Musnad Ahmad ibn Hanbal: Book 1, Hadith 72
Ibn as-Sabbaq said that Zaid bin Thabit told him that Abu Bakr sent for him to tell him that a large number of people at al-Yamamah had been killed. He found ʼUmar with him and Abu Bakr said: When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) died and Abu Bakr was appointed as caliph, al-‘Abbas disputed with ‘Ali concerning some things that the Messenger of Allah: had left behind. Abu Bakr said: It is something that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) left the way it is and I am not going to introduce any changes to it. When ‘Umar was appointed as caliph, they referred the dispute to him and he said: It is something that Abu Bakr did not change and I am not going to change it. When ‘Uthman was appointed as caliph, they referred the dispute to him and ‘Uthman remained quiet and lowered his head. Ibn ‘Abbas said: I was afraid that he (‘Uthman) would take it back so I struck al-‘Abbas between his shoulders and said: O my father, I insist that you give it to ‘Ali. So he gave it to him.
حَدَّثَنَا عُثْمَانُ بْنُ عُمَرَ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا يُونُسُ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي ابْنُ السَّبَّاقِ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي زَيْدُ بْنُ ثَابِتٍ، أَنَّ أَبَا بَكْرٍ، رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ أَرْسَلَ إِلَيْهِ مَقْتَلَ أَهْلِ الْيَمَامَةِ فَإِذَا عُمَرُ عِنْدَهُ فَقَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ إِنَّ عُمَرَ أَتَانِي فَقَالَ إِنَّ الْقَتْلَ قَدْ اسْتَحَرَّ بِأَهْلِ الْيَمَامَةِ مِنْ قُرَّاءِ الْقُرْآنِ مِنْ الْمُسْلِمِينَ وَأَنَا أَخْشَى أَنْ يَسْتَحِرَّ الْقَتْلُ بِالْقُرَّاءِ فِي الْمَوَاطِنِ فَيَذْهَبَ قُرْآنٌ كَثِيرٌ لَا يُوعَى وَإِنِّي أَرَى أَنْ تَأْمُرَ بِجَمْعِ الْقُرْآنِ فَقُلْتُ لِعُمَرَ وَكَيْفَ أَفْعَلُ شَيْئًا لَمْ يَفْعَلْهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقَالَ هُوَ وَاللَّهِ خَيْرٌ فَلَمْ يَزَلْ يُرَاجِعُنِي فِي ذَلِكَ حَتَّى شَرَحَ اللَّهُ بِذَلِكَ صَدْرِي وَرَأَيْتُ فِيهِ الَّذِي رَأَى عُمَرُ قَالَ زَيْدٌ وَعُمَرُ عِنْدَهُ جَالِسٌ لَا يَتَكَلَّمُ فَقَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ إِنَّكَ شَابٌّ عَاقِلٌ لَا نَتَّهِمُكَ وَقَدْ كُنْتَ تَكْتُبُ الْوَحْيَ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَاجْمَعْهُ قَالَ زَيْدٌ فَوَاللَّهِ لَوْ كَلَّفُونِي نَقْلَ جَبَلٍ مِنْ الْجِبَالِ مَا كَانَ بِأَثْقَلَ عَلَيَّ مِمَّا أَمَرَنِي بِهِ مِنْ جَمْعِ الْقُرْآنِ فَقُلْتُ كَيْفَ تَفْعَلُونَ شَيْئًا لَمْ يَفْعَلْهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ.
Musnad Ahmad ibn Hanbal: Book 1, Hadith 72
The above hadith is from the Musnad Ahmad ibn Hanbal collection of hadiths. Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal’s Musnad represents one of the largest and most significant early collections of prophetic traditions. This massive compilation is uniquely arranged by the names of the companions (Sahabah), devoting individual chapters to each one to consolidate all the narrations they are known to have transmitted. This approach offers profound insights into the teachings and actions of the Prophet Muhammad from the perspective of those who knew him best. The collection is universally esteemed for its authenticity and historical value, serving as a critical resource for scholars. However, because it aims for breadth, it encompasses a wide range of narrations, including some that experts have identified as having less reliable chains of narration alongside its many strong ones.
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For more Hadith in Book 1: Musnad Abu Bakr as-Siddiq (ra)