Arabic (Original)
حَدَّثَنَا يَزِيدُ أَخْبَرَنَا سُفْيَانُ يَعْنِي ابْنَ حُسَيْنٍ عَنْ الزُّهْرِيِّ عَنْ أَنَسٍ قَالَ لَمَّا مَرِضَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مَرَضَهُ الَّذِي تُوُفِّيَ فِيهِ أَتَاهُ بِلَالٌ يُؤْذِنُهُ بِالصَّلَاةِ فَقَالَ بَعْدَ مَرَّتَيْنِ يَا بِلَالُ قَدْ بَلَّغْتَ فَمَنْ شَاءَ فَلْيُصَلِّ وَمَنْ شَاءَ فَلْيَدَعْ فَرَجَعَ إِلَيْهِ بِلَالٌ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ بِأَبِي أَنْتَ وَأُمِّي مَنْ يُصَلِّي بِالنَّاسِ قَالَ مُرْ أَبَا بَكْرٍ فَلْيُصَلِّ بِالنَّاسِ فَلَمَّا أَنْ تَقَدَّمَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ رُفِعَتْ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ السُّتُورُ قَالَ فَنَظَرْنَا إِلَيْهِ كَأَنَّهُ وَرَقَةٌ بَيْضَاءُ عَلَيْهِ خَمِيصَةٌ فَذَهَبَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ يَتَأَخَّرُ وَظَنَّ أَنَّهُ يُرِيدُ الْخُرُوجَ إِلَى الصَّلَاةِ فَأَشَارَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِلَى أَبِي بَكْرٍ أَنْ يَقُومَ فَيُصَلِّيَ فَصَلَّى أَبُو بَكْرٍ بِالنَّاسِ فَمَا رَأَيْنَاهُ بَعْدُ.
English Translation
Yazid informed us: Sufyan, that is Ibn Husayn, informed us, from al-Zuhri, from Anas, who said, "When the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, fell ill with the illness from which he died, Bilal came to inform him of the time for prayer. After twice, he said, 'O Bilal, you have delivered the message; whoever wishes may pray and whoever wishes may leave it.' Bilal returned to him and said, 'O Messenger of Allah, may my father and mother be sacrificed for you, who will lead the people in prayer?' He said, 'Tell Abu Bakr to lead the people in prayer.' When Abu Bakr had stepped forward, the curtains were raised from before the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him." He said: We looked at him — he was like a white page, wearing a striped cloak. Abu Bakr began to step back, thinking he wished to come out to the prayer, but the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, gestured to Abu Bakr to remain standing and lead the prayer. So Abu Bakr led the people in prayer, and we never saw him again after that.