When the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) passed away, Abu Bakr (May Allah be pleased with him) was appointed as his successor (caliph). Amongst the Arabs some men apostatised. Abu Bakr (May Allah be pleased with him) resolved to fight them. 'Umar bin Al-Khattab (May Allah be pleased with him) said to Abu Bakr: "How can you fight them when the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) has declared: 'I have been commanded to fight people till they testify La ilaha illallah (there is no true god except Allah); and if they do it, their blood (life) and property are secured except when justified by law, and it is for Allah to call them to account." Upon this Abu Bakr (May Allah be pleased with him) said: "By Allah, I would definitely fight him who makes distinction between Salat and the Zakat, because it is an obligation upon the rich to pay Zakat. By Allah I will fight them even to secure the piece of rope which they used to give to the Messenger of Allah (PBUH)." 'Umar (May Allah be pleased with him) said: "I realized that Allah opened the heart of Abu Bakr (May Allah be pleased with him) for fighting those who refused to pay Zakat, and I fully recognized that Abu Bakr

said: "When the Messenger of Allah (SAW) died and Abu Bakr became the Khalifah after him, whoever disbelieved from the Arabs disbelieved, so Umar bin Al-Khattab said to Abu Bakr: 'How will you fight the people while the Messenger of Allah has said: 'I have been ordered to fight the people until they say La Ilaha Illallah, and if they say that, then their blood and wealth will be protected from me, except what it makes obligatory upon them, and their reckoning is with Allah?' So Abu Bakr said: 'By Allah I will fight whoever differentiates between Salat and Zakat. For indeed, Zakat is the right due upon wealth. And by Allah! If they withhold even (camel) tethers which they used to give to the Messenger of Allah (SAW) I will fight them for withholding it.' So Umar bin Al-Khattab said: 'By Allah! I saw that Allah had opened Abu Bakr's chest to fighting, so I knew that it was correct.'"

"Allah’s Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace) entered Mecca on the Day of Victory with gold and silver on his sword. An inquirer said: 'I asked him about the silver', and he said: ‘The pommel of the sword was silver'.”

"I heard 'Umar bin Al-Khattab saying: 'When 'Abdullah bin Ubayy died, the Messenger of Allah (SAW) was called to perform the funeral prayer over him. The Messenger of Allah (SAW) came to him, and when he stood over him, about to perform the prayer, he turned until he was standing at his chest. I said: "O Messenger of Allah! (You pray) for Allah's enemy 'Abdullah bin Ubayy, who on this day said this and that" - mentioning different days. He said: "The Messenger of Allah (SAW) was smiling until I had said too much to him and he said: 'Leave me O 'Umar! Indeed I have been given the choice, so I chose. I was told: Whether you ask forgiveness for them, or do not ask for forgiveness for them. Even though you ask for their forgiveness seventy times, Allah will not forgive them (9:80). If I knew that were I to ask more than seventy times that he would be forgiven, then I would do so." He said: "Then he performed the Salat for him and walked with him (his funeral procession) and he stood at his grave until it was finished. I was amazed at myself and my daring to talk like that to the Messenger of Allah (SAW), while Allah and His Messenger (SAW) know better. But by Allah! It was not long until these two Ayat were revealed: 'And never pray for any of them who dies nor stand at his grave... (9:84) until the end of the Ayah. He said: "So afterwards the Messenger of Allah (SAW) did not perform the Salat for a hypocrite, nor would he stand at his grave until Allah took him."

I heard 'Umar bin al-Khattab say: When ‘Abdullah bin Ubayy died, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was called to offer the funeral prayer for him, and when he stood by the deceased and was about to offer the prayer for him. I went and stood before him and said: O Messenger of Allah, (will you offer the funeral prayer) for the enemy of Allah who said such and such? and I listed what he had done. And the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was smiling until when I had said too much, he said: `Move away from me, O ‘Umar, for I was given the choice and I have chosen. It was said: `Whether you (O Muhammad) ask forgiveness for them (hypocrites) or ask not forgiveness for them- (and even) if you ask seventy times for their forgiveness-Allah will not forgive them' [at-Tawbah 9:80]. If I knew that by asking for forgiveness more than seventy times they would be forgiven, I would have done that.` He said: Then he offered the funeral prayer for him, and walked with him (his bier), and stood by his grave until the burial was completed. He said: I was astounded that I had spoken so audaciously to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ; Allah and His Messenger know best. By Allah, it was not long before these two verses were revealed: “And never (O Muhammad pray (funeral prayer) for any of them (hypocrites) who dies, nor stand at his grave. Certainly they disbelieved in Allah and His Messenger, and died while they were Fasiqoon (rebellious, - disobedient to AIlah and His Messenger).`[at-Tawbah9:84]. So after that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ did not offer the funeral prayer for any hypocrite or stand by his grave until he passed away.

I dreamt that a rooster pecked me twice, and I can only interpret it as meaning that my death is near, and there are people who are telling me I should appoint someone to be my successor, but Allah will not cause His religion and the caliphate, with which He sent His Prophet ﷺ, to be lost. If death comes to me soon, then the caliphate is to be decided by these six men with whom the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was pleased when he died. Whichever of them you swear allegiance to, then listen to him and obey. I know that some people will object to this matter. I have fought them with my own hands in the defence of Islam. If they do that, then they are the enemies of Allah and misguided kafirs. I am not leaving behind anything more important to me than kalalah. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ never emphasised any issue to me since I accompanied him more than the issue of kalalah, and I did not ask him about anything more than I asked him about kalalah, until he poked me in the chest with his finger and said: “O 'Umar, is not ayatus­-saif (the verse of summer, i.e. it was revealed in summer), which appears at the end of Soorat an-Nisa', sufficient for you?` If I live I will issue a decree that will be so clear that those who read the Qur'an and those who do not read it will be able to make decisions concerning it. Then he said. O Allah, I call upon You to bear witness over the governors of the regions, for I only sent them to teach the people their religion and the Sunnah of their Prophet and to the divide the fai' among them and to be just to them and to refer to me concerning any difficult matter, O people, you eat two plants which I find to be nothing but repugnant. I remember the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, if he noticed their smell coming from a man in the mosque, he would issue orders that he taken by the hand and led out to al­-Baqee', Whoever must eat them, let him cook them to death.`

The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "Beware of suspicion, for suspicion is the worst of false tales. Do not look for other's faults. Do not spy one another, and do not practise Najsh (means to offer a high price for something in order to allure another customer who is interested in the thing). Do not be jealous of one another and do not nurse enmity against one another. Do not sever ties with one another. Become the slaves of Allah, and be brothers to one another as He commanded. A Muslim is the brother of a Muslim. He should neither oppress him nor humiliate him. The piety is here! The piety is here!" While saying so he pointed towards his chest. "It is enough evil for a Muslim to look down upon his Muslim brother. All things of a Muslim are inviolable for his brother in Faith: his blood, his wealth and his honour. Verily, Allah does not look to your bodies nor to your faces but He looks to your hearts and your deeds."

Another narration is: "Do not feel envy against one another; do not nurse enmity; do not spy on one another and do not cheat one another. Be Allah's slaves, brethren to one another."

Another narration is: "Do not have estranged relations with one another. Do not nurse enmity and do not feel envy against one another. O Allah's worshippers! Be brothers!"

Another narration is: "Do not estrange mutual relations and do not intervene into the transaction which is likely to be settled with another person."

[Muslim].