The Book of the Merits of the Companions

"‏ لَوْ كُنْتُ مُتَّخِذًا مِنْ أُمَّتِي أَحَدًا خَلِيلاً لاَتَّخَذْتُ أَبَا بَكْرٍ ‏"

If I were to choose from my Umma anyone as my bosom friend, I would have chosen Abu Bakr.

"‏ لَوْ كُنْتُ مُتَّخِذًا خَلِيلاً لاَتَّخَذْتُ ابْنَ أَبِي قُحَافَةَ خَلِيلاً ‏"

If I were to choose as my bosom friend I would have chosen the son of Abu Quhafa (Abu Bakr) as my bosom friend.

"‏ لَوْ كُنْتُ مُتَّخِذًا مِنْ أَهْلِ الأَرْضِ خَلِيلاً لاَتَّخَذْتُ ابْنَ أَبِي قُحَافَةَ خَلِيلاً وَلَكِنْ صَاحِبُكُمْ خَلِيلُ اللَّهِ ‏"

If I were to choose amongst the people of earth someone as my bosom friend, I would have chosen the son of Abu Quhafa as my friends but God has taken your companion as a friend.

"‏ أَلاَ إِنِّي أَبْرَأُ إِلَى كُلِّ خِلٍّ مِنْ خِلِّهِ وَلَوْ كُنْتُ مُتَّخِذًا خَلِيلاً لاَتَّخَذْتُ أَبَا بَكْرٍ خَلِيلاً إِنَّ صَاحِبَكُمْ خَلِيلُ اللَّهِ ‏"

" Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) is reported to have said: Behold I am free from the dependence of all bosom friends and if I were to choose anyone as bosom friend I would have taken Abu Bakr as my bosom friend. Allah has taken your companion as a friend.

حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ يَحْيَى، أَخْبَرَنَا خَالِدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، عَنْ خَالِدٍ، عَنْ أَبِي عُثْمَانَ، أَخْبَرَنِي عَمْرُو بْنُ الْعَاصِ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم بَعَثَهُ عَلَى جَيْشِ ذَاتِ السَّلاَسِلِ فَأَتَيْتُهُ فَقُلْتُ أَىُّ النَّاسِ أَحَبُّ إِلَيْكَ قَالَ ‏"‏ عَائِشَةُ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قُلْتُ مِنَ الرِّجَالِ قَالَ ‏"‏ أَبُوهَا ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قُلْتُ ثُمَّ مَنْ قَالَ ‏"‏ عُمَرُ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ فَعَدَّ رِجَالاً ‏.‏

Who amongst people are dearest to you? He said: A'isha. He then said: Who amongst men? He said: Her father, and I said: And who next? He said: Umar. He then enumerated some other men.

وَحَدَّثَنِي الْحَسَنُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ الْحُلْوَانِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا جَعْفَرُ بْنُ عَوْنٍ، عَنْ أَبِي عُمَيْسٍ، ح وَحَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ بْنُ حُمَيْدٍ، - وَاللَّفْظُ لَهُ - أَخْبَرَنَا جَعْفَرُ بْنُ عَوْنٍ، أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو عُمَيْسٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ، أَبِي مُلَيْكَةَ سَمِعْتُ عَائِشَةَ، وَسُئِلَتْ، مَنْ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم مُسْتَخْلِفًا لَوِ اسْتَخْلَفَهُ قَالَتْ أَبُو بَكْرٍ ‏.‏ فَقِيلَ لَهَا ثُمَّ مَنْ بَعْدَ أَبِي بَكْرٍ قَالَتْ عُمَرُ ‏.‏ ثُمَّ قِيلَ لَهَا مَنْ بَعْدَ عُمَرَ قَالَتْ أَبُو عُبَيْدَةَ بْنُ الْجَرَّاحِ ‏.‏ ثُمَّ انْتَهَتْ إِلَى هَذَا ‏.‏

I heard `A'isha as saying and she was asked as to whom Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) would have nominated as his successor if he had to nominate one at all. She said: Abu Bakr. It was said to her: Then whom after Abu Bakr? She said: `Umar. It was said to her. Then whom after `Umar? She said: Abu `Ubaida b. al-Jarrah, and then she kept quiet at this.

"‏ فَإِنْ لَمْ تَجِدِينِي فَأْتِي أَبَا بَكْرٍ ‏"

What in your opinion (should I do) if I come to you but do not find you, and it seemed as if she meant that he might die. Thereupon he said: If you do not find me, then come to Abu Bakr. This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Jubair b. Mut'im through another chain of transmitters (and the words are) that a woman came to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and discussed with him something and he gave a command as we find in the above-mentioned narration.

"‏ فَإِنْ لَمْ تَجِدِينِي فَأْتِي أَبَا بَكْرٍ ‏"

What in your opinion (should I do) if I come to you but do not find you, and it seemed as if she meant that he might die. Thereupon he said: If you do not find me, then come to Abu Bakr. This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Jubair b. Mut'im through another chain of transmitters (and the words are) that a woman came to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and discussed with him something and he gave a command as we find in the above-mentioned narration.

"‏ ادْعِي لِي أَبَا بَكْرٍ وَأَخَاكِ حَتَّى أَكْتُبَ كِتَابًا فَإِنِّي أَخَافُ أَنْ يَتَمَنَّى مُتَمَنٍّ وَيَقُولَ قَائِلٌ أَنَا أَوْلَى ‏.‏ وَيَأْبَى اللَّهُ وَالْمُؤْمِنُونَ إِلاَّ أَبَا بَكْرٍ ‏"

I have better claim to it, whereas Allah and the Faithful do not substantiate the claim of anyone but that of Abu Bakr.

حَدَّثَنِي أَبُو الطَّاهِرِ، أَحْمَدُ بْنُ عَمْرِو بْنِ سَرْحٍ وَحَرْمَلَةُ بْنُ يَحْيَى قَالاَ أَخْبَرَنَا ابْنُ وَهْبٍ، أَخْبَرَنِي يُونُسُ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، حَدَّثَنِي سَعِيدُ بْنُ الْمُسَيَّبِ، وَأَبُو سَلَمَةَ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ أَنَّهُمَا سَمِعَا أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ، يَقُولُ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ بَيْنَمَا رَجُلٌ يَسُوقُ بَقَرَةً لَهُ قَدْ حَمَلَ عَلَيْهَا الْتَفَتَتْ إِلَيْهِ الْبَقَرَةُ فَقَالَتْ إِنِّي لَمْ أُخْلَقْ لِهَذَا وَلَكِنِّي إِنَّمَا خُلِقْتُ لِلْحَرْثِ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ فَقَالَ النَّاسُ سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ ‏.‏ تَعَجُّبًا وَفَزَعًا ‏.‏ أَبَقَرَةٌ تَكَلَّمُ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ فَإِنِّي أُومِنُ بِهِ وَأَبُو بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرُ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ بَيْنَا رَاعٍ فِي غَنَمِهِ عَدَا عَلَيْهِ الذِّئْبُ فَأَخَذَ مِنْهَا شَاةً فَطَلَبَهُ الرَّاعِي حَتَّى اسْتَنْقَذَهَا مِنْهُ فَالْتَفَتَ إِلَيْهِ الذِّئْبُ فَقَالَ لَهُ مَنْ لَهَا يَوْمَ السَّبُعِ يَوْمَ لَيْسَ لَهَا رَاعٍ غَيْرِي ‏"‏ ‏.‏ فَقَالَ النَّاسُ سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ ‏.‏ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ فَإِنِّي أُومِنُ بِذَلِكَ أَنَا وَأَبُو بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرُ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

A person had been driving an ox loaded with luggage. The ox looked towards him and said: I have not been created for this but for lands (i. e. for ploughing the land and for drawing out water from the wells for the purpose of irrigating the lands). The people said with surprise and awe: Hallowed be Allah, does the ox speak? Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: I believe it and so do Abu Bakr and 'Umar. Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: A shepherd was tendirig the flock when a wolf came there and took away one goat. Tile shepherd pursued it (the wolf) and rescued it (the goat) from that (wolf). The wolf looked towards him and said: Who would save it on the day when there will be no shepherd except me? Thereupon people said: Hallowed be Allah I Thereupon Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: I believe in it and so do Abu Bakr and Umar believe.