It is narrated from Sayyiduna Hudhaifah bin Yaman, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Noble Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: After me, follow these two persons: Abu Bakr and Umar.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Juhaifah that Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Shall I not tell you who is the most virtuous in this Ummah after the Prophet? He is Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him). Shall I also tell you who is the most virtuous in this Ummah after Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him)? He is Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him).

Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) came out during the days of his final illness with a band tied around his head and appeared on the pulpit. He praised and glorified Allah Almighty and then said: Among my life and wealth, no one has been a greater benefactor to me than Abu Bakr bin Abi Quhafa. If I were to take anyone from among the people as my close friend (khalil), I would have taken Abu Bakr as my khalil. However, Islamic brotherhood and relationship is the most virtuous of all. Close every door and path leading to this mosque except the path of Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him); let that remain open.

Sayyiduna Abu Sa'id Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) has also narrated a similar hadith from the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Jubair bin Mut’im (may Allah be pleased with him) that a woman came to the service of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and spoke to him regarding a certain matter. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) gave a ruling in her favor. She said: O Messenger of Allah! If I come and do not find you, then what should I do? The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: If you do not find me, then go to Abu Bakr.

(A second chain) A woman came to the service of the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and requested something from him. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to her: Come to me again. She said: O Messenger of Allah! If I come and do not find you? She was alluding to the passing away of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said to her: When you come again and do not find me, then meet Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him).

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Zam’ah (may Allah be pleased with him) that when the illness of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) became severe, I was with a few Muslims in his service. Sayyiduna Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him) requested the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to lead the prayer. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Tell someone to lead the people in prayer. Sayyiduna Ibn Zam’ah says: I went and saw that Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was not present there, but Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) was present. I went and said: O Umar! Please lead the people in prayer. So Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) stood up. Since he was a man with a loud voice, when he said the takbeer, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) heard his voice and said: Where is Abu Bakr? Allah and the Muslims will not accept this, Allah and the Muslims will reject this. Nevertheless, Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) led that prayer. After that, a message was sent to Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), and later he led the people in prayers. Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Zam’ah (may Allah be pleased with him) says: Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said to me: Ibn Zam’ah! Woe to you, what have you done to me? When you came and told me to lead the prayer, I thought that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) had commanded you to do so. If I had not thought this, I would not have led the people in prayer. Sayyiduna Ibn Zam’ah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: By Allah! The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) did not command me in this matter (that I should tell Sayyiduna Abu Bakr and not you). But when I did not see Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), I considered you the most deserving among those present to lead the prayer.

It is narrated from Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) that when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) became severely ill, he (peace and blessings be upon him) said to Sayyiduna Abdur Rahman bin Abi Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him): Bring me a broad shoulder bone or a tablet so that I may write a document in favor of Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), so that there will be no disagreement about it. When Abdur Rahman got up to go, he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: O Abu Bakr! Allah and the believers have refused that there should be any disagreement about you.

. (Second chain) It is narrated from Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) that when the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was afflicted with his final illness, he said: "Call Abu Bakr and his son to me, so that no one greedy for Abu Bakr's matter may covet it, and no one desiring this affair may desire it." He said this statement twice, then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Allah Almighty and the Muslims have refused this matter (except for Abu Bakr)." Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) said: "Allah and the Muslims have refused this matter for the people, except for my father, and then my father became the caliph."