بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
نحمده ونصلى على رسوله الكريم ، أما بعد فأعوذ بالله من الشيطن الرجيم ، بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم:
(رضي الله عنهم ورضوا عنه)
“Allah was pleased with them and they were pleased with Him.”
The Reality of the Issue of the Garden of Fadak
The Noble Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:
((لا نورث ما تركنا صدقة))
“We (the Prophets) do not leave inheritance; what we leave behind is charity.”
The Companions’ Familiarity with the Hadith of Inheritance
◈The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ’s statement was also known to Sayyida Fatimah رضي الله عنها and the pure wives
and besides them, all the senior companions, namely Sayyiduna Umar, Sayyiduna Uthman, Sayyiduna Ali, Sayyiduna Abbas, Sayyiduna Abdur Rahman bin Awf, Sayyiduna Zubair, and Sayyiduna Saad bin Abi Waqqas رضي الله عنهم, were also aware of it. Sayyiduna Umar رضي الله عنه addressed these companions and asked: I swear by Allah, do you not know that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“We (the Prophets) do not leave inheritance; whatever we leave behind is charity.”
Everyone replied: Certainly, you ﷺ said so. Then Sayyiduna Umar رضي الله عنه addressed Sayyiduna Ali رضي الله عنه and Sayyiduna Abbas رضي الله عنه again and asked: “We (the Prophets) do not leave inheritance; whatever we leave behind is charity.” They replied: Why not, you ﷺ indeed said so.
The Property Left by the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and the Possible Heirs
◈ When the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ passed away, he left behind the Khums of Khyber, the garden of Fadak, and some property in Medina.
◈ The people who became heirs after the death of the Prophet ﷺ were: Lady Fatimah رضي الله عنها, the Prophet’s uncle Sayyiduna Abbas رضي الله عنه, and the Pure Wives.
◈ After the death of the Prophet ﷺ, when Sayyiduna Abu Bakr رضي الله became Caliph, this property came into his possession.
◈ If this property had belonged to an ordinary person, it would have been divided as follows: half to the daughter, one-eighth to the wives, and the remainder as ‘Asabah’ to the uncle.
Lady Fatimah’s رضي الله عنها Demand for Inheritance and Sayyiduna Abu Bakr’s رضي الله عنه Decision
◈ In this regard, Lady Fatimah رضي الله عنها demanded from Sayyiduna Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه that the inheritance of the Noble Messenger ﷺ be distributed.
◈ But Sayyiduna Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, after hearing the above Hadith of the Prophet, said: According to the statement of the Prophet ﷺ himself, this wealth is not inheritance but charity, which will be collected in the Bayt al-Mal.
◈ Upon this, Sayyida Fatimah, may Allah be pleased with her, became upset with him and distanced herself, and remained distant until her death.
The correct meaning of being upset and “distancing until death”
◈ Distancing does not mean cutting off all relations with Sayyiduna Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, but it means that the noble lady of Paradise did not speak to him again on this matter.
Hafiz Ibn Hajar, may Allah have mercy on him, has also explained this meaning.
Visiting Siddiq (RA) during illness and Sayyida’s consent
◈His second argument is that when Lady Fatimah, may Allah be pleased with her, fell ill, Hazrat Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, went to visit her. Hazrat Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, told Lady Fatimah, may Allah be pleased with her, that Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, has come and seeks permission to visit you. Lady Fatimah, may Allah be pleased with her, said: Let him come. Hazrat Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, entered and kept trying to please her, and said:
والله ما تركت الدار والمال والأهل والعشيرة إلا ابتغاء مرضاة الله ومرضاة رسوله ومرضاتكم أهل البيت.
“By Allah! I have left my home, wealth, family, and relatives solely for the sake of Allah Almighty, His Messenger, peace be upon him, and O Ahl al-Bayt! for your pleasure.”
Hearing this, Lady Fatimah, may Allah be pleased with her, became pleased.
◈This means that the displeasure ended before her death. Therefore, “left until death” means that the Lady of Paradise did not speak again to Hazrat Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, regarding the matter of inheritance.
Clarification of Doubts Regarding Funeral and Burial
◈Some enemies of the truth have also spread the lie that when Sayyida Khatoon-e-Jannat (may Allah be pleased with her) passed away, Sayyidina Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) led her funeral prayer and buried her during the night, and due to Sayyida Fatimah’s (may Allah be pleased with her) displeasure, Sayyidina Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was not informed so that he could not participate in her funeral. This narration is disconnected because it is the statement of Imam Zahri (may Allah have mercy on him), whose chain of transmission is also not mentioned, and a disconnected narration is weak. In this regard, Imam Qurtubi (may Allah have mercy on him) states:
ليس في الخير ما يدل على أن أبا بكر لم يعلم بموتها ولا صلى عليها ولا شاهد جنازتها ، بل اللائق بهم المناسب لأحوالهم حضور جنازتها واغتنام بركتها ، ولا تسمع أكاذيب الرافضة المبطلين الضالين المضلين.
“This narration does not prove that Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddiq رضي الله عنه was unaware of Sayyida Fatimah رضي الله عنها‘s death, nor that he did not lead her funeral prayer or attend the funeral. Rather, it is befitting and appropriate for all the noble companions رضي الله عنهم that they participated in Sayyida’s funeral and benefited from her blessings. Do not be misled by the slanders of the Rafidah, for they are false worshippers, themselves misguided and misleading others.”
Expenses of Ahl al-Bayt and the Income of Fadak
◈ It should be noted that Sayyiduna Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه said to Sayyida Fatimah رضي الله عنها:
“The expenses of the Ahl al-Bayt will be covered from it. By Allah! I will not change the usual charity practices from the time of the Prophet ﷺ, but will continue them just as the Prophet ﷺ left them. After this, Sayyiduna Ali رضي الله عنه said: O Abu Bakr! We acknowledge your virtue and status. Then he mentioned the kinship of the Prophet ﷺ with the Ahl al-Bayt and their rights, to which Sayyiduna Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه replied: By the One in whose hand is my soul! Treating the relatives of the Prophet ﷺ well is dearer to me than my own relatives.”
The narration “Who will inherit you?” and further explanation
◈In one narration, Sayyiduna Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه expressed himself even more clearly. Sayyiduna Abu Huraira رضي الله عنه reports that:
أن فاطمة رضي الله عنها جاءت إلى أبي بكر رضي الله عنه فقالت: من يرثك؟ قال: أهلي وولدي ، قالت: فما لي لا أرث النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: إنى سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول: ((إنا لا نورث)) ولكني أعول من كان النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم يعوله ، وأنفق على من كان النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم ينفق عليه.
Lady Fatimah رضي الله عنه came to Sayyiduna Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه and asked: Who will be your heir? He replied: My wife and children. Lady Fatimah رضي الله عنه said: Then why can’t I be the heir of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم? He said: Because I heard the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم say: We (the Prophets) have no heirs. After that, Sayyiduna Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه said: I will continue to take care of all those whom the Noble Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم used to take care of, and I will provide expenses for all those whom the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم used to provide expenses for.
Prophetic Will: Maintenance of Wives and Remaining Charity
◈ Also, Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه narrates that the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم said:
((لا يقتسم ورثتى دينارا ولا درهما ما تركت بعد نفقة نسائي ومدونة عاملي فهو صدقة))
“My heirs should not engage in the division of dirhams and dinars, rather the remaining wealth after the maintenance and wages of the administrator of my wives will be given as charity.”
Rejection of the accusation of usurpation and the unanimous practice of the Rightly Guided Caliphs
◈The claim by the Shia that Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was a usurper holds little weight in this regard because he neither took that wealth into his possession, nor did he spend it on his family or relatives. Rather, as a Caliph, he kept it as a trust, and this trust was transferred after him to Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), then to Sayyiduna Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him), and after him to Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him). This garden thus remained as a trust.
◈It is also not true that the garden was completely deprived from the Ahl al-Bayt, as the Rafidah falsely spread; rather, the income from this garden was regularly given to the Ahl al-Bayt and was spent on them. Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) also followed the method of Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) and continued to give the income of this garden to the Ahl al-Bayt.
If the decision was wrong, then why was Fadak not returned during the caliphate of Ali (may Allah be pleased with him)?
◈The interesting point is that if the decision of Sayyiduna Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه was not correct, then when Sayyiduna Ali رضي الله عنه became Caliph, why did he, making the correct decision, not hand over the Fadak garden to the descendants of Sayyida Fatimah رضي الله عنها? Because he also considered the decision of Siddiq Akbar رضي الله عنه to be correct, that is why he upheld that decision. And if he did not consider it correct, then what conclusion should be drawn from the fact that despite having authority during his caliphate, he did not hand over the Fadak garden to the family of Fatimah رضي الله عنها? Should we then, seek refuge in Allah, consider him also a participant in that wrong decision? Then why should only Sayyiduna Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه be held responsible for it? Therefore, the same opinion should be held about Sayyiduna Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه as is held about Sayyiduna Ali رضي الله عنه.
Interesting Debate: Abbasid Caliph and an Alawi Person
In this regard, observe an interesting story. Abu al-Abbas Abdullah bin Muhammad bin Ali al-Hashimi al-Saffah was delivering a sermon one day when, during the sermon, a man from the family of Ali, may Allah be pleased with them, stood up and said: Commander of the Faithful! Help me against the oppressor. The Caliph asked: Who has oppressed you? He said: I am from the family of Ali, and Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, oppressed me by not giving Fatimah, may Allah be pleased with her, the land of Fadak. The Caliph asked: Did Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, persist in this oppression? He said: Yes. The Caliph asked: Who became Caliph after him? He said: Umar, may Allah be pleased with him. He asked: Did Sayyiduna Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, also uphold this oppression? He said: Yes. The Caliph asked: After him, who held the Caliphate? He said: Uthman, may Allah be pleased with him. He asked: Did he also continue this oppression? He replied: Yes. The Caliph asked: After him, who ascended the throne of the Caliphate? Now he started looking around and tried to run away.
Fadak as Charity: The Long Tradition of Urwah (RA)
◈Urwah, may Allah have mercy on him, says: The management of this charity was also in the hands of Sayyidina Ali, may Allah be pleased with him. He did not include Sayyidina Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, in it but managed it himself. After that, it came under the management of Sayyidina Hasan bin Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, then it was under the management of Sayyidina Husayn bin Ali, may Allah be pleased with him. Then it was under the supervision of Imam Ali bin Husayn, may Allah have mercy on him, and Imam Hasan bin Hasan, may Allah have mercy on him. They continued to use it. Then this wealth came into the possession of Imam Zayd bin Hasan, may Allah have mercy on him. This was charity from the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him.
The Correct Context of the Hadith “Fatimah is a Part of Me”
◈Some people present this narration to belittle Sayyidina Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, in which Sayyidina Mas’oor bin Mukhramah, may Allah be pleased with him, narrates that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
((فاطمة بضعة منى ، فمن أغضبها أغضبني))
“Fatimah is the apple of my eye, so whoever angers her has angered me.”
They say that since Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) had angered Sayyidah Fatimah (may Allah be pleased with her), he is the subject of this warning.
However, this statement is completely wrong and misplaced, because the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) saying was about Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) in relation to a specific incident. You may also observe that incident:
أن علي بن أبي طالب خطب بنت أبي جهل، وعنده فاطمة بنت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فلما سمعت بذالك فاطمة أتت النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم ، فقالت له: إن قومك يتحدثون أنك لا تغضب لبناتك ، وهذا علي ناكحا ابنة أبي جهل، قال المسور: فقام النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم ، فسمعته حين تشهد ثم قال: ((أما بعد، فإني أنكحت أبا العاص بن الربيع ، فحدثني ، فصدقني ، وإن فاطمة بنت محمد مضغة مني، وإنما أكره أن يفتنوها ، وإنها والله لا تجتمع بنت رسول الله وبنت عدو الله عند رجل واحد أبدا قال: فترك علي الخطبة.
“Sayyiduna Ali ibn Abi Talib رضي الله عنه sent a proposal of marriage to the daughter of Abu Jahl, even though the daughter of the Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم, Sayyida Fatimah رضي الله عنه, was already betrothed to him. When Fatimah رضي الله عنه heard this, she came to the Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم and said: Your people say that you do not get angry over your daughters, and that is why Ali married the daughter of Abu Jahl. Upon hearing this, the Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم stood up and I heard him bear witness to prophethood (i.e., deliver a sermon), then he said: ‘As for what follows! I married one of my daughters to Abu al-As ibn Rabiah, and he proved truthful in what he said to me. And indeed, Fatimah bint Muhammad is my beloved, and I absolutely do not like that anyone should cause her distress. By Allah! Surely, the daughter of the Messenger of Allah and the daughter of the enemy of Allah can never live together in the same household.’ The narrator says that then Ali رضي الله عنه abandoned the intention of marriage.”
From this narration, those so-called lovers of Ahl al-Bayt should clearly understand the context of the Prophet’s ﷺ statement.
The Great Truthful One’s (Siddiq Akbar’s) Financial Sacrifice and Asceticism
◈ It is also a matter worthy of reflection that Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), who sacrificed all his wealth for the sake of Islam, was the one about whom the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said that no one’s wealth benefited me as much as Abu Bakr’s wealth did.
Regarding such a personality, it is not an exaggeration to say that he did not give the garden of Sayyida out of greed for wealth. Even while serving as Caliph, his salary remained equivalent to that of an ordinary laborer, although he could have increased it significantly. But a person who lived alongside the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, the leader of the ascetics (Imam al-Zahideen), how could he harbor a desire for wealth in his heart?
If Fadak were inheritance, it would be part of the Mothers of the Believers’ share
◈If this wealth were inheritance, then since the pure spouses were also among the heirs and Sayyiduna Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه‘s daughter Sayyida Aisha رضي الله عنه, the beloved wife of the Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم, was his eldest cherished spouse. God forbid, if this wealth had any value in the eyes of Sayyiduna Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه, why would he deprive his beloved daughter? That is, when the garden was divided as inheritance, it is certain that his daughter would also have received a share. But in his view, it was only the implementation of the Shariah ruling, nothing else!
The companionship of the close friend and the religion of the beloved
◈It is also worth considering that Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddiq رضي الله عنه was not only the close companion of the Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم but also his travel and daily companion, and on most occasions, he was with the Noble Messenger صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم. In other words, no one was a dearer friend to the Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم than him. So how is it possible that he would treat the family of his dearest friend in a manner that was unjust? Rather, from his continuous companionship with the Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم and his special health, he learned to implement truth and justice. If his decision is declared contrary to truth, then this indirectly amounts to an insult to the Prophet’s own person, because the Noble Messenger’s saying is:
((الرجل على دين خليله))
“A person is on the religion of his friend.”
After the Holy Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, who could be a greater follower of the religion than Siddiq Akbar (Abu Bakr) رضي الله عنه? Thus, it is proven that he made the same decision that he had seen the Prophet ﷺ make.
◈ Moreover, under the pretext of this matter, a false statement attributing a curse to Sayyida Fatimah رضي الله عنه is deliberately or unintentionally ascribed to tarnish her piety and devotion, implying that, God forbid, the princess of Paradise would curse the beloved friend of her father over this insignificant worldly wealth?
◈ The question also arises: when there was such a clear statement from the Prophet ﷺ that we (the Prophets) do not leave inheritance; whatever we leave is charity, then why did Sayyida Fatimah رضي الله عنه demand the division of inheritance?
The answer to this is that Lady Fatimah, the Lady of Paradise, made an ijtihadi (juridical) error in understanding the meaning of the hadith, because no other member of the Ahl al-Bayt was involved in this claim along with her. Lady Fatimah (may Allah be pleased with her) believed that the profit obtained from the produce of the land was not included in the inheritance, whereas the reality was the opposite. Thus, this entire matter arose due to this ijtihadi error.
◈ Making an ijtihadi error is not a defect or fault; rather, as a human being, it is quite possible to make a mistake in understanding something, and the only one exempt from this is the noble person of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
◈ As mentioned earlier, if the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) had left an inheritance, then his purified wives would also have been included among the heirs. For this reason, they too made this same error, but then they remembered this very command of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and stopped. As Lady Aisha Khali (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates:
أرسل أزواج النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم عثمان إلى أبي بكر، يسألنه تمنهن مما أفاء الله على رسوله صلى الله عليه وسلم فكنت أنا أردهن ، فقلت لهن ألا تتقين الله ألم تعلمن أن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم كان يقول: ((لأنورث ، ما تركنا صدقة ـ يريد بذلك نفسه – إنما يأكل آل محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم في هذا المال، فانتهى أزواج النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم إلى ما أخبرتهن.
The wives of the Prophet ﷺ sent Uthman رضي الله عنه to Sayyiduna Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه and requested him to give them one-eighth share of the property that Allah had granted to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ as bounty. I used to forbid them (the purified wives). I said to them: Do you not fear Allah? Do you not know that the Prophet ﷺ said: None of us leaves an heir; whatever we leave behind is charity. By this, the Prophet ﷺ meant his own self. However, the family of Muhammad will continue to take from this wealth according to their needs. When I informed the purified wives of this, they stopped.
This makes it clear that the pure wives were also aware of the Prophet’s ﷺ statement but had forgotten it. When it was reminded to them, they understood and withdrew from this demand. Therefore, it was proven that Fadak was by no means inheritance property.
Unsubstantiated Stories and the Harm to the Ummah
◈A narration attributed to Sayyida Fatimah رضي الله عنه is mentioned in which she said to Sayyiduna Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه: I will curse you after every prayer. This narration is completely fabricated and has no basis. It is not mentioned in any authentic Shia book. The source of this narration is a book called الامامة والسياسة, which is attributed to the well-known Sunni Imam Ibn Qutaybah رحمه الله. Even in Nahj al-Balagha and other places where this narration is recorded, the reference is given to the same mentioned book. The reality of this book is that Imam Ibn Qutaybah رحمه الله never authored any book by this name; rather, some Rafidhi fabricated this book containing linguistic errors and misleading beliefs and attributed it to him. The content is such that the Imam’s own beliefs and opinions are completely opposite to it. Thus, it is clear that the statement about Sayyida Fatimah رضي الله عنه cursing is not mentioned anywhere except in this fabricated book, neither in Shia books nor in Sunni books.
◈The ridiculous thing is that the chain of narration of this hadith has not been mentioned at all, meaning it is completely without any chain of narration. It is such a baseless statement that it cannot be determined who said it, who heard it, and who narrated it further. The destruction of this Ummah happened because fabricated statements, unauthenticated narrations, bundles full of irrelevant and exaggerated stories kept being narrated, which caused discord in the Ummah and completely distorted the facts.
The Virtues of Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddiq رضي الله عنه
Mention of Siddiq, May Allah Be Pleased With Him!
Allah Almighty, in the mention of the migration of the Prophet, has included the companion of the Prophet and the close friend, Sayyiduna Siddiq Akbar رضي الله عنه, in the Quran, making his virtue and greatness a permanent part of recitation. He said:
(إذ هما فى الغار إذ يقول لصاحبه لا تحزن إن الله معنا)
“When they were both in the cave and the one who was behind said to his companion, ‘Do not grieve; indeed Allah is with us.'”
Mention of Three Together:
Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddiq رضي الله عنه narrates that I was in the cave with the Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم when I saw the feet of the pursuing polytheists. I said: O Messenger of Allah! If any of them looks down at their feet, they will see us. The Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said:
((ما ظنك باثنين الله ثالثهما؟)).
“What do you think of two men whose third companion is Allah Almighty?”
Meaning, Allah Almighty is with me and you, so no enemy can harm us.
A Remarkable Expression of Love:
Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه narrates that the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said:
ما نفعنى مال قط ما نفعني مال أبي بكر فبكى أبو بكر وقال: وهل أنا ومالى إلا لك يا رسول الله؟.
“I have never benefited from any wealth as much as I have benefited from the wealth of Abu Bakr.” Upon hearing this, Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه became tearful and said:
O Messenger of Allah! Are not my wealth and I yours?
The Best Personalities After the Prophet ﷺ:
Abu Juhaifah narrates that I heard Sayyiduna Ali رضي الله عنه say:
ألا أخبركم بخير هذه الأمة بعد نبيها؟ أبو بكر.
“Shall I tell you who is the best personality of this Ummah after the Prophet ﷺ? It is Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه.”
Then he said:
ألا أخبركم بخير هذه الأمة بعد أبي بكر؟ عمر.
“Shall I tell you who is the best personality of this Ummah after Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه? It is Umar رضي الله عنه.”
Embodiment of Loyalty, Compassion, Love, and Contentment:
Sayyiduna Abu Saeed Khudri رضي الله عنه narrates that the Noble Prophet ﷺ delivered a sermon and said:
((إن الله خير عبدا بين الدنيا وبين ما عنده فاختار ما عند الله))
“Allah Almighty gave His servant (the Noble Prophet ﷺ) the choice between this world and the Hereafter, so the servant chose what is with Allah (i.e., the Hereafter).”
Upon hearing this, Sayyiduna Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه began to cry. I thought to myself, what has happened to this elder that he has started crying? The matter was only that Allah had given His servant the choice between this world and the Hereafter, and the servant chose the Hereafter. But later I understood that the servant referred to was the noble person of the Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم himself. Sayyiduna Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه was the most knowledgeable about the conditions and life of the Prophet (which is why he sensed it and began to cry in grief of separation). Seeing this, the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said:
((يا أبا بكر لا تبك ، إن أمن الناس علي في صحبته وماله أبو بكر، ولو كنت متخذا خليلا من أمتي لاتخذت أبا بكر، ولكن أخوة الإسلام ومودته))
“Abu Bakr! Do not cry. No one among the people has done me a favor as great as Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه has. If I were to take a close friend from my Ummah, it would have been Abu Bakr, but there is indeed Islamic brotherhood and love.”
Only Abu Bakr’s door remains in the Prophet’s Mosque!
Syedna Abu Saeed Khudri رضي الله عنه narrates that the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said:
(( لا يبقين في المسجد باب إلا سد ، إلا باب أبي بكر ))
“All doors of the mosque (Nabawi) should be closed except the door of Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه.”
The Status of Imamat during the Life of the Prophet:
Syedna Ibn Abbas رضي الله عنه narrates:
لما مرض النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم أمر أبا بكر أن يصلي بالناس ، ثم وجد خفة فخرج ، فلما أحس به أبو بكر أراد أن ينكص فأوما إليه النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم فجلس إلى جنب أبي بكر عن يساره واستفتح من الآية التي انتهى إليها أبو بكر.
“When the Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم fell ill, he instructed Syedna Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه to lead the people in prayer. Then when he recovered somewhat, the Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم returned. When Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه heard the sound of his footsteps, he tried to step back, but the Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم signaled him to remain standing there. Then the Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم sat down on the left side of Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه and resumed reciting from the same part of the verse where Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه had stopped.”
Hara! Stay, for upon you are the Prophet, the Siddiq, and the Martyr:
Sayyiduna Abu Huraira رضي الله عنه narrates that the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم was on Mount Hira when the mountain moved. The Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said:
((اسكن حراه فما عليك إلا نبي أو صديق أو شهيد))
“O Hira, be still, upon you is a Prophet, a Siddiq, and a Martyr.”
At that time, on the mountain were the Noble Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم, Sayyiduna Abu Bakr, Sayyiduna Umar, Sayyiduna Uthman, Sayyiduna Ali, Sayyiduna Talha, Sayyiduna Nazir, and Sayyiduna Saad bin Abi Waqqas رضي الله عنهم.
Glad Tidings of Paradise in This World:
Sayyiduna Saeed bin Zaid رضي الله عنه narrates that he heard the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم say:
((النبي فى الجنة ، وأبو بكر في الجنة ، وعمر في الجنة، وعثمان في الجنة ، وعلي في الجنة، وطلحة في الجنة، والزبير فى الجنة ، وعبد الرحمن بن عوف في الجنة ، وسعد في الجنة))، ولو شئت أن أسمي العاشر.
“The Prophet (صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم) is of Paradise, Abu Bakr is of Paradise, Umar is of Paradise, Uthman is of Paradise, Ali is of Paradise, Talha is of Paradise, Zubair is of Paradise, Abdul Rahman bin Awf is of Paradise, and Saad is of Paradise.” (Then Saeed رضي الله عنه said:) “If I wished, I could also name the tenth person (meaning the tenth was himself).”
A Call from Every Gate of Paradise:
Sayyiduna Abu Huraira رضي الله عنه reports that the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said:
((من أنفق زوجين في سبيل الله نودي من أبواب الجنة: يا عبد الله هذا خير ، فمن كان من أهل الصلاة دعي من باب الصلاة ، ومن كان من أهل الجهاد دعي من باب الجهاد، ومن كان من أهل الصيام دعي من باب الريان ، ومن كان من أهل الصدقة دعي من باب الصدقة ))
“Whoever spends a pair (of something) in the way of Allah will be called from the gates of Paradise: O servant of Allah! This gate is better. Then the prayerful will be called from the gate of prayer, the fighters from the gate of Jihad, the fasting ones from the gate of fasting, and the charity givers from the gate of charity.”
Hearing this, Sayyiduna Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه said: O Messenger of Allah! May my parents be sacrificed for you! Will there be anyone who will be called from all these gates?
The Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said:
((نعم وأرجو أن تكون منهم))
“Yes, I hope that you will be among such people.”
Accustomed to Good Deeds:
Sayyiduna Abu Huraira رضي الله عنه reports that the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم once inquired:
((من أصبح منكم اليوم صائما؟))
“Who among you fasted today?”
Sayyiduna Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه said: I did. The Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said:
((فمن تبع منكم اليوم جنازة؟))
“Who among you attended a funeral today?”
Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه replied: I did. The Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم asked:
((فمن أطعم منكم اليوم مسكينا؟))
“Who among you fed a poor person today?”
Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه said: I did. The Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم asked:
((فمن عاد منكم اليوم مريضا؟))
“Who among you visited a sick person today?”
Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه said: I did. Then the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said:
((ما اجتمعن في امرء إلا دخل الجنة)).
“Whoever possesses these qualities will enter Paradise.”
Elders, the Leaders of the People of Paradise:
Sayyiduna Anas رضي الله عنه narrates that the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said regarding Sayyiduna Abu Bakr and Sayyiduna Umar رضي الله عنه:
((أبو بكر وعمر سيدا كهول أهل الجنة من الأولين والآخرين، إلا النبيين والمرسلين، لا تخبرهما يا علي ما داما حيين))
“Abu Bakr and Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) will be the first and the last; they will be the leaders of all the elderly inhabitants of Paradise, except for the Prophets and Messengers. O Ali! As long as they live, do not tell them this.”
Most beloved to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him):
Abdullah bin Shaqiq narrates that Sayyidna Amr bin Aas (may Allah be pleased with him) said:
يا رسول الله ، من أحب الناس إليك ؟ قال: ((عائشة)) ، قال: من الرجال؟ قال: ((أبوها)).
“O Messenger of Allah! Who is the most beloved among the people to you?” The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Aisha. Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) asked: Among the men? The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Aisha’s father (that is Sayyidna Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him).”
A unique manner of trust, certainty, and closeness:
Sayyidna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) led us in prayer one day, then turned towards us and said:
((بينا رجل يسوق بقرة إذ ركبها فضربها ، فقالت: إنا لم نخلق لهذا، إنما خلقنا للحراثة ، فقال الناس : سبحان الله بقرة تكلم))، قال: ((فإني أومن بهذا، أنا وأبو بكر وعمر )) ، وما هما ثم ، ((وبينا رجل في غنمه إذ عدا عليها الذتب فأخذ شاة منها ، فطلبه فأدركه فاستنقذها منه ، قال: يا هذا استنقذتها مني ، فمن لها يوم السبع ، يوم لا راعي لها غيري؟ فقال الناس: سبحان الله ذتب يتكلم))، قال: ((فإني أومن بذالك وأبو بكر وعمر )) ، وما هما ثم.
“A man was going to drive a cow, then he mounted it and started beating it. The cow said: We animals were not created for riding, rather we were created for farming. People said: SubhanAllah! The cow speaks. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: I, Abu Bakr, and Umar believe in it. Although both of them were not present there at that time. (Then the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:) Similarly, once a man was among his goats when suddenly a wolf attacked and caught one of the goats. The shepherd chased it and caught it, rescuing the goat from the wolf. The wolf said: O man! Today you have saved this goat from me, but who will save it on the Day of Judgment, when there will be no shepherd for them except me. People said: SubhanAllah! The wolf speaks. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: I, Abu Bakr, and Umar believe in it. Although both of them were not present there at that time.”
It is a great honor and virtue of Sayyiduna Abu Bakr and Sayyiduna Umar رضي الله عنه that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم stated something and then mentioned the confirmation and support of these two companions as a testimony, even though they were not present there at that time. This is a sign of special closeness that a person, even in the absence of a companion, shows him as like-minded and agreeing with his opinion, and a person does this only with someone in whom he has great trust and complete certainty.
Who is greater than Abu Bakr?!
Sayyiduna Abdullah رضي الله narrates:
لما قبض رسول الله قالت الأنصار: منا أمير ومنكم أمير ، فأتى عمر فقال: يا معشر الأنصار ، ألستم تعلمون أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قد أمر أبا بكر أن يؤم الناس؟ قالوا: نلى، قال: فأيكم تطيب نفسه أن يتقدم أبا بكر؟ قالت الأنصار: نعوذ بالله أن تتقدم أبا بكر.
“When the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, passed away, the Ansar said: Let there be one leader from among us and one leader from among you. Then Sayyiduna Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, came to them and said: O group of Ansar! Do you not know that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, commanded Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, to lead the people in prayer? They said: Of course. Then Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, said: So who among you considers himself worthy to place himself above Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him? The Ansar said: We seek refuge in Allah from placing ourselves above Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him.”
Know the virtues of the sources of Sunnah!
Abu Ja’far, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
من جهل فضل أبي بكر وعمر فقد جهل السنة.
“Whoever is unaware of the virtues of Abu Bakr and Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) is ignorant of the Sunnah.”
The true protectors of Islam:
Imam Waki’ ibn Jarrah, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
لولا أبو بكر الصديق ذهب الإسلام.
“If Abu Bakr Siddiq, may Allah be pleased with him, had not been there, Islam would have ended.”
“Imam Waki’ may Allah have mercy on him said this because when the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, passed away, many people apostatized. At that time, the fitnah of apostasy spread so rapidly that it caused great distress for those who bore the name of Islam. In such a situation, it was Sayyiduna Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, who, with great wisdom, determination, and timely intellectual and practical measures, eradicated this fitnah and protected Islam.”
Rock-like courage and firm resolve and bravery:
Sayyida Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, narrates:
قبض النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم وارتدت العرب ، فنزل بأبي ما لو نزل بالجبال الراسيات لهاضها ، ارتدت العرب واشراب النفاق بالمدينة ، فوالله ما اختلف الناس في نقطة إلا طار أبي بحظها وعنائها.
“When the Prophet ﷺ passed away, the Arabs began to apostatize and hypocrisy spread in Medina. If such calamities had befallen even the strongest mountains, which my father (Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه) faced, they would have broken them. By Allah! If there was even a single point of disagreement among the people regarding Islam, my father would reach there with full dedication and zeal.”
After the Prophet’s departure, when tribes began to apostatize one after another, preventing this was as necessary as it was difficult. This entire responsibility was on the shoulders of Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddiq رضي الله عنه, and it was his courage and determination that he resolved all these issues with great dedication, zeal, and eloquence.
Wherever this rain fell, it proved beneficial:
Imam Rabi’ bin Anas رحمه الله says:
مثل أبي بكر الصديق مثل القطر ، أينما وقع نفع.
“Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddiq رضي الله عنه is like rain, wherever it falls, it brings benefit.”
Sincerity and Truthfulness and Loyalty: A Shining Chapter:
Bakr bin Abdullah رحمتہ الله says:
إن أبا بكر لم يفضل الناس بأنه كان أكثرهم صلاة وصوما ، إنما فضلهم بشيء كان في قلبه.
“Indeed, Sayyiduna Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه did not have superiority over people because he prayed more or fasted more than them, rather he had superiority over them only because of what was in his heart.”
The Personality Who Freed Bilal رضي الله عنه:
Sayyiduna Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه freed Sayyiduna Bilal رضي الله عنه from the slavery of Umayyah. Because of this, he was given the title ‘Atiq’, meaning the liberator and the one who freed himself from Hellfire. To honor this great virtue of his, Sayyiduna Ammar bin Yasir رضي الله عنه recited these verses:
جزى الله خيرا عن بلال وصحبه ….. عتيقا وأخزى فاكها وأبا جهل عشية هما في بلال بسوءة … ولم يحذرا ما يحذر المرء ذو العقل بتوحيده رب الأنام وقوله … شهدت بأن الله ربي على مهل فإن يقتلوني يقتلوني ولم أكن الأشرك بالرحمن من خيفة القتل فيا رب إبراهيم والعبد يونس ….. وموسى وعيسى نجني ثم لا تمل لمن ظل يهوى الغي من آل غالب ….. على غير بر كان منه ولا عدل
“May Allah Almighty reward Atiq better for freeing Bilal and his companions, and disgrace Faqih and Abu Jahl, for one evening these two treated Bilal رضي الله عنه very badly and they did not fear anything that a wise person could fear. These punishments were only because Bilal رضي الله عنه believed in his Lord alone and said that my Lord is only one Allah. If they want to kill me, let them do so, but I will not commit shirk with the Merciful out of fear of death. O Lord of Ibrahim, Yunus, Musa, and Isa عليه السلام! Grant me salvation, then do not grant respite to any person among the people of Al-Ghalib who is trapped in misguidance and error and who persists in sin, disobedience, and injustice.”
Sayyiduna Hassan رضي الله عنه‘s Poetic Tribute of Reverence:
Imam Shami, may Allah have mercy on him, narrates that I asked Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, who brought Islam first? He replied: Abu Bakr Siddiq, may Allah be pleased with him. Then he said: Have you not heard the verses of Hassan bin Thabit, may Allah be pleased with him:
إذا تذكرت شجرا من أخي ثقة … فاذكر أخاك أبا بكر بما فعلا خير البرية أتقاها وأعدلها بعد النبي وأوفاها بما حملا الثاني التالي المحمود مشهده ….. وأول الناس منهم صدق الرسلا
“When you mention any strong and trustworthy brave brother of mine, mention your brother Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), because of the deeds he accomplished. After the Prophet, peace be upon him, he is the best person living on the face of the earth, the most pious and just among all, and the one who fulfilled the responsibility given to him in the best manner. He was the second with the Prophet (peace be upon him) and the one who came forward, wherever he appeared in any gathering, he became worthy of praise, and he was the first person among the people who confirmed the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him.”
