History of Khulafah Rashideen by Jalal ad-Din as-Suyuti - translated by Abdassamad Clarke

Ibn cAsakir narrated with a sahih isnad that CA’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, said: By Allah, Abu Bakr never spoke poetry (i.e.

he never ‘composed’ poetry) either in the Jahiliyyah or in Islam, and he and cUthman gave up drinking wine in the Jahiliyyah.

Abu Nucaym narrated with an excellent isnad that she said, may Allah be pleased with her: Abu Bakr had forbidden himself wine In the Jahiliyyah.

Ibn cAsakir narrated that cAbdullah ibn az-Zubayr said: Abu Bakr never ever spoke poetry.

Ibn cAsakir narrated that Abu’l-cAliyyah ar-Riyahi said: It was said to Abu Bakr as-Siddiq in a gathering of the companions of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, ‘Did you drink wine in the Jahiliyyah?’ He said, ‘I seek refuge in Allah.’ Someone said, ‘Why?’ He replied, ‘I tried to protect my honour and guard my manliness, for whoever drinks wine will lose his honour and his manliness.’ He said: That reached the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and he said, ‘Abu Bakr has told the truth, Abu Bakr has told the truth,’ twice. It is a mursal ghareeb hadith in both isnad and text.