Sahih al-Bukhari Book 62, Hadith 4
Abu Bakr bought a (camel) saddle from `Azib for thirteen Dirhams. Abu Bakr said to `Azib, "Tell Al-
Bara' to carry the saddle for me." `Azib said, "No, unless you relate to me what happened to you and
Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) when you left Mecca while the pagans were in search of you." Abu Bakr said, "We
left Mecca and we traveled continuously for that night and the following day till it was midday. I
looked (around) searching for shade to take as shelter, and suddenly I came across a rock, and found a
little shade there. So I cleaned the place and spread a bed for the Prophet (ﷺ) in the shade and said to him,
'Lie down, O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ).' So the Prophet (ﷺ) lay down and I went out, looking around to see if there
was any person pursuing us. Suddenly I saw a shepherd driving his sheep towards the rock, seeking
what we had already sought from it. I asked him, 'To whom do you belong, O boy?' He said, 'I belong
to a man from Quraish.' He named the man and I recognized him. I asked him, 'Is there any milk with
your sheep?' He said, 'Yes.' I said, 'Will you then milk (some) for us?' He said, 'Yes.' Then I asked him
to tie the legs of one of the sheep and clean its udder, and then ordered him to clean his hands from
dust. Then the shepherd cleaned his hands by striking his hands against one another. After doing so,
he milked a small amount of milk. I used to keep for Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) a leather water-container, the
mouth of which was covered with a piece of cloth. I poured water on the milk container till its lower
part was cold. Then I took the milk to the Prophet (ﷺ) whom I found awake. I said to him, 'Drink, O
Allah's Messenger (ﷺ).' So he drank till I became pleased. Then I said, 'It is time for us to move, O Allah's
Apostle!' He said, 'Yes.' So we set out while the people (i.e. Quraish pagans) were searching for us,
but none found us except Suraqah bin Malik bin Ju`shum who was riding his horse. I said, 'These are
our pursuers who have found us. O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)!' He said, 'Do not grieve, for Allah is with us."
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "The best people are those living in my generation, and then those who will follow them, and then those who will follow the latter. Then there will come some people who will bear witness before taking oaths, and take oaths before bearing witness." (Ibrahim, a sub-narrator said, "They used to beat us for witnesses and covenants when we were still children.")
I said to the Prophet (ﷺ) while I was in the Cave. "If any of them should look under his feet, he would see us." He said, "O Abu Bakr! What do you think of two (persons) the third of whom is Allah?"