What are the narrations mentioned in the nine books of Hadith that indicate Abu Bakr’s companionship with the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, in the cave? And is the narration from Imam Ahmad’s Musnad —verified by Ahmad Shakir, Volume Two, p. 221— authentic, which states that Abu Bakr came to Ali while he was sleeping in the Prophet’s bed, may Allah bless him and grant him peace?

Four hadiths from the nine books (Musnad Ahmad, Sahih al-Bukhari and Muslim, Sunan al-Tirmidhi) confirm that Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) was the Companion of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in the cave, and that this news is mutawatir (recurrently transmitted) and agreed upon by Muslims. As for the hadith that mentions Abu Bakr catching up with the Prophet in the cave after Ali informed him of it, scholars have differed regarding the authenticity of its chain of narration.