English Translation

Rabi'ah ibn Ka'b al-Aslami said: I used to serve the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), and he gave me a piece of land. He also gave Abu Bakr a piece of land. The world came and we disputed over a cluster of a palm tree. Abu Bakr said: "It is on my side." I said: "It is on my side." Abu Bakr said a word to me that I disliked. He said: "O Rabi'ah, say to me what I said to you." I said: "I will not say it." Abu Bakr said: "Say it, or I will complain about you to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him)." I said: "I will not say it." Abu Bakr left the land and went to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), and I followed him. People from Aslam came and said: "May Allah have mercy on Abu Bakr! He quarreled with you and yet he complains about you to the Messenger of Allah?!" I said: "Do you know who that is? That is Abu Bakr al-Siddiq — he is the 'second of the two.' He is the elder of the Muslims. Beware lest he turn and see you supporting me against him, which would anger him, and he would go to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), who would become angry for his anger, and then Allah would become angry for the anger of both of them, and Rabi'ah would be ruined." They said: "What do you command us?" I said: "Go back." Abu Bakr went to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), and I followed him alone. I told him the story as it happened. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) raised his head to me and said: "O Rabi'ah, what happened between you and al-Siddiq?" I said: "O Messenger of Allah, it was such-and-such. He said a word to me that I disliked, and he told me to say the same to him so we would be even." The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "Yes, but do not say what he said to you. Rather say: 'May Allah forgive you, O Abu Bakr.'" Abu Bakr turned away and wept.