—the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “I have two ministers among the dwellers of heaven and two ministers among the dwellers of earth. My two heavenly ministers are Gabriel and Michael, and my two earthly ministers are Abu Bakr and ʿUmar.”

A similar wording is related through two separate chains from Abu Saʿid al-Khudri.

Al-Tirmidhi, commenting on the narration of Abu Saʿid, said: “It is ḥasan (sound).”

I say: the report of Ibn ʿAbbas is likewise ḥasan.

Muhammad ibn Thabit al-Banani also transmits it, from his father, from Anas, with the same sense.

In the Musnad of Abu Yaʿla, a report attributed to Abu Dharr—raised to the Prophet—states: “Every prophet has two ministers, and my two ministers are Abu Bakr and ʿUmar.”

Abu Salamah narrates from Abu Arwa al-Dawsi who said: “I was with the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, when Abu Bakr and ʿUmar appeared. He then declared, ‘Praise be to Allah who has strengthened me by means of you two.’” This wording is unique to ʿAsim ibn ʿUmar, who is weak.

We have already mentioned in the biography of the Siddiq that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, looked at Abu Bakr and ʿUmar as they approached and said: “These two are the chiefs of the mature men of Paradise,” …and so forth.

Al-Tirmidhi also relates—from Ibn ʿUmar—that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, once came out, entered the mosque with Abu Bakr and ʿUmar, holding their hands, and said: “Thus shall we be raised on the Day of Resurrection.” Its chain is weak.