It has been narrated on the authority of Amir bin Sa'd bin Abu Waqqas who said: I wrote (a letter) to Jabir bin ahadeeth and sent it to him through my servant Nafi', asking him to inform me of something he had heard from the Messenger of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) . He wrote to me (in reply): I heard the Messenger of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) say on Friday evening, the day on which al-Aslami was stoned to death (for committing adultery): The Islamic religion will continue until the Hour has been established, or you have been ruled over by twelve Caliphs, all of them being from the Quraish. also heard him say: A small force of the Muslims will capture the white palace, the police of the Persian Emperor or his descendants. I also heard him say: Before the Day of Judgment there will appear (a number of) impostors. You are to guard against them. I also heard him say: When God grants wealth to any one of you, he should first spend it on himself and his family (and then give it in charity to the poor). I heard him (also) say: I will be your forerunner at the Cistern (expecting your arrival).

Ibn ahadeeth al-'Adawi reported: I heard Allah's Messenger ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) say, and he then narrated (the above-mentioned hadith).

It has been narrated on the authority of 'Abdullah bin 'Umar who said: I was present with my father when he was wounded. People praised him and said: May God give you a noble recompense! He said: I am hopeful (of God's mercy) as well as afraid (of His wrath) People said: Appoint anyone as your successor. He said: Should I carry the burden of conducting your affairs in my life as well as in my death? (So far as Caliphate is concerned) I wish I could acquit myself (before the Almighty) in a way that there is neither anything to my credit nor anything to my discredit. If I would appoint my successor, (I would because) one better than me did so. (He meant Abu Bakr.) If I would leave You alone, (I would do so because) one better than me, i. e. the Messenger of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) , did so. 'Abdullah says: When he mentioned the Messenger of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) I understood that he would not appoint anyone as Caliph.

It has been reported on the authority of Ibn 'Umar who said: I entered the apartment of (my sister) Hafsa. She said: Do yoa know that your father is not going to nominate his successor? I said: He won't do that (i. e. he would nominate). She said: He is going to do that. The narrator said: I took an oath that I will talk to him about the matter. I kept quiet until the next morning, still I did not talk to him, and I felt as if I were carryint, a mountain on my right hand. At last I came to him and entered his apartment. (Seeing me) he began to ask me about the condition of the people, and I informed him (about them). Then I said to him: I heard something from the people and took an oath that I will communicate it to you. They presume that you are not going to nominate a successor. If a grazer of camels and sheep that you had appointed comes back to you leaving the cattle, you will (certainly) think that the cattle are lost. To look after the people is more serious and grave. (The dying Caliph) was moved at my words. He bent his head in a thoughtful mood for some time and raised it to me and said: God will doubtlessly protect His religion. If I do not nominate a successor (I have a precedent before me), for the Messenger of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) did not nominate his successor. And if I nominate one (I have a precedent), for Abu Bakr (RA) did nominate. The narrator (Ibn 'Umar (RA)) said: By God. when he mentioned the Messenger of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) and Abu Bakr, I (at once) understood that he would not place anyone at a par with the Messenger of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) and would not nominate anyone.

It has been reported on the authority of 'Abdul Rahman bin ahadeeth who said: The Messenger of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) said to me: 'Abdul Rahman, do not ask for a position of authority, for if you are granted this position as a result of your asking for it, you will be left alone (without God's help to discharge the responsibilities attendant thereon), and it you are granted it without making any request for it, you will be helped (by God in the discharge of your duties).

The same tradition has been narrated through a different chain of transmitters.

It has been narrated by Abu Musa who said: Two of my cousins and I entered the apartment of the Holy Prophet ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) . One of them said: Messenger of Allah, appoint us rulers of some lands that the Almighty and Glorious God has entrusted to thy care. The other also said something similar. He said: We do not appoint to this position one who asks for it nor anyone who is covetous for the same.

It has been reported on the authority of Abu Musa who said: I went to the Holy Prophet ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) and with me were two men from the Ash'ari tribe. One of them was on my right hand and the other on my left. Both of them made a request for a position (of authority) while the Holy Prophet ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) was brushing his teeth with a tooth-stick. He said (to me): Abu Musa (or 'Abdullah bin Qais (RA)), what do you say (about the request they have made)? I said: By God Who sent thee on thy mission with truth, they did not disclose to me what they had in their minds, and I did not know that they would ask for a position. The narrator says (while recalling this hadith): I visualise as if I were looking at the miswak of the Holy Prophet ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) between his lips. He (the Holy Prophet) said: We shall not or shall never appoint to the public offices (in our State) those who with to have them, but you may go, Abu Musa (or'Abdullah bin Qais (RA)) (to take up your assignment). He sent him to Yemen as governor. then he sent Mu'adh bin jabal in his wake (to help him in the discharge of duties). When Mu'adh reached the camp of Abu Musa, the latter (received him and) said: Please get yourself down; and he spread for him a mattress, while there was a man bound hand and foot as a prisoner. Mu'adh said: Who is this? Abu Musa said: He was a Jew. He embraced Islam. Then he reverted to his false religion and became a Jew. Mu'adh said: I won't sit until he is killed according to the decree of Allah and His Apostle ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) (in this case). Abu Musa said: Be seated. It will be done. He said: I won't sit unless he is killed in accordance with the decree of Allah and His Apostle ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) . He repeated these words thrice. Then Abu Musa ordered him (to be killed) and he was kilied. Then the two talked of standing in prayer at night. One of them, i. e. Mu'adh, said: I sleep (for a part of the night) and stand in prayer (for a part) and I hope that I shall get the same reward for steeping as I shall get for standing (in prayer).

It has been narrated on the authority of Abu Dharr (RA) who said: I said to the Holy Prophet ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ): Messenger of Allah, will you not appoint me to a public office? He stroked my shoulder with his hand and said: Abu Dharr, thou art weak and authority is a trust. and on the Day of Judgment it is a cause of humiliation and repentance except for one who fulfils its obligations and (properly) discharges the duties attendant thereon.

It has been reported on the authority of Abu Dharr (RA) that the Messenger of of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) said: Abu Dharr, I find that thou art weak and I like for thee what I like for myself. Do not rule over (even) two persons and do not manage the property of an orphan.