Note 184 — Chapter XIII · SICKNESS AND DEATH OF ABU BEKR. Jumâd II., A.H. XIII. August, A.D. 634.
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The tradition proceeds: Abu Bekr answered, ‘The Lord bless thee, Othmân! If I had not chosen Omar, then I had not passed thee over; and I know not whether Omar will accept the office. As for myself, I could wish that I had never borne the burden of the Caliphate, but had been of those who departed this life in times that are past.’
This would imply that Abu Bekr had thought of Othmân as his successor in default of Omar. The conversation, however, is professedly secret and confidential. It rests solely on the authority of Othmân himself, and we need not give too much heed to it.