Sahih Muslim Book - 4, Hadith - 947

حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُثَنَّى وَهَارُونُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ قَالَا حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الصَّمَدِ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبِي يُحَدِّثُ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْعَزِيزِ عَنْ أَنَسٍ قَالَ لَمْ يَخْرُجْ إِلَيْنَا نَبِيُّ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ثَلَاثًا فَأُقِيمَتْ الصَّلَاةُ فَذَهَبَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ يَتَقَدَّمُ فَقَالَ نَبِيُّ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بِالْحِجَابِ فَرَفَعَهُ فَلَمَّا وَضَحَ لَنَا وَجْهُ نَبِيِّ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مَا نَظَرْنَا مَنْظَرًا قَطُّ كَانَ أَعْجَبَ إِلَيْنَا مِنْ وَجْهِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ حِينَ وَضَحَ لَنَا قَالَ فَأَوْمَأَ نَبِيُّ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بِيَدِهِ إِلَى أَبِي بَكْرٍ أَنْ يَتَقَدَّمَ وَأَرْخَى نَبِيُّ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ الْحِجَابَ فَلَمْ نَقْدِرْ عَلَيْهِ حَتَّى مَاتَ.

It was narrated that Anas said: "The Prophet of Allah (s.a.w) did not come out to us for three days. Then the Iqamah was called and Abu Bakr went forward (to lead the prayer). The Prophet of Allah (s.a.w) lifted the curtain, and when the face of the Prophet of Allah (s.a.w) appeared to us, there was nothing more dear to us than the face of the Prophet (s.a.w) appearing to us. The Prophet of Allah (s.a.w) gestured to Abu Bakr to go forward, then the Prophet of Allah (s.a.w) drew the curtain and we did not see him until he died."