fear that a would-be aspirant may covet it and that a claimant may say, “It is we who deserve it; not he.” Yet Allah—and the believers—will accept no one but Abu Bakr.’ Muslim recorded this report; his wording is: ‘For I fear that an aspirant will covet and a claimant will say, “It is we—no!”’

Saʿīd ibn Abī ʿArūbah related—through Qatādah—from Anas: The Prophet ﷺ once climbed Mount Uhud accompanied by Abu Bakr, ʿUmar, and ʿUthmān. The mountain shook beneath them, so the Prophet ﷺ struck it with his foot and said, ‘Steady! Upon you are a Prophet, a truthful one, and two martyrs.’ Recorded by al-Bukhārī.

Abū Ḥāzim narrated a similar report from Sahl ibn Saʿd, but he named Mount Ḥirāʾ instead of Uhud; its chain is sound.

Suhayl ibn Abī Ṣāliḥ narrated—from his father—from Abū Hurayrah—that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was on Mount Ḥirāʾ with Abu Bakr, ʿUmar, ʿUthmān, ʿAlī, Ṭalḥah, and al-Zubayr. The rock quivered, whereupon the Prophet ﷺ said, ‘Calm down; upon you are only a Prophet, a truthful one, or a martyr.’ Narrated by Muslim.

Abu Bakr is the truthful one, and the rest were later martyred.

Ibrāhīm ibn Saʿd related—from Ibn Shihāb—that Ismāʿīl ibn Muḥammad ibn Thābit al-Anṣārī told him, on the authority of his father, that Thābit ibn Qays said: ‘Messenger of Allah, I fear that I have perished.’

He asked, ‘And why is that?’ Thābit replied, ‘Allah has forbidden us to love being praised for what we have not done, yet I find that I like praise. He has forbidden us to be haughty, yet I love elegance. And He has forbidden us to raise our voices above yours, yet mine is naturally loud.’