368 - Abu Bakr al-Marrudhi informed us, saying: I heard Harun ibn Abd Allah say to Abu Abd Allah (Ahmad ibn Hanbal): A letter came to me from al-Raqqah stating that some people said: 'Do not say that Abu Bakr was the Caliph of the Messenger of Allah, that he appointed him as successor.' He (Ahmad) became angry and said: 'What is their objection to this? They should be shunned until they repent.' Abu Musa said to him: 'Does Abu Barzah not say to Abu Bakr: "O Caliph of the Messenger of Allah"?' He (Ahmad) replied: 'Yes, this and other than this (support it).'
٣٦٨ - أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو بَكْرٍ الْمَرُّوذِيُّ، قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ هَارُونَ بْنَ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ يَقُولُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ: جَاءَنِي كِتَابٌ مِنَ الرِّقَةِ أَنَّ قَوْمًا قَالُوا: لَا تَقُلْ: إِنَّ أَبَا بَكْرٍ خَلِيفَةَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ اسْتَخْلَفَهُ؟، فَغَضِبَ، وَقَالَ: " مَا اعْتِرَاضُهُمْ فِي هَذَا، يُجْفَوْنَ حَتَّى يَتُوبُوا، قَالَ لَهُ أَبُو مُوسَى: أَلَيْسَ أَبُو بَرْزَةَ يَقُولُ لِأَبِي بَكْرٍ: يَا خَلِيفَةَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ؟ قَالَ: نَعَمْ هَذَا وَغَيْرُهُ "
