Sahih Bukhari Volume 5, Book 63, Hadith 3906

حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي مَالِكٌ، عَنْ أَبِي النَّضْرِ، مَوْلَى عُمَرَ بْنِ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ عَنْ عُبَيْدٍ ـ يَعْنِي ابْنَ حُنَيْنٍ ـ عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ، رضى الله عنه أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم جَلَسَ عَلَى الْمِنْبَرِ فَقَالَ ‏"‏ إِنَّ عَبْدًا خَيَّرَهُ اللَّهُ بَيْنَ أَنْ يُؤْتِيَهُ مِنْ زَهْرَةِ الدُّنْيَا مَا شَاءَ، وَبَيْنَ مَا عِنْدَهُ، فَاخْتَارَ مَا عِنْدَهُ ‏"‏‏.‏ فَبَكَى أَبُو بَكْرٍ وَقَالَ فَدَيْنَاكَ بِآبَائِنَا وَأُمَّهَاتِنَا‏.‏ فَعَجِبْنَا لَهُ، وَقَالَ النَّاسُ انْظُرُوا إِلَى هَذَا الشَّيْخِ، يُخْبِرُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَنْ عَبْدٍ خَيَّرَهُ اللَّهُ بَيْنَ أَنْ يُؤْتِيَهُ مِنْ زَهْرَةِ الدُّنْيَا وَبَيْنَ مَا عِنْدَهُ وَهْوَ يَقُولُ فَدَيْنَاكَ بِآبَائِنَا وَأُمَّهَاتِنَا‏.‏ فَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم هُوَ الْمُخَيَّرَ، وَكَانَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ هُوَ أَعْلَمَنَا بِهِ‏.‏ وَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ إِنَّ مِنْ أَمَنِّ النَّاسِ عَلَىَّ فِي صُحْبَتِهِ وَمَالِهِ أَبَا بَكْرٍ، وَلَوْ كُنْتُ مُتَّخِذًا خَلِيلاً مِنْ أُمَّتِي لاَتَّخَذْتُ أَبَا بَكْرٍ، إِلاَّ خُلَّةَ الإِسْلاَمِ، لاَ يَبْقَيَنَّ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ خَوْخَةٌ إِلاَّ خَوْخَةُ أَبِي بَكْرٍ ‏"‏‏

Narrated By Abu Said Al-Khudri : Allah's Apostle sat on the pulpit and said, "Allah has given one of His Slaves the choice of receiving the splendour and luxury of the worldly life whatever he likes or to accept the good (of the Hereafter) which is with Allah. So he has chosen that good which is with Allah." On that Abu Bakr wept and said, "Our fathers and mothers be sacrificed for you." We became astonished at this. The people said, "Look at this old man! Allah's Apostle talks about a Slave of Allah to whom He has given the option to choose either the splendour of this worldly life or the good which is with Him, while he says. "our fathers and mothers be sacrifice for you." But it was Allah's Apostle who had been given option, and Abu Bakr knew it better than we. Allah's Apostle added, "No doubt, I am indebted to Abu Bakr more than to anybody else regarding both his companionship and his wealth. And if I had to take a Khalil from my followers, I would certainly have taken Abu Bakr, but the fraternity of Islam is. sufficient. Let no door (i.e. Khoukha) of the Mosque remain open, except the door of Abu Bakr."