What he announced from the pulpit, and who understood it
Only one man in the mosque started crying.
إِنَّ اللَّهَ خَيَّرَ عَبْدًا بَيْنَ الدُّنْيَا وَبَيْنَ مَا عِنْدَهُ، فَاخْتَارَ مَا عِنْدَ اللَّهِ
Inna-Llāha khayyara ʿabdan bayna-d-dunyā wa bayna mā ʿindah, fa-khtāra mā ʿinda-Llāh
“Allah gave a servant the choice between this world and what is with Him, and he chose what is with Allah.”
Where this comes from
Abu Bakr wept. The others wondered why an old man would cry over a servant being given a choice. He was the one who had understood that the servant was the Prophet, and that he was telling them he was going.
The full narration
Narrated Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri:The Prophet (ﷺ) delivered a sermon and said, "Allah gave a choice to one of (His) slaves either to choose this world or what is with Him in the Hereafter. He chose the latter." Abu Bakr wept. I said to myself, "Why is this Sheikh weeping, if Allah gave choice to one (of His) slaves either to choose this world or what is with Him in the Here after and he chose the latter?" And that slave was Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) himself. Abu Bakr knew more than us. The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "O Abu Bakr! Don't weep. The Prophet (ﷺ) added: Abu- Bakr has favored me much with his property and company. If I were to take a Khalil from mankind I would certainly have taken Abu Bakr but the Islamic brotherhood and friendship is sufficient. Close all the gates in the mosque except that of Abu Bakr
Source
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī · 466
- Agreed upon as authentic (al-Bukhārī / Muslim)