His Status in the eyes of the Holy Prophet (sa)
Hazrat Aaiz (ra) bin Amr narrates that Hazrat Salman (ra), Hazrat Suhaib (ra) and Hazrat Bilal (ra) were sat amongst a group of people when Abu Sufyan bin Harb walked past. They said to him, “Allah the Almighty’s sword has not yet struck the necks of His enemies.” Upon this, Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) said, “Is this how you speak about the leaders and chieftains of the Quraish?” The Holy Prophet (sa) was informed of this incident, to which the Holy Prophet (sa) said, “O Abu Bakr (ra)! Perhaps you have angered them. If this is the case, then you have also angered God Almighty.” Therefore, Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) went back to those people and said, “O my brethren, perhaps you are aggrieved because of me.” To this they replied, “No, O Abu Bakr (ra), may Allah grant you forgiveness.”
(Musnad Ahmad bin Hanbal, Vol. 6, p. 885, Hadith A‘idh bin Amr, Alamul Kutub, Beirut, 1998)