Abu Bakr visited a woman from the tribe of Ahmas named Zaynab and saw that she did not speak. He asked, "Why does she not speak?"They replied, "She has performed Hajj in silence."He said to her, "Speak, for this is not lawful. This is a practice from the days of ignorance."So she spoke and asked, "Who are you?"He answered, "A man from the Muhajirun."She asked, "Which of the Muhajirun?"He said, "From Quraysh."She asked, "From which branch of Quraysh are you?"He said, "You ask many questions. I am Abu Bakr."She asked, "How long will we remain upon this righteous matter that Allah has brought after the days of ignorance?"He answered, "You will remain upon it as long as your leaders keep you upright."She asked, "And who are the leaders?"He said, "Did your people not have chiefs and nobles who gave them commands and were obeyed?"She replied, "Yes."He said, "Those are the leaders over the people."
دخل أبو بكر على امرأة من أحمس يقال لها زينب، فراها لا تكلم، فقال: ما لها لا تكلم؟ قالوا: حجت مصمتة، قال لها: تكلمي فإن هذا لا يحل، هذا من عمل الجاهلية، فتكلمت، فقالت: من أنت؟ قال: امرة من المهاجرين، قالت: أي المهاجرين؟ قال: من قريش، قالت: من أي قريش أنت؟ قال: إنك لسئول، أنا أبو بكر. قالت: ما بقاؤنا على هذا الأمر الصالح الذي جاء الله به بعد الجاهلية؟ قال: بقاؤكم عليه ما استقامت بكم أئمتكم. قالت: وما الأئمة؟ قال: أما كان لقومك رؤوس وأشراف يأمرونهم فيطيعونهم. قالت: بلى قال: فهم أولئك على الناس.
Bukhari related it in the chapters on the virtues of the Ansar (3834), from Abu Numan, who said, Abu Awana narrated to us, from Bayan Abu Bishr, from Qays bin Abu Hazim, who said, then he mentioned it.