The Rank of Sayyidunā Abū Bakr al-Ṣiddīq رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ 

O devotees of the Prophet! The beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم sat on the pulpit and said:

Allah has given one of His slaves the choice of receiving whatever he likes from the splendour and luxury of the worldly life, or to accept the good of the Hereafter. So, he has chosen the blessings that are with Allah.’ Sayyidunā Abū Bakr al-Ṣiddīq رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ wept and said, ‘O Messenger of Allah صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم! May our fathers and mothers be sacrificed for you.’

The narrator mentions:

We were astonished by this, and people said, ‘Look at this old man [i.e., Sayyidunā Abū Bakr]! The Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم is talking about a slave who has been given this choice; why is he crying?’ Later, we realised the Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم was given this option and that Sayyidunā Abū Bakr رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ knew better than us.^[1]

Mufti Aḥmad Yār Khan NaꜤīmī رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه states regarding this Hadith:

This incident occurred five days prior to the apparent passing of the Greatest Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, which was on a Monday. He صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم delivered this sermon on the Thursday prior to that. We deduce that from amongst the noble Companions and pure Ahl al-bayt رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهُم, Sayyidunā Abū Bakr رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ was the greatest scholar, the most intelligent and the most aware of the Prophet’s temperament. Before the beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم passed away, he made Sayyidunā Abū Bakr رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ lead the prayers. This is because only the greatest scholar is made the imam, and he