It is narrated from Sayyiduna Hudhayfah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "After me, follow these two: Abu Bakr and Umar; take guidance from the way of Ammar; and hold firmly to the covenant of Ibn Umm Abd (Abdullah bin Mas'ud)."

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Hudhayfah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "After me, follow these two: Abu Bakr and Umar; take guidance from the way of Ammar; and when Ibn Umm Abd tells you something, believe him."

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Hudhayfah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "After me, follow these two: Abu Bakr and Umar."

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Hudhayfah bin al-Yaman (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "After me, follow these two: Abu Bakr and Umar; take guidance from the way of Ammar; and (keep to) the covenant of Ibn Umm Abd." This hadith is among the most eminent narrations reported regarding the virtues of the two Shaykhs (Abu Bakr and Umar). Abu Yahya al-Himmani narrated its chain in full from Sufyan al-Thawri and Mis'ar; likewise Waki' and Hafs bin Umar al-Ubulli also narrated it correctly from Mis'ar. Then al-Humaydi and others abbreviated it when narrating from Ibn Uyaynah, but Ishaq bin Isa bin al-Tabba' narrated the chain from Ibn Uyaynah in full and correctly. So, by the evidence we have mentioned, the authenticity of this hadith is established, even though the two Shaykhs (Bukhari and Muslim) did not record it. We have also found a supporting narration (shahid) for it with an authentic chain from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him).

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "After me, follow these two: Abu Bakr and Umar; take guidance from the way of Ammar; and hold firmly to the covenant of Ibn Mas'ud."

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Sa'id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) that when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) passed away, the orators of the Ansar stood up, and a man among them began saying: "O company of the Muhajirun, whenever the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) appointed one of you as an official, he would pair one of our men with him. So our view is that this matter, that is the caliphate, should be taken charge of by two men, one from you and one from us." The narrator said: The orators of the Ansar then kept to this same view one after another. Then Sayyiduna Zayd bin Thabit (may Allah be pleased with him) stood up and said: "Indeed the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was from the Muhajirun, and the Imam will also be from the Muhajirun, and we are his Ansar, that is his helpers, just as we were the Ansar of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)." Then Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) stood up and said: "O company of the Ansar, may Allah reward you with good and keep your speaker firm upon the truth." Then he said: "Had you done anything other than this, we would not have made peace with you." Then Sayyiduna Zayd bin Thabit (may Allah be pleased with him) took hold of the hand of Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) and said: "This is your man, so give him the pledge of allegiance." Then everyone left. When Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) sat on the pulpit, he looked at the faces of the people but did not see Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) there, so he asked about him. Some men of the Ansar went and brought him. Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "O cousin of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and his son-in-law, did you intend to break the unity of the Muslims?!" He replied: "No blame, O Successor of the Messenger of Allah." Then he gave him the pledge of allegiance. Then he did not see Sayyiduna al-Zubayr bin al-Awwam (may Allah be pleased with him), so he asked about him until the people brought him. He said: "O son of the paternal aunt of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and his disciple, did you intend to break the unity of the Muslims?!" He too gave the same reply: "No blame, O Successor of the Messenger of Allah." So both of them gave the pledge of allegiance. This hadith is sahih (authentic) on the condition of Imam Muslim, but the two Shaykhs (Bukhari and Muslim) did not record it.

It is narrated from Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) that when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was taken on the Night Journey to al-Masjid al-Aqsa, in the morning the people began talking about it. Thereupon some of those who had believed in him (peace and blessings be upon him) and affirmed him (peace and blessings be upon him) apostatized. Some of the polytheists hurried to Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) and said: "Have you heard anything about your companion? He claims that last night he was taken on a journey to Bayt al-Maqdis!" Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) asked: "Did he really say that?" They said: "Yes." Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "If he said that, then he has certainly spoken the absolute truth." They asked: "Do you even affirm that he went to Bayt al-Maqdis last night and came back before morning?!" He said: "Yes. I affirm him in something even more far-fetched than that: I affirm him without hesitation in the news that comes from the heavens, that is revelation, morning and evening." For this reason he came to be called Abu Bakr al-Siddiq. This hadith is sahih (authentic) on the condition of the two Shaykhs (Bukhari and Muslim), but they did not record it. Indeed, Muhammad bin Kathir al-San'ani is saduq (truthful).

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Sahl bin Sa'd (may Allah be pleased with him); he said: Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him) gave the call to prayer (adhan) for the Zuhr prayer. Meanwhile, a clamour came from the direction of Banu Amr bin Awf that a quarrel had broken out among them, to the point that they had thrown stones at one another. So the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) went to them (to make peace) and said: "O Abu Bakr, if the prayer is started, go forward and lead the people in prayer." He said: "Very well." This hadith is sahih (authentic) on the condition of the two Shaykhs (Bukhari and Muslim), but they did not record it. in this form; what they agreed upon is that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said this during the illness in which he passed away.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him); he said: Banu al-Mustaliq sent me to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and said: "Ask the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) for us: to whom should we hand over our sadaqat (zakah) after you?" I came to him (peace and blessings be upon him) and asked, and he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "To Abu Bakr." I went back to them and told them. They said: "Go back to him (peace and blessings be upon him) and ask: if something (death) befalls Abu Bakr, then to whom?" I went and asked, and he said: "To Umar." They said: "Go again and ask: if something befalls Umar, then to whom?" I went and asked, and he said: "To Uthman." I went back and told them, and they said: "Go and ask: if something befalls Uthman, then to whom?" I went and asked, and he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "If something befalls Uthman, then for you there is nothing but ruin upon ruin until the end of time." This hadith is sahih (authentic) in its chain of narration, but the two Shaykhs (Bukhari and Muslim) did not record it.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said to Abu Bakr and Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both): "After me, no one will rule over the two of you." This hadith is sahih (authentic) in its chain of narration, but the two Shaykhs (Bukhari and Muslim) did not record it.