1.          Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم and Sayyidunā Abū Bakr رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَنْهُ were left. Rasūlullāĥ صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم moved towards Sayyidunā Abū Bakr رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَنْهُ, embraced him and said, ‘If I were to make anyone my Khalīl it would be Abū Bakr رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَنْهُ, however he is my closest friend.’ (Mu’jam Kabīr, Vol. 11, p. 208)

Sayyidunā Jābir Ibn-e-‘Abdullāĥ رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَنْهُ has narrated, ‘Once we were present in the service of the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, when he صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said, ‘Right now, a person is about to appear in front of you who has been made the best and most noble after me and his intercession will be like the intercession of the Prophets عَلَيْهِمُ السَّلَام.’

We were present and then we saw that Sayyidunā Abū Bakr Ṣiddīq رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَنْهُ appeared. The Prophet of Allah   صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم stood up, kissed him and then embraced him.’ (Tārīkh-e-Baghdād, Vol. 3, p. 340)

Sayyidunā ‘Abdullāĥ Ibn-e-‘Abbās رَضِیَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَنْهُمَا narrated, ‘I saw the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم standing with the Leader of the Believers, Sayyidunā Alī کَـرَّمَ الـلّٰـهُ تَـعَـالٰی وَجۡـھَـهُ الۡـکَـرِیۡم, when Sayyidunā Abū Bakr رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَنْهُ arrived. The Beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم greeted him, embraced him and kissed him on the face. Sayyidunā ‘Alī کَـرَّمَ الـلّٰـهُ تَـعَـالٰی وَجۡـھَـهُ الۡـکَـرِیۡم said, ‘The Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم kissed the face of Abū Bakr?’ The Blessed Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم replied, ‘O