Sahih Muslim Hadith 4714 – Appointing A

English

[4714] 12 – (…) It was narrated that Ibn 'Umar said: "I entered upon }Iafah and she said: 'Do you know that your father is not going to appoint a successor?' I said: 'He will not do that.' She said: 'He will do that.' I swore that I would talk to him about that, and I remained silent until the next day, and I did not speak to him. It was as if I were carrying a mountain in my right hand, until I came back to him and entered upon him, and he asked me about the state of the people, and I told him. Then I said: 'I have heard the people saying something, and I swore that I would speak to you about it.' "They said that you are not going to appoint a successor, but if you had a herdsman tending camels or a shepherd tending sheep, and he came to you and left his herd or flock, wouldn't you think that he is being negligent? But looking after people is more serious. He agreed with me, then he lowered his head (in thought) for a while, then he raised his head and said: 'Allah will protect His religion. If I do not appoint a successor, then the Messenger of Allah did not appoint a successor, and if I do appoint a successor, then Abü Bakr appointed a successor.' "By Allah, as soon as he mentioned the Messenger of Allah , and Abü Bakr, I knew that he would not place anyone on the same level as the Messenger of Allah and he would not appoint a successor." Chapter 3. The Prohibition Of Seeking Or Desiring A Position Of Authority