Jami` at-Tirmidhi 3673
جامع الترمذي#3673Da'ifحَدَّثَنَا نَصْرُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ الْكُوفِيُّ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ بَشِيرٍ، عَنْ عِيسَى بْنِ مَيْمُونٍ الأَنْصَارِيِّ، عَنِ الْقَاسِمِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، رضى الله عنها قَالَتْ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " لاَ يَنْبَغِي لِقَوْمٍ فِيهِمْ أَبُو بَكْرٍ أَنْ يَؤُمَّهُمْ غَيْرُهُ " . قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ غَرِيبٌ .
Narrated 'Aishah:that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "It is not befitting that a group, among whom is Abu Bakr, be led by other than him
Scholarly Authentication
The label above is the grade most of these scholars gave — one dissenting opinion no longer speaks for all of them. If any scholar calls a narration fabricated, that verdict is shown instead, whatever the others say. Each scholar's own wording:
In-book reference: 49:69