Hadith #510

Arabic Text

English Translation

Yaʿqūb narrated to us, my father narrated to us, from Ibn Isḥāq who said: Ibn Shihāb al-Zuhrī said: ʿAbd al-Malik ibn Abī Bakr ibn ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn al-Ḥārith ibn Hishām narrated to me, from his father, from ʿAbd Allāh ibn Zamʿah ibn al-Aswad ibn al-Muṭṭalib ibn Asad who said: When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ became severely ill while I was with him among a group of Muslims, Bilāl called for the prayer. He said: 'Have someone lead the people in prayer.' I went out and found ʿUmar among the people, while Abū Bakr was absent. I said: 'Stand, O ʿUmar, and lead the people in prayer.' He stood, and when ʿUmar pronounced the takbīr, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ heard his voice — and ʿUmar was a man with a loud voice. the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: 'Where is Abū Bakr? Allah refuses that, and the Muslims refuse that! Allah refuses that, and the Muslims refuse that!' He sent for Abū Bakr, who came after ʿUmar had already prayed that prayer, and then led the people in prayer. ʿAbd Allāh ibn Zamʿah said: ʿUmar said to me: 'Woe to you! What have you done to me, O Ibn Zamʿah? By Allah, when you told me, I thought it was the Messenger of Allah ﷺ who ordered you to do so. Were it not for that, I would not have led the people in prayer.' I said: 'By Allah, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ did not order me. But when I did not see Abū Bakr, I considered you the most deserving of those present to lead the prayer.'