act.’ The Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—said, ‘Leave them be.’” (1). There are many similar examples.

The third point is that what occurred during his illness was an exceedingly simple and clear matter. It is authentically established that, during his illness, he said to Āisha:

“Call your father and your brother to me so that I may write a document for Abū Bakr over which the people will not disagree after me.”

He then said:

“Allah and the believers will accept none but Abū Bakr.” (2)

When Thursday came, he intended to write a document, whereupon Umar said:

“What is wrong with him? Has his speech become confused? (3)”

Umar was uncertain whether this statement arose from the confusion of fever or was something he was saying in his usual manner. Umar therefore feared that it might have arisen from the confusion of fever. Alternatively, this may have been something Umar failed to grasp, just as the Prophet’s death—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—had escaped him; indeed, he denied that it had occurred. Some of them then said, “Bring writing materials,” while others said, “Do not bring any writing materials.” The Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—saw that writing the document at that point would no longer serve any purpose, because they would remain in doubt: had he dictated it while affected by illness, or while free of that condition? It would therefore not resolve the dispute, so he left it.

Nor was this a document that Allah had obligated him to write or convey at that