Arabic (Original)
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْوَلِيدِ هِشَامٌ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عَوَانَةَ عَنْ عَبْدِ الْمَلِكِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي الْمُعَلَّى عَنْ أَبِيهِ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ خَطَبَ يَوْمًا فَقَالَ إِنَّ رَجُلًا خَيَّرَهُ رَبُّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ بَيْنَ أَنْ يَعِيشَ فِي الدُّنْيَا مَا شَاءَ أَنْ يَعِيشَ فِيهَا يَأْكُلُ مِنْ الدُّنْيَا مَا شَاءَ أَنْ يَأْكُلَ مِنْهَا وَبَيْنَ لِقَاءِ رَبِّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ فَاخْتَارَ لِقَاءَ رَبِّهِ قَالَ فَبَكَى أَبُو بَكْرٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ فَقَالَ أَصْحَابُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَلَا تَعْجَبُونَ مِنْ هَذَا الشَّيْخِ أَنْ ذَكَرَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ رَجُلًا صَالِحًا خَيَّرَهُ رَبُّهُ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى بَيْنَ الدُّنْيَا وَبَيْنَ لِقَاءِ رَبِّهِ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى فَاخْتَارَ لِقَاءَ رَبِّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ وَكَانَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ أَعْلَمَهُمْ بِمَا قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ بَلْ نَفْدِيكَ بِأَمْوَالِنَا وَأَبْنَائِنَا أَوْ بِآبَائِنَا فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مَا مِنْ النَّاسِ أَحَدٌ أَمَنُّ عَلَيْنَا فِي صُحْبَتِهِ وَذَاتِ يَدِهِ مِنْ ابْنِ أَبِي قُحَافَةَ وَلَوْ كُنْتُ مُتَّخِذًا خَلِيلًا لَاتَّخَذْتُ ابْنَ أَبِي قُحَافَةَ وَلَكِنْ وُدٌّ وَإِخَاءُ إِيمَانٍ وَلَكِنْ وُدٌّ وَإِخَاءُ إِيمَانٍ مَرَّتَيْنِ وَإِنَّ صَاحِبَكُمْ خَلِيلُ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ.
English Translation
Abu al-Walid Hisham narrated to us: Abu Awanah narrated to us from Abd al-Malik, from Ibn Abi al-Mu'alla, from his father, that the Messenger of God, peace and blessings be upon him, gave a sermon one day and said: A man was given the choice by his Lord, Mighty and Sublime, between living in this world as long as he wished, eating from it whatever he wished, and meeting his Lord, Mighty and Sublime - and he chose to meet his Lord. Abu Bakr, may God be pleased with him, wept. The Companions of the Messenger of God, peace and blessings be upon him, said: Do you not wonder at this old man - that the Messenger of God, peace and blessings be upon him, mentioned a righteous man given the choice by his Lord, Blessed and Exalted, between this world and meeting his Lord, Blessed and Exalted, and he chose to meet his Lord, Mighty and Sublime? But Abu Bakr, may God be pleased with him, was the most knowledgeable of them about what the Messenger of God, peace and blessings be upon him, meant, so Abu Bakr, may God be pleased with him, said: Rather, we would ransom you with our wealth and our children - or our fathers. The Messenger of God, peace and blessings be upon him, said: There is no one among people who has been more generous to us with his companionship and his wealth than the son of Abu Quhafah; and if I were to take a bosom friend, I would have taken the son of Abu Quhafah; but there is [instead between us] the affection and brotherhood of faith - but there is the affection and brotherhood of faith [he said this] twice; and indeed your companion is the close friend of God, Mighty and Sublime.