Introduction
The hadeeth that allude to Abu Bakr’s caliphate are so numerous that it is impossible — even for the people of innovations — to give any plausible reason to reject them. Some hadeeth refer directly to Abu Bakr’s caliphate, while others do so only in an implicit manner. At the end of this article we conclude with a discussion on whether the Prophet (salalahu alihi was sallam) appointed Abu Bakr directly or indirectly.
Go to Abu Bakr
a) Jaabir ibn Mut’im said, “Once, when a woman went to the Prophet, he ordered her to come back to him at a later time. She said, ‘Suppose that I come and do not find you. It was as if she was hinting to the Prophet’s death. He replied “If you do not find me, then go to Abu Bakr. (Bukhari). Commenting on this Hadeeth , ibn Hajar said: “This Hadeeth refutes the Shi’ites, who claim that the Prophet appointed Ali to rule over the Muslim nation after his death.”
Follow those who come after me
b) Hudhaifah said, “We were sitting down in the company of the Prophet when he said: Verily , I do not know how much longer I will be among you , so follow those who come after me,” and he then pointed in the direction of Abu Bakr and ‘‘Umar. (Albanee authenticated it in Silsalah) In other words: follow those who will come after me: Abu Bakr and ‘Umar, who will rule over you when I am gone.
Allah and the believers will refuse to have anyone other than Abu Bakr
c) ‘Aaishah said, “During his (final) sickness, the Messenger of Allah said to me: Call Abu Bakr and your brother for me, so that I can write a letter (confirming Abu Bakr’s caliphate) . For I fear that one (i .e., an undeserving person) will become hopeful (of becoming leader), and someone will say, ‘I will assume power.’ But Allah and the believers will refuse to have anyone other than Abu Bakr (as the leader of the Muslims) . (Muslim)
The Prophet alluded here to how he expected some disagreement over the caliphate after his death. But at the same time made it clear that that disagreement would not last for long since the believers would refuse to have anyone other than Abu Bakr as their leader and Khaleefah. In the end, what transpired in the courtyard of Banu Saa’idah corresponded exactly to what the Prophet said in the aforementioned hadeeth. People disagreed with one another for short while, but then that disagreement was quickly followed by a unanimous decision to appoint Abu Bakr as their Khaleefah.
We put Abu Bakr forward for the caliphate
d) Ibn Sa’ad reported that ‘Ali said, “When the Prophet died, we reflected on our situation, realizing that the Prophet had put Abu Bakr forward for prayer. And so we were pleased to choose for our worldly affairs the same man that the Messenger of Allah was pleased to choose for our religious affairs. Thus it was that we put Abu Bakr forward for the caliphate.” (Tabaqaat Ibn Sa’d)
As Abul-Hasan Al-‘Asharee put it, “That the Prophet placed Abu Bakr ahead of all of his Companions is something that every Muslim is required to know. It proves beyond a doubt that, of all of the Prophet’s Companions, he was the most knowledgeable, and he knew the most Quran. In a narration that is not only authentic, but is also agreed upon by all scholars, the Messenger of Allah said, “The one who leads the people should be he who knows the most from the Book of Allah. If more than one of them are equal in recitation, then it should be the most knowledgeable regarding the Sunnah . If they are equal regarding their knowledge of the Sunnah , then it should be the eldest among them. And if they are equal in age, it should be the first of them to have accepted Islam”.
Did the Prophet (salalahu alaihi wa sallam) appoint Abu Bakr Directly ?
The first opinion
The people of the Sunnah have two opinions regarding the caliphate of Abu Bakr. One group of scholars say that the Prophet only alluded to Abu Bakr’ s caliphate. In other words, he did not order his Companions to appoint Abu Bakr as their Khaleefah, but instead merely indicated that they should do so. This opinion held by Al-Hasan Al-Basree, Imam Ahmad and a number of other scholars from the People of Hadeeth. To prove the correctness of their view, such scholars cite the Hadeeth in which the Prophet ordered Abu Bakr to lead the people in prayer. They also cite the Hadeeth in which the Prophet ordered for of the masjid’s doors to be blocked except for the door of Abu Bakr.
The second opinion
Another group of scholars maintain that the Prophet not only alluded to Abu Bakr’s rightful place as the first Khaleefah of the Muslim nation, but also made that point clear with the use of clear and unequivocal language. This second view held by group of scholars from the People of Hadeeth as well as the likes of Ibn Hazm. They cite as evidence various narrations, such as the Hadeeth in which the Prophet, said to the woman who visited him, “If you do not find me, then go to Abu Bakr.” They also cite the Hadeeth in which the Prophet said to ‘Aaishah “Call Abu Bakr and your brother for me, so that I can write a letter (confirming my appointment of Abu Bakr as my Khaleefah). For indeed, I fear that one will be hopeful (i.e., some undeserving person will aspire to become Khaleefah) and that someone will say, will assume power. And yet Allah and the believers will refuse to have anyone other than Abu Bakr.“
Conclusion
Ibn Taymiyyah said, “In conclusion, it is clear that, through his sayings and deeds, the Prophet indicated on many occasions that his Companions should choose Abu Bakr as the first Khaleefah of the Muslim nation. The Prophet intended to write a letter confirming his decision, but then he came to know that the Muslims would choose Abu Bakr anyway, and so, based on that knowledge, he decided not to write the letter. Had there been any doubt in his mind regarding whether or not his Companions would choose the right candidate, he would have made the matter crystal- clear for them. Instead, he knew that they would make the right decision, and so he deemed it sufficient to indicate to them on numerous occasions and in many ways that Abu Bakr was his choice to be the Khaleefah after his death.”
In the next article we demonstrate that there was consensus regarding Abu Bakr’s caliphate.
Summarised from Abu Bakr as-Siddeeq: His Life and Times. by Ali M. Sallabi.
