Sahih al-Bukhari 7218
The appointment of a caliph
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حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يُوسُفَ أَخْبَرَنَا سُفْيَانُ عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ عُرْوَةَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ ؓ قَالَ
قِيلَ لِعُمَرَ أَلاَ تَسْتَخْلِفُ قَالَ إِنْ أَسْتَخْلِفْ فَقَدِ اسْتَخْلَفَ مَنْ هُوَ خَيْرٌ مِنِّي أَبُو بَكْرٍ وَإِنْ أَتْرُكْ فَقَدْ تَرَكَ مَنْ هُوَ خَيْرٌ مِنِّي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَأَثْنَوْا عَلَيْهِ فَقَالَ رَاغِبٌ رَاهِبٌ وَدِدْتُ أَنِّي نَجَوْتُ مِنْهَا كَفَافًا لاَ لِي وَلاَ عَلَىَّ لاَ أَتَحَمَّلُهَا حَيًّا وَمَيِّتًا
Translation
Chain of narrators
- Muḥammad b. Yūsuf
- Sufyān
- Hishām b. ʿUrwah
- his father
- ʿAbdullāh b. ʿUmar
It was said to ʿUmar, "Will you appoint your successor?" ʿUmar said, "If I appoint a Caliph (as my successor) it is true that somebody who was better than I (i.e., Abu Bakr) did so, and if I leave the matter undecided, it is true that somebody who was better than I (i.e., Messenger of Allah ﷺ) did so." On this, the people praised him. ʿUmar said, "People are of two kinds: Either one who is keen to take over the Caliphate or one who is afraid of assuming such a responsibility. I wish I could be free from its responsibility in that I would receive neither reward nor retribution I won't bear the burden of the caliphate in my death as I do in my life."
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| Muhammad Fuad Abd al-Baqi | Agreed Upon | hadithunlocked |
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