Election of Abu Bakr RA as Caliph

8/18/2019 Election of Abu Bakr RA as Caliph

1/7

Compiled By Syed Hassan Raza

1

Sahih al-Bukhari, Volume 8, Book 82, Number 817:

Narrated Ibn 'Abbas:

I used to teach (the Qur'an to) some people of the Muhajirln (emigrants), among whom there

was 'Abdur Rahman bin 'Auf. While I was in his house at Mina, and he was with 'Umar bin Al-Khattab during 'Umar's last Hajj, Abdur-Rahman came to me and said, "Would that you hadseen the man who came today to the Chief of the Believers ('Umar), saying, 'O Chief of theBelievers! What do you think about so-and-so who says, 'If 'Umar should die, I will give thepledge of allegiance to such-and-such person, as by Allah, the pledge of allegiance to Abu Bakrwas nothing but a prompt sudden action which got established afterwards.' 'Umar becameangry and then said, 'Allah willing, I will stand before the people tonight and warn them againstthose people who want to deprive the others of their rights (the question of rulership)."

'Abdur-Rahman said, "I said, 'O Chief of the believers! Do not do that, for the season of Hajjgathers the riff-raff and the rubble, and it will be they who will gather around you when youstand to address the people. And I am afraid that you will get up and say something, and somepeople will spread your statement and may not say what you have actually said and may notunderstand its meaning, and may interpret it incorrectly, so you should wait till you reachMedina, as it is the place of emigration and the place of Prophet's Traditions, and there you cancome in touch with the learned and noble people, and tell them your ideas with confidence;and the learned people will understand your statement and put it in its proper place.' On that,'Umar said, 'By Allah! Allah willing, I will do this in the first speech I will deliver before thepeople in Medina."

Ibn Abbas added: We reached Medina by the end of the month of Dhul-Hijja, and when it wasFriday, we went quickly (to the mosque) as soon as the sun had declined, and I saw Sa'id binZaid bin 'Amr bin Nufail sitting at the corner of the pulpit, and I too sat close to him so that myknee was touching his knee, and after a short while 'Umar bin Al-Khattab came out, and when Isaw him coming towards us, I said to Said bin Zaid bin 'Amr bin Nufail "Today 'Umar will saysuch a thing as he has never said since he was chosen as Caliph." Said denied my statementwith astonishment and said, "What thing do you expect 'Umar to say the like of which he hasnever said before?"

In the meantime, 'Umar sat on the pulpit and when the callmakers for the prayer had finishedtheir call, 'Umar stood up, and having glorified and praised Allah as He deserved, he said, "Nowthen, I am going to tell you something which (Allah) has written for me to say. I do not know;perhaps it portends my death, so whoever understands and remembers it, must narrate it tothe others wherever his mount takes him, but if somebody is afraid that he does notunderstand it, then it is unlawful for him to tell lies about me. Allah sent Muhammad with the


2/7


2

Truth and revealed the Holy Book to him, and among what Allah revealed, was the Verse of theRajam (the stoning of married person (male & female) who commits illegal sexual intercourse,and we did recite this Verse and understood and memorized it. Allah's Apostle did carry out thepunishment of stoning and so did we after him.

I am afraid that after a long time has passed, somebody will say, 'By Allah, we do not find theVerse of the Rajam in Allah's Book,' and thus they will go astray by leaving an obligation whichAllah has revealed. And the punishment of the Rajam is to be inflicted to any married person(male & female), who commits illegal sexual intercourse, if the required evidence is available orthere is conception or confession. And then we used to recite among the Verses in Allah's Book:'O people! Do not claim to be the offspring of other than your fathers, as it is disbelief(unthankfulness) on your part that you claim to be the offspring of other than your real father.'Then Allah's Apostle said, 'Do not praise me excessively as Jesus, son of Marry was praised, butcall me Allah's Slave and His Apostles.' (O people!) I have been informed that a speaker

amongst you says, 'By Allah, if 'Umar should die, I will give the pledge of allegiance to such-and-such person.' One should not deceive oneself by saying that the pledge of allegiance given toAbu Bakr was given suddenly and it was successful. No doubt, it was like that, but Allah saved(the people) from its evil, and there is none among you who has the qualities of Abu Bakr.Remember that whoever gives the pledge of allegiance to anybody among you withoutconsulting the other Muslims, neither that person, nor the person to whom the pledge ofallegiance was given, are to be supported, lest they both should be killed.

And no doubt after the death of the Prophet we were informed that the Ansar disagreed with

us and gathered in the shed of Bani Sa'da. 'Ali and Zubair and whoever was with them, opposedus, while the emigrants gathered with Abu Bakr. I said to Abu Bakr, 'Let's go to these Ansaribrothers of ours.' So we set out seeking them, and when we approached them, two pious menof theirs met us and informed us of the final decision of the Ansar, and said, 'O group ofMuhajirin (emigrants) ! Where are you going?' We replied, 'We are going to these Ansaribrothers of ours.' They said to us, 'You shouldn't go near them. Carry out whatever we havealready decided.' I said, 'By Allah, we will go to them.' And so we proceeded until we reachedthem at the shed of Bani Sa'da. Behold! There was a man sitting amongst them and wrapped insomething. I asked, 'Who is that man?' They said, 'He is Sa'd bin 'Ubada.' I asked, 'What iswrong with him?' They said, 'He is sick.' After we sat for a while, the Ansar's speaker said, 'Nonehas the right to be worshipped but Allah,' and praising Allah as He deserved, he added, 'Toproceed, we are Allah's Ansar (helpers) and the majority of the Muslim army, while you, theemigrants, are a small group and some people among you came with the intention ofpreventing us from practicing this matter (of caliphate) and depriving us of it.'


3/7


3

When the speaker had finished, I intended to speak as I had prepared a speech which I likedand which I wanted to deliver in the presence of Abu Bakr, and I used to avoid provoking him.So, when I wanted to speak, Abu Bakr said, 'Wait a while.' I disliked to make him angry. So AbuBakr himself gave a speech, and he was wiser and more patient than I. By Allah, he never

missed a sentence that I liked in my own prepared speech, but he said the like of it or betterthan it spontaneously. After a pause he said, 'O Ansar! You deserve all (the qualities that youhave attributed to yourselves, but this question (of Caliphate) is only for the Quraish as they arethe best of the Arabs as regards descent and home, and I am pleased to suggest that youchoose either of these two men, so take the oath of allegiance to either of them as you wish.And then Abu Bakr held my hand and Abu Ubada bin Abdullah's hand who was sitting amongstus. I hated nothing of what he had said except that proposal, for by Allah, I would rather havemy neck chopped off as expiator for a sin than become the ruler of a nation, one of whosemembers is Abu Bakr, unless at the time of my death my own-self suggests something I don'tfeel at present.'

And then one of the Ansar said, 'I am the pillar on which the camel with a skin disease (eczema)rubs itself to satisfy the itching (i.e., I am a noble), and I am as a high class palm tree! O Quraish.There should be one ruler from us and one from you.'

Then there was a hue and cry among the gathering and their voices rose so that I was afraidthere might be great disagreement, so I said, 'O Abu Bakr! Hold your hand out.' He held hishand out and I pledged allegiance to him, and then all the emigrants gave the Pledge ofallegiance and so did the Ansar afterwards. And so we became victorious over Sa'd bin Ubada

(whom Al-Ansar wanted to make a ruler). One of the Ansar said, 'You have killed Sa'd binUbada.' I replied, 'Allah has killed Sa'd bin Ubada.' Umar added, "By Allah, apart from the greattragedy that had happened to us (i.e. the death of the Prophet), there was no greater problemthan the allegiance pledged to Abu Bakr because we were afraid that if we left the people, theymight give the Pledge of allegiance after us to one of their men, in which case we would havegiven them our consent for something against our real wish, or would have opposed them andcaused great trouble. So if any person gives the Pledge of allegiance to somebody (to become aCaliph) without consulting the other Muslims, then the one he has selected should not begranted allegiance, lest both of them should be killed."

Source: http://www.usc.edu/org/cmje/religious-texts/hadith/bukhari/082-sbt.php#008.082.817

http://www.usc.edu/org/cmje/religious-texts/hadith/bukhari/082-sbt.php%23008.082.817http://www.usc.edu/org/cmje/religious-texts/hadith/bukhari/082-sbt.php%23008.082.817http://www.usc.edu/org/cmje/religious-texts/hadith/bukhari/082-sbt.php%23008.082.817http://www.usc.edu/org/cmje/religious-texts/hadith/bukhari/082-sbt.php%23008.082.817


4/7


4

Saqifah in the words of Saheeh Bukhari and Umar Ibn Khattaab – ABrief Outlook

The book Saheeh Bukhari, compiled by Abu Abdillah Muhammad Ibn Ismail, later known as

Imam Bukhari, is regarded as an important segment of the six so called authentic books(Sehaah-e-Sittah) of the Ahle Sunnah. After the Holy Quran, these six books are of utmostimportance to the Sunnis when compared to other books. All the contents of these books areconsidered to be authentic and reliable and hence the term Saheeh.

Bukhari has quoted the second caliph Umar Ibn Khattab extensively on what transpired at theSaqifah of Bani Saa’edah:

Says Umar: Following the demise of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.), news reached us that theAnsaar (Immigrants) had assembled at the Saqifah-i- Bani Saa’edah. I told Abu Bakr, ‘Let us gother e so that we join our Ansaar brethren.’

Abu Bakr obliged and we reached Saqifah together. Ali, Zubair and their companions were notwith us. At Saqifah, we observed that a group of Ansaar had brought someone with them whowas completely covered. It was Sa’ d ibn Ubaadah running a very high temperature. We satbesides them. A man from the Ansaar stood up and as had been decided, after praising Allahbegan to speak, ‘We are the friends and lovers of Allah. We are the soldiers and the strength ofIslam. But you , O Muhaajireen, are few in number and …’

I (Umar) thought of replying but Abu Bakr pulled my sleeves and quietened me. He then himselfstood up, and God is witness, said what I wanted to and he said it better than me.

Abu Bakr said, ‘O company of Ansaar! You are surely the recipient of the attributes which you

have described and you have achieved them. But, Caliphate and government is only the right ofthe Quraish because they are renowned for their nobility and lineage, manners and conductthroughout the Arabian Peninsula and enjoy an undisputed position. It is only for yourbetterment that I do this, I present before you two people so that you may choose whomsoeveryou wish for the Caliphate. Saying this, Abu Bakr caught hold of my hand and that of AbuUbaidah and presented us before the crowd. I disliked the last suggestion. While anotherAnsaar stood up and commented:

- ج ذِْي ه اْم حْك و ع ذِيْق ه اْم ْوج ب

I am among you (O Ansaar) like a stick with which camels are driven or that tree which providesshade. If it is so, O Muhajireen! Then appoint a ruler amongst you and we will appoint one fromamongst us. A great commotion erupted at this statement. We witnessed great opposition andrivalry. I took advantage of this commotion and said to Abu Bakr, ‘Extend your hand so that Imay pay allegiance to you.’ Abu Bakr complied and I paid allegiance to him. Having done this,we gathered near Sa’d Bin Ubadah…. After this entire episode, if somebody pays allegiance tothe Caliphate of any other caliph without the consultation of the Muslims, adhere neither tothe follower nor the allegiance taker, for both are liable for capital punishment.


5/7


5

Saheeh Bukhari, Kitabul Hudud, Baabul Rajmul Hablaa, 4/ 119-120

Seerae Ibne Hisham, 4/ 336-338 Kanz al-Ummaal, 3/ 139- Hadith 2326

Source: http://www.seratonline.com/1604/saqifah-in-the-words-of-saheeh-bukhari-and-umar-ibn-khattaab-a-brief-outlook/

Khalifa Abu Bakr - Successor to the Holy Prophet

Election of Abu Bakr as the Caliph.

Crisis in the affairs of the Muslims. The death of the Holy Prophet led to an immediate crisis inthe affairs of the Muslims over the question as to who was to be the leader of the Muslimsafter the Holy Prophet.

While the dead body of the Holy Prophet of Islam was being prepared for burial the Ansar ofMadina assembled at their meeting place 'Saqeefa Bani Sa'dah' to discuss the question ofsuccession to the Holy Prophet. The Holy Prophet was the last of the prophets, and there wasto be no prophet after him. He was also the leader of the Muslims, and it was thereforenecessary that after him there should be some one who should be the head of the Muslimcommunity.

The Ansars. At the meeting of the Ansars at Saqeefa Bani Sa'idah', Sa'd bin Ubadah, a leader ofthe Ansars made a passionate plea that the successor to the Holy Prophet for managing thetemporal affairs of the Muslims should be chosen from the Ansars. He argued that as theywere the people who had protected Islam and offered a home for the Holy Prophet and hiscompanions when they were persecuted by their own people, the Ansars had right to theleadership of the Muslims. It was through the efforts of the Ansars that Islam had grown andspread; their city was capital of the Muslim state, and it was but meet that an Ansar should bethe head of the State after the Holy Prophet. When Sa'd concluded his speech, he wasapplauded by the Ansars. The arguments advanced by him appealed to them, and it appearedthat they were poised to choose him as their leader in succession to the Holy Prophet.

Reaction of the emigrants. When the meeting was being held at Saqeefa Bani Sa'idah it wasreported to the emigrants assembled in the Prophet's mosque that the Ansars had assembledto choose a successor to the Holy Prophet. It was a critical situation. The burial of the HolyProphet was a matter that needed priority, but the question of choosing a successor to theHoly Prophet was a question of life and death for the Muslim community, and if any wrongdecision was taken at that stage, the future of Islam itself was likely to be jeopardized. AbuBakr, Umar and Abu Ubaidah accordingly decided among themselves to proceed to SaqeefaBani Sa'idah' to negotiate the matter with the Ansars before it was too late.

http://www.seratonline.com/1604/saqifah-in-the-words-of-saheeh-bukhari-and-umar-ibn-khattaab-a-brief-outlook/http://www.seratonline.com/1604/saqifah-in-the-words-of-saheeh-bukhari-and-umar-ibn-khattaab-a-brief-outlook/http://www.seratonline.com/1604/saqifah-in-the-words-of-saheeh-bukhari-and-umar-ibn-khattaab-a-brief-outlook/http://www.seratonline.com/1604/saqifah-in-the-words-of-saheeh-bukhari-and-umar-ibn-khattaab-a-brief-outlook/http://www.seratonline.com/1604/saqifah-in-the-words-of-saheeh-bukhari-and-umar-ibn-khattaab-a-brief-outlook/http://www.seratonline.com/1604/saqifah-in-the-words-of-saheeh-bukhari-and-umar-ibn-khattaab-a-brief-outlook/


6/7


6

Abu Bakr's appeal to the Ansar. When Abu Bakr, Umar and Abu Ubaidah reached Saqeefa BaniSa'idah the Ansars were on the verge of electing Sa'id bin Ubadah, the Ansar leader, as thesuccessor to the Holy Prophet. Abu Bakr took the stage and brought home to the peopleassembled, the gravity of the problem. He pointed out that the matter did not concern the

citizens of Madina alone; it was a matter of concern for all the Arabs who had becomeMuslims. All the Arab tribes were not likely to accept the leadership of the Ansars, particularlywhen there were differences among the two principal tribes of the Ansars themselves. AbuBakr pointed out that under the circumstances the Quraish who were the custodians of theKaaba could alone provide the leadership for the Muslim community. Addressing his appeal tothe Ansar he said: "O Ansar, none can deny the superiority of your position in religion or thegreatness of your eminence in Islam. You were chosen by Allah as the helpers of His religionand His Apostle. To you the Prophet was sent on his emigration from Makkah and from youcome the majority of his companions and his wives. Indeed in position you are next only tothe earliest companions. Therefore it would be fair if we take the Amirat and you accept theministry. You should not be obstinate in your stand. We assure you that we will do nothingwithout consulting you."

The Debate. After the address of Abu Bakr, Habab bin Mandhar an Ansar leader rose to saythat the Amirat was the right of the Ansars and they could not forego their right. He addedthat the utmost concession that they could make in favor of the emigrants was that theycould have two Amirs, one from the Ansars and the other from the emigrants,

Umar said that Islam stood for unity-one God, one Prophet, and one Quran. It followed as anecessary corollary that the Muslim community should have one Amir. lf the proposal of

having two Amirs was once accepted, other people would later lay claim to the election of anAmir from them. Such multiple Amirat would lead to the disintegration of the Islamic polity.Umar emphasized that in the interest of the solidarity of Islam they could not have more thanone Amir, and it was imperative that such Amir should be from the Quraish, the tribe of theHoly Prophet.

There was some exchange of hot words between Habab and Umar. Then Abu Ubaidaappealed to the Ansars saying: "O Ansars you were the first to help Islam: do not now be thefirst to take steps towards the disintegration of Islam."

That appeared to have some effect on the Ansars, and they seemed to hesitate to press theirdemand. Thereupon Abu Bakr took the stage again and said: "God is our witness that we arenot pressing the claim of the Quraish because of any selfish interest. The proposal is basedsolely on the interest and solidarity of Islam. To give you a proof positive of our sincerity Ideclare before you that I do not covet the office. Here are Umar and Abu Ubaida. You maychoose any one out of these two." That softened the attitude of the Ansars. Zaid bin Thabit aneminent Ansar leader rose to say: "In fact the Holy Prophet was among the Quraish. There is


7/7


7

considerable force in the proposal that after him his successor should also be selected fromamong the Quraish. God chose the 'Ansars' as helpers, and it is but meet that they shouldcontinue to play thc role of helpers." Supporting him another Ansar leader Bashir bin Sa'dsaid: "O Ansars, if we have secured a position of superiority in holy wars against the

polytheists and gained precedence in the matter of religion it was with the object of pleasingour Allah and obeying the Holy Prophet. It is not proper for us to make this a ground for self-aggrandizement. We should leave our reward to Allah. We must realize that the Holy Prophetcame from the Quraish, and that the Quraish have the strongest claim for his succession. Weshould not quarrel with the Quraish on this issue."

That turned the tables, and the Ansars now appeared to be inclined to choose the leader fromamong the Quraish. Taking advantage of this situation, Abu Bakr repeated his proposal thatthey might choose any one out of Umar, or Abu Ubaida.

Election of Abu Bakr. At the offer of Abu Bakr, Umar rose quickly to say: "O Abu Bakr, how can

I or Abu Ubaida be preferred to you? You are undoubtedly the most excellent of the Muslims.You were the 'Second of the Two' in the Cave. You were appointed as 'Amir-ul-Haj'. During hisillness the Holy Prophet appointed you as the Imam to lead the prayers. Of all the companionsyou were the closest and the dearest to the Holy Prophet. As such you are dear to us. Stretchyour hand so that we may offer our allegiance to you."

Umar made Abu Bakr stand, and then touched his hand reverently in token of allegiance. AbuUbaida was the next to pay allegiance. Thereafter all the Ansars assembled there offered theirallegiance to Abu Bakr turn by turn. Only Sa'd bin Ubadah did not offer allegiance. Thus AbuBakr was elected as the successor to the Holy Prophet on the very day of the death of HolyProphet, the 8th of June 83 2 C.E.

Source: Hadrat Abu Bakr, Umar, Usman, Ali (ra) 4 Vol. Set

Source: http://www.alim.org/library/biography/khalifa/content/KAB/7/4
http://www.alim.org/library/references/ContentSources?quicktabs_20=2#khalifahttp://www.alim.org/library/biography/khalifa/content/KAB/7/4http://www.alim.org/library/biography/khalifa/content/KAB/7/4http://www.alim.org/library/biography/khalifa/content/KAB/7/4http://www.alim.org/library/biography/khalifa/content/KAB/7/4http://www.alim.org/library/references/ContentSources?quicktabs_20=2#khalifa

Documents

Election of Abu Bakr RA as Caliph