Has any authentic tradition been narrated from Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.)
regarding his excellence? Or the excessive praise that they heap upon him are
justified and true?
At this point we would do what anyone, who is in pursuit of reality would
do. We will not mention a single word, without undertaking an academic
criticism and logical analysis.
At the end of his Safarus Saada,1 Firozabadi says:
“The conclusion of the book mentions traditions, none of which are
authentic and in view of scholars, who are well aware of traditions and are critics
of this science, nothing is proved from them.”
Then, after some chapters, he writes:2
“Chapter on excellence of Abu Bakr: The most famous tradition is the
following fabricated one: Almighty Allah manifests Himself in people generally
and in Abu Bakr specially.”
And the tradition: “Almighty Allah did not reveal anything on my chest,
except that He revealed it on the chest of Abu Bakr.”
And the tradition: “Whenever Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) became eager for
Paradise, he kissed the hair of Abu Bakr.”
And the tradition: “I and Abu Bakr are like the two race horses, who are
same in speed; and same in precedence and excellence.”
And the tradition: “When Almighty Allah wanted to select the souls, He
chose the soul of Abu Bakr.”
And the like of this nonsense, whose invalidity is known through nature and
logic.
In Layali al-Masnua,3 Suyuti has mentioned 30 traditions in excellence of
Abu Bakr, traditional reports, which writers in recent years regarded as healthy
and worthy of trust and have narrated them without chains of narrators and
without any attention or concern. Then he has refuted them and adjudged them to
be fabricated; and mentioned views of senior tradition scholars (Huffaz)
regarding them.
As we explained before this:4 By the order of the leaders and senior scholars
of traditions, a hundred merits for Abu Bakr and his associates are falsely
attributed to Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.). This proves the correctness of
Firozabadi’s statement.
Also, there were forty-five traditional reports fabricated on the topic of
Caliphate: and we have rejected them5 at the order of experts of the art; persons
like: Ibne Adi, Tibrani, Ibne Habban, Nasai, Hakim, Darqutni, Aqeeli, Ibne
Madani, Abu Umar, Juzakhani, Mohib Tabari, Khatib Baghdadi, Ibne Jauzi, Abu
Zara, Ibne Asakir, Firozabadi, Ishaq Hanzali, Ibne Kathir, Ibne Qayyim, Dhahabi,
Ibne Taymiyyah, Ibne Abil Hadid, Ibne Hajar Haithami, Ibne Hajar Asqalani,
Hafiz Muqaddasi, Suyuti, Saghani, Mulla Ali Qari, Ajluni, Ibne Darwish Hoot
and others.
Also, since the six authentic books of Ahle Sunnat (Sihah, Sunan and
Musnad) are without these reports; it is the proof of their falsity and we
understand that occurrence of these reports is after the period of compilation of
these books and this is sufficient to prove their worth. Just as very few merits
mentioned in Sihah books were fabricated after the period of Holy Prophet
(s.a.w.a.).
If the Caliph himself believed that some of these traditions, even though a
few of them had been issued by Prophet, no one would have regarded a person
like the grave-digger of Medina, Abu Ubaidah Jarrah to be worthy of Caliphate
and would not have preferred him over himself and he would not have left them
on the day, when he was in dire need of them; on the day when discussion in
earnest regarding Caliphate took place and every owner of merit presented his
merits to qualify for Caliphate and the arguments intensified and a battle was
about to erupt and which concluded with enmity.
But he and his associates had no evidence for Caliphate of Abu Bakr, except
that he was a companion of Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) and the second of the
two in the cave and that he was most elderly of them all.
Although the fact was that the father of Abu Bakr was more aged than him.
And that group selected and allegiance was given to him after confusion,
bewilderment and severe turmoil; reasonings, which are actually not sustainable,
and no reasonable person shall accept.
It does not improve the dignity of Ummah and does not bring unity and
nothing is achieved through it. And if the companions of the early period of
Islam, which was an age of humility and respect, had known something from
these fabricated traditions, they would indeed have argued through them and
would not have resorted to creating terror.
Umar bin Khattab, on the day of Saqifah, would not have been content with
that statement: “The most worthy of people for Caliphate of Messenger of Allah
(s.a.w.a.) is the second of the two persons present in the cave and Abu Bakr has
precedence in Islam and he is senior in age.”6
And Salman would not have said to companions: “You acted rightly in
choosing a person senior in age, but committed a mistake regarding Ahle Bayt of
your Prophet.”7
And Uthman bin Affan was content with this statement in calling people to
Abu Bakr: “Indeed, Abu Bakr Siddiq is the most eligible of people for Caliphate;
he is the truthful (Siddiq) and second of the two in the cave and companion of
Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.).”8
And elders of Muhajireen and Ansar did not refuse allegiance to him, except
Ali and his two sons, and Abbas and his sons from Bani Hashim, and Saad bin
Ubadah and his sons and his family and Habbab bin Mundhir and his
companions, Zubair, Talha, Salman, Ammar, Abu Zar, Miqdad, Khalid bin
Saeed, Saad bin Abi Waqqas, Utbah bin Abu Lahab, Baraa bin Azib, Ubayy bin
Kaab, Abu Sufyan bin Harb and others.9
No one other than Muhammad bin Ishaq has the guts to say: “Most
Muhajireen and Ansar had no doubt that after Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.), Ali is the
owner of authority.”10
And Utbah bin Abu Lahab would not have recited this in the crowd of
claimants that day:
“1. I did not think that Caliphate would be taken away from Bani Hashim
and from Abul Hasan. 2. The first of the men, who embraced faith and had
precedence and who was the most knowledgeable about Quran and Sunnah. 3.
And the last who met the Prophet (and the Prophet transferred relics of
prophethood and Imamate to him) and one whom Jibraeel helped in last rites of
Prophet. 4. One, who had all their merits and they have no doubt in it, but those
people did not have the merit and excellence he was having. 5. What has
removed you from him? (tell me) so that I may know! Know that your allegiance
(to Abu Bakr) was from the first mishchiefs.”11