Hadith 6221

He told that Abu Bakr and al-`Abbas came upon a gathering of the Ansar who were weeping, and when they asked what was making them weep they replied, "We recalled the meetings the Prophet had with us[1]." One of them[2] went in to the Prophet and told him of that and he came out having tied the border of his garment round his head, mounted the pulpit, a thing he did not do after that day, praised and extolled God most high, then said, "I recommend the Ansar to your care, for they are my intimates and confidants, they have fulfilled what was due from them , and the reward due to them remains, so accept the excuse of those of them who do well and overlook those of them who do ill." 1. Mirqat, 5:618, explains this as meaning that they were afraid such meetings would cease if God decreed the Prophet's death. 2. i.e., Abu Bakr and al-Abbas. Bukhari transmitted it.