those who wish should wish. Then I said: ‘Allah would refuse it, and the believers would prevent it’—or: ‘Allah would prevent it, and the believers would refuse it.’” It was recorded by al-Bukhari (4/46–47, 405–406).

A fourth chain: It is narrated by ʿUbayd Allah ibn ʿAbd Allah from her, who said: “When the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, fell ill in Maymunah’s house … he said—while in Maymunah’s house—to ʿAbd Allah ibn Zamʿah: ‘Instruct the people to pray.’ He then met ʿUmar ibn al-Khattab and said: ‘ʿUmar, lead the people in prayer.’ So he led them in prayer. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, heard his voice and recognized it, for he had a loud voice. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: ‘Is that not ʿUmar’s voice?’ They said: ‘Yes.’ He said: ‘Allah, exalted is He, and the believers refuse that. Tell Abu Bakr to lead the people in prayer.’ ʿA’ishah said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, Abu Bakr is a tender-hearted man who cannot control his tears …’” The hadith.

It was recorded by Ahmad (6/34) through Maʿmar, from al-Zuhri, from him. This is an authentic chain according to the criteria of al-Bukhari and Muslim.

ʿAbd al-Rahman ibn Ishaq differed from him, narrating from Ibn Shihab, from ʿUbayd Allah ibn ʿAbd Allah ibn ʿUtbah, that ʿAbd Allah ibn Zamʿah informed him of this report. It was recorded by Abu Dawud (4661). Thus, he attributed it to Ibn Zamʿah, and that is perhaps correct, for Ibn Ishaq said: Al-Zuhri narrated to me; ʿAbd al-Malik ibn Abi Bakr ibn ʿAbd al-Rahman ibn al-Harith ibn Hisham narrated to me, from his father, from ʿAbd Allah ibn Zamʿah, who said: He then mentioned something similar, adding after the words, “Allah and the Muslims refuse that”: “So he sent for Abu Bakr, who came after ʿUmar had led that prayer and then led the people in prayer.”

It was recorded by Abu Dawud (4660)—whose wording this is—and Ahmad (4/322). This is a good chain.