It was narrated that Ibn ‘Abbas said:
“When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ fell ill with what would be his final illness, he was in the house of ‘Aishah. He said: ‘Call ‘Ali for me.’ ‘Aishah said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, should we call Abu Bakr for you?’ He said: ‘Call him.’ Hafsah said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, should we call ‘Umar for you?’ He said: ‘Call him.’ Ummul-Fadl said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, should we call Al-‘Abbas for you?’ He said: ‘Yes.’ When they had gathered, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ lifted his head, looked and fell silent. ‘Umar said: ‘Get up and leave the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.’ Then Bilal came to tell him that the time for prayer had come, and he said: ‘Tell Abu Bakr to lead the people in prayer.’ ‘Aishah said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, Abu Bakr is a soft and tender-hearted man, and if he does not see you, he will weep and the people will weep with him. If you tell ‘Umar to lead the people in prayer (that would be better).’ Abu Bakr went out and led the people in prayer, then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ felt a little better, so he came out, supported by two men, with his feet making lines along the ground. When the people saw him, they said: ‘Subhan-Allah,’ to alert Abu Bakr. He wanted to step back, but the Prophet ﷺ gestured him to stay where he was. Then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ came and sat on his right. Abu Bakr stood up and he was following the lead of the Prophet ﷺ, and the people were following the lead of Abu Bakr. Ibn ‘Abbas said; ‘And the Messenger of Allah ﷺ started to recite from where Abu Bakr had reached.’”

حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا وَكِيعٌ، عَنْ إِسْرَائِيلَ، عَنْ أَبِي إِسْحَاقَ، عَنِ الأَرْقَمِ بْنِ شُرَحْبِيلَ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، قَالَ لَمَّا مَرِضَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ ﷺ ـ مَرَضَهُ الَّذِي مَاتَ فِيهِ كَانَ فِي بَيْتِ عَائِشَةَ . فَقَالَ " ادْعُوا لِي عَلِيًّا " . قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ نَدْعُو لَكَ أَبَا بَكْرٍ قَالَ " ادْعُوهُ " . قَالَتْ حَفْصَةُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ نَدْعُو لَكَ عُمَرَ قَالَ " ادْعُوهُ " . قَالَتْ أُمُّ الْفَضْلِ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ نَدْعُو لَكَ الْعَبَّاسَ قَالَ " نَعَمْ " . فَلَمَّا اجْتَمَعُوا رَفَعَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ ﷺ ـ رَأْسَهُ فَنَظَرَ فَسَكَتَ فَقَالَ عُمَرُ قُومُوا عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ـ ﷺ ـ . ثُمَّ جَاءَ بِلاَلٌ يُؤْذِنُهُ بِالصَّلاَةِ فَقَالَ " مُرُوا أَبَا بَكْرٍ فَلْيُصَلِّ بِالنَّاسِ " . فَقَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّ أَبَا بَكْرٍ رَجُلٌ رَقِيقٌ حَصِرٌ وَمَتَى لاَ يَرَاكَ يَبْكِي وَالنَّاسُ يَبْكُونَ فَلَوْ أَمَرْتَ عُمَرَ يُصَلِّي بِالنَّاسِ . فَخَرَجَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ فَصَلَّى بِالنَّاسِ فَوَجَدَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ ﷺ ـ مِنْ نَفْسِهِ خِفَّةً فَخَرَجَ يُهَادَى بَيْنَ رَجُلَيْنِ وَرِجْلاَهُ تَخُطَّانِ فِي الأَرْضِ فَلَمَّا رَآهُ النَّاسُ سَبَّحُوا بِأَبِي بَكْرٍ فَذَهَبَ لِيَسْتَأْخِرَ فَأَوْمَأَ إِلَيْهِ النَّبِيُّ ـ ﷺ ـ أَىْ مَكَانَكَ فَجَاءَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ ﷺ ـ فَجَلَسَ عَنْ يَمِينِهِ وَقَامَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ فَكَانَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ يَأْتَمُّ بِالنَّبِيِّ ـ ﷺ ـ وَالنَّاسُ يَأْتَمُّونَ بِأَبِي بَكْرٍ . قَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ فَأَخَذَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ ﷺ ـ مِنَ الْقِرَاءَةِ مِنْ حَيْثُ كَانَ بَلَغَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ . قَالَ وَكِيعٌ وَكَذَا السُّنَّةُ . قَالَ فَمَاتَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ ﷺ ـ فِي مَرَضِهِ ذَلِكَ .