1293 — Ibrāhīm ibn Mūsā al-Jawzī narrated to us, saying: Zuhayr ibn Muhammad al-Marwazī narrated to us, saying: Abdullah ibn Nufayl narrated to us, saying: Muhammad ibn Salama narrated to us, from Muhammad ibn Ishāq, who said: Al-Zuhrī narrated to us, saying: Abd al-Malik ibn Abī Bakr ibn Abd al-Rahmān ibn Hishām narrated to us, from his father, from Abdullah ibn Zam'a ibn al-Aswad, who said: When the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—became gravely ill, while I was with him among a group of Muslims, Bilāl called him to prayer. ⦗1832⦘ He said, “Order someone to lead the people in prayer.”

Abdullah ibn Zam'a said: I went out and found Umar ibn al-Khattāb—may Allah be pleased with him—among the people, while Abū Bakr—may Allah be pleased with him—was absent. I said, “Umar, stand and lead the people in prayer.” He stood and began the prayer by proclaiming, “Allah is the Greatest.” The Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—heard his voice; Umar was a loud-voiced man. The Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—said, “But where is Abū Bakr? Allah and the Muslims will not accept this! Allah and the Muslims will not accept this!” He then sent for Abū Bakr after Umar had led that prayer, and Abū Bakr led the people in prayer.

Abdullah ibn Zam'a said: Umar said to me, “Woe to you! What have you done to me, Ibn Zam'a? By Allah, when you ordered me to lead the people in prayer, I assumed only that the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—had instructed you to do so. Otherwise, I would never have led the people in prayer.” I replied, “By Allah, the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—did not instruct me. Rather, when I did not see Abū ⦗1833⦘ Bakr, I considered you the person present who was most entitled to lead the prayer.”