حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ يَحْيَى، أَخْبَرَنَا سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ بِلاَلٍ، عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ سَعِيدٍ، سَمِعْتُ الْقَاسِمَ بْنَ مُحَمَّدٍ، قَالَ قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ ـ رضى الله عنها ـ وَارَأْسَاهْ‏.‏ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ ذَاكِ لَوْ كَانَ وَأَنَا حَىٌّ فَأَسْتَغْفِرُ لَكِ وَأَدْعُو لَكِ ‏"‏‏.‏ فَقَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ وَاثُكْلِيَاهْ وَاللَّهِ إِنِّي لأَظُنُّكَ تُحِبُّ مَوْتِي وَلَوْ كَانَ ذَاكَ لَظَلِلْتَ آخِرَ يَوْمِكَ مُعَرِّسًا بِبَعْضِ أَزْوَاجِكَ‏.‏ فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ بَلْ أَنَا وَارَأْسَاهْ لَقَدْ هَمَمْتُ ـ أَوْ أَرَدْتُ ـ أَنْ أُرْسِلَ إِلَى أَبِي بَكْرٍ وَابْنِهِ فَأَعْهَدَ أَنْ يَقُولَ الْقَائِلُونَ أَوْ يَتَمَنَّى الْمُتَمَنُّونَ ‏"‏‏.‏ ثُمَّ قُلْتُ يَأْبَى اللَّهُ وَيَدْفَعُ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ، أَوْ يَدْفَعُ اللَّهُ وَيَأْبَى الْمُؤْمِنُونَ‏.‏

Narrated `Abdullah bin `Umar

It was said to `Umar, "Will you appoint your successor?" `Umar said, "If I appoint a Caliph (as my successor) it is true that somebody who was better than I (i.e., Abu Bakr) did so, and if I leave the matter undecided, it is true that somebody who was better than I (i.e., Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)) did so." On this, the people praised him. `Umar said, "People are of two kinds: Either one who is keen to take over the Caliphate or one who is afraid of assuming such a responsibility. I wish I could be free from its responsibility in that I would receive neither reward nor retribution I won't bear the burden of the caliphate in my death as I do in my life."