Minhaj as-Sunnah - Ibn Taimiya - (8/565)

Minhaj as-SunnahIbn Taimiya

Thus, in this report, ‘Umar made clear to the Emigrants and the Ansār that Abū Bakr was the leader of the Muslims, the best of them, and the dearest of them to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. This was the reason for pledging allegiance to him. He said:

“No, we shall pledge allegiance to you. You are our leader, the best of us, and the dearest of us to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace.”

His purpose was to make clear that the command is to appoint the best: you are the best of us (1), so we pledge allegiance to you.

Likewise, it is established in the two Sahīh collections that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was asked, “Which man is dearest to you?” He replied, “Abū Bakr.” (2)

He also said:

“If I were to take an intimate friend, I would take Abū Bakr as my intimate friend.” (3)

This is among the statements that scholars of hadith are certain the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, uttered—even though someone without comparable knowledge may not have heard it, or may have heard it without knowing whether it is true or false. For every field of knowledge has men who uphold it; warfare has men known for it; and administrative offices have accountants and scribes.

(1) M: Wa-anta afdal (“and you are superior”). (2) Ibn Taymiyya refers here to the hadith of ‘Amr ibn al-‘Ās, may Allah be pleased with him, recorded in al-Bukhārī, 5/5 (Book of the Merits of the Prophet’s Companions, chapter “Al-Humaydī and Muhammad ibn ‘Abd Allāh narrated to us…”). Its wording is: “…‘Amr ibn al-‘Ās, may Allah be pleased with him, related to me that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, appointed him to command the army of Dhāt al-Salāsil: ‘I went to him and asked, “Who is dearest to you?” He replied, “ ‘Ā’isha.” I asked, “Among men?” He replied, “Her father.” I asked, “Then who?” He replied, “Then ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb,” and he named several men…’” The hadith is also recorded in al-Bukhārī, 5/165–166 (Book of Military Expeditions, chapter on the Expedition of Dhāt al-Salāsil); Muslim, 4/1856 (Book of the Merits of the Companions, chapter on the Merits of Abū Bakr…); and Sunan al-Tirmidhī, 5/364 (Book of Virtues, chapter on the Virtues of ‘Ā’isha, may Allah be pleased with her). This hadith was discussed earlier, 4/303. (3) This hadith appeared earlier, 1/512.

فَفِي هَذَا الْخَبَرِ إِخْبَارُ عُمَرَ بَيْنَ لِلْمُهَاجِرِينَ وَالْأَنْصَارِ أَنَّ أَبَا بَكْرٍ سَيِّدُ الْمُسْلِمِينَ وَخَيْرُهُمْ وَأَحَبُّهُمْ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ذَلِكَ عِلَّةُ مُبَايَعَتِهِ فَقَالَ: بَلْ نُبَايِعُكَ أَنْتَ فَأَنْتَ سَيِّدُنَا وَخَيْرُنَا وَأَحَبُّنَا إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ; لِيُبَيِّنَ بِذَلِكَ أَنَّ الْمَأْمُورَ بِهِ تَوْلِيَةُ الْأَفْضَلِ، وَأَنْتَ أَفْضَلُنَا (١) فَنُبَايِعُكَ. كَمَا ثَبَتَ فِي الصَّحِيحَيْنِ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ «سُئِلَ: مَنْ أَحَبُّ الرِّجَالِ إِلَيْكَ؟ قَالَ: " أَبُو بَكْرٍ» " (٢) . وَلَمَّا قَالَ: " «لَوْ كُنْتُ مُتَّخِذًا خَلِيلًا لَاتَّخَذْتُ أَبَا بَكْرٍ خَلِيلًا» " (٣) ، وَهَذَا مِمَّا يَقْطَعُ أَهْلُ الْعِلْمِ بِالْحَدِيثِ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَهُ، وَإِنْ كَانَ مَنْ لَيْسَ لَهُ مِثْلُ عِلْمِهِمْ لَمْ يَسْمَعْهُ، أَوْ سَمِعَهُ وَلَا يَعْرِفُ أَصِدْقٌ هُوَ أَمْ كَذِبٌ؟ فَلِكُلِّ عِلْمِ رِجَالٌ يَقُومُونَ بِهِ، وَلِلْحُرُوبِ رِجَالٌ يُعْرَفُونَ بِهَا، وَلِلدَّوَاوِينِ حُسَّابٌ وَكُتَّابٌ.

(١) م وَأَنْتَ أَفْضَلُ. (٢) يُشِيرُ ابْنُ تَيْمِيَةَ هُنَا إِلَى حَدِيثِ عَمْرِو بْنِ الْعَاصِ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ وَهُوَ فِي: الْبُخَارِيِّ ٥/٥ (كِتَابُ فَضَائِلِ أَصْحَابِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، بَابُ حَدَّثَنَا الْحُمَيْدِيُّ وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ. .) وَنَصُّهُ. . حَدَّثَنِي عَمْرُو بْنُ الْعَاصِ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بَعَثَهُ عَلَى جَيْشِ ذَاتِ السَّلَاسِلِ فَاتَيْتُهُ فَقُلْتُ: أَيُّ النَّاسِ أَحَبُّ إِلَيْكَ؟ قَالَ " عَائِشَةُ " فَقُلْتُ: مَنِ الرِّجَالِ؟ قَالَ أَبُوهَا قُلْتُ: ثُمَّ مَنْ؟ قَالَ: " ثُمَّ عُمَرُ بْنُ الْخَطَّابِ " فَعَدَّ رِجَالًا. . وَالْحَدِيثُ فِي: الْبُخَارِيِّ ٥/١٦٥ - ١٦٦ (كِتَابُ الْمَغَازِي، بَابُ غَزْوَةِ ذَاتِ السَّلَاسِلِ) ، مُسْلِمٍ ٤/١٨٥٦ (كِتَابُ فَضَائِلِ الصَّحَابَةِ، بَابُ مِنْ فَضَائِلِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ. . .) سُنَنِ التِّرْمِذِيِّ ٥/٣٦٤ (كِتَابُ الْمَنَاقِبِ، بَابُ مِنْ فَضْلِ عَائِشَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهَا) وَسَبَقَ الْكَلَامُ عَلَى هَذَا الْحَدِيثِ فِيمَا مَضَى ٤/٣٠٣. (٣) تَقَدَّمَ هَذَا الْحَدِيثُ ١/٥١٢.