It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) that when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) fell ill during his final illness, he was in the house of Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her). The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Call Ali to me." But Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) submitted: "Shall we call Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him)?" The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Call him." Meanwhile, Sayyida Hafsa (may Allah be pleased with her) submitted: "O Messenger of Allah! Shall we call Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him)?" The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Call him too." Sayyida Umm al-Fadl (may Allah be pleased with her) submitted: "O Messenger of Allah! Shall we call Sayyiduna Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him)?" The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Call him too." When these people gathered, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) raised his blessed head, and when Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) was not seen, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) remained silent. Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "People, get up from the presence of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)." Sayyiduna Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him) came to inform the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) of the time for prayer, so the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Tell Abu Bakr to lead the people in prayer." Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) submitted: "Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) is extremely soft-hearted and a man who weeps; when people do not see you (peace and blessings be upon him), they will begin to weep, (and seeing them, Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) will also begin to weep and will not be able to lead the prayer). It would be better if you command Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) to lead the people in prayer." In any case, it happened that Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) went and began to lead the prayer. The Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) felt some improvement in his condition, so he was taken, supported between two men, and his feet were dragging on the ground. When the people saw him coming, they began to say "Subhan Allah, Subhan Allah" to draw Abu Bakr's (may Allah be pleased with him) attention. Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) began to step back, but the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) gestured for him to remain where he was. Then the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) came and sat beside Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), and Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) remained standing on his right side. Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) followed the prayer of the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and the people followed Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him). Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) states that the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) began the recitation from where Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) had reached. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) passed away in that very illness. The narrator Waki’ once narrated that Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) followed the prayer of the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and the people followed Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him).