Is this hadith authentic?

This hadith is graded Sahih. Sahih hadiths are considered the most authentic grade in hadith classification.

Which collection is this hadith from?

This hadith is from Sahih al-Bukhari, which contains 7,277 hadiths across 97 books. It is hadith number 4249 in the Book of Military Expeditions led by the Prophet (pbuh) (Al-Maghaazi).

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#4248

#4249

Sahih al-Bukhari

#4250

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Sahih al-Bukhari #4249

Q: What is Sahih al-Bukhari 4249 about?

This hadith from Sahih al-Bukhari (Book of Military Expeditions led by the Prophet (pbuh) (Al-Maghaazi)) states: "`Aisha added, "I argued with Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) repeatedly about that matter (i.e. his order that Abu Bakr should lead the people in prayer in his place when he was ill), and what made me argue s…"

Military Expeditions led by the Prophet (pbuh) (Al-Maghaazi)

Sahih

The Arabic includes the chain of narration (sanad) and the collector's commentary; the English translation shows the Prophet's words only.

أَخْبَرَنِي عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ، أَنَّ عَائِشَةَ، قَالَتْ لَقَدْ رَاجَعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي ذَلِكَ، وَمَا حَمَلَنِي عَلَى كَثْرَةِ مُرَاجَعَتِهِ إِلاَّ أَنَّهُ لَمْ يَقَعْ فِي قَلْبِي أَنْ يُحِبَّ النَّاسُ بَعْدَهُ رَجُلاً قَامَ مَقَامَهُ أَبَدًا، وَلاَ كُنْتُ أُرَى أَنَّهُ لَنْ يَقُومَ أَحَدٌ مَقَامَهُ إِلاَّ تَشَاءَمَ النَّاسُ بِهِ، فَأَرَدْتُ أَنْ يَعْدِلَ ذَلِكَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَنْ أَبِي بَكْرٍ‏.‏ رَوَاهُ ابْنُ عُمَرَ وَأَبُو مُوسَى وَابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ ـ رضى الله عنهم ـ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم‏.‏

`Aisha added, "I argued with Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) repeatedly about that matter (i.e. his order that Abu Bakr should lead the people in prayer in his place when he was ill), and what made me argue so much, was, that it never occurred to my mind that after the Prophet, the people would ever love a man who had taken his place, and I felt that anybody standing in his place, would be a bad omen to the people, so I wanted Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) to give up the idea of choosing Abu Bakr (to lead the people in prayer).

Context

In this hadith, Aisha reflects on her discussions with the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) regarding leadership after his passing. Her concerns about the people's acceptance of Abu Bakr as a leader highlight the significance of authority and the challenges of succession in leadership roles.

Modern Application

Today, this principle can be seen in the importance of effective leadership and the need for community support in leadership transitions. It emphasizes the role of trust and acceptance in maintaining unity within groups.

Topics

This hadith is tagged with Leadership and Authority and Prophetic Authority because it addresses the dynamics of leadership and the significance of the Prophet's choices in guiding the community.

Leadership and Authority Prophetic Authority