When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ passed away, the Ansar said, "Let there be a leader from us and a leader from you."Umar came to them and said, "People of the Ansar, do you not know that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ commanded Abu Bakr to lead the people in prayer? Which of you would be willing to step ahead of Abu Bakr?"The Ansar replied, "We seek refuge with Allah from stepping ahead of Abu Bakr."
لما قبض رسول الله ﷺ، قالت الأنصار منا أمير ومنكم أمير، قال: فأتاهم عمر، فقال: يا معشر الأنصار، ألستم تعلمون أن رسول الله ﷺ قد أمر أبا بكر أن يؤم الناس؟ فأيكم تطيب نفسه أن يتقدم أبا بكر؟ فقالت الأنصار: نعوذ بالله أن نتقدم أبا بكر.
Ahmad (133) narrated it from Muawiya bin Amr, who said, Zaidah told us, Asim and Husayn bin Ali told us, from Zaidah, from Asim, from Zirr, from Abdullah bin Masud. Its isnad is hasan because of Asim, who is Ibn Abu Najud, whose memory has been criticized, but he was corroborated.Nasai (776) narrated it through another route from Husayn bin Ali Jafi, from Zaidah.Ali bin Madini said, Sahih. I do not remember it except through the hadith of Zaidah from Asim.Ibn Kathir mentioned it in Bidayah wa Nihayah (8/58).