English Translation

Ya'qub told us, my father told us, from Ibn Ishaq, who said: Ibn Shihab al-Zuhri said: Abd al-Malik ibn Abi Bakr ibn Abd al-Rahman ibn al-Harith ibn Hisham told me, from his father, from Abdullah ibn Zam'ah ibn al-Aswad ibn al-Muttalib ibn Asad, who said: When the illness of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, grew severe, and I was with him among a group of Muslims, Bilal called for the prayer, so he (the Prophet) said, "Tell someone to lead the people in prayer." He said: I went out and found Umar among the people, while Abu Bakr was absent, so I said, "Stand up, O Umar, and lead the people in prayer." He said: So he stood up, and when Umar said the takbir, the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, heard his voice, for Umar was a man with a loud voice. He said: So the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, "Where is Abu Bakr? Allah refuses that, and the Muslims refuse that; Allah refuses that, and the Muslims (refuse that)." He said: So he sent for Abu Bakr, who came after Umar had led that prayer, and then he led the people in prayer. He said: And Abdullah ibn Zam'ah said: Umar said to me, "Woe to you, what have you done to me, O Ibn Zam'ah! By Allah, when you commanded me, I thought only that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, had ordered you to do so; had it not been for that, I would not have led the people in prayer." He said: I said, "By Allah, the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, did not command me, but when I did not see Abu Bakr, I considered you the most deserving of those present to lead the prayer."