Al-Siddīq and his followers did not fight those people merely because they had failed to deliver the zakat to al-Siddīq. Had they distributed it themselves to those entitled to receive it (1), without delivering it to him, he would not have fought them. This is the view of the majority of scholars, including Abū Hanīfah, Ahmad, and others.

They said:

“If they say, ‘We shall distribute it ourselves and will not hand it over to the ruler,’ he has no right to fight them.”

Indeed, al-Siddīq—may Allah be pleased with him—did not fight anyone to compel obedience to himself, nor did he compel anyone to pledge allegiance to him. Thus, when Saʿd (2) refrained from pledging allegiance to him, he did not force him to do so.

The assertion:

“They called Banū Hanīfah apostates because they did not deliver the zakat to Abū Bakr, since they did not recognize him as the rightful caliph,”

is one of the clearest lies and fabrications. The same is true of his claim:

“Umar objected to fighting Banū Hanīfah.”

[The Rāfidī Returns to His Discussion of Muʿāwiyah—May Allah Be Pleased with Him—and the Response to Him]

As for his statement:

“They did not declare an apostate anyone who deemed it lawful to shed Muslim blood and to fight the Commander of the Faithful, even though they had heard the Prophet—may Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him—say:

‘O Alī, your war is my war, and your peace is my peace’ (3)

and anyone who wages war against the Messenger of Allah—may Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him—is an unbeliever by consensus.” (4)

The response is as follows:

First, the assertion that they heard this hadith either directly from the Prophet—may Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him—or through a report from him is a lie against them. Who reported from them that they had heard it? This hadith is not found in any of the works of hadith scholars (5)