Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah

It is narrated from Hazrat Abdur Rahman bin Auf that Hazrat Umar performed Hajj and intended to deliver a sermon to the people. So Hazrat Abdur Rahman bin Auf submitted, "(At this time) people of ordinary status and from scattered places are gathered with you. Therefore, postpone your intention of delivering the sermon until you reach Madinah." The narrator says: Then when I reached Madinah, I sat near the pulpit. And I heard Hazrat Umar saying, "I have come to know that people say that the caliphate of Hazrat Abu Bakr happened suddenly. Indeed, it was sudden, but Allah Almighty removed the potential evil (from it) of his caliphate. (And now) this caliphate will remain only through consultation."

It is narrated from Hazrat Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) that I used to come and go to Abdur Rahman bin Auf, and (at that time) we were with Hazrat Umar bin Khattab at Mina. I used to teach Abdur Rahman bin Auf the Qur'an, so I came to his residence but did not find him. It was said that he is with the Commander of the Faithful. So I waited for him until he came, and he informed me: Today Hazrat Umar became so extremely angry as he had never been before. Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) says: I asked, Why is that? Abdur Rahman bin Auf replied: Hazrat Umar heard that two men from the Ansar mentioned the pledge of allegiance to Hazrat Abu Bakr, and then both of them said: By Allah! His pledge was sudden. He would strike his hand, and whatever happened, happened. The narrator says: Then Hazrat Umar intended to speak to the people. The narrator says: I submitted, O Commander of the Faithful! Do not speak (yet), for you are in a city where people from all the distant, unknown regions of Arabia have gathered. And if you say anything (now), it will be attributed to you and spread throughout the land. Then you do not know what will happen. The people you want are only those whom you know will return to Madinah.

2. Then when we came to Madinah, I went early in the morning until I took a place by the right pillar of the pulpit. Then Hazrat Saeed bin Zaid bin Amr bin Nufail also came to me until he sat with me. I said to him: Today Hazrat Umar will speak words such as he has never spoken since becoming Caliph. Saeed asked: What will he say? I replied: You will soon hear it.

3. The narrator says: Then when the people gathered, Hazrat Umar came out until he sat on the pulpit. He praised Allah Almighty, then mentioned the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and sent blessings upon him. Then he said: Surely Allah Almighty kept His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) among us, and revelation would descend upon him from Allah, and through it he would declare what was lawful and unlawful. Then Allah Almighty took the soul of His Messenger, so whatever Allah wished to take with him, He took, and whatever He wished to leave, He left. Thus, we remained attached to some matters, and some matters escaped us. So among what we used to recite from the Qur'an was also this: "Do not turn away from your fathers, for it is disbelief on your part to turn away from your fathers." And the verse of stoning (rajm) was also revealed. The Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) carried out stoning, and we also stoned along with him. By Him in Whose hand is the soul of Muhammad! Verily, I remembered that verse myself, understood it, and knew it. If I did not fear that people would say: Umar has written in the Qur'an what is not from it, I would have written the verse of stoning with my own hand. There are three conditions for stoning: clear pregnancy, or confession from the adulterer, or just witnesses, as is the command of Allah.

4. I have heard that some people have said regarding the caliphate of Hazrat Abu Bakr that it happened suddenly. By my life! Even if it was so, Allah Almighty granted goodness and blessing to his caliphate and protected it from its evil. Which one of you is there for whom the necks (of people) would bow as they bowed for Hazrat Abu Bakr?

5. Surely, the matter of the people was such that when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) passed away, the matter was brought to us, and we were told: The Ansar are gathered with Saad bin Ubadah in the courtyard of Banu Sa'idah and are pledging allegiance to Saad. So I, Hazrat Abu Bakr, and Hazrat Abu Ubaidah bin Jarrah stood up in anxiety, fearing that they might cause a rift in Islam. So we found two truthful men among the Ansar: Uwaim bin Sa'idah and Ma'an bin Adi. They asked: Where are you going? We said: To your people, for we have heard something about them. Both of them said: Go back, for you will not be opposed, and nothing will be brought forth that you dislike. But we insisted on going forward. And I (Umar) was preparing the speech by which...

It is narrated from Hazrat Abdullah that when the blessed soul of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was taken, the Ansar said: "One leader will be from among us and one leader will be from among you (the Muhajireen)." The narrator says: Hazrat Umar came to them and said: "O group of Ansar! Do you not know that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) had ordered Hazrat Abu Bakr to lead the people in prayer?" The Ansar replied: "Why not!" Hazrat Umar said: "Then whose heart among you is pleased to go ahead of Abu Bakr?" The Ansar said: "We seek refuge with Allah from going ahead of Abu Bakr."

Hazrat Zaid bin Aslam narrates from his father that after the passing of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), when the allegiance to Hazrat Abu Bakr was pledged, Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) and Hazrat Zubair began to visit the house of the daughter of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), Hazrat Fatimah, and started consulting with her and demanding her opinion regarding their matter (of caliphate). When this reached Hazrat Umar bin Khattab, he set out until he entered the house of Hazrat Fatimah and said: O daughter of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)! By Allah! Among all creation, there is no one more beloved to us than your father, and after your father, there is no one more beloved to us than you. By Allah! (But) if these people gather at your place (again), then this (love) will not prevent me from ordering the people and having the house burned down upon all those present. The narrator says: So when Hazrat Umar left, these people came to Lady Fatimah. Hazrat Fatimah said: Do you know that Hazrat Umar came to me? And he swore by Allah that if you people gather again, he will certainly burn you in the house. And by Allah! Whatever Hazrat Umar has said, he will surely do it. So you people should return in a good manner and consider your opinion. Do not come back to me. Thus, the people left from there and did not return (to Fatimah) until they had pledged allegiance to Hazrat Abu Bakr.

Hazrat Hisham bin Urwah narrates from his father that Hazrat Abu Bakr and Hazrat Umar were not present at the burial of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Both of them were among the Ansar. Thus, before their return, the pledge of allegiance had taken place.

Hazrat Zaid bin Aslam narrates from his father that Hazrat Umar came to Hazrat Abu Bakr and saw that Hazrat Abu Bakr was holding his tongue and moving it. Hazrat Umar said, "O Caliph of the Messenger (peace be upon him)! Fear Allah, fear Allah." Hazrat Abu Bakr replied, "Yes, it is this tongue that has brought me to many pitfalls."

It is narrated from Ibn Abi Mulaykah that a man said to Abu Bakr, "O Caliph of Allah!" Abu Bakr replied, "I am not the Caliph of Allah, but I am the Caliph of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), and I am pleased with that."

It is narrated from Hazrat Hudhaifa (may Allah be pleased with him) that we were sitting with the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), when he said: "I do not know how much longer I will remain among you. So follow those two who will be (caliphs) after me." And he (peace and blessings be upon him) pointed towards Hazrat Abu Bakr and Hazrat Umar: "And act according to the way of Ammar. And whatever hadith Ibn Mas'ud narrates to you, affirm its truth."

It is narrated from Hazrat Hudhaifa (may Allah be pleased with him) that we were sitting in the presence of the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Then (after that) he narrated the hadith in the same manner as Abdul Malik bin Umair... but he also said: And hold firmly to the era of Ibn Umm Abd.

It is narrated from a man of Banu Zurayq that when this day came, Hazrat Abu Bakr and Hazrat Umar went out until they came to the Ansar. Hazrat Abu Bakr said: O group of Ansar! Surely, we do not deny your right, nor can any believer deny your right. And by God! Whatever good we have obtained, you have shared in it with us. But the people of Arabia will not be satisfied with anyone except a man from the Quraysh, nor will they accept anyone else. Because the people of Quraysh are the most eloquent in speech, the most handsome in appearance among all people, have the largest households among the Arabs, and are the most honorable among the people of Arabia. So come to Umar and pledge allegiance to him. The narrator says: The Ansar said: No! Hazrat Umar asked: Why? The Ansar replied: We fear being given preference over. Hazrat Umar said: In any case, as long as I am alive, this will not happen. Hazrat Umar said: Then come and pledge allegiance to Hazrat Abu Bakr. 2. Hazrat Abu Bakr said to Hazrat Umar: You are stronger than me. Hazrat Umar replied: You have more virtue than me. Then both of them repeated these words to each other again. Then, when this happened a third time, Hazrat Umar said to Hazrat Abu Bakr: Surely, my strength is also for you, and along with that, you have virtue as well. Thus, the people pledged allegiance to Hazrat Abu Bakr. 3. Muhammad says that at the time of Hazrat Abu Bakr's pledge of allegiance, people went to Hazrat Abu Ubaidah bin Al-Jarrah, so he said: You have come to me while the third of the three is present among you, that is, Hazrat Abu Bakr. 4. Ibn Awn says: I asked Muhammad: Who is the third of the three? He replied: The command of Allah is: { ثَانِیَ اثْنَیْنِ إِذْ ہُمَا فِی الْغَارِ }.

It is narrated from Ibn Abi Mulaykah that I heard from Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) and she was asked: O Mother of the Believers! If the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) had appointed a successor, whom would he have appointed as his successor? She replied: Abu Bakr. The narrator says: Then she was asked, after Abu Bakr, whom? Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) replied: Then Umar. She was asked, after Umar, whom? Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) replied: Abu Ubaidah bin Al-Jarrah. Then Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) stopped at this point.

It is narrated from Hazrat Abd Khair that I heard Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) say that the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) passed away in the best state, the very best state in which the prophets pass away. Then Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) described the virtues of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). (Then) Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said: After that, Hazrat Abu Bakr was made the caliph, so he acted according to the deeds and Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). Then Hazrat Abu Bakr also died in the best state in which any person can have the best death. And Hazrat Abu Bakr was the best person in this Ummah after the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Then Hazrat Umar was made the caliph, so he also acted according to the deeds and Sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and Abu Bakr. Then he too died in the best state in which any person can have the best death. And Hazrat Umar was the best person in this Ummah after the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and Hazrat Abu Bakr.

It is narrated from Hazrat Ubaidullah bin Abdullah bin Utbah that when people apostatized during the time of Hazrat Abu Bakr, Hazrat Abu Bakr intended to fight them. Hazrat Umar said to Hazrat Abu Bakr, "Will you fight them even though I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) say: 'Whoever testifies that there is no god but Allah and Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) is the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), then his wealth and his blood become inviolable except by right, and his (inner) account is with Allah'?" Hazrat Abu Bakr replied, "How can I not fight the one who differentiates between prayer and zakat? By Allah! I will certainly fight the one who makes a distinction between the two until he unites them both." Hazrat Umar says, "Then we fought along with Hazrat Abu Bakr. By Allah! Hazrat Abu Bakr was firmly established on the truth." Then, when Hazrat Abu Bakr gained control over some of the apostates, he said, "Choose one of two courses of action: either open war, or a humiliating course." They asked, "We know what open war is, but what is the humiliating course?" He replied, "You must testify regarding our slain that they are in Paradise, and regarding your slain that they are in Hell." So they did as he said.

It is narrated from Hazrat Qasim bin Muhammad that Hazrat Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) used to say: When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) passed away, such calamities befell Hazrat Abu Bakr that if those calamities had descended upon a mountain, they would have shattered that mountain into pieces. Hypocrisy spread in Madinah and (many) Arabs became apostates. By Allah! People did not differ in any command of Islam except that Hazrat Abu Bakr rushed to protect and defend it. And Hazrat Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) also used to say along with this: Whoever saw Umar bin Khattab would know that he was created to remove harm from Islam. And by Allah! Hazrat Umar was extremely alert and unparalleled in all matters. And he prepared suitable people for the affairs.