The Messenger of Allah ﷺ came out and ascended the pulpit. He pronounced the testimony of faith, and when he had finished, the first words he spoke were to seek forgiveness for the martyrs who had been killed at the Battle of Uhud. Then he said, "A servant from among the servants of Allah has been given the choice between this world and what is with his Lord, and he has chosen what is with his Lord."Abu Bakr al-Siddiq was the first of the people to grasp the meaning, realizing that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was referring to himself, and so he wept.The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to him, "Take it easy, Abu Bakr. Close these doors that open onto the mosque, except for the door of Abu Bakr, for I know of no one among the Companions whose companionship and support has been more excellent to me than that of Abu Bakr."
أن رسول الله ﷺ خرج فاستوى على المنبر، فتشهد فلما مضى تشهده كان أول كلام تكلم به أن استغفر للشهداء الذين قتلوا يوم أحد، ثم قال: إن عبدا من عباد الله خير بين الدنيا وبين ما عند ربه فاختار ما عند ربه، ففطن لها أبو بكر الصديق أول الناس فعرف أنما يريد رسول الله ﷺ نفسه، فبكى أبو بكر، فقال له رسول الله ﷺ: على رسلك يا أبا بكر! سدوا هذه الأبواب الشوارع في المسجد إلا باب أبي بكر، فإني لا أعلم أمرا أفضل عندي يدا في الصحابة من أبي بكر.
Ibn Saad narrated it in Tabaqat (2/228), and Tabarani in Musnad Shamiyin (3219), both through routes going back to Zuhri, from Ayub bin Bashir, from one of the companions of the Prophet ﷺ, who mentioned it. Its chain of transmission is sahih. This is how the reliable and trustworthy scholars among the students of Zuhri narrated it, saying, from Zuhri, from Ayub bin Bashir, from one of the companions of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. But some of his students narrated it saying, from Zuhri, from Urwa, from Ayesha, that the Prophet ﷺ ordered that the doors be closed except for the door of Abu Bakr.Tirmidhi narrated it (3678), and Ibn Hibban (6857), through routes going back to Zuhri, from Urwa, with this chain of transmission. This serves as a corroboration of Ayub bin Bashir's version, except that Urwa named the companion. This is what Bukhari pointed to after presenting the hadith through another route, from Jasra, from Ayesha, and from Jasra from Umm Salama, where he said, "The hadith of Zuhri is more sahih." Then he mentioned the corroborating narration. Tarikh al-Kabir (1/408).As for Abu Hatim, he holds the view that the hadith of Ayesha is mistaken, and that the correct version is the hadith of Ayub bin Bashir, from one of the companions of the Prophet ﷺ. Ilal (2595, 2615).