140 - ‘Abd Allāh ibn Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Hanbal narrated to us: My father narrated to me: ‘Abd al-Samad ibn al-Wārith narrated to us: Zā’idah narrated to us: ‘Abd al-Malik ibn ‘Umayr narrated to us, from Abū Burdah, from his father, who said:

The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) fell ill and said, “Tell Abū Bakr to lead the people in prayer.” ‘Ā’ishah said, “O Messenger of Allah, Abū Bakr is a tender-hearted man.” He said, “Tell Abū Bakr to lead the people in prayer, for you women are indeed like the women in Joseph’s story.” So Abū Bakr led the people in prayer while the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was still alive.