In Sahih Bukhari, Kitabul Manaqib, Bukhari,1 writes in the chapter of the
statement of Prophet: “Close all the doors, except door of Abu Bakr’s house.”
In the chapter of Hijrat, it is narrated from Abu Saeed Khudri that:
“The Prophet delivered a sermon and said, “Allah gave a choice to one of
(His) slaves either to choose this world or what is with Him in the Hereafter. He
chose the latter.” Abu Bakr wept. I said to myself, “Why is this Sheikh weeping,
if Allah gave choice to one (of His) slaves either to choose this world or what is
with Him in the Hereafter and he chose the latter?” And that slave was Allah’s
Apostle himself. Abu Bakr knew more than us. The Prophet said, “O Abu Bakr!
Don’t weep. The Prophet added: Abu Bakr has favored me much with his
property and company. If I were to take a Khalil from mankind I would certainly
have taken Abu Bakr, but Islamic brotherhood and friendship is sufficient. Close
all the gates in the mosque, except that of Abu Bakr.”
Allamah Amini says: When Abu Saeed says that Abu Bakr was the wisest
among us. This knowledge was not restricted to Abu Bakr and whoever heard
from the Prophet and had heard statements of His Eminence in the Farewell Hajj,
that: Very soon, I would be summoned and I will accept the call, has knowledge
of this and other statements similar to this as were mentioned before.2
Supposing that only the Caliph knew it, but what knowledge is that about
which he should boast? Is it solving of legal problems? Or explaining difficult
issues of philosophy? Or interpretation of intricate matters of the religion and
sciences? Or exposition of a hidden secret of nature?
None of them is present in this knowledge, and supposing its authenticity,
only his listening, inspite of the fact that he himself has His Eminence in view,
and perhaps he heard this matter before and remembered it at that time. Before
this, when we discussed the encompassing knowledge of Abu Bakr, we have
discussed this matter in detail.3
As for the fact: ‘One, who has done the most favors to my mission and
spent maximum money on it, is Abu Bakr.’ What favor have people done on His
Eminence and spending their wealth in his mission?
مَنْ عَمِلَ صَالِحًا فَلِنَفْسِهِ وَمَنْ أَسَاءَ فَعَلَيْهَا
“Whoever does good, it is for his own soul, and whoever does evil, it is against it.”4
إِنْ أَحْسَنْتُمْ أَحْسَنْتُمْ لِأَنْفُسِكُمْ وَإِنْ أَسَأْتُمْ فَلَهَا
“If you do good, you will do good for your own souls, and if you do evil, it shall be for them.”5
It is the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.), who advised everyone to have
concern for religious propagation, guidance and discipline; and if someone
accompanied and helped him, it was for himself:
يَمُنُّونَ عَلَيْكَ أَنْ أَسْلَمُوا۟ ۖ قُل لَّا تَمُنُّوا۟ عَلَىَّ إِسْلَـٰمَكُم ۖ بَلِ ٱللَّهُ يَمُنُّ عَلَيْكُمْ أَنْ هَدَىٰكُمْ لِلْإِيمَـٰنِ إِن كُنتُمْ صَـٰدِقِينَ (١٧)
“They think that they lay you under an obligation by becoming
Muslims. Say: Lay me not under obligation by your Islam:
rather Allah lays you under an obligation by guiding you to the
faith if you are truthful.”6
لَقَدْ مَنَّ ٱللَّهُ عَلَى ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ إِذْ بَعَثَ فِيهِمْ رَسُولًۭا مِّنْ أَنفُسِهِمْ يَتْلُوا۟ عَلَيْهِمْ ءَايَـٰتِهِۦ وَيُزَكِّيهِمْ وَيُعَلِّمُهُمُ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ وَٱلْحِكْمَةَ وَإِن كَانُوا۟ مِن قَبْلُ لَفِى ضَلَـٰلٍۢ مُّبِينٍ (١٦٤)
“Certainly Allah conferred a benefit upon the believers when He
raised among them an Apostle from among themselves, reciting
to them His communications and purifying them, and teaching
them the Book and the wisdom, although before that they were
surely in manifest error.”7
In addition to that the favor of spending money by Abu Bakr, is negation of
the issue and he did not spend any money, and we would make this matter clear
to you.8
Story of companionship and being a friend: Which is mentioned under
explanation of the report, we informed you previously9 and we mentioned that it
is fake.
Before all these objections, a defect is present in chain of narrator of the
report due to presence of Ismail bin Abdullah Abu Abdullah bin Abi Owais,
nephew of Malik, his equal and a narrator from him.
Ibne Abi Khaithama has written: “He was truthful and foolish, and he did
not have command on traditions; that is he did not know the traditions well, and
he was unable to narrate them; and he was unable to read from books other than
his own.”
Ibne Moin has written that:10 “He and his father have stolen traditions [and
attributed to themselves].”
Ibne Adi has written that:11 “He has narrated strange traditions from his
maternal uncle, and no one has concurred with him in any of those traditions [and
have narrated from him].”
Allamah Amini says: The traditional report, which he has narrated from his
maternal uncle is from those same strange traditions.”
Aqili in Zoafa,12 has narrated from Yahya bin Moin that; “Ibne Abi Owais is
not worth two dimes [completely worthless].”13
Ismaili has mentioned him in Mudkhal and written that: “In foolishness,
stupidity and frivolousness, he has attributed such things to him, which I don’t
like to mention.”
Is it not exaggeration and lie that Nawawi has written in the preface to his
Sharh Sahih Muslim:14
“All scholars have consensus that the most authentic book after Holy Quran
is Sahih Bukhari and then Sahih Muslim.”
Can a book containing such traditions and biographies of persons, who are
mentioned in its chains of narrators – and this is the least and smallest calamity
present in it – has eligibility to be regarded as most authentic book after Quran?
What a great word has come out from his mouth! And if this is the glory of
the most authentic book, on which all have consensus, then what is the worth of
the rest of the books as compared to them?