Minhaj as-Sunnah - Ibn Taimiya - (8/502)

Minhaj as-SunnahIbn Taimiya

Fourth:

If it is supposed that some of the Companions are included in this verse, Abū Bakr is the most deserving of the entire community to be included in it. He would therefore be the most God-fearing of this community, and thus the best of them. This is so (* because Allah Most High describes the most God-fearing person as possessing qualities that Abū Bakr embodies more perfectly than anyone else in the community *) (1), as He says:

“Who gives his wealth to purify himself,”

and:

“And owes no one a favour to be repaid, but seeks only the Face of his Lord, the Most High.” [Surah al-Layl: 18–20]

As for giving wealth, it is established in the authentic hadith collections that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, stated that Abū Bakr’s spending was superior to that of anyone else, and that his support for him, in person and with his wealth, was more complete than anyone else’s (2).

As for seeking a favour to be repaid, Abū Bakr never asked the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, for wealth or for any worldly need to be fulfilled. Rather, he sought knowledge from him, as shown by his request recorded in the two Sahīh collections: “He said to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, ‘Teach me a supplication that I may recite in my prayer.’ He replied, ‘Say: O Allah, I have greatly wronged myself, and none forgives sins except You. So grant me forgiveness from Yourself, and have mercy on me

(1) The passage between the two asterisks is omitted in (م). (2) This refers to his saying, may Allah bless him and grant him peace: “No wealth has ever benefited me as much as Abū Bakr’s wealth.” This hadith was cited earlier at 5/21. It also refers to his saying, may Allah bless him and grant him peace: “Abū Bakr has been the most generous to us in his companionship and wealth.” This hadith was cited earlier at 1/512.

الرَّابِعُ: أَنَّ هَذِهِ الْآيَةَ إِذَا قُدِّرَ أَنَّهُ دَخَلَ فِيهَا مَنْ دَخَلَ مِنَ الصَّحَابَةِ، فَأَبُو بَكْرٍ أَحَقُّ الْأُمَّةِ بِالدُّخُولِ فِيهَا فَيَكُونُ هُوَ الْأَتْقَى مِنْ هَذِهِ الْأُمَّةِ فَيَكُونُ أَفْضَلَهُمْ، وَذَلِكَ (* لِأَنَّ اللَّهَ تَعَالَى وَصَفَ الْأَتْقَى بِصِفَاتٍ أَبُو بَكْرٍ أَكْمَلُ بِهَا مِنْ جَمِيعِ الْأُمَّةِ *) (١) وَهُوَ قَوْلُهُ: {الَّذِي يُؤْتِي مَالَهُ يَتَزَكَّى} وَقَوْلُهُ: {وَمَا لِأَحَدٍ عِنْدَهُ مِنْ نِعْمَةٍ تُجْزَى - إِلَّا ابْتِغَاءَ وَجْهِ رَبِّهِ الْأَعْلَى} [سُورَةُ اللَّيْلِ: ١٨ - ٢٠] . أَمَّا إِيتَاءُ الْمَالِ فَقَدْ ثَبَتَ فِي الصِّحَاحِ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَنَّ إِنْفَاقَ أَبِي بَكْرٍ أَفْضَلُ مِنْ إِنْفَاقِ غَيْرِهِ، وَأَنَّ مُعَاوَنَتَهُ لَهُ بِنَفْسِهِ وَمَالِهِ أَكْمَلُ مِنْ مُعَاوَنَةِ غَيْرِهِ (٢) . وَأَمَّا ابْتِغَاءُ النِّعْمَةِ الَّتِي تُجْزَى فَأَبُو بَكْرٍ لَمْ يَطْلُبْ مِنَ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مَالًا قَطُّ وَلَا حَاجَةً دُنْيَوِيَّةً، وَأَنَّهُ كَانَ يَطْلُبُ مِنْهُ الْعِلْمَ لِقَوْلِهِ الَّذِي ثَبَتَ فِي الصَّحِيحَيْنِ «أَنَّهُ قَالَ لِلنَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: " عَلِّمْنِي دُعَاءً أَدْعُو بِهِ فِي صَلَاتِي " ، فَقَالَ: " قُلِ اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي ظَلَمْتُ نَفْسِي ظُلْمًا كَثِيرًا، وَلَا يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ، فَاغْفِرْ لِي مَغْفِرَةً مِنْ عِنْدِكَ وَارْحَمْنِي

(١) مَا بَيْنَ النَّجْمَتَيْنِ سَاقِطٌ مِنْ (م) . (٢) وَهُوَ قَوْلُهُ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: " مَا نَفَعَنِي مَالٌ قَطُّ مَا نَفَعَنِي مَالُ أَبِي بَكْرٍ: وَسَبَقَ هَذَا الْحَدِيثُ فِيمَا مَضَى ٥/٢١، وَقَوْلُهُ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: " إِنَّ أَمَنَّ النَّاسِ عَلَيْنَا فِي صُحْبَتِهِ وَذَاتِ يَدِهِ أَبُو بَكْرٍ، وَسَبَقَ هَذَا الْحَدِيثُ فِيمَا مَضَى ١/٥١٢.