Abu Hurayrah narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “No one has ever done us a favor without our having repaid him, save Abu Bakr. He has a favor with us for which Allah will reward him on the Day of Resurrection. No wealth has ever benefited me as much as the wealth of Abu Bakr. If I were to take an intimate friend (khalil), I would have taken Abu Bakr as my intimate friend; yet your Companion is the intimate friend of Allah.” Al-Tirmidhi remarked, “This is a good and singular hadith.”

In a similar report transmitted by Kathir al-Nawāʾ, from Jamiʿ ibn ʿUmayr, from Ibn ʿUmar, the Prophet ﷺ said to Abu Bakr, “You are my companion at the Pond and my companion in the Cave.”

It is also related from al-Qasim, from ʿAʾishah, that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “It is not fitting that anyone other than Abu Bakr lead a people in whose midst he is present.” This narration is only reported by ʿIsa ibn Maymun from al-Qasim, and he is discarded in hadith.

Muhammad ibn Jubayr ibn Mutʿim said: My father informed me that a woman came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ about a certain matter. He instructed her, whereupon she asked, “Messenger of Allah, what if I do not find you?” He replied, “If you do not find me, then go to Abu Bakr.” This narration is agreed upon as authentic.

Abu Bakr al-Hudhali reported, through al-Hasan, from ʿAli, who said: “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ commanded Abu Bakr to lead the people in prayer while I was present and in good health, and we were content with that.”