when she was asked:

‘Whom would the Messenger of Allah—peace and blessings be upon him—have appointed as his successor, had he appointed anyone?’

She replied, ‘Abū Bakr.’

She was then asked, ‘Who would have come after Abū Bakr?’

She replied, ‘Umar.’

She was asked, ‘And who would have come after Umar?’

She replied, ‘Abū Ubayda Āmir (1) ibn al-Jarrāh.’ There she stopped (2).”

As for Umar, he was uncertain whether the Prophet’s words—peace and blessings be upon him—were due to the severity of his illness or were among his customary, well-known statements. Prophets can fall ill. He therefore said:

“What is the matter with him? Is he delirious (3)?”

Thus, he was uncertain about the matter and did not state categorically that the Prophet was delirious. Umar could indeed entertain doubt, for no one is infallible except the Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—particularly since his doubt (4) arose from a circumstance that could cause uncertainty: the Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—was ill, and Umar did not know whether his words (5) arose from the feverish intensity of illness, as can happen to a sick person, or were part of his customary speech, which had to be accepted. Likewise (6), he thought that the Prophet had not died until it became clear that he had died (7).

The Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—had resolved (8) to write the document which