“Accept the good of the good-doers amongst them, and excuse the wrong-doers.”

Narrated Anas bin Malik:

Abu Bakr and Al-'Abbas passed by one of the gatherings of the Ansar who were weeping then. He (i.e. Abu Bakr or Al-'Abbas) asked, "Why are you weeping?" They replied, "We are weeping because we remember the gathering of the Prophet with us." So Abu Bakr went to the Prophet and told him of that. The Prophet came out, tying his head with a piece of the hem of a sheet. He ascended the pulpit which he never ascended after that day. He glorified and praised Allah and then said, "I request you to take care of the Ansar as they are my near companions to whom I confided my private secrets. They have fulfilled their obligations and rights which were enjoined on them but there remains what is for them. So, accept the good of the good-doers amongst them and excuse the wrongdoers amongst them."

حَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى أَبُو عَلِيٍّ، حَدَّثَنَا شَاذَانُ، أَخُو عَبْدَانَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي، أَخْبَرَنَا شُعْبَةُ بْنُ الْحَجَّاجِ، عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ زَيْدٍ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَنَسَ بْنَ مَالِكٍ، يَقُولُ مَرَّ أَبُو بَكْرٍ وَالْعَبَّاسُ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ بِمَجْلِسٍ مِنْ مَجَالِسِ الأَنْصَارِ وَهُمْ يَبْكُونَ، فَقَالَ مَا يُبْكِيكُمْ قَالُوا ذَكَرْنَا مَجْلِسَ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ مِنَّا. فَدَخَلَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ ﷺ فَأَخْبَرَهُ بِذَلِكَ ـ قَالَ ـ فَخَرَجَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ وَقَدْ عَصَبَ عَلَى رَأْسِهِ حَاشِيَةَ بُرْدٍ ـ قَالَ ـ فَصَعِدَ الْمِنْبَرَ وَلَمْ يَصْعَدْهُ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ الْيَوْمِ، فَحَمِدَ اللَّهَ وَأَثْنَى عَلَيْهِ، ثُمَّ قَالَ " أُوصِيكُمْ بِالأَنْصَارِ، فَإِنَّهُمْ كَرِشِي وَعَيْبَتِي، وَقَدْ قَضَوُا الَّذِي عَلَيْهِمْ، وَبَقِيَ الَّذِي لَهُمْ، فَاقْبَلُوا مِنْ مُحْسِنِهِمْ، وَتَجَاوَزُوا عَنْ مُسِيئِهِمْ ".

Narrated Ibn 'Abbas:

Allah's Apostle (in his fatal illness) came out wrapped in a sheet covering his shoulders and his head was tied with an oily tape of cloth till he sat on the pulpit, and after praising and glorifying Allah, he said, "Then-after, O people! The people will go on increasing, but the Ansar will go on decreasing till they become just like salt in a meal. So whoever amongst you will be the ruler and have the power to harm or benefit others, should accept the good of the good-doers amongst them and excuse the wrong-doers amongst them."

حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ يَعْقُوبَ، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ الْغَسِيلِ، سَمِعْتُ عِكْرِمَةَ، يَقُولُ سَمِعْتُ ابْنَ عَبَّاسٍ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ يَقُولُ خَرَجَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَعَلَيْهِ مِلْحَفَةٌ، مُتَعَطِّفًا بِهَا عَلَى مَنْكِبَيْهِ، وَعَلَيْهِ عِصَابَةٌ دَسْمَاءُ حَتَّى جَلَسَ عَلَى الْمِنْبَرِ، فَحَمِدَ اللَّهَ وَأَثْنَى عَلَيْهِ، ثُمَّ قَالَ " أَمَّا بَعْدُ، أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ، فَإِنَّ النَّاسَ يَكْثُرُونَ وَتَقِلُّ الأَنْصَارُ، حَتَّى يَكُونُوا كَالْمِلْحِ فِي الطَّعَامِ، فَمَنْ وَلِيَ مِنْكُمْ أَمْرًا يَضُرُّ فِيهِ أَحَدًا أَوْ يَنْفَعُهُ، فَلْيَقْبَلْ مِنْ مُحْسِنِهِمْ، وَيَتَجَاوَزْ عَنْ مُسِيئِهِمْ ".