7 - 'Abd Allah ibn Ahmad ibn Hanbal informed us, saying: My father narrated to me, saying: Muhammad ibn Ja'far narrated to us, saying: Shu'bah narrated to us, from Furat, who said: I heard Abu Hazim say: I sat with Abu Hurayrah for five years, and I heard him narrating from the Messenger of Allah (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) that he said: "The Prophets used to govern the Children of Israel. Every time a Prophet passed away, another Prophet succeeded him. Yet there is no Prophet after me. There will be Caliphs, and they will be numerous." They said: "What do you command us?" He said: "Fulfill the pledge of allegiance to the first, then the first. Give them their right that Allah (Mighty and Majestic is He) has granted them, for Allah will ask them about that which He entrusted to their care."
٧ - أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ حَنْبَلٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي قَالَ: ثنا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ، قَالَ: ثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، عَنْ فُرَاتٍ، قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ أَبَا حَازِمٍ، قَالَ: قَاعَدْتُ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ خَمْسَ سِنِينَ، فَسَمِعْتُهُ يُحَدِّثُ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَنَّهُ قَالَ: «إِنَّ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ كَانَتْ تَسُوسُهُمُ الْأَنْبِيَاءُ، كُلَّمَا هَلَكَ نَبِيُّ خَلَفَهُ نَبِيُّ، وَإِنَّهُ لَا نَبِيَّ بَعْدِي، وَإِنَّهُ سَيَكُونُ خُلَفَاءُ فَتَكْثُرُ» ، قَالُوا: فَمَا تَأْمُرُنَا؟ قَالَ: «فَوَالِهِمْ بِبَيْعَةِ الْأَوَّلِ فَالْأَوَّلِ، وَأَعْطُوهُمْ حَقَّهُمُ الَّذِي جَعَلَهُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ لَهُمْ، فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ سَائِلُهُمْ عَمَّا اسْتَرْعَاهُمْ»
