We were unable to find anything in traditions, which may tell us about
precedence of the Caliph in this regard, except two reports, one them being in
Sahih Bukhari in the book of exegesis:
It is narrated through channel of Ibne Abi Malika from Abdullah bin Zubair
that he said: A group of riders belonging to Banu Tamim were dispatched by
Prophet.
Abu Bakr said: “Make Qaqa bin Mabad as their leader.”
Umar said: “Make Aqra bin Habis1 as their leader.”
Abu Bakr said: “You have no aim, except to oppose me.”
Umar said: “My aim was not oppose you.”
They began to quarrel till their voices rose up and the verse of:
يَأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تُقَدِّمُوا بَيْنَ يَدَيِ اللهِ وَرَسُولِهِ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ
“O you who believe! be not forward in the presence of Allah and
His Apostle, and be careful of (your duty to) Allah; surely Allah
is Hearing, Knowing.”2
…was revealed.
Allamah Amini says: Will you not be amazed these two fellows that
prolonged companionship with Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) didn’t make those
two disciplined in presence of elders and especially those elders, who according
to declaration of Holy Quran have great morals and manners; and that no one
spoke before him, except that it should be a reply to a query, or comprised of
obeying and performing what the Prophet had commanded, or information about
some important happenings or inquiry about an order.
Those two spoke before him and that speaking was not from any of these
four kinds, on the contrary it was argument, which intensified between the two
and their voices rose up and it was near that these two well wishers would perish
and their deeds rendered null, when the holy verse was revealed.
Ibne Asakir has narrated the second traditional report from Miqdam that he
said:3
Aqil bin Abi Talib and Abu Bakr abused each other and Abu Bakr was very
severe abuser and as mentioned in Al-Khasaisul Kubra,4 it is concluded that this
abusing between Abu Bakr and Aqil occurred in the presence of Prophet during
the last days of His Eminence (s.a.w.a.).
It is testimony to the fact that Abu Bakr was a very sharp tongued man – and
abusing a Muslim is transgression.5 ‘Yabnal Khana-a’ [O son of a fetid woman]
is a very nasty abuse.
When Umar said to Abu Bakr that the Ansar want to appoint someone as
their leader, whose age should be more than that of Usamah, Abu Bakr held his
whiskers and said:
“May your mother sit in your mourning, O son of Khattab! Messenger of
Allah (s.a.w.a.) appointed Usamah as commander and you want me to dismiss
him?”6
If the Caliph had been the most forbearing person in Quraish or had
inherited something from the great manners and morals of Prophet, the beloved daughter of His Eminence would not have passed away from the world while she
was infuriated at Abu Bakr.
An anger caused by his cruelty in breaking the door of Her Eminence and
Abu Bakr at the time of his death wished that he had not committed that act and
had not ordered fighting those present in that house and…7
Bukhari has narrated from Ayesha in the chapter of the obligation of
Khums:8
“After the death of Allah’s Messenger, Fatima, the daughter of Prophet
asked Abu Bakr to give her, her share of inheritance from what Allah’s
Messenger had left of the Fai (i.e. booty gained without fighting), which Allah
had given him. Abu Bakr said to her, ‘Allah’s Messenger said, ‘Our property will
not be inherited, whatever we (i.e. prophets) leave is Sadaqah (to be used for
charity).’ Fatima, the daughter of Allah’s Messenger got angry and stopped
speaking to Abu Bakr, and continued assuming that attitude till she died.”
It is also narrated from Ayesha in the chapter of the Battle of Khyber that:9
“Fatima…so Abu Bakr refused to give anything of that to Fatima. So she
became angry with Abu Bakr and kept away from him, and did not talk to him till
she died. She remained alive for six months after the death of Prophet. When she
died, her husband, Ali, buried her at night without informing Abu Bakr and he
said the funeral prayer by himself.”
“Why was the beloved daughter of Mustafa buried at night and signs of
her grave were erased?” (Couplet)
The anger of Her Eminence reached such an extent that she made a bequest
to be buried at night and that no one should meet her and that Abu Bakr did not
pray on her bier. Thus, she was buried at night and Abu Bakr was not informed
about it. Ali (a.s.) prayed on her and Asma binte Umais gave her the funeral
bath.10
Quotation from Seerah Halabiyya, Waqidi says:11 It is proved for us that Ali
Karramallahu Wajhu buried Fatima at night and prayed on her, Abbas and Fazal
accompanied the bier and they did not inform anyone of this.
Ibne Hajar in Isabah,12 and Zarqani in Sharhul Mawahib13 have written that:
Waqidi has narrated from Shobi that Abu Bakr prayed on Fatima, but the chains
of this report is weak and broken and some whose reports are not acceptable have narrated from Malik from Ja’far bin Muhammad from his father a report like this.
Darqutni and Ibne Adi have considered it weak.14 Bukhari has narrated from
Ayesha that when Fatima passed away, her husband, Ali, buried her at night and
did not inform Abu Bakr and himself prayed on her.
Allamah Amini says: The tradition of Malik from Ja’far bin Muhammad –
Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s.) – from his father and grandfather is that: Fatima passed
away at night. Thus, Abu Bakr, Umar and a large crowd gathered. Abu Bakr said
to Ali: “Go ahead and pray on her.”
He replied: “No, by God, I will not go ahead, whereas you are the Caliph of Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.).” So Abu Bakr came forward and recited the prayers with four Takbeers.
Abdullah bin Muhammad Qadami Maseemi has fabricated this tradition and Dhahabi, in Mizanul Etedal15 has regarded this tradition to be among his fabrications.
It was because of this anger, she did not allow Ayesha, daughter of Abu Bakr to meet her, what to say of Abu Bakr himself!
When Ayesha wanted to meet her, Asma prevented her saying: “Don’t enter.”
Ayesha complained to her father: “This Khathami female has created an obstruction between us and daughter of Prophet.”
So, Abu Bakr stood at the door and said: “Asma, what made you prevent wives of Prophet from Fatima and to prepare the bridal chamber?”
She replied: “She had herself commanded me that no one should be allowed to enter and ordered me that I should prepare it for her.”16