Hadith of the Paper
This incident took place during the last days of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, when he was severely ill. The companions, may Allah be pleased with them, were present with him. The Prophet, peace be upon him, said: “Bring something to write on, so I may write something for you that you will always remember.” At this moment, the thought came to the heart of Sayyiduna Umar ibn al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, was in great pain, so in such a condition, he should not be burdened with this. He expressed his thoughts to the other companions and said, “The Prophet, peace be upon him, is overwhelmed with pain, and we have the Qur’an with us, which is sufficient for us.”
At this moment, a disagreement arose among those present. Some companions, agreeing with Sayyiduna Umar رضي الله عنه, said that the writing should not be given, while others opposed and said that the writing should be given. In this situation of dispute, the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said, “Leave the paper and pen,” and told the companions: “You may leave from here, I want solitude.”
Different narrations related to this incident:
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas رضي الله عنهما:
لَمَّا حُضِرَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّی اللّٰہُ عَلَیْہِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ، وَفِي الْبَیْتِ رِجَالٌ فِیہِمْ عُمَرُ بْنُ الخَطَّابِ، قَالَ : ہَلُمَّ أَکْتُبْ لَکُمْ کِتَابًا لَّنْ تَضِلُّوا بَعْدَہ، ، قَالَ عُمَرُ : إِنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّی اللّٰہُ عَلَیْہِ وَسَلَّمَ غَلَبَہُ الْوَجَعُ وَعِنْدَکُمُ القُرْآنُ فَحَسْبُنَا کِتَابُ اللّٰہِ، وَاخْتَلَفَ أَہْلُ الْبَیْتِ وَاخْتَصَمُوا، فَمِنْہُمْ مَّنْ یَّقُولُ : قَرِّبُوا یَکْتُبْ لَکُمْ رَسُولُ اللّٰہِ صَلَّی اللّٰہُ عَلَیْہِ وَسَلَّمَ کِتَابًا لَّنْ تَضِلُّوا بَعْدَہ،، وَمِنْہُمْ مَّنْ یَّقُولُ مَا قَالَ عُمَرُ، فَلَمَّا أَکْثَرُوا اللَّغَطَ وَالِاخْتِلاَفَ عِنْدَ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّی اللّٰہُ عَلَیْہِ وَسَلَّمَ، قَالَ : قُومُوا عَنِّي .
“When the time of the Prophet Muhammad’s (peace be upon him) death approached, some people were present in the house, including Sayyiduna Umar ibn Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him). The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: ‘Bring pen and paper so that I may write something for you after which you will never go astray.’ Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said that the Prophet (peace be upon him) is overcome by illness and we have the Quran with us; the Book of Allah is sufficient for us. This caused disagreement among the people present in the house. Some said: ‘Bring pen and paper so that the Prophet (peace be upon him) may write something after which there will be no fear of going astray,’ while others supported what Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said. When the disagreement and noise increased near the Prophet (peace be upon him), he said: ‘Leave from my presence.'”
In one narration, these words are mentioned:
“قُومُوا عَنِّي، وَلَا یَنْبَغِي عِنْدِي التَّنَازُعُ”
“Leave from my presence; disagreement is not appropriate in my presence.”
In another narration, it is stated:
اِئْتُونِي بِالْکَتِفِ وَالدَّوَاۃِ أَوِ اللَّوْحِ وَالدَّوَاۃِ أَکْتُبْ لَکُمْ کِتَابًا لَّنْ تَضِلُّوا بَعْدَہ، أَبَدًا ، فَقَالُوا : إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللّٰہِ صَلَّی اللّٰہُ عَلَیْہِ وَسَلَّمَ یَہْجُرُ .
“Bring a bone and an inkpot or a tablet and an inkpot, I will write such a writing that after this you will never be misguided.” The Companions said: “The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, is in a state of severe illness, and this is not due to the intensity of the pain.”
Sayyiduna Saeed bin Jubair, may Allah be pleased with him, narrates that he heard Sayyiduna Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, say how distressing the day of Thursday was. He was saying this while crying:
اِشْتَدَّ بِرَسُولِ اللّٰہِ صَلَّی اللّٰہُ عَلَیْہِ وَسَلَّمَ وَجَعُہ،، فَقَالَ : ائْتُونِي أَکْتُبْ لَکُمْ کِتَابًا لَّنْ تَضِلُّوا بَعْدَہ، أَبَدًا، فَتَنَازَعُوا وَلَا یَنْبَغِي عِنْدَ نَبِيٍّ تَنَازُعٌ، فَقَالُوا : مَا شَأْنُہ،، أَہَجَرَ اسْتَفْہِمُوہُ؟ فَذَہَبُوا یَرُدُّونَ عَلَیْہِ، فَقَالَ : دَعَوْنِي، فَالَّذِي أَنَا فِیہِ خَیْرٌ مِّمَّا تَدْعُونِي إِلَیْہِ .
The Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was severely ill. He said, “Bring me something so that I may write a document after which you will never go astray.” There was disagreement among the Companions, although disagreement in the presence of the Prophet (peace be upon him) was not appropriate. The Companions said, “What is the matter with you? Are you saying this because of severe pain?” When the Companions repeatedly asked him to write, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “Leave me to my condition; the state I am in is better than what you expect from me.”
The Ijtihad of Sayyiduna Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him)
From the narration of Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas رضي الله عنهما, it also appears that the Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم was severely ill. For this reason, Sayyiduna Umar bin Khattab رضي الله عنه, through ijtihad, said that the Quran and Hadith are sufficient for us. The Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم approved the opinion of Sayyiduna Umar bin Khattab رضي الله عنه and, despite the insistence of the companions, did not have anything written down.
Investigation of the word Hijr
Hijr means “to speak meaningless words in a state of high fever.” However, the companions رضي الله عنهم denied this. The word used in the hadith “أَہَجَرَ” contains a hamza, which is for rhetorical negation or interrogation, whereas Hijr is a past tense verb. In some narrations, the words “ہجر” and “یہجر” appear without the hamza, which is actually an example of the hamza being omitted, and such omissions are common in the Arabic language.
Explanation of the word “أَہَجَرَ“
The words mentioned in the hadith “فَقَالُوا مَا لَهُ أَہَجَرَ” (meaning “He said: Is the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, speaking nonsense due to severe fever?”) indicate that these words were not of Sayyiduna Umar ibn Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, but rather of those companions, may Allah be pleased with them, who were disagreeing with Sayyiduna Umar, may Allah be pleased with him. Their point was that the Noble Prophet, peace be upon him, was speaking consciously despite severe illness, not uttering nonsense. Therefore, there is no aspect of disrespect towards Sayyiduna Umar ibn Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, in this hadith; rather, this hadith reflects his greatness, because the Noble Prophet, peace be upon him, abandoned the intention to write down the matter in accordance with his opinion.
It is in Sahih Bukhari (4431) and Sahih Muslim (1637), the Prophet, peace be upon him, said: “دَعَوْنِي، فَالَّذِي أَنَا فِیْہِ خَیْرٌ مِّمَّا تَدْعُونِي إِلَیْہِ” “Leave me to my condition; it is better that you do not write what you are asking me to write according to my opinion.”
Conformity of Umar ibn Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him
Numerous examples of the ijtihad of Sayyiduna Umar ibn al-Khattab رضي الله عنه are found in the Quran and Hadith, in which his opinion was given the status of Shariah. In this regard, an incident involving Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه is famous. The Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم was present in a gathering and suddenly got up and left. Due to his prolonged absence, the companions رضي الله عنهم became worried and went in search of him. Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه found him in a garden. The Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم gave him his shoe and conveyed the message to give glad tidings of Paradise to every believer he meets on the way.
Sayyiduna Abu Huraira رضي الله عنه first met Sayyiduna Umar bin Khattab رضي الله عنه and gave him the glad tidings of Paradise. Upon this, Sayyiduna Umar رضي الله عنه struck him hard, causing him to fall to the ground. Sayyiduna Abu Huraira رضي الله عنه ran to the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم and complained. Sayyiduna Umar bin Khattab رضي الله عنه also followed behind him. The Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم asked Sayyiduna Umar رضي الله عنه: “يَا عُمَرُ، مَا حَمَلَكَ عَلَى مَا فَعَلْتَ؟”
Umar! Why did you do this? Sayyiduna Umar رضي الله عنه replied: “يَا رَسُولَ اللّٰہِ، بِأَبِي أَنْتَ وَأُمِّي، أَبَعَثْتَ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ بِنَعْلَيْكَ، مَنْ لَقِيَ يَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلٰہَ إِلَّا اللّٰہُ مُسْتَيْقِنًا بِهَا قَلْبُهُ، بَشَّرَهُ بِالْجَنَّةِ؟ قَالَ: نَعَمْ” O Master, may my parents be sacrificed for you, did you send Sayyiduna Abu Huraira رضي الله عنه with the instruction to give the glad tidings of Paradise to whoever recites the Kalima? You said: Yes. Sayyiduna Umar رضي الله عنه said: “فَلَا تَفْعَلْ، فَإِنِّي أَخْشَى أَنْ يَتَّكِلَ النَّاسُ عَلَيْهَا، فَخَلِّهِمْ يَعْمَلُونَ” O Master, do not do this, I fear that people will rely on this alone; leave them so that they continue this practice. The Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said: “فَخَلِّهِمْ” Leave them alone.
The Position of Sayyiduna Umar ibn Al-Khattab (RA) in the Hadith of the Paper
This incident shows that when Sayyiduna Umar ibn Al-Khattab (RA) presented his position, the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) agreed with it. Similarly, in the Hadith of the Paper, Sayyiduna Umar ibn Al-Khattab (RA) expressed his opinion in front of the Companions that the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was in severe pain and should not be burdened with the effort of writing a document in such a condition. Some Companions disagreed with him, while others agreed. Ultimately, the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) preferred the opinion of Sayyiduna Umar ibn Al-Khattab (RA) and abandoned the intention of writing the document.
The Blessing of Understanding and Insight
Allah Almighty granted Sayyiduna Umar ibn Al-Khattab رضي الله عنه deep insight and excellent understanding. He stated this matter through Ijtihad and also provided evidence for it. Hafiz Nawawi رحمه الله (631-676 AH) writes about this: “وَأَمَّا كَلَامُ عُمَرَ رَضِيَ اللّٰہُ عَنْهُ فَقَدِ اتَّفَقَ الْعُلَمَاءُ الْمُتَكَلِّمُونَ فِي شَرْحِ الْحَدِيثِ عَلَى أَنَّهُ مِنْ دَلَائِلِ فِقْهِ عُمَرَ وَفَضَائِلِهِ وَدَقِيقِ نَظَرِهِ”
“The commentators of Hadith agree that this Hadith is proof of Sayyiduna Umar ibn Al-Khattab رضي الله عنه’s insight, his jurisprudence in religion, and his profound vision.”
Did the disagreement among the Companions hinder the writing of the Caliphate?
Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Abbas رضي الله عنهما used to say: “إِنَّ الرَّزِيَّةَ كُلَّ الرَّزِيَّةِ مَا حَالَ بَيْنَ رَسُولِ اللّٰہِ صَلَّى اللّٰہُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَبَيْنَ أَنْ يَكْتُبَ لَهُمْ ذَلِكَ الْكِتَابَ مِنَ اخْتِلَافِهِمْ وَلَغَطِهِمْ”
“A great calamity occurred when there was disagreement and noise among the Companions, and the Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم abandoned the intention to write.”
The Prophet Muhammad’s صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم abandonment of the intention to write
This is the ijtihadi opinion of Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas رضي الله عنه. The Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم abandoned the intention to write not because of the disagreement among the companions, but he himself gave up on it. A few days before this, an incident occurred when the Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said to Sayyida Aisha رضي الله عنها to call Abu Bakr and Abdur Rahman bin Abi Bakr, so that he could write something regarding the caliphate, but then he abandoned the intention and said: “وَيَأْبَى اللّٰہُ وَالْمُؤْمِنُونَ إِلَّا أَبَا بَكْرٍ” “If anyone other than Abu Bakr is named for the caliphate, then Allah and the believers will reject him.”
Explanation of Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah رحمه الله
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah رحمه الله writes: “إِنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللّٰہُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ تَرَكَ كِتَابَةَ الْكِتَابِ بِاخْتِيَارِهِ، فَلَمْ يَكُنْ فِي ذٰلِكَ نِزَاعٌ، وَلَوِ اسْتَمَرَّ عَلَى إِرَادَةِ الْكِتَابِ مَا قَدِرَ أَحَدٌ أَنْ يَمْنَعَهُ” “There is no disagreement that the Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم abandoned the intention to write by his own choice; if he had wanted to write, no one had the power to stop him.”
He further said: “وَلَا فِي شَيْءٍ مِّنَ الْحَدِيثِ الْمَعْرُوفِ عِنْدَ أَهْلِ النَّقْلِ أَنَّهُ جَعَلَ عَلِيًّا خَلِيفَةً…فَإِنْ كَانَ قَدْ فَعَلَ ذٰلِكَ فَقَدْ أَغْنَى عَنِ الْكِتَابِ…”
“There is no definitive text in any authentic hadith regarding the unconditional caliphate of Sayyiduna Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, whereas there are authentic texts proving the caliphate of Sayyiduna Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him… If the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, had established a definitive text regarding the caliphate of Sayyiduna Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, then what was the need for writing it down?”
What does Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, call a calamity?
Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas, may Allah be pleased with both of them, has described doubt and denial regarding the caliphate of Siddiq Akbar, may Allah be pleased with him, as a great calamity. According to him, if the Noble Prophet, peace be upon him, had written about this matter, then those who deny and the misguided people would have no excuse left. Sheikh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah have mercy on him, explains this matter by writing:
“یَقْتَضِي أَنَّ ہٰذَا الْحَائِلَ کَانَ رَزِیَّۃً، وَہُوَ رَزِیَّۃٌ فِي حَقِّ مَنْ شَکَّ فِي خِلَافَۃِ الصِّدِّیقِ، أَوِ اشْتَبَہَ عَلَیْہِ الْـأَمْرُ؛ فَإِنَّہ، لَوْ کَانَ ہُنَاکَ کِتَابٌ لَّزَالَ ہٰذَا الشَّکُّ، فَأَمَّا مَنْ عَلِمَ أَنَّ خِلَافَتَہ، حَقٌّ فَلَا رَزِیَّۃَ فِي حَقِّہٖ، وَلِلّٰہِ الْحَمْدُ”
“The statement of Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas رضي الله عنهما clearly shows that he considered doubt and denial regarding the Caliphate of Siddiq رضي الله عنه to be a great calamity and destruction, because if there was any writing about the Caliphate, then this doubt would have been removed. For one who considers the Caliphate of Sayyiduna Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه to be rightful, there is no calamity, and Alhamdulillah.”
The Caliphate of Siddiq Akbar رضي الله عنه and the Intention of the Holy Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم
Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas رضي الله عنهما used to say this when misguided sects like the Shia had appeared. They considered the denial of the caliphate of Siddiq Akbar رضي الله عنه as the cause of the destruction of the Ummah. It is clear that the Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم did not want to write the caliphate of Hazrat Ali رضي الله عنه. Some people think that the Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم wanted to write the caliphate and leadership of Hazrat Ali رضي الله عنه, but Sayyiduna Umar bin Khattab رضي الله عنه and other companions prevented him from doing so. We say that a careful study of this hadith shows that nowhere does it mention that the Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم wanted to write the caliphate of Hazrat Ali رضي الله عنه.
The opinion of Hafiz Ibn Kathir رحمه الله
Hafiz Ibn Kathir, may Allah have mercy on him, further explains this matter by writing: “وَہٰذَا الْحَدِیثُ مِمَّا قَدْ تَوَہَّمَ بِہٖ بَعْضُ الْـأَغْبِیَاءِ مِنْ أَہْلِ الْبِدَعِ مِنَ الشِّیعَۃِ وَغَیْرِہِمْ… وَہٰذِہِ طَرِیقَۃُ الرَّاسِخِینَ فِي الْعِلْمِ کَمَا وَصَفَہُمُ اللّٰہُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ فِي کِتَابِہٖ”
“From this hadith, the people of innovation, especially some less understanding Shia, have been misled. Each of them claims that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) intended to write something according to their viewpoint. These people grasp the ambiguous matters and leave the clear ones, whereas the Ahl al-Sunnah take the clear matters and return the ambiguous ones to their context. This is the method of the firmly grounded scholars whom Allah has mentioned in His Book.”
He further stated: “وَہٰذَا الَّذِي کَانَ یُرِیدُ عَلَیْہِ الصَّلَاۃُ وَالسَّلَامُ أَنْ یَّکْتُبَہ، قَدْ جَاءَ فِي الْـأَحَادِیثِ الصَّحِیحَۃِ التَّصْرِیحُ بِکَشْفِ الْمُرَادِ مِنْہُ…”
“What the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) intended to write has been clearly explained in the authentic hadiths.”
What did the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) want to write?
From the conversations and hadiths narrated during the illness of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, it is clear that you ﷺ intended to write a document regarding the caliphate, so that there would be no dispute about the caliphate later on. And this document was actually in favor of the caliphate of Sayyiduna Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه, so that no one would have an opportunity to object to his caliphate.
Hadith Number 1
It is narrated from Sayyida Aisha رضي الله عنها:
“لَمَّا کَانَ وَجَعُ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّی اللّٰہُ عَلَیْہِ وَسَلَّمَ الَّذِي قُبِضَ فِیہِ، قَالَ: ادْعُوا لِي أَبَا بَکْرٍ وَّابْنَہُ، فَلْیَکْتُبْ لِکَیْلَا یَطْمَعَ فِي أَمْرِ أَبِي بَکْرٍ طَامِعٌ، وَلَا یَتَمَنّٰی مُتَمَنٍّ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: یَأْبَی اللّٰہُ ذٰلِکَ وَالْمُسْلِمُونَ مَرَّتَیْنِ….، قَالَتْ عَائِشَۃُ: فَأَبَی اللّٰہُ وَالْمُسْلِمُونَ.”
“When the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was ill, during which he passed away, he said: ‘Call Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه and his son (Abdur Rahman رضي الله عنه) so that they may write that no one should desire or hope for the caliphate during Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه‘s leadership.’ Then he said twice: ‘Allah and the Muslims will not accept the caliphate of anyone else.’ Aisha رضي الله عنها said: ‘Thus, Allah and the Muslims did not accept anyone other than my father (Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه).’ ”
Hadith Number 2
From Aisha رضي الله عنها, another narration comes that the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said:
“أُدْعِي لِي أَبَا بَکْرٍ، أَبَاکِ، وَأَخَاکِ، حَتّٰی أَکْتُبَ کِتَابًا، فَإِنِّي أَخَافُ أَنْ یَّتَمَنّٰی مُتَمَنٍّ وَّیَقُولُ قَائِلٌ: أَنَا أَوْلٰی، وَیَأْبَی اللّٰہُ وَالْمُوْمِنُونَ إِلَّا أَبَا بَکْرٍ.”
“Call your father Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, and your brother Abdul Rahman, may Allah be pleased with him, so that I may write it down. I fear that someone aspiring to the caliphate might say that I am more deserving, while Allah and the believers will not accept anyone except Abu Bakr.”
Explanation
These hadiths make it clear that the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, intended to confirm the caliphate of Sayyiduna Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, in writing so that no dispute or disagreement would arise later. The Prophet, peace be upon him, recognized Abu Bakr as the best choice for the caliphate and assured that Allah and the Muslims would also support this decision.
Hadith Number 3
Sayyida Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, narrates that during the illness of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, he said:
“لَقَدْ ہَمَمْتُ أَوْ أَرَدْتُّ أَنْ أُرْسِلَ إِلٰی أَبِي بَکْرٍ وَّابْنِہٖ فَأَعْہَدَ، أَنْ یَّقُولَ : الْقَائِلُونَ أَوْ یَتَمَنَّی الْمُتَمَنُّونَ”
“I intended to send a message to Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, and his son Abdul Rahman, and to write a will regarding the caliphate so that no one would claim the caliphate or desire it.”
Explanation
These hadiths clearly indicate that the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, intended to write down the caliphate of Sayyiduna Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, but then abandoned this intention. The reason for this intention was to leave no room for any other claimant to the caliphate besides Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him. However, when the Prophet, peace be upon him, saw that Allah Almighty and the Muslims were unanimous regarding the caliphate of Sayyiduna Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, he did not feel the need to write it down. This is why the selection of Sayyiduna Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, for the caliphate was accepted by Allah Almighty and the believers.
Protection of the Religion and the Shia Position Regarding the Caliphate of Ali, may Allah be pleased with him
The responsibility of protecting the religion has been taken by Allah Almighty Himself, so it is not correct to assume that the caliphate and imamate are appointed by Allah Almighty and that Sayyidina Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) is the foremost rightful claimant, yet the Ummah unanimously disagrees with it. If the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) wanted to appoint Sayyidina Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) as the caliph, he would have stated it verbally, as there was no obstacle in doing so.
Position of Sayyidina Ali (may Allah be pleased with him)
Sayyiduna Ali رضي الله عنه never claimed in his entire life that he was the immediate Caliph and that he was deprived of his right. Although some people believe that Sayyiduna Ali رضي الله عنه did not declare war for his right so that the Ummah would not be put to further trial, no such matter came to light even during his caliphate. If this issue was truly about the caliphate, Sayyiduna Ali رضي الله عنه could have stated this during his caliphate. But neither Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Abbas رضي الله عنهما nor any other companion mentioned that the Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم wanted to write the caliphate for Ali but could not.
Statement of Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Abbas رضي الله عنهما
Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas رضي الله عنهما, who is also the narrator of this incident and who expressed his concern while describing this situation, did not say that any injustice was done to Sayyiduna Ali رضي الله عنه or that the Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم wanted to write about his caliphate but could not. If the Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم wanted to write about the caliphate of Ali, he could have verbally said, “After me, Ali is the caliph without dispute,” but no such prohibition was encountered in this regard.
The Virtue of Sayyiduna Umar bin Khattab رضي الله عنه
Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas رضي الله عنهما acknowledged the virtue of Sayyiduna Umar bin Khattab رضي الله عنه and recognized his caliphate as rightful. Towards the end of Sayyiduna Umar رضي الله عنه’s life, he went to him and said:
“دَخَلْتُ عَلٰی عُمَرَ حِینَ طُعِنَ فَقُلْتُ : أَبْشِرْ بِالْجَنَّۃِ یَا أَمِیرَ الْمُوْمِنِینَ، أَسْلَمْتَ حِینَ کَفَرَ النَّاسُ، وَجَاہَدْتَّ مَعَ رَسُولِ اللّٰہِ صَلَّی اللّٰہُ عَلَیْہِ وَسَلَّمَ حِینَ خَذَلَہُ النَّاسُ، وَقُبِضَ رَسُولُ اللّٰہِ صَلَّی اللّٰہُ عَلَیْہِ وَسَلَّمَ وَہُوَ عَنْکَ رَاضٍ، وَلَمْ یَخْتَلِفْ فِي خِلَافَتِکَ اثْنَانِ، وَقُتِلْتَ شَہِیدًا…”
“When Sayyiduna Umar ibn Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) was injured, I went to him. I said: ‘Commander of the Faithful! Glad tidings of Paradise! When people rejected Islam, you accepted it. You supported the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) when people abandoned him helplessly. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) was pleased with you at the time of his departure from this world. During your caliphate, even two people did not differ, and now you are attaining the rank of martyrdom.'”
Also see:
Is Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) the successor of the Messenger (peace be upon him)?
The claim regarding Sayyiduna Ali رضي الله عنه that he was the appointed successor (Wasi) of the Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم, or that he considered himself more entitled to the Caliphate, is not correct. It is clear from the Ahadith and narrations that Sayyiduna Ali رضي الله عنه never considered himself the absolute rightful heir to the Caliphate or the Wasi of the Prophet. On the contrary, the narrations indicate that he refrained from demanding the Caliphate.
Clarification of Sayyiduna Ali رضي الله عنه’s Position
Narration of Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas رضي الله عنهما:
Sayyiduna Ali رضي الله عنه left from the presence of the Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم during his illness. The Companions asked him about the condition of the Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم. He said that Alhamdulillah, he is better. Upon this, Sayyiduna Abbas bin Abdul Muttalib رضي الله عنه said to Sayyiduna Ali رضي الله عنه:
“By Allah! After three days you will be defeated. By Allah! I see that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, will not recover from this illness. We should ask him about the caliphate; if it is for us, then we will know, and if it is for someone else, then he should bequeath it to us.”
Sayyiduna Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, replied:
“By Allah! If we demand it from him at this time and he refuses, then people will not give us the caliphate. I will never demand it.”
Narration of Sayyiduna Abu Jahifah, may Allah be pleased with him:
Sayyiduna Abu Jahifah, may Allah be pleased with him, asked Sayyiduna Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, if he had any special writing. He replied:
“No, only the Book of Allah, or the understanding that has been given to any Muslim, or some issues present in this document.”
He further explained that this document contains rulings on blood money, the freedom of prisoners, and the command that a Muslim should not be killed in retaliation for a disbeliever.
Commentary of Sheikh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah have mercy on him
Sheikh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah have mercy on him (d. 728 AH), rejected the notion that the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, wanted to write a letter appointing Sayyiduna Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, as Caliph. He wrote:
“Whoever thinks that the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, wanted to write a letter for the caliphate of Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, is unanimously misguided according to both Sunni and Shia scholars. The Ahl al-Sunnah agree on the preference and precedence of Sayyiduna Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him.”
The Prophet Muhammad’s, peace be upon him, abandonment of the intention to write the letter
It is also established that the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, abandoned the intention to write the letter by his own choice, not because of the advice of Sayyiduna Umar ibn al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him. The Prophet, peace be upon him, continued preaching the religion despite obstacles from the disbelievers; how could any resistance from the Companions have stopped him? The Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, were always his helpers and supporters.
Sayyiduna Umar ibn Al-Khattab رضي الله عنه‘s Statement “Hasbuna Kitab Allah”
Sayyiduna Umar ibn Al-Khattab رضي الله عنه‘s statement “حَسْبُنَا کِتَابُ اللّٰہِ” meant that the command of the Book of Allah is sufficient for us. The Quran also has an implicit indication towards Hadith. Seeing the condition of the Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم, Sayyiduna Umar رضي الله عنه felt compassion and thought that the religion had been completed, as it is stated in the Quran: “الْیَوْمَ أَکْمَلْتُ لَکُمْ دِینَکُمْ” (Today We have perfected your religion). Therefore, he tried to spare the Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم from further hardship, which is why he said this.
The Opinion of Hafiz Zahbi رحمه الله
Hafiz Zahbi رحمه الله (673-748 AH) writes:
“Sayyiduna Umar ibn Al-Khattab رضي الله عنه, upon seeing the severe hardship of the Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم, intended only to lessen the burden, because he knew that the religion had been completed. If this writing had been obligatory, the Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم would certainly have written it.”
Claim of Caliphate by Sayyiduna Ali رضي الله عنه during the Era of the Three Caliphs
Sayyiduna Ali رضي الله عنه never claimed the caliphate during the reigns of Sayyiduna Abu Bakr, Sayyiduna Umar, and Sayyiduna Uthman رضي الله عنهم. Rather, he had pledged allegiance to all three caliphs. Despite this, some people claim that Sayyiduna Ali رضي الله عنه asserted his claim to the caliphate during these periods, but there is no authentic or reliable evidence to support this.
① The First Weak Tradition:
It is said that Sayyiduna Ali رضي الله عنه was brought to Sayyiduna Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه for allegiance and was asked to pledge. On this occasion, he said:
“أَنَا أَحَقُّ بِھٰذَا الْـأَمْرِ مِنْکُمْ، لَا أُبَایِعُکُمْ، وَأَنْتُمْ أَوْلٰی بِالْبَیْعَۃِ لِي، أَخَذْتُمْ ھٰذَا الْـأَمْرَ مِنَ الْـأَنْصَارِ”
“I am more entitled to the caliphate than you; I will not pledge allegiance to you, rather you should pledge allegiance to me. You obtained the caliphate from the Ansar by citing your kinship with the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم, and now you want to take the caliphate from us, the Ahl al-Bayt.”
Comment:
This narration is unreliable and without chain. It is attributed to the book “الإمامۃ والسیاسۃ,” which is attributed to Ibn Qutaybah, but its chains of transmission are not available. The unanimous stance of scholars regarding such narrations is that they are weak and fabricated. Nevertheless, some people present this narration as authentic, although there is no solid evidence for it. This narration is used by Shia and other groups to establish the caliphate of the Prophet Muhammad’s ﷺ household, but the evidence available clearly shows the weakness of this narration.
② Second weak narration:
It is narrated from Sayyida Aisha رضي الله عنها that Sayyiduna Ali رضي الله عنه addressed Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddiq رضي الله عنه saying:
“کُنَّا نَرٰی أَنَّ لَنَا فِي ہٰذَا الْـأَمْرِ حَقًّا، فَاسْتَبَدَدْتُّمْ بِہٖ عَلَیْنَا.”
“We thought that the caliphate was our right, but you people seized it yourselves.”
Then Sayyiduna Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, mentioned his kinship to the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him. Upon hearing this, Sayyiduna Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, began to cry.
Commentary:
This narration is weak and its chain of transmission is unreliable because:
- Imam Abdul Razzaq bin Hammam is a narrator who practices tadlis (concealing defects in the chain), and he did not explicitly state hearing this narration directly.
- Imam Zahri is also a tadlis narrator and does not explicitly state direct hearing here. According to the principles of hadith, if a trustworthy tadlis narrator does not explicitly state direct hearing, the narration is considered weak, except in Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim. Therefore, this narration is weak.
- This narration contradicts authentic narrations that mention Sayyiduna Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, pledging allegiance to Sayyiduna Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, by hand.
③ Third Weak Narration:
Imam Ibn Abdul Barr, may Allah have mercy on him, states:
According to Aamir Shaabi, may Allah have mercy on him, when Sayyiduna Talha and Sayyiduna Zubair, may Allah be pleased with them, rebelled against Sayyiduna Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, Umm Fadl bint Harith informed Sayyiduna Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, about it. Upon this, Sayyiduna Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, said:
“It is surprising about Talha and Zubair, how did they become my opponents? When Allah Almighty called His Messenger to Himself, we said that we are the Ahl al-Bayt and guardians of . No person will dispute or differ with us regarding your caliphate. Our people denied this and appointed someone else (Sayyiduna Abu Bakr ) as caliph. By Allah! If I were not afraid that this would cause division among the Muslims, disbelief would return, and the religion of Islam would be ruined and destroyed, I would have changed this matter (the caliphate of Abu Bakr). For the sake of expediency, we endured some hardships and pains.”
Comment:
This narration is fabricated (man gharrat) and was created with the intention of causing discord between Islam and Muslims. There is no authentic chain of narration for this hadith, and Imam Ibn Abdul Barr, may Allah have mercy on him, mentioned it without a chain. The narrators involved in it are considered unreliable by the scholars of hadith.
Condition of the Narrators
Lut ibn Yahya Abu Mukhnaf Kufahi:
Abu Mukhnaf is a well-known Rafidi Shia narrator, who is unanimously considered weak. The hadith scholars have severely criticized him:
Imam Yahya ibn Ma’in, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
“لَیْسَ بِشَيْءٍ” (He is nothing).
He also says:
“لَیْسَ بِثِقَۃٍ” (He is not reliable).
Imam Ibn ‘Adi, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
“شِیْعِيٌّ مُّحْتَرَقٌ، صَاحِبُ أَخْبَارِھِمْ” (He was an extreme Shia and a narrator of their false reports).
Imam Abu Hatim al-Razi, may Allah have mercy on him, declared him “abandoned in hadith”.
Imam Darqutni, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
“إِخْبَارِيٌّ، ضَعِیفٌ” (He narrates false reports and is weak).
Hafiz Ibn Kathir, may Allah have mercy on him, said:
“وَکَانَ شِیعِیًّا، وَھُوَ ضَعِیفٌ عِنْدَ الْـأَئِمَّۃِ” (He was a Shia and considered weak by the Imams).
Hafiz Zahabi, may Allah have mercy on him, wrote:
“کَذَّابٌ” (He is a liar).
He also said:
“إِخْبَارِيٌّ، تَالِفٌ، لاَ یُوثَقُ بِہٖ” (He narrates false traditions and cannot be trusted).
Jabir Jafi:
He is also a liar, abandoned, and a Rafi’i narrator, whom the Muhaddithin have declared unreliable.
Against the Consensus Position of Ahl al-Sunnah
Using this narration against the consensus position of Ahl al-Sunnah is against the demands of justice, because its narrators are liars and unreliable. The statements about Sayyiduna Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, regarding the caliphate of Sayyiduna Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, which are established by authentic hadiths, confirm that Sayyiduna Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, gave bay’ah for the caliphate and prioritized the unity of the Ummah.
④ Fourth Weak Narration:
Sayyiduna Abu Tufail Amir bin Wathilah رضي الله عنه says:
“I was standing at the door on the day of Shura, and the voices of the people of Shura were rising. I heard Sayyiduna Ali رضي الله عنه saying: ‘The people have pledged allegiance to Abu Bakr, while by Allah! We were more deserving of the caliphate than him. But I remained silent out of the concern that (if I opposed) people might turn towards disbelief and start cutting each other’s necks.'”
Commentary:
This narration is extremely weak and there are many issues regarding its chain of transmission. Imam ‘Aqeeli رحمه الله wrote after transmitting this narration:
“وَہٰذَا الْحَدِیثُ لَا أصْلَ لَہ، عَنْ عَلِيٍّ.” “There is no evidence that this hadith is from Sayyiduna Ali رضي الله عنه.”
Hafiz Dhahabi رحمه الله‘s position:
Hafiz Dhahabi رحمه الله classified this narration as “Munkar,” meaning it is not acceptable:
“وَھُوَ خَبَرٌ مُّنْکَرٌ.” “This report is Munkar.”
He further writes:
“فَھٰذَا غَیْرُ صَحِیْحٍ وَّحَاشَا أَمِیْرُ الْمُؤْمِنِینَ مِنْ قَوْلِ ھٰذَا.” “This narration is not authentic, and the Commander of the Faithful (Ali رضي الله عنه) could never say such a thing.”
Reasons for the Weakness of the Hadith
Narrator Harith bin Muhammad:
The narrator of this hadith is Harith bin Muhammad, whom Imam Ibn Adi (Al-Kamil: 1/194) and Imam Aqili (Al-Du’afa: 1/212) have called “Majhool,” meaning this narrator is of unknown status. For this reason, the hadiths narrated by him cannot be considered authentic.
Although Imam Ibn Hibban included him among the trustworthy narrators, this does not remove the weakness of the hadith because other reliable muhaddithin have declared him unreliable.
Ambiguous Narrator:
This hadith mentions an ambiguous narrator, i.e., an unknown person, which further weakens the hadith. When there is an ambiguous narrator in a hadith, its acceptance is nullified because the reliability of that person is unknown.
Muhammad bin Humayd Razi:
In another chain of narration of this hadith, Muhammad bin Hameed Razi is mentioned, who is a weak narrator. He did not specify that he heard from Sayyiduna Abu Tufail (may Allah be pleased with him) through Harith bin Muhammad, which further weakens the chain of narration. As a result, it becomes an instance of “Al-Mazid fi Muttasil al-Asanid,” which makes the weakness of the hadith more apparent.
⑤ Fifth Hadith:
It is narrated from Sayyida Aisha رضي الله عنها that Sayyiduna Ali ibn Abi Talib رضي الله عنه recited the Kalima Shahadat and addressed Sayyiduna Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه, saying:
“We recognize your virtue and the status granted by Allah Almighty, and we do not envy the good that Allah has given you. However, you decided the matter of the Caliphate yourself (i.e., without consulting us), even though due to our kinship with the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم, we believed that we also had a right to be consulted.”
Sayyiduna Ali رضي الله عنه continued speaking until tears began to flow from the eyes of Sayyiduna Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه.
Comment:
This hadith is authentic, and it clarifies that Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) acknowledged the virtue of Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him). In this hadith, Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) admitted the fact that the caliphate of Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was from Allah Almighty, and Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) did not challenge his leadership.
Sayyiduna Ali’s (may Allah be pleased with him) statement, “Why were we not consulted?” was actually a complaint, which is natural because he was from the family of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). This complaint was not an objection to the caliphate itself, but rather his stance on the method of selecting the caliph.
From the context of this hadith, it is clear that Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) accepted the caliphate of Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) as a grace granted by Allah and recognized his right to the caliphate.
Misunderstandings and their answers:
Some people have used this hadith as a basis to claim that Sayyidina Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) considered himself entitled to the caliphate and that his rights were violated. However, this hadith does not clearly indicate that Sayyidina Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) challenged the caliphate of Sayyidina Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him). Rather, it only expresses that he should have been included in the consultation.
The way Sayyidina Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) spoke with Sayyidina Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) reflects their relationship and mutual respect. Sayyidina Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) listened to Sayyidina Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) seriously and also expressed sorrow, which is mentioned in the hadith by the shedding of tears.
The statement of Hafiz Ahmad bin Umar bin Ibrahim Qurtubi (may Allah have mercy on him):
The statement of Hafiz Ahmad bin Umar bin Ibrahim Qurtubi (may Allah have mercy on him) provides further clarification on this matter:
“Shia and Rafidis fabricated false hadiths claiming that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) appointed Sayyidina Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) as the Caliph, and they claimed these hadiths reached the level of mutawatir (mass transmission), whereas all of this is false. If these claims were truly correct, then on the day of Saqifah the Companions would have mentioned them, and Sayyidina Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) would have presented them as evidence in his favor. If that were the case, remaining silent would not have been permissible, because this was the right of Allah, the Messenger, Sayyidina Ali (may Allah be pleased with him), and all Muslims.”
Testimony of Nahj al-Balagha:
In Nahj al-Balagha, Sayyidina Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) also spoke about the method of selecting the Caliph:
“My allegiance was given by those who had pledged allegiance to Sayyidina Abu Bakr, Sayyidina Umar ibn Khattab, and Sayyidina Uthman (may Allah be pleased with them). If the Muhajireen and Ansar select a person as Imam, then the pleasure of Allah is included in that. If anyone rebels against this, they will be turned back.”
Summary:
- This hadith proves that Sayyidina Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) accepted the caliphate of Sayyidina Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) and acknowledged his virtue.
- His complaint was not about the right to the caliphate but about the right to consultation, which was natural due to being a relative.
- Sayyidina Ali’s manner of speaking with Sayyidina Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with them) reflects their mutual respect and love.
- Sayyidina Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) gave allegiance by hand to Sayyidina Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), prioritizing the unity of the Muslims, aiming to prevent division and discord in the Ummah.
- Contrary to Shia and Rafidi narrations, the Ahl al-Sunnah position is clear that the caliphate of Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) and the other Rightly Guided Caliphs was a consensus decision, and Sayyidina Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) accepted it.
