Reports on the caliphate of Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) and his conduct regarding the apostasy

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abd al-Rahman bin Awf (may Allah be pleased with him) that Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) performed Hajj and intended to deliver a sermon to the people. Sayyiduna Abd al-Rahman bin Awf submitted: "(At this time) people of low rank and from scattered places have gathered around you, so postpone your intention of delivering the sermon until you come to Madinah." The narrator says: Then when I reached Madinah, I sat close to the pulpit, and I heard Sayyiduna Umar saying: "It has come to my attention that people say: 'The caliphate of Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) came about suddenly.' It was indeed sudden, but Allah Almighty removed (the possibility of) its evil. (And now) this caliphate (remains) only through consultation."

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both): I used to go back and forth to Abd al-Rahman bin Awf (may Allah be pleased with him), and (at that time) we were at Mina with Sayyiduna Umar bin al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him). I used to teach Abd al-Rahman bin Awf the Qur'an. I came to him at his lodging but did not find him. It was said that he was with the Commander of the Believers. So I waited for him until he came, and he told me: "Today Sayyiduna Umar became so intensely angry that he has never been so angry before." Ibn Abbas says: I asked: "Why is that?" Abd al-Rahman bin Awf replied: "It reached Sayyiduna Umar that two men of the Ansar mentioned the pledge of allegiance to Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) and said: 'By Allah! His pledge happened all of a sudden. So what prevents a man, if this one (Sayyiduna Umar) dies, from going up to whomever he wishes and striking his hand on his (in pledge), so that it would be just as that one was?'" The narrator says: Then Sayyiduna Umar intended to speak to the people. The narrator says: I submitted: "O Commander of the Believers! Do not speak (just yet), for you are (at this time) in a city where people from all the distant, unknown regions of the Arabs have gathered around you. If you say anything (now), it will be attributed to you and spread throughout the whole earth, and you do not know what will come of it. The people suited to your purpose are those you know will return to Madinah." 2. Then when we came to Madinah, I went very early until I took hold of (a place by) the right post of the pulpit. Then Sayyiduna Sa'id bin Zayd bin Amr bin Nufayl (may Allah be pleased with him) also came to me until he too sat with me. I said (to him): "Today Sayyiduna Umar will make a speech such as he has never made since he became caliph." Sa'id asked: "What sort of thing will he say?" I replied: "You will hear it shortly." 3. The narrator says: Then when the people had gathered, Sayyiduna Umar came out until he sat on the pulpit. He praised and glorified Allah Almighty, then he mentioned the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and invoked blessings upon him (peace and blessings be upon him). Then he said: "Indeed, Allah Almighty kept His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) among us. Revelation would come down to him from Allah, and through it he (peace and blessings be upon him) would declare what is lawful and what is unlawful. Then Allah Almighty took (the soul of) His Messenger, and He raised up with him what Allah willed to raise, and He kept what Allah willed to keep. So we held on to some things, and some things escaped us. Among what we used to recite from the Qur'an was 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 was also revealed. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) carried out stoning and we too carried out stoning along with him (peace and blessings be upon him). I swear by the One in whose hand is the soul of Muhammad! I (myself) memorised this verse, understood it and learned it. If it were not for the fear that it would be said: 'Umar wrote in the Qur'an what is not part of it,' I would have written this verse of stoning with my own hands. Stoning has three situations: a manifest pregnancy, or a confession from the fornicator, or upright witnesses, as Allah has commanded. 4. It has reached me that some people have said about the caliphate of Sayyiduna Abu Bakr that it happened all of a sudden. By my life! Even if the matter was so, Allah Almighty granted the goodness and blessing of his caliphate and protected from its evil. Which man among you is there for whom (people's) necks would bow as they bowed for Sayyiduna Abu Bakr? 5. Indeed, the affair of the people was this: (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 have gathered with Sa'd bin Ubadah among Banu Sa'idah and are pledging allegiance to Sa'd.' So I, Sayyiduna Abu Bakr and Sayyiduna Abu Ubaydah bin al-Jarrah (may Allah be pleased with him) rose and went towards them in a state of alarm, (fearing) that they would create a breach in Islam. We met two truthful men from among the Ansar: Uwaym bin Sa'idah and Ma'n bin Adi. They asked: 'Where are you going?' We said: 'To your people, because something has reached us about them.' The two of them said: 'Go back, for you will not be opposed, and nothing you dislike will be brought about.' But we insisted on going on. And I (Umar) was preparing a speech that I intended to deliver. We went on until we reached the people, and there they were, gathered around Sa'd bin Ubadah, who was lying ill on a bed of his. When we came upon them, they spoke and said: 'O company of Quraysh! A leader from us and a leader from you.' Then al-Hubab bin al-Mundhir stood up and said: 'I am its well-rubbed post and its well-propped date palm (the experienced one whose counsel brings relief). By Allah, if you wish, we will send this matter back to how it began.' Sayyiduna Abu Bakr said: 'Take it easy.' I was about to speak, but he said: 'Be quiet, O Umar.' He praised and glorified Allah, then he said: 'O company of Ansar! By Allah, we do not deny your virtue, nor your trials in Islam, nor your right that is binding upon us. But you know that this tribe of Quraysh holds a standing among the Arabs that no others hold, and that the Arabs will not unite except upon a man from among them. So we are the leaders and you are the ministers. So fear Allah, do not split Islam, and do not be the first to bring about something new in Islam. Indeed, I have approved for you one of these two men, (meaning) me and Abu Ubaydah bin al-Jarrah. Whichever of them you pledge allegiance to, he is trustworthy for you.' By Allah, there remained nothing that I had wanted to say except that he said it that day, other than this one statement. For by Allah, that I should be killed and then brought back to life, then killed and then brought back to life, without any sin, is dearer to me than that I should be leader over a people among whom is Abu Bakr. Then I said: 'O company of Ansar! O company of Muslims! The most deserving of people to hold the affair of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) after him is the second of two when they were in the cave, Abu Bakr, the foremost, the firm.' Then I took hold of his hand, but a man of the Ansar got ahead of me and struck his hand upon his hand before I could strike my hand upon it. Then I struck my hand upon his hand, and the people followed one after another. And they pressed in upon Sa'd bin Ubadah, and the people said: 'Sa'd has been killed.' I said: 'Kill him, may Allah kill him!' Then we left, and Allah had united the affair of the Muslims under Abu Bakr. By the life of Allah, it was sudden, as you have said; Allah granted its goodness and protected from its evil. So whoever calls to the like of it, there is no pledge of allegiance for him, nor for the one who pledges allegiance to him."

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) that when (the blessed soul of) the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was taken, the Ansar said: "A leader from us and a leader from you (Muhajirun)." The narrator says: Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) came to them and said: "O company of Ansar! Do you not know that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered Abu Bakr to lead the people in prayer?" The Ansar said: "Yes, indeed!" Sayyiduna Umar said: "Then which of you would be content in his heart to go ahead of Abu Bakr?" The Ansar said: "We seek refuge in Allah from going ahead of Abu Bakr."

Zayd bin Aslam narrates from his father that when the pledge of allegiance was given to Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) after the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) and Sayyiduna al-Zubayr (may Allah be pleased with him) began to come and go to the house of Sayyidah Fatimah (may Allah be pleased with her), the daughter of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), consulting her and turning to her in their matter (of the caliphate). When this reached Sayyiduna Umar bin al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him), he set out until he entered upon Sayyidah Fatimah and said: "O daughter of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)! By Allah! No one in all creation is dearer to us than your father, and after your father no one is dearer to us than you. By Allah! (But) if these people gather with you (again), this (love) will not prevent me from ordering the people that the house be burned over all those (present in the house)." The narrator says: When Sayyiduna Umar had gone out, these men came to Lady Fatimah. Sayyidah Fatimah said: "You know that Sayyiduna Umar came to me. He has sworn by Allah that if you people gather again, he will certainly burn you in the house. By Allah! Sayyiduna Umar will surely carry out what he has said. So go back in a good state, and consider your own opinion. Do not come back to me." So the people went back from there, and they did not return (to Fatimah) until they had pledged allegiance to Sayyiduna Abu Bakr.

Hisham bin Urwah narrates from his father that Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) and Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) were not present at the burial of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). The two of them were among the Ansar, and the pledge of allegiance was given to them before they returned.

Zayd bin Aslam narrates from his father that Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) came to Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) and (saw that) Sayyiduna Abu Bakr was holding his tongue and moving it about. Sayyiduna Umar said: "O Caliph of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him)! Fear Allah, fear Allah." Sayyiduna Abu Bakr said: "Yes, this very tongue has brought me down to many watering places."

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

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Hudhayfah (may Allah be pleased with him): We were sitting with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) when he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "I do not know how much longer my stay among you will last. So follow the two who will be (caliphs) after me." And he (peace and blessings be upon him) pointed to Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) and Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him). "And go according to the way of Sayyiduna Ammar. And whatever hadith Ibn Mas'ud narrates to you, affirm it as true."

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Hudhayfah (may Allah be pleased with him): We were sitting in the presence of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Then (after this) they narrated the same hadith as that of Abd al-Malik bin Umayr, but they also said: "And hold firmly to the covenant of Ibn Umm Abd."

It is narrated from a man of Banu Zurayq that when it was that day, Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) and Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) set out until they came to the Ansar. Sayyiduna Abu Bakr said: "O company of Ansar! We certainly do not deny your right, nor can any believer deny your right. By Allah! Whatever good we have attained, you were partners with us in it. But the Arabs will not be content nor settle on anyone other than a man of Quraysh, because the people of Quraysh are the most eloquent of tongue, the most handsome of face among all people, the most central of the Arabs in abode, and the most connected among the people of the Arabs by ties of kinship. So come to Umar and pledge allegiance to him." The narrator says: The Ansar said: "No!" Sayyiduna Umar asked: "Why?" The Ansar replied: "We fear others being given preference." Sayyiduna Umar said: "As for that, it will not happen as long as I am alive." Sayyiduna Umar said: "Come then, pledge allegiance to Sayyiduna Abu Bakr." 2. Sayyiduna Abu Bakr said to Sayyiduna Umar: "You are stronger than me." Sayyiduna Umar said (in reply): "You have greater virtue than me." Then the two of them repeated these words to one another a second time. When it happened the third time, Sayyiduna Umar said to Sayyiduna Abu Bakr: "Indeed, my strength too is at your service, along with the virtue you have." So the people pledged allegiance to Sayyiduna Abu Bakr.

Muhammad (bin Sirin) says that at the time of the pledge of allegiance to Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), the people went to Sayyiduna Abu Ubaydah bin al-Jarrah (may Allah be pleased with him), and he said: "You come to me, while among you is the third of three?" meaning Sayyiduna Abu Bakr. Ibn Awn says: I asked Muhammad: "Who is the third of three?" He replied: "The saying of Allah Almighty: 'the second of two when they were in the cave' [Al-Tawbah: 40]."

It is narrated from Ibn Abi Mulaykah: I heard Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her), when 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?" She replied: "Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him)." The narrator says: Then she was asked: "Then whom after Abu Bakr?" Sayyidah Aishah replied: "Then Umar." She was asked: "Whom after Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him)?" Sayyidah Aishah replied: "Sayyiduna Abu Ubaydah bin al-Jarrah (may Allah be pleased with him)." Then Sayyidah Aishah stopped at this point.

It is narrated from Abd Khayr: I heard Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) saying that death came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in the best state in which death comes to the noble prophets. Then Sayyiduna Ali praised him (peace and blessings be upon him). (Then) Sayyiduna Ali said: After that Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was made caliph, and he acted according to the practice of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and his (peace and blessings be upon him) Sunnah. Then death came to Sayyiduna Abu Bakr too in the best state in which anyone's death can come. And Sayyiduna Abu Bakr was the best person in this Ummah after the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Then Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) was made caliph, and he too acted according to the practice and Sunnah of him (peace and blessings be upon him) and Abu Bakr. Then death came to him too in the best state in which anyone's death can come. And Sayyiduna Umar was the best person in this Ummah after the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and Sayyiduna Abu Bakr.

It is narrated from Ubaydullah bin Abdullah bin Utbah that when those who apostatised did so in the time of Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), Sayyiduna Abu Bakr intended to fight them. Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said to Sayyiduna Abu Bakr: "Will you fight them, when I have heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) saying: 'Whoever testifies that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) is the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), his wealth and his blood gain sanctity, except by right (when the sanctity may end), and his (inward) reckoning is with Allah'?" Sayyiduna Abu Bakr said: "How can I not fight the man who makes a distinction between prayer and zakah? By Allah! I shall most certainly fight the man who makes a distinction between the two until he joins them together." Sayyiduna Umar says: Then we fought along with Sayyiduna Abu Bakr. And by Allah, this was the right course. Then when Sayyiduna Abu Bakr had overpowered some of the apostates, he said: "Choose one of two courses: either open war, or the humiliating course." They said: "This open war we know, but what is the humiliating course?" He said: "You shall testify that those of ours who were slain are in Paradise and that those of yours who were slain are in Hell." And so they did this.

It is narrated from al-Qasim bin Muhammad that Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) used to say: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) passed away, and such calamities descended upon Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) that had they descended upon a mountain, they would have crushed it to pieces. Hypocrisy spread in Madinah and (many) people of the Arabs apostatised. By Allah! The people did not differ over any ruling of Islam except that Sayyiduna Abu Bakr rushed to protect and defend it. And along with this, Sayyidah Aishah also used to say: Whoever saw Umar bin al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) would know that he was created to remove harm from Islam. By Allah! Sayyiduna Umar was extremely alert in all matters, and he was without equal. And he prepared for the matters the people suited to them.