Sahih Muslim — Hadith 4713
Sahih
Sahih Muslim : 4713
It has been narrated on the authority of 'Abdullah bin 'Umar رضی اللہ عنہ who said:
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو كُرَيْبٍ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْعَلَاءِ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو أُسَامَةَ، عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ عُرْوَةَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ، قَالَ: حَضَرْتُ أَبِي حِينَ أُصِيبَ، فَأَثْنَوْا عَلَيْهِ، وَقَالُوا: جَزَاكَ اللهُ خَيْرًا، فَقَالَ: رَاغِبٌ وَرَاهِبٌ، قَالُوا: اسْتَخْلِفْ، فَقَالَ: «أَتَحَمَّلُ أَمْرَكُمْ حَيًّا وَمَيِّتًا، لَوَدِدْتُ أَنَّ حَظِّي مِنْهَا الْكَفَافُ، لَا عَلَيَّ وَلَا لِي، فَإِنْ أَسْتَخْلِفْ فَقَدِ اسْتَخْلَفَ مَنْ هُوَ خَيْرٌ مِنِّي - يَعْنِي أَبَا بَكْرٍ - وَإِنْ أَتْرُكْكُمْ فَقَدْ تَرَكَكُمْ مَنْ هُوَ خَيْرٌ مِنِّي، رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ»، قَالَ عَبْدُ اللهِ: فَعَرَفْتُ أَنَّهُ حِينَ ذَكَرَ رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ غَيْرُ مُسْتَخْلِفٍ.
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 رضی اللہ عنہ ) 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 رضی اللہ عنہ
says: When he mentioned the Messenger of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) I understood that he would not appoint anyone as Caliph.