Ṭabarānī has stated in Awsaṭ with reference to Sayyidunā Ibn-e-‘Umar رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَنْهُ that throughout his life, Sayyidunā Abū Bakr Ṣiddīq رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَنْهُ did not sit on that part of the enlightened Mimbar [pulpit] where the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم used to sit. Similarly, Sayyidunā ‘Umar did not sit in the place of Sayyidunā Abū Bakr and Sayyidunā ‘Ušmān did not sit in the place of Sayyidunā ‘Umar رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَنْهُم. (Tārīkh-ul-Khulafā, p. 72)
Dear Islamic brothers! In the same way that Sayyidunā Ṣiddīq Al-Akbar رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَنْهُ loved the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم so deeply, the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم also showed him great love and affection.
On page 610 of volume 8 of ‘Fatāwā Razawiyyaĥ’, A’lā Ḥaḍrat, the Leader of the Aĥl-us-Sunnaĥ, Imām Aḥmad Razā Khān عَلَيْهِ رَحْمَةُ الرَّحْمٰن has collected those Aḥādīš in which the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم has spoken about the status and rank of Sayyidunā Abū Bakr رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَنْهُ. Three narrations are presented here:
It is narrated by Ḥibr-ul-Ummat, Sayyidunā ‘Abdullāĥ Ibn-e-‘Abbās رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَنْهُما, ‘Once the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم and his companions عَلَيْهِمُ الرِّضْوَانْ went into a pond. The Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said, ‘Everybody swim to his closest friend.’ So they all did and then only the