Minhaj as-Sunnah - Ibn Taimiya - (1/523)

Minhaj as-SunnahIbn Taimiya

Nor did any of the Companions ever (1) say that Umar [ibn al-Khattāb] (2), Uthmān, Alī, [or anyone else] (3) was superior to Abu Bakr or had a greater right to the caliphate than he did. How could they say (4) such a thing when they constantly witnessed the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—giving Abu Bakr precedence over others, favoring him, and singling him out for honor in ways evident to the elite and common people alike?! Even the Prophet’s enemies among the polytheists, the People of the Book, and the hypocrites knew that Abu Bakr held a distinction not shared by anyone else.

This was demonstrated by Abu Sufyān ibn Harb on the day of Uhud. He called out three times:

“Is Muhammad among the people? Is Muhammad among the people?”

Then he said:

“Is Ibn Abī Quhāfa among the people? Is Ibn Abī Quhāfa among the people? [Is Ibn Abī Quhāfa among the people] (5)?”

Then he said (6):

“Is Ibn al-Khattāb among the people? Is Ibn al-Khattāb among the people? [Is Ibn al-Khattāb among the people?] (7)”

Throughout all of this, the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—(8) told them:

“Do not answer him.”

It is recorded in the two Sahih collections (9), and it will be cited in full later, Allah Most High willing (10).

(1) “Ever” is an addition in N and M. (2) “Ibn al-Khattāb” is an addition in A and B. (3) “Or anyone else” is an addition in A and B. (4) A and B read: “he says.” (5) The text between square brackets is an addition in A and B. (6) “Then he said” is omitted from A and B. (7) The text between square brackets is an addition in A and B. (8) “May Allah bless him and grant him peace” is omitted from N. (9) The hadith of al-Barā ibn Āzib—may Allah be pleased with him—is found in al-Bukhārī, 4/65–66 (Book of Jihad and Military Expeditions, Chapter on the Dislike of Dispute and Disagreement in War), and 5/94 (Book of Military Campaigns, Chapter on the Battle of Uhud); and in al-Musnad (al-Halabī ed.), 4/293. I did not find the hadith in Muslim. See also Ibn al-Athīr, Jāmi al-Usūl, 9/176–178. (10) A and B read: “as will appear in full, Allah willing.”

وَلَمْ يَقُلْ أَحَدٌ مِنَ الصَّحَابَةِ قَطُّ (١) : إِنَّ عُمَرَ [بْنَ الْخَطَّابِ] (٢) ، أَوْ عُثْمَانَ، أَوْ عَلِيًّا، [أَوْ غَيْرَهُمْ] (٣) أَفْضَلُ مِنْ أَبِي بَكْرٍ، أَوْ أَحَقُّ بِالْخِلَافَةِ مِنْهُ. وَكَيْفَ يَقُولُونَ (٤) ذَلِكَ، وَهُمْ دَائِمًا يَرَوْنَ مِنْ تَقْدِيمِ النَّبِيِّ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - لِأَبِي بَكْرٍ عَلَى غَيْرِهِ، وَتَفْضِيلِهِ لَهُ، وَتَخْصِيصِهِ بِالتَّعْظِيمِ، مَا قَدْ ظَهَرَ لِلْخَاصِّ وَالْعَامِّ؟ ! حَتَّى أَنَّ أَعْدَاءَ النَّبِيِّ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ وَأَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ وَالْمُنَافِقِينَ، يَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّ لِأَبِي بَكْرٍ مِنَ الِاخْتِصَاصِ مَا لَيْسَ لِغَيْرِهِ. كَمَا ذَكَرَهُ أَبُو سُفْيَانَ بْنُ حَرْبٍ يَوْمَ أُحُدٍ. قَالَ: أَفِي الْقَوْمِ مُحَمَّدٌ؟ أَفِي الْقَوْمِ مُحَمَّدٌ؟ ثَلَاثًا. ثُمَّ قَالَ: أَفِي الْقَوْمِ ابْنُ أَبِي قُحَافَةَ؟ أَفِي الْقَوْمِ ابْنُ أَبِي قُحَافَةَ؟ [أَفِي الْقَوْمِ ابْنُ أَبِي قُحَافَةَ] (٥) ؟ ثُمَّ قَالَ (٦) أَفِي الْقَوْمِ ابْنُ الْخَطَّابِ؟ أَفِي الْقَوْمِ ابْنُ الْخَطَّابِ؟ [أَفِي الْقَوْمِ ابْنُ الْخَطَّابِ؟] (٧) وَكُلُّ ذَلِكَ يَقُولُ لَهُمُ النَّبِيُّ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - (٨) : " «لَا تُجِيبُوهُ» " أَخْرَجَاهُ فِي الصَّحِيحَيْنِ (٩) كَمَا سَيَأْتِي ذِكْرُهُ بِتَمَامِهِ إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى (١٠) .

(١) قَطُّ: زِيَادَةٌ فِي (ن) ، (م) . (٢) بْنَ الْخَطَّابِ: زِيَادَةٌ فِي (أ) ، (ب) . (٣) أَوْ غَيْرَهُمْ: زِيَادَةٌ فِي (أ) ، (ب) . (٤) أ، ب: يَقُولُ. (٥) مَا بَيْنَ الْمَعْقُوفَتَيْنِ زِيَادَةٌ فِي (أ) ، (ب) . (٦) ثُمَّ قَالَ: سَاقِطَةٌ مِنْ (أ) ، (ب) . (٧) مَا بَيْنَ الْمَعْقُوفَتَيْنِ زِيَادَةٌ فِي (أ) ، (ب) . (٨) صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: سَاقِطَةٌ مِنْ (ن) . (٩) الْحَدِيثُ عَنِ الْبَرَاءِ بْنِ عَازِبٍ - رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ - فِي الْبُخَارِيِّ ٤/٦٥ - ٦٦ (كِتَابُ الْجِهَادِ وَالسِّيَرِ، بَابُ مَا يُكْرَهُ مِنَ التَّنَازُعِ وَالِاخْتِلَافِ فِي الْحَرْبِ) ، ٥/٩٤ (كِتَابُ الْمَغَازِي، بَابُ غَزْوَةِ أُحُدٍ) ؛ الْمُسْنَدِ (ط. الْحَلَبِيِّ) ٤/٢٩٣، وَلَمْ أَجِدِ الْحَدِيثَ فِي مُسْلِمٍ. وَانْظُرْ: جَامِعَ الْأُصُولِ لِابْنِ الْأَثِيرِ ٩/١٧٦ - ١٧٨. (١٠) أ، ب: كَمَا سَيَأْتِي إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ بِتَمَامِهِ.