ إِنَّهُ رَجُلٌ رَقِيقٌ إِذَا قَامَ مَقَامَكَ لَمْ يَسْتَطِعْ أَنْ يُصَلِّيَ بِالنَّاسِ قَالَ مُرُوا أَبَا بَكْرٍ فَلْيُصَلِّ بِالنَّاسِ فَعَادَتْ فَقَالَ مُرِي أَبَا بَكْرٍ فَلْيُصَلِّ بِالنَّاسِ فَإِنَّكُنَّ صَوَاحِبُ يُوسُفَ فَأَتَاهُ الرَّسُولُ فَصَلَّى بِالنَّاسِ فِي حَيَاةِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ
قالت عائشة لَقَدْ رَاجَعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي ذَلِكَ، وَمَا حَمَلَنِي عَلَى كَثْرَةِ مُرَاجَعَتِهِ إِلاَّ أَنَّهُ لَمْ يَقَعْ فِي قَلْبِي أَنْ يُحِبَّ النَّاسُ بَعْدَهُ رَجُلاً قَامَ مَقَامَهُ أَبَدًا، وَلاَ كُنْتُ أُرَى أَنَّهُ لَنْ يَقُومَ أَحَدٌ مَقَامَهُ إِلاَّ تَشَاءَمَ النَّاسُ بِهِ، فَأَرَدْتُ أَنْ يَعْدِلَ ذَلِكَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَنْ أَبِي بَكْرٍ
678 صحيح البخاري أبواب صلاة الجماعة والإمامة باب أهل العلم والفضل أحق بالإمامة
418 صحيح مسلم كتاب الصلاة باب استخلاف الإمام إذا عرض له عذر من مرض وسفر وغيرهما من يصلي بالناس
