Ubaidullah bin 'Abdullah reported: I visited 'A'isha and asked her to tell about the illness of the Messenger of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) . She agreed and said: The Apostle ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) was seriously ill and he asked whether the people had prayed. We said: No, they are waiting for you, Messenger of Allah. He (the Holy Prophet) said: Put some water in the tub for me. We did accordingly and he (the Holy Prophet) took a bath; and, when he was about to move with difficulty, he fainted. When he came round, he again said: Have the people said prayer? We said: No, they are waiting for you, Messenger of Allah. He (the Holy Prophet) again said: Put some water for me in the tub. We did accordingly and he took a bath, but when he was about to move with difficulty he fainted. When he came round, he asked whether the people had prayed. We said: No, they are waiting for you, Messenger of Allah. He said: Put some water for me in the tub. We did accordingly and he took a bath and he was about to move with difficulty when he fainted. When he came round he said: Have the people said prayer? We said: No, they are waiting for you, Messenger of Allah. She ('A'isha) said: The people were staying in the mosque and waiting for the Messenger of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) to lead the last (night) prayer. She ('A'isha) said: The Messenger of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) sent (instructions) to Abu Bakr (RA) to lead the people in prayer. When the messenger came, he told him (Abu Bakr): The Messenger of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) has ordered you to lead the people in prayer. Abu Bakr (RA) who was a man of very tenderly feelings asked Umar to lead the prayer. 'Umar said: You are more entitled to that. Abu Bakr (RA) led the prayers during those days. Afterwards the Messenger of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) felt some relief and he went out supported by two men, one of them was al-'Abbas, to the noon prayer. Abu Bakr (RA) was leading the people in prayer. When Abu Bakr (RA) saw him. he began to withdraw, but the Apostle of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) told him not to withdraw. He told his two (companions) to seat him down beside him (Abu Bakr). They seated him by the side of Abu Bakr. Abu Bakr (RA) said the prayer standing while following the prayer of the Apostle ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) and the people performed prayer (standing) while following the prayer of Abu Bakr. The Apostle ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) was seated. Ubaidullah said: I visited ''Abdullah bin 'Abbas, and said: Should I submit to you what 'A'isha had told about the illness of the Apostle ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) ? He said: Go ahead. I submitted to him what had been transmitted by her ('A'isha). He objected to none of it, only asking whether she had named to him the man who accompanied al-'Abbas. I said: No. He said: It was 'Ali.

'A'isha reported: It was in the house of Maimuna that the Messenger of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) first fell ill. He asked permission from his wives to stay in her ('A'isha's) house during his illness. They granted him permission. She ('A'isha) narrated: He (the Holy Prophet) went out (for prayer) with his hand over al-Fadl bin 'Abbas and on the other hand there was another person and (due to weakness) his feet dragged on the earth. 'Ubaidullah said: I narrated this hadith to the son of 'Abbas ('Abdullah bin 'Abbas) and he said: Do you know who the man was whose name 'A'isha did not mention? It was 'Ali.

'A'isha, the wife of the Apostle ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) , said: When the Messenger of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) fell ill and his illness became serious, he asked permission from his wives to stay in my house during his illness. They gave him permission to do so. He stepped out (of' A'isha's apartment for prayer) supported by two persons. (He was so much weak) that his feet dragged on the ground and he was being supported by 'Abbas bin 'Abdul Muttalib and another person. 'Ubaidullah said: I informed 'Abdullah (b. 'Abbas) about that which 'A'isha had said. 'Abdullah bin 'Abbas said: Do you know the man whose name 'A'isha did not mention? He said: No. Ibn 'Abbas said: It was 'Ali.

'A'isha, the wife of the Apostle of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) , said: I tried to dissuade the Messenger of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) from it (i. e. from appointing Abu Bakr (RA) as the Imam.) and my insistence upon it was not due to the fact that I entertained any apprehension in my mind that the people would not love the man who would occupy his (Prophet's) place (i. e. who would be appointed as his caliph) and I feared that the people would be superstitious about one who would occupy his place. I, therefore, desired that the Messenger of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) should leave Abu Bakr (RA) aside in this matter.

'A'isha reported: When the Messenger of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) came to my house, he said: Ask Abu Bakr (RA) to lead people in prayer. 'A'isha narrated: I said, Messenger of Allah, Abu Bakr (RA) is a man of tenderly feelings; as he recites the Qur'an, he cannot help shedding tears: so better command anyone else to lead the prayer. By Allah, there is nothing disturbing in it for me but the idea that the people may not take evil omen with regard to one who is the first to occupy the place of the Messenger of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) . I tried to dissuade him (the Holy Prophet) twice or thrice (from appointing my father as an Imam in prayer), but he ordered Abu Bakr (RA) to lead the people in prayer and said: You women are like those (who had) surrounded Yusuf.

'A'isha reported: When the Messenger of Allah (صَلَّی اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ) was confined to bed, Bilal came to him to summon him to prayer. He (the Holy Prophet) said: Ask Abu Bakr to lead the people in prayer. She ('A'isha) reported: I said: Messenger of Allah, Abu! Bakr is a tenderhearted man, go when ] be would stand at your place (he would be so overwhelmed by feelings) that he would not be able to make the people hear anything (his recitation would not be audible to the followers in prayer). You should better order Umar (to lead the prayer). He (the Holy Prophet) said: Ask Abu Bakr to lead people in- prayer. She ('A'isha) said: I asked Hafsa to (convey) my impression to him (the Holy Prophet) that Abu Bakr was a tenderhearted man, so when he would stand at his place, he would not be able to make the people bear anything. He better order Umar. Hafsa conveyed this (message of Hadrat 'A'isha) to him (the Holy Prophet). The Messenger of Allah (صَلَّی اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ) said: (You are behaving) as if you are the females who had gathered around Yusuf. Order Abd Bakr to lead the people in prayer. She ('A'isha) reported: So Abu Bakr was ordered to lead the people in prayer. As the prayer began, the Messenger of Allah (may peace he upon him) felt some relief; he got up and moved supported by two persons and his feet dragged on earth (due to excessive weakness). 'A'isha reported: As he (the Holy Prophet) entered the mosque. Abu Bakr perceived his (arrival). He was about to with. draw, but the Messenger of Allah (صَلَّی اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ) by the gesture (of This hand) told him to keep standing at his place. The Messenger of Allah (صَلَّی اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ) came and seated himself on the left side of Abu Bakr. She ('A'isha) reported: The Messenger of Allah (صَلَّی اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ) was leading people in prayer sitting. Abu Bakr was following the prayer of the Apostle (صَلَّی اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ) in a standing posture and the people were following the prayer of Abu Bakr.

A'mash reported: When the Messenger of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) suffered from illness of which he died, and in the hadith transmitted by Ibn Mus-hir, the words are: The Messenger of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) was brought till he was seated by his (Abu Bakr's) side and the Apostle ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) led the people in prayer and Abu Bakr (RA) was making takbir audible to them, and in the hadith transmitted by 'Isa the (words are): "The Messenger of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) sat and led the people in prayer and Abu Bakr (RA) was by his side and he was making (takbir) audible to the people."

'A'isha reported: The Messenger of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) ordered Abu Bakr (RA) that he should lead people in prayer during his illness, and he led them in prayer. 'Urwa said: The Messenger of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) felt relief and went (to the mosque) and Abu Bakr (RA) was leading the people in prayer. When Abu Bakr (RA) saw him he began to withdraw, but the Messenger of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) signed him to remain where he was. The Messenger of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) sat opposite to Abu Bakr (RA) by his side. Abu Bakr (RA) said prayer following the prayer of the Messenger of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) , and the people said prayer following the prayer of Abu Bakr.

Anas bin Malik (RA) reported, Abu Bakr (RA) led them in prayer due to the illness of the Messenger of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) of which be died. It was a Monday and they stood in rows for prayer. The Messenger of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) drew aside the curtain of ('A'isha's) apartment and looked at us while he was standing, and his (Prophet's) face was (as bright) as the paper of the Holy Book. The Messenger of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) felt happy and smiled. And we were confounded with joy while in prayer due to the arrival (among our midst) of the Messenger of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) , Abu Bakr (RA) stepped back upon his heels to say prayer in a row perceiving that the Messenger of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) had come out for prayer. The Messenger of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) with the help of his hand signed to them to complete their prayer. The Messenger of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) went back (to his apartment) and drew the curtain. He (the narrator) said: The Messenger of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) breathed his last on that very day.

Anas reported: The last glance that I have had of the Messenger of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) (before his death) was that when he on Monday drew the curtain aside. The hadith transmitted by Salih is perfect and complete.