The Shaykh, the jurist, Abū al-Qāsim ʿAbd ar-Raḥmān ibn Muḥammad ibn Muḥammad ibn Saʿīd al-Anṣārī al-Bukhārī informed us that it was read upon him in the year 435 AH in the city of Makkah, may Allah protect it, that Abū Muḥammad ʿAbd Allah ibn Musāfir said, Abū Bakr ibn Khalaf ibn ʿUmar ibn Khalaf al-Hamadhānī informed us, that Abū al-Ḥasan Aḥmad ibn Muḥammad ibn Azmah relayed, that Abū al-Ḥasan ibn ʿAlī aṭ-Ṭanāfisī conveyed to us that Khalaf ibn Muḥammad al-Qaṭwānī said: ʿAlī ibn Ṣāliḥ informed us of a discussion which took place between a Rāfiḍī and Jaʿfar ibn Muḥammad aṣ-Ṣādiq;
Rāfiḍī: May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon you. Son of the Messenger of Allah, who is the best from among the people after the Messenger of Allah?
Jaʿfar aṣ-Ṣādiq: Abū Bakr aṣ-Ṣiddīq.
Rāfiḍī: And what is your proof for that?
Jaʿfar aṣ-Ṣādiq: The proof is the saying of Allah ;
إِلَّا تَنصُرُوهُ فَقَدْ نَصَرَهُ اللَّهُ إِذْ أَخْرَجَهُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا ثَانِيَ اثْنَيْنِ إِذْ هُمَا فِي الْغَارِ إِذْ يَقُولُ لِصَاحِبِهِ لَا تَحْزَنْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ مَعَنَا ۖ فَأَنزَلَ اللَّهُ سَكِينَتَهُ عَلَيْهِ وَأَيَّدَهُ بِجُنُودٍ لَّمْ تَرَوْهَا وَجَعَلَ كَلِمَةَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا السُّفْلَىٰ ۗ وَكَلِمَةُ اللَّهِ هِيَ الْعُلْيَا ۗ وَاللَّهُ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ
“If you help him (Muḥammad) not (it does not matter), for Allah did indeed help him when the disbelievers drove him out, the second of two, when they (Muḥammad and Abū Bakr were in the cave), and he said to his companion (Abū Bakr): ‘Be not sad (or afraid), surely Allah is with us.’ Then Allah sent down His sakīnah (calmness, tranquillity, peace) upon him, and strengthened him with forces (angels) which you saw not, and made the word of those who disbelieved the lowermost, while the Word of Allah became the uppermost, and Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise.” [Q 9:40]
Who could be better than two people whose third is Allah? Could there be anyone better than Abū Bakr except the Messenger of Allah ?
Rāfiḍī: Well surely ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib slept in the bed of the Prophet without fear or worry.
Jaʿfar aṣ-Ṣādiq: As did Abū Bakr, he was with the Prophet without fear or worry.
Rāfiḍī: But Allah says the opposite of what you say!
Jaʿfar aṣ-Ṣādiq: And what has Allah said?
Rāfiḍī: Allah said:
إِذْ يَقُولُ لِصَاحِبِهِ لَا تَحْزَنْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ مَعَنَا
“When he said to his companion: ‘Be not sad (or afraid), surely Allah is with us.’” [Q 9:40] (excerpt)
Is this not fearful anxiety?
Jaʿfar aṣ-Ṣādiq: No, because grief is different from panic and fear. Abū Bakr was grieving lest the Prophet be killed, and the religion of Allah would no longer be practised; so he was grieving over the religion of Allah and the Prophet of Allah, his grief was not for himself. And how could that not be the case when he was stung by more than a hundred centipedes and yet did not make a sound!?
Rāfiḍī:
إِنَّمَا وَلِيُّكُمُ اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا الَّذِينَ يُقِيمُونَ الصَّلَاةَ وَيُؤْتُونَ الزَّكَاةَ وَهُمْ رَاكِعُونَ
“Verily, your Walī (Protector or Helper) is none other than Allah, His Messenger, and the believers, – those who perform al-Ṣalāt (Iqāmat al-Ṣalāt), and give Zakāt, and they are Rākīʿūn (those who bow down or submit themselves with obedience to Allah in prayer).” [Q 5:55]
This was revealed concerning ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib who gave his ring in charity when he was bowing [in prayer] to which the Prophet said;
الحمد لله الذي جعلها في وفي أهل بيتي
“All praise be to Allah Who has made [this verse] about me and my family.” [Munāẓarat Jaʿfar ibn Muḥammad aṣ-Ṣādiq maʿ ar-Rāfiḍī, transmitted debate.]
Jaʿfar aṣ-Ṣādiq: The verse which precedes it in the same chapter is even greater! Allah said;
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مَن يَرْتَدَّ مِنكُمْ عَن دِينِهِ فَسَوْفَ يَأْتِي اللَّهُ بِقَوْمٍ يُحِبُّهُمْ وَيُحِبُّونَهُ
“O you who believe! Whoever from among you turns back from his religion (Islam), Allah will bring a people whom He will love and they will love Him” [Q 5:54] (excerpt)
The apostasy occurred after the death of the Prophet. The Arabs apostatised after the death of the Prophet, and so the non-Muslims gathered in Nahāwand and said;
الرجل الذين كانوا يتنصرون به قد مات
“The man from whom they used to seek aid has died.” [Munāẓarat Jaʿfar ibn Muḥammad aṣ-Ṣādiq maʿ ar-Rāfiḍī, transmitted debate.]
, meaning the Prophet. ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb had even said:
اقبل منهم الصلاة، ودع لهم الزكاة
“Accept their prayer and leave the zakāt to them.” [Munāẓarat Jaʿfar ibn Muḥammad aṣ-Ṣādiq maʿ ar-Rāfiḍī, transmitted debate.]
, to which Abū Bakr replied;
لو منعوني عقالا مما كانوا يؤدون إلى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم لقاتلتهم عليه ولو اجتمع علي عدد الحجر والمدر والشوك والشجر والجن والإنس لقاتلتهم وحدي
“By Allah, if they withheld from me a camel’s tether that they used to give to the Messenger of Allah , I would fight them over it. Even if as many as the stones, clods, thorns, trees, jinn and human beings gathered against me, I would fight them alone.” [Munāẓarat Jaʿfar ibn Muḥammad aṣ-Ṣādiq maʿ ar-Rāfiḍī, transmitted debate.]
– And this verse had favoured Abū Bakr.
Rāfiḍī: Allah has said;
الَّذِينَ يُنفِقُونَ أَمْوَالَهُم بِاللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ سِرًّا وَعَلَانِيَةً
“And those who spend their wealth day and night, secretly and publicly.” [Q 2:274] (excerpt)
This was revealed about ʿAlī. He used to have four dīnārs from which he would spend in charity; one at night, one during the day, one in secret and one in public, and so this verse was revealed concerning him.
Jaʿfar aṣ-Ṣādiq: There is something better than this mentioned about Abū Bakr in the Qurʾān, Allah says:
وَاللَّيْلِ إِذَا يَغْشَىٰ
“By the night as it envelops” [Q 92:1]
Allah swore an oath [and then said],
وَالنَّهَارِ إِذَا تَجَلَّىٰ … إِنَّ سَعْيَكُمْ لَشَتَّىٰ فَأَمَّا مَنْ أَعْطَىٰ وَاتَّقَىٰ وَصَدَّقَ بِالْحُسْنَىٰ فَسَنُيَسِّرُهُ لِلْيُسْرَىٰ
“And [by] the day as it appears in brightness…Certainly, your efforts and deeds are diverse; as for he who gives (in charity) and keeps his duty to Allah and fears Him, And believes in the best reward, We will make smooth for him the path of ease” [Q 92:2, 4–7] (excerpt)
meaning Abū Bakr
الَّذِي يُؤْتِي مَالَهُ يَتَزَكَّىٰ وَمَا لِأَحَدٍ عِندَهُ مِن نِّعْمَةٍ تُجْزَىٰ إِلَّا ابْتِغَاءَ وَجْهِ رَبِّهِ الْأَعْلَىٰ وَلَسَوْفَ يَرْضَىٰ
“He who spends his wealth for increase in self-purification, and who has (in mind) no favour from anyone, except to seek the Countenance of his Lord, the Most High; he surely will be pleased (when he enters Paradise).” [Q 92:18–21] (excerpt)
referring to Abū Bakr.
He spent forty thousand dirhams of his wealth upon the Messenger of Allah until he exhausted all of his wealth. Jibrīl descended and said:
الله العلي الأعلى يقرئك السلام، ويقول: اقرأ على أبي بكر مني السلام، وقل له أراض أنت عني في فقرك هذا، أم ساخط؟
“Allah, the Most High, conveys His greetings of peace to you and says: ‘Convey My greetings of peace to Abū Bakr and ask him: Are you pleased with Me in this poverty of yours, or are you displeased?’” [Munāẓarat Jaʿfar ibn Muḥammad aṣ-Ṣādiq maʿ ar-Rāfiḍī, transmitted debate.]
When the Prophet asked Abū Bakr, he began to cry and said:
أسخط على ربي عز وجل؟! أنا عن ربي راض، أنا عن ربي راض، أنا عن ربي راض
“Me, displeased with my Lord? No, I am pleased with my Lord! I am pleased with my Lord! I am pleased with my Lord!” [Munāẓarat Jaʿfar ibn Muḥammad aṣ-Ṣādiq maʿ ar-Rāfiḍī, transmitted debate.]
Allah promised to make him pleased.
Rāfiḍī: Allah said:
أَجَعَلْتُمْ سِقَايَةَ الْحَاجِّ وَعِمَارَةَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ كَمَنْ آمَنَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ وَجَاهَدَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ ۚ لَا يَسْتَوُونَ عِندَ اللَّهِ ۗ وَاللَّهُ لَا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الظَّالِمِينَ
“Do you consider the providing of drinking water to the pilgrims and the maintenance of al-Masjid al-Ḥarām (at Makkah) as equal to the worth of those who believe in Allah and the Last Day, and strive hard and fight in the Cause of Allah? They are not equal before Allah. And Allah guides not those people who are the Ẓālimūn (polytheists and wrong-doers).” [Q 9:19]
This was revealed about ʿAlī.
Jaʿfar aṣ-Ṣādiq: There is also something similar said about Abū Bakr in the Qurʾān. Allah said;
لَا يَسْتَوِي مِنكُم مَّنْ أَنفَقَ مِن قَبْلِ الْفَتْحِ وَقَاتَلَ ۚ أُولَـٰئِكَ أَعْظَمُ دَرَجَةً مِّنَ الَّذِينَ أَنفَقُوا مِن بَعْدُ وَقَاتَلُوا
“Not equal among you are those who spent and fought before the conquering (of Makkah with those among you who did so later). Such are higher in degree5 than those who spent and fought afterwards.” [Q 57:10] (excerpt)
Abū Bakr was the first to spend in charity upon the Messenger of Allah. He was the first to fight and the first to strive. The polytheists assaulted the Prophet until he bled. When news of this reached Abū Bakr, he turned towards the path to Makkah and said;
ويلكم أتقتلون رجلاً أن يقول ربي الله، وقد جاءكم بالبينات من ربكم؟
“Woe to you! Would you kill a man because he says, ‘My Lord is Allah’, when he has brought you clear proofs from your Lord?” [Munāẓarat Jaʿfar ibn Muḥammad aṣ-Ṣādiq maʿ ar-Rāfiḍī, transmitted debate.]
So they left the Prophet and took to assaulting Abū Bakr so badly that his nose could not be distinguished from his face. He was the first to wage jihād for the sake of Allah, and the first to fight alongside the Prophet. He was the first to spend his wealth in charity, and it has been reported that the Prophet said; “No wealth has benefited me like the wealth of Abū Bakr.”
Rāfiḍī: ʿAlī has never ever associated partners with Allah.
Jaʿfar aṣ-Ṣādiq: Certainly Allah has praised Abū Bakr; a praise that has sufficed him from everything. Allah said,
وَالَّذِي جَاءَ بِالصِّدْقِ وَصَدَّقَ بِهِ
“And he (Muḥammad) who has brought the truth and those who believed therein.” [Q 39:33] (excerpt)
, meaning Abū Bakr. Everyone said to the Prophet ,
كذبت
“You have lied.” [Munāẓarat Jaʿfar ibn Muḥammad aṣ-Ṣādiq maʿ ar-Rāfiḍī, transmitted debate.]
except Abū Bakr, he said ‘You have spoken the truth.’ So this verse was revealed about him, the verse of truthfulness.
Rāfiḍī: Loving ʿAlī has been made mandatory in the Qurʾān, Allah said;
قُل لَّا أَسْأَلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ أَجْرًا إِلَّا الْمَوَدَّةَ فِي الْقُرْبَىٰ
“No reward do I ask of you for this except to be kind to me for my kinship with you.” [Q 42:23] (excerpt)
Jaʿfar aṣ-Ṣādiq: Likewise, for Abū Bakr. Allah said;
وَالَّذِينَ جَاءُوا مِن بَعْدِهِمْ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا اغْفِرْ لَنَا وَلِإِخْوَانِنَا الَّذِينَ سَبَقُونَا بِالْإِيمَانِ وَلَا تَجْعَلْ فِي قُلُوبِنَا غِلًّا لِّلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا رَبَّنَا إِنَّكَ رَءُوفٌ رَّحِيمٌ
“And those who came after them say: ‘Our Lord! Forgive us and our brethren who have preceded us in faith, and put not in our hearts any hatred against those who have believed. Our Lord! You are indeed full of kindness, Most Merciful.’” [Q 59:10]
Abū Bakr is from those who preceded in faith. So seeking forgiveness for him and loving him is mandatory whilst hating him is disbelief.
Rāfiḍī: The Prophet said; “Al-Ḥasan and al-Ḥusayn are the leaders of the youth in Paradise, and their father is better than them.”
Jaʿfar aṣ-Ṣādiq: Abū Bakr is better in the sight of Allah than that. My father informed me, that my grandfather informed him, that ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib said;
كنت عند النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم وليس عنده غيري، إذ طلع أبو بكر وعمر رضي الله عنهما، فقال النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم: يا علي هذان سيدا كهول أهل الجنة وشبابهم فيما مضى من سالف الدهر في الأولين وما بقي في غابره من الآخرين، إلا النبيين والمرسلين. لا تخبرهما يا علي ما داما حيين، فما أخبرت به أحداً حتى ماتا.
“I was alone with the Prophet when Abū Bakr and ʿUmar suddenly came by. The Prophet said; ‘ʿAlī! Abū Bakr and ʿUmar are the masters of the older men of Paradise and their young men from those who came before and died, and of those who are to come except the Messengers and Prophets. Do not inform them of this as long as they are alive.’ So I did not inform anyone about this until they died.” [Munāẓarat Jaʿfar ibn Muḥammad aṣ-Ṣādiq maʿ ar-Rāfiḍī, transmitted debate.]
Rāfiḍī: Who is better, Fāṭimah the daughter of the Prophet or ʿĀʾishah the daughter of Abū Bakr?
Jaʿfar aṣ-Ṣādiq: In the name of Allah,
يس وَالْقُرْآنِ الْحَكِيمِ
“Yā-Sīn, by the Qurʾān, full of wisdom” [Q 36:1–2]
And;
حم وَالْكِتَابِ الْمُبِينِ
“Ḥā-Mīm, by the manifest Book that makes things clear.” [Q 44:1–2]
Rāfiḍī: I am asking you which of the two are better and you are reciting Qurʾān to me?
Jaʿfar aṣ-Ṣādiq: ʿĀʾishah – the daughter of Abū Bakr, is the wife of the Prophet, and she will be with him in Paradise. And Fāṭimah is the daughter of the Messenger of Allah , and she is the leader of the women in Paradise. Allah has cursed those who speak ill of the wife of the Prophet and Allah has abandoned the one who has hatred for the daughter of the Prophet.
Rāfiḍī: ʿĀʾishah fought ʿAlī , and she is the wife of the Messenger !
Jaʿfar aṣ-Ṣādiq: Yes, and woe to you, Allah has said;
وَمَا كَانَ لَكُمْ أَن تُؤْذُوا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ
“And it is not [conceivable or lawful] for you to harm the Messenger of Allah.” [Q 33:53] (excerpt)
Rāfiḍī: Has the caliphate of Abū Bakr, ʿUmar, ʿUthmān and ʿAlī been mentioned in the Qurʾān?
Jaʿfar aṣ-Ṣādiq: Yes, and it has been mentioned in the Torah and the Bible. Allah said;
وَهُوَ الَّذِي جَعَلَكُمْ خَلَائِفَ الْأَرْضِ وَرَفَعَ بَعْضَكُمْ فَوْقَ بَعْضٍ دَرَجَاتٍ
“And it is He who has made you successors upon the earth and has raised some of you above others in degrees [of rank]” [Q 6:165] (excerpt)
and He also said;
أَمَّن يُجِيبُ الْمُضْطَرَّ إِذَا دَعَاهُ وَيَكْشِفُ السُّوءَ وَيَجْعَلُكُمْ خُلَفَاءَ الْأَرْضِ ۗ
“Is not He [better than your gods] who responds to the distressed one when he calls upon Him and removes evil and makes you inheritors of the earth?” [Q 27:62] (excerpt)
and he said;
وَعَدَ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مِنكُمْ وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ لَيَسْتَخْلِفَنَّهُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ كَمَا اسْتَخْلَفَ الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ وَلَيُمَكِّنَنَّ لَهُمْ دِينَهُمُ الَّذِي ارْتَضَىٰ لَهُمْ
“Allah has promised those who have believed among you and done righteous deeds that He will surely grant them succession [to authority] upon the earth just as He granted it to those before them and that He will surely establish for them [therein] their religion which He has preferred for them.” [Q 24:55] (excerpt)
Rāfiḍī: Son of the Messenger of Allah, where has the caliphate been mentioned in the Torah and Bible?
Jaʿfar aṣ-Ṣādiq: Allah said;
مُّحَمَّدٌ رَّسُولُ اللَّهِ ۚ وَالَّذِينَ مَعَهُ
“Muḥammad is the Messenger of Allah, and those who are with him” [Q 48:29] (excerpt)
meaning Abū Bakr,
وَالَّذِينَ مَعَهُ أَشِدَّاءُ عَلَى الْكُفَّارِ
“and those with him are severe against the disbelievers” [Q 48:29] (excerpt)
meaning ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb,
رُحَمَاءُ بَيْنَهُمْ
“Merciful among themselves” [Q 48:29] (excerpt)
that is ʿUthmān ibn ʿAffān,
تَرَاهُمْ رُكَّعًا سُجَّدًا يَبْتَغُونَ فَضْلًا مِّنَ اللَّهِ وَرِضْوَانًا
“You see them bowing and prostrating [in prayer], seeking bounty from Allah and [His] pleasure.” [Q 48:29] (excerpt)
That is ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib.
سِيمَاهُمْ فِي وُجُوهِهِم مِّنْ أَثَرِ السُّجُودِ
“Their mark is on their faces from the trace of prostration.” [Q 48:29] (excerpt)
They are the companions of the chosen Prophet. Muḥammad.
ذَٰلِكَ مَثَلُهُمْ فِي التَّوْرَاةِ وَمَثَلُهُمْ فِي الْإِنجِيلِ
“That is their description in the Torah. And their description in the Gospel…” [Q 48:29] (excerpt)
Rāfiḍī: What does “That is their description in the Torah. And their description in the Gospel” mean? Muḥammad is the Messenger of Allah and the Caliphs after him, Abū Bakr, ʿUmar, ʿUthmān and ʿAlī; The report then states that he struck him in the chest.
Jaʿfar aṣ-Ṣādiq: Woe to you! Allah has said;
كَزَرْعٍ أَخْرَجَ شَطْأَهُ فَآزَرَهُ فَاسْتَغْلَظَ فَاسْتَوَىٰ عَلَىٰ سُوقِهِ يُعْجِبُ الزُّرَّاعَ لِيَغِيظَ بِهِمُ الْكُفَّارَ وَعَدَ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ مِنْهُمْ مَغْفِرَةً وَأَجْرًا عَظِيمًا
“But their description in the Injīl (Gospel) is like a (sown) seed which sends forth its shoot, then makes it strong, and becomes thick, and it stands straight on its stem, delighting the sowers that He may enrage the disbelievers with them. Allah has promised those among them who believe (i.e. all those who follow Islamic Monotheism, the religion of Prophet Muhammad till the Day of Resurrection) and do righteous good deeds, forgiveness and a mighty reward (i.e. Paradise).” [Q 48:29] (excerpt)
كَزَرْعٍ أَخْرَجَ شَطْأَهُ فَآزَرَهُ
“Like a (sown) seed which sends forth its shoot, then makes it strong.” [Q 48:29] (excerpt)
Meaning Abū Bakr.
فَاسْتَغْلَظَ
“Then it becomes thick.” [Q 48:29] (excerpt)
Meaning ʿUmar.
فَاسْتَوَىٰ عَلَىٰ سُوقِهِ
“And it stands straight on its stem.” [Q 48:29] (excerpt)
Meaning ʿUthmān.
يُعْجِبُ الزُّرَّاعَ لِيَغِيظَ بِهِمُ الْكُفَّارَ
“Delighting the sowers, so that He may enrage the disbelievers with them.” [Q 48:29] (excerpt)
Meaning ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib.
وَعَدَ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ مِنْهُمْ مَغْفِرَةً وَأَجْرًا عَظِيمًا
“Allah has promised those who believe and do righteous deeds among them forgiveness and a great reward.” [Q 48:29] (excerpt)
Meaning the Companions of the Messenger .
Woe to you! My father informed me from my grandfather, from ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib that the Prophet said;
أنا أول من تنشق الأرض عنه ولا فخر ، ويعطيني الله من الكرامة ما لم يعط نبي قبلي ، ثم ينادي قرّب الخلفاء من بعدك فأقول : يا رب ومن الخلفاء ؟ فيقول : عبد الله بن عثمان أبو بكر الصديق ، فأول من ينشق عنه الأرض بعدي أبو بكر ، فيوقف بين يدي الله ، فيحاسب حساباً يسيراً ، فيكسى حلتين خضراوتين ثم يوقف أمام العرش .
ثم ينادي منادٍ أين عمر بن الخطاب ؟ فيجئ عمر وأوداجه تشخب دماً فيقول من فعل بك هذا ؟ فيقول : عبد المغيرة بن شعبة ، فيوقف بين يدي الله ويحاسب حساباً يسيراً ويكسى حلتين خضراوتين ، ويوقف أمام العرش .
ثم يؤتى عثمان بن عفان وأوداجه تشخب دماً فيقال من فعل بك هذا ؟ فيقول : فلان بن فلان ، فيوقف بين يدي الله فيحاسب حساباً يسيراً ويكسى حلتين خضراوتين ، ثم يوقف أمام العرش .
ثم يدعى علي بن أبي طالب فيأتي وأوداجه تشخب دماً فيقال من فعل بك هذا ؟ فيقول : عبدالرحمن بن ملجم ، فيوقف بين يدي الله ويحاسب حساباً يسيراً ويكسى حلتين خضراوتين ، ويوقف أمام العرش.“Without boasting, I will be the first one for whom the earth will be split open. Allah will bestow upon me from His generosity that which he has not given to any Prophet before me. Then it will be said; ‘Bring close the Caliphs that came after you.’ I would ask; ‘Lord, who are the Caliphs?’ It will be said ‘ʿAbd Allah ibn ʿUthmān [Abū Quḥāfa], Abū Bakr aṣ-Ṣiddīq.’ So the first one for whom the earth will be split open after me will be Abū Bakr. He will stand in front of Allah and will have a easy reckoning. He then will be made to stand in front of the Throne, draped in two green garments. Then the caller will ask, ‘Where is ʿUmar?’ So ʿUmar will come with blood flowing from his jugular veins. It will be asked ‘Who did this to you?’ To which he will reply, ‘the slave of al-Mughīrah ibn Shuʿbah.’ He will stand in front of Allah and will have a easy reckoning. Then he will be made to stand in front of the Throne, draped in two green garments. Then ʿUthmān will come with blood dripping from his jugular veins. It will be asked, ‘Who did this to you?’ To which he will reply; ‘So and so.’ He will stand in front of Allah and will have a easy reckoning. He then will be made to stand in front of the Throne, draped in two green garments. Then ʿAlī will come with blood dripping from his jugular veins. It will be asked, ‘Who did this to you?’ To which he will reply; ‘ʿAbd ar-Raḥmān ibn Muljam.’ He will stand in front of Allah and will have a easy reckoning. He then will be made to stand in front of the Throne, draped in two green garments” [Munāẓarat Jaʿfar ibn Muḥammad aṣ-Ṣādiq maʿ ar-Rāfiḍī, transmitted debate.]
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Rāfiḍī: O son of the Messenger of Allah , is this related in the Qurʾān?
Jaʿfar aṣ-Ṣādiq: Yes! Allah said;
وَجِيءَ بِالنَّبِيِّينَ وَالشُّهَدَاءِ وَقُضِيَ بَيْنَهُم بِالْحَقِّ وَهُمْ لَا يُظْلَمُونَ
“…and the prophets and the witnesses will be brought, and it will be judged between them in truth, and they will not be wronged.” [Q 39:69] (excerpt)
meaning, Abū Bakr, ʿUmar, ʿUthmān and ʿAlī.
Rāfiḍī: O son of the Messenger of Allah , would Allah accept my repentance from what I was upon of distinguishing between Abū Bakr, ʿUmar, ʿUthmān and ʿAlī?
Jaʿfar aṣ-Ṣādiq: Yes, the door to repentance is open. Increase in seeking Allah’s forgiveness for them. For if you die whilst you are in opposition to them, you would surely die upon something other than the natural disposition of Islam, and your account would be like scattered dust.
Evidences Concerning the Virtue and Precedence of Abū Bakr aṣ-Ṣiddīq
1. Prophetic Testimony Regarding al-Ḥasan ibn ʿAlī
Al-Bukhārī (d. 256 AH/870 CE) narrates in his Ṣaḥīḥ (ḥadīth no. 2704) that Abū Bakrah ath-Thaqafī (d. 51 AH/671 CE) said: I saw the Messenger of Allah upon the minbar, with al-Ḥasan ibn ʿAlī beside him. He would turn to the people at times and then turn to al-Ḥasan at times, and he said:
إِنَّ ابْنِي هَذَا سَيِّدٌ، وَلَعَلَّ اللَّهَ أَنْ يُصْلِحَ بِهِ بَيْنَ فِئَتَيْنِ عَظِيمَتَيْنِ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ
“This son of mine will be a leader, and perhaps Allah will bring about reconciliation through him between two great groups of Muslims.” [Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, no. 2704, excerpt.]
This ḥadīth constitutes a clear prophetic foretelling of the reconciliation that later occurred through al-Ḥasan ibn ʿAlī (d. 50 AH/670 CE), when he relinquished authority in order to prevent bloodshed among the Muslims.
2. The Verse Concerning Those Whom Allah Loves and the Apostasy After the Prophet
Al-Ḥasan al-Baṣrī (d. 110 AH/728 CE) said that Allah knew that a group of people would apostatise after the death of their Prophet . Thus, He mentioned that He would send people who love Allah and whom Allah loves. There was scholarly disagreement concerning the identity of these people. ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib (d. 40 AH/661 CE), al-Ḥasan al-Baṣrī, and Qatādah ibn Diʿāmah (d. 117 AH/735 CE) all stated that they were Abū Bakr aṣ-Ṣiddīq (d. 13 AH/634 CE) and his Companions who fought the apostates who refused to pay the zakāt immediately after the death of the Prophet . Most of the Arabs apostatised, except for the people of Madīnah, Makkah and Bahrain from the clan of ʿAbd al-Qays. Some of the others withheld the zakāt. Abū Bakr resolved to fight them. However, this decision initially unsettled some of the Companions. ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb (d. 23 AH/644 CE) said:
كَيْفَ نُقَاتِلُ النَّاسَ وَقَدْ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: أُمِرْتُ أَنْ أُقَاتِلَ النَّاسَ حَتَّى يَقُولُوا لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ فَمَنْ قَالَهَا فَقَدْ عَصَمَ مِنِّي مَالَهُ وَنَفْسَهُ إِلَّا بِحَقِّهِ وَحِسَابُهُ عَلَى اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ
“How can we fight the people when the Messenger of Allah said: ‘I have been ordered to fight the people until they say that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah. Whoever says it has protected his wealth and his life from me, except by its right, and his reckoning is with Allah’?” [Al-Baghawī, Maʿālim at-Tanzīl, commentary on [Q 5:54].]
Abū Bakr replied:
وَاللَّهِ لَأُقَاتِلَنَّ مَنْ فَرَّقَ بَيْنَ الصَّلَاةِ وَالزَّكَاةِ، فَإِنَّ الزَّكَاةَ حَقُّ الْمَالِ، وَاللَّهِ لَوْ مَنَعُونِي عَنَاقًا كَانُوا يُؤَدُّونَهَا إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ لَقَاتَلْتُهُمْ عَلَى مَنْعِهَا
“By Allah, I will certainly fight anyone who makes a distinction between prayer and zakāt. Indeed, zakāt is the due right upon wealth. By Allah, if they were to refuse to give a she-goat which they used to give to the Messenger of Allah , I would fight them for refusing to give it.” [Al-Baghawī, Maʿālim at-Tanzīl, commentary on [Q 5:54].]
This narration is cited by Abū Muḥammad al-Ḥusayn ibn Masʿūd al-Baghawī (d. 516 AH/1122 CE) in his Tafsīr.
3. The Poverty of Abū Bakr and Allah’s Pleasure with Him
ʿAbd Allah ibn ʿUmar (d. 73 AH/693 CE) reported that once Abū Bakr was seated with the Prophet while wearing a cloak fastened at his chest with a pin. Jibrīl descended and asked the Prophet why Abū Bakr’s cloak was fastened with a pin. The Prophet replied:
“O Jibrīl, Abū Bakr spent all of his wealth upon me before the conquest of Makkah.” [Asbāb an-Nuzūl and Ḥilyat al-Awliyāʾ, report cited in the original article.]
Jibrīl then said:
“O Messenger of Allah, convey Allah’s salām to Abū Bakr and ask him whether he is pleased or displeased with his state of faqr (material poverty) with Allah.” [Asbāb an-Nuzūl and Ḥilyat al-Awliyāʾ, report cited in the original article.]
When the Prophet conveyed this to Abū Bakr, he wept and said:
“Am I displeased with my Lord? No. I am pleased with Him.” [Asbāb an-Nuzūl and Ḥilyat al-Awliyāʾ, report cited in the original article.]
This report is recorded in Asbāb al-Nuzūl and Ḥilyat al-Awliyāʾ.
4. Superiority, Precedence, and Open Support of Abū Bakr
Al-Kalbī (d. 146 AH/763 CE) said:
نزلت في أبي بكر رضي الله عنه، ففيها دليل واضح على تفضيل أبي بكر رضي الله عنه وتقديمه؛ لأنه أول من أسلم
“This verse was revealed concerning Abū Bakr, and within it is clear proof of his superiority and precedence, for he was the first to embrace Islam.” [Al-Qurṭubī, Al-Jāmiʿ li-Aḥkām al-Qurʾān, commentary on [Q 57:10].]
ʿAbd Allah ibn Masʿūd (d. 32 AH/652 CE) said:
أول من أظهر الإسلام بسيفه النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم وأبو بكر؛ ولأنه أول من أنفق على نبي الله صلى الله عليه وسلم
“The first to openly profess Islam with his sword was the Prophet and Abū Bakr, for he was the first to spend in charity upon the Prophet .” [Al-Qurṭubī, Al-Jāmiʿ li-Aḥkām al-Qurʾān, commentary on [Q 57:10].]
Ibn ʿUmar narrated:
كنت عند النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم وعنده أبو بكر وعليه عباءة قد خللها في صدره بخلال فنزل جبريل فقال: يا نبي الله! ما لي أرى أبا بكر عليه عباءة قد خللها في صدره بخلال؟ فقال: قد أنفق علي ماله قبل الفتح. قال: فإن الله يقول لك اقرأ على أبي بكر السلام وقل له: أراض أنت في فقرك هذا أم ساخط؟ فقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: يا أبا بكر إن الله عز وجل يقرأ عليك السلام ويقول أراض أنت في فقرك هذا أم ساخط؟ فقال أبو بكر: أأسخط على ربي؟ إني عن ربي لراض! إني عن ربي لراض! إني عن ربي لراض! قال: فإن الله يقول لك قد رضيت عنك كما أنت عني راض. فبكى أبو بكر فقال جبريل عليه السلام: والذي بعثك يا محمد بالحق
“I was with the Prophet , and Abū Bakr was with him, wearing a cloak fastened at his chest with a pin. Jibrīl descended and said: ‘O Prophet of Allah, why do I see Abū Bakr wearing a cloak fastened at his chest with a pin?’ He replied: ‘He spent his wealth upon me before the conquest.’ Jibrīl said: ‘Allah says: Convey greetings of peace to Abū Bakr and ask him: Are you pleased in this poverty of yours, or are you displeased?’ The Messenger said: ‘O Abū Bakr, Allah conveys His greetings of peace to you and asks: Are you pleased in this poverty of yours, or are you displeased?’ Abū Bakr replied: ‘How could I be displeased with my Lord? I am pleased with my Lord! I am pleased with my Lord! I am pleased with my Lord!’ The Prophet said: ‘Allah says: I am pleased with you, just as you are pleased with Me.’ Abū Bakr wept, whereupon Jibrīl said: ‘By the One who sent you, O Muḥammad, with the Truth…’” [Al-Qurṭubī, Al-Jāmiʿ li-Aḥkām al-Qurʾān, commentary on [Q 57:10].] (excerpt)
Because of this, the Companions would give Abū Bakr precedence over themselves.
This narration is cited by al-Qurṭubī (d. 671 AH/1273 CE) in his Tafsīr.
References
Al-Qurʾān: [Q 2:274], [Q 5:54–55], [Q 6:165], [Q 9:19], [Q 9:40], [Q 24:55], [Q 27:62], [Q 33:53], [Q 36:1–2], [Q 39:33], [Q 39:69], [Q 42:23], [Q 44:1–2], [Q 48:29], [Q 57:10], [Q 59:10], [Q 92:1–2], [Q 92:4–7], [Q 92:18–21].
Al-Baghawī, Maʿālim at-Tanzīl, commentary on [Q 5:54].
Al-Bukhārī, Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, no. 2704.
Abū Nuʿaym al-Aṣbahānī, Ḥilyat al-Awliyāʾ wa-Ṭabaqāt al-Aṣfiyāʾ
Jaʿfar ibn Muḥammad aṣ-Ṣādiq, attributed debate, Munāẓarat Jaʿfar ibn Muḥammad aṣ-Ṣādiq maʿ ar-Rāfiḍī fī at-Tafḍīl bayna Abī Bakr wa-ʿAlī, edited and annotated by ʿAlī ibn ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz al-ʿAlī Āl Shibl. Riyadh: Dār al-Waṭan, 1417 AH/1996–1997 CE.
Al-Qurṭubī, Al-Jāmiʿ li-Aḥkām al-Qurʾān, commentary on [Q 57:10].
