Minhaj as-Sunnah - Ibn Taimiya - (5/468)

Minhaj as-SunnahIbn Taimiya

[The Rāfidī’s criticism of Abu Bakr—may Allah be pleased with him—and the response to it]

Chapter (1)

The Rāfidī says: (2)

“He also said: ‘Relieve me of office, for I am not (3) the best among you, while Ali is among you (4).’ If his imamate was legitimate, then seeking to relinquish it was an act of disobedience; but if it was invalid, then censure necessarily follows.”

The response is that this is a lie. It is not found in any hadith collection, nor does it have any known chain of transmission. He did not say, “while Ali is among you.” Rather, what is authentically established (5) from him is that, on the day of the gathering at the Saqīfah, he said: “Give your pledge of allegiance to either of these two men: Umar ibn al-Khattab or Abu Ubaydah ibn al-Jarrah.”

Umar replied, “No; you are our master, the best among us (6), and the one among us dearest to the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace.” Umar said: “By Allah, I would (7) rather be brought forward and have my neck struck—so long as that did not bring me nearer to sin—than assume authority (8) over a people among whom was Abu Bakr (9).”

Moreover, even if he had said, “while Ali is among you,” he would have appointed Ali as his successor instead of Umar, for his command was obeyed.

(1) (Y) reads: “Chapter Fifteen”; the word “Chapter” is omitted in (H) and (R). (2) In (K), 132 (M)–133 (M). (3) (N) reads: “is not”; (K): “I am not.” (4) The phrase “while Ali is among you” was written between the lines in (K). (5) (B) alone reads: “Rather, the hadith that has been established.” (6) (N) and (M) read: “the best among us and our master.” (7) (B) alone reads: “was.” (8) (N) and (M) read: “than that I should assume authority.” (9) The hadith concerning al-Saqīfah was cited previously at 1/518 and 2/50–51.

[كلام الرافضي على أبي بكر رضي الله عنه والرد عليه] فَصْلٌ (١) قَالَ الرَّافِضِيُّ: (٢) " وَقَالَ: أَقِيلُونِي فَلَسْتُ (٣) بِخَيْرِكُمْ، وَعَلِيٌّ فِيكُمْ (٤) . فَإِنْ كَانَتْ إِمَامَتُهُ حَقًّا كَانَتِ اسْتِقَالَتُهُ مِنْهَا مَعْصِيَةً، وَإِنْ كَانَتْ بَاطِلَةً لَزِمَ الطَّعْنُ " . وَالْجَوَابُ: أَنَّ هَذَا كَذِبٌ، لَيْسَ فِي شَيْءٍ مِنْ كُتُبِ الْحَدِيثِ، وَلَا لَهُ إِسْنَادٌ مَعْلُومٌ، فَإِنَّهُ لَمْ يَقُلْ: " وَعَلِيٌّ فِيكُمْ " ، بَلِ الَّذِي ثَبَتَ (٥) عَنْهُ فِي الصَّحِيحِ أَنَّهُ قَالَ يَوْمَ السَّقِيفَةِ: بَايِعُوا أَحَدَ هَذَيْنِ الرَّجُلَيْنِ: عُمَرَ بْنَ الْخَطَّابِ، وَأَبَا عُبَيْدَةَ بْنَ الْجَرَّاحِ، فَقَالَ لَهُ عُمَرُ: بَلْ أَنْتَ سَيِّدُنَا، وَخَيْرُنَا (٦) ، وَأَحَبُّنَا إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ -. قَالَ " عُمَرُ: كُنْتُ (٧) وَاللَّهِ لَأَنْ أُقَدَّمَ فَتُضْرَبَ عُنُقِي، لَا يُقَرِّبُنِي ذَلِكَ إِلَى إِثْمٍ، أَحَبَّ إِلَيَّ مِنْ تَأَمُّرِي (٨) عَلَى قَوْمٍ فِيهِمْ أَبُو بَكْرٍ (٩) . ثُمَّ لَوْ قَالَ: " وَعَلِيٌّ فِيكُمْ " لَاسْتَخْلَفَهُ مَكَانَ عُمَرَ، فَإِنَّ أَمْرَهُ كَانَ مُطَاعًا.

(١) ي: الْفَصْلُ الْخَامِسَ عَشَرَ: وَسَقَطَتْ كَلِمَةُ فَصْلٍ مِنْ (ح) ، (ر) . (٢) فِي (ك) ١٣٢ (م) - ١٣٣ (م) . (٣) ن: لَيْسَ، ك: لَسْتُ. (٤) كُتِبَتْ عِبَارَةُ وَعَلِيٌّ فِيكُمْ فِي (ك) بَيْنَ السَّطْرَيْنِ. (٥) ب (فَقَطْ) : بَلِ الْحَدِيثُ الَّذِي ثَبَتَ. (٦) ن، م: خَيْرُنَا وَسَيِّدُنَا. (٧) ب (فَقَطْ) : كَانَ. (٨) ن، م: مِنْ أَنْ أَتَأَمَّرَ. (٩) سَبَقَ حَدِيثُ السَّقِيفَةِ فِيمَا مَضَى ١/٥١٨، ٢/٥٠، ٥١