The bay’ah of Abu Bakr was very sudden; Allah protected the Muslims from its evil
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The bay’ah of Abu Bakr was very sudden; Allah protected the Muslims from its evil
إنما كانت بيعة أبي بكر فلتة وقى الله المسلمين شرها
The bay’ah of Abu Bakr was very sudden; Allah protected the Muslims from its evil.
The meaning of Sayyidina ‘Umar’s radiya Llahu ‘anhu word faltah is: sudden without preparing for it and without planning for it. Allah protected the Muslims from its evil, i.e. its fitnah. He mentioned the reason for this by his prompt statement:
و ليس فيكم من تقطع الأعناق إليه مثل أبي بكر
There is none among you for whom necks will be slain like Abu Bakr.
Meaning that none among you can reach the lofty rank and virtue of Sayyidina Abu Bakr radiya Llahu ‘anhu. Proofs for this are clear and the unanimity of the people upon this cannot be challenged by anyone.
Al Khattabi says, “He means that the forerunner among you who cannot be matched in superiority, cannot reach the position of Sayyidina Abu Bakr radiya Llahu ‘anhu. Therefore, no one should aspire that the same thing happens to him as happened to Sayyidina Abu Bakr radiya Llahu ‘anhu, i.e. people pledging allegiance to him first in a small group and then the people uniting upon him without any difference whatsoever regarding him due to his established right and precedence. They were not in need to examine the matter or make another consultation. None besides him in this matter is like him.”
The reason Sayyidina ‘Umar radiya Llahu ‘anhu made this statement is that he heard someone saying, “If ‘Umar dies, I will pledge allegiance to so and so.” i.e. he intended to do as was done to Sayyidina Abu Bakr radiya Llahu ‘anhu.
This is extremely challenging, in fact, it is impossible for people to unite on a person as they united upon Sayyidina Abu Bakr radiya Llahu ‘anhu. Why should this not be the case when all the Sahabah radiya Llahu ‘anhum realised his lofty rank in Rasulullah’s salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam sight and they knew that Sayyidina Abu Bakr’s radiya Llahu ‘anhu caliphate was the prophetic desire.
This was realised by Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam commanding Sayyidina Abu Bakr radiya Llahu ‘anhu to lead the congregation in salah. It was also understood from the reports of Sayyidah ‘Aisha radiya Llahu ‘anha, who is al Siddiqah the daughter of al Siddiq:
لما ثقل رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم لعبد الرحمن بن أبي بكر ائتني بكتف أو لوح حتى أكتب لأبي بكر كتابا لا يختلف عليه فلما ذهب عبد الرحمن ليقوم قال صلى الله عليه و سلم أبى الله و المؤمنون أن يختلف عليك يا أبا بكر
When Rasulullah’s salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam sickness intensified, he said to ‘Abdul Rahman ibn Abi Bakr, “Bring me a shoulder bone or slate so that I may write for Abu Bakr a document in order that no one differs in his matter.”
As ‘Abdul Rahman prepared to stand up, Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said, “Allah and the believers reject that anyone differ in your matter, O Abu Bakr.”[1]
The person who intends to take bay’ah privately, and not in the public gathering of Muslims who are aware of these prophetic indications, has only presented himself to be executed. This is the meaning of Sayyidina ‘Umar’s radiya Llahu ‘anhu words:
تغرة أن يقتلا
i.e. whoever does this has deceived himself and his companion, and presented himself to be slain.
The reason for this is Sayyidina ‘Umar’s radiya Llahu ‘anhu declaration, “There is none among for whom necks will be slain like Abu Bakr.”
[1] Musnad Ahmed. Declared authentic by al Albani.
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The bay’ah of Abu Bakr was very sudden; Allah protected the Muslims from its evil
إنما كانت بيعة أبي بكر فلتة وقى الله المسلمين شرها
The bay’ah of Abu Bakr was very sudden; Allah protected the Muslims from its evil.
The meaning of Sayyidina ‘Umar’s radiya Llahu ‘anhu word faltah is: sudden without preparing for it and without planning for it. Allah protected the Muslims from its evil, i.e. its fitnah. He mentioned the reason for this by his prompt statement:
و ليس فيكم من تقطع الأعناق إليه مثل أبي بكر
There is none among you for whom necks will be slain like Abu Bakr.
Meaning that none among you can reach the lofty rank and virtue of Sayyidina Abu Bakr radiya Llahu ‘anhu. Proofs for this are clear and the unanimity of the people upon this cannot be challenged by anyone.
Al Khattabi says, “He means that the forerunner among you who cannot be matched in superiority, cannot reach the position of Sayyidina Abu Bakr radiya Llahu ‘anhu. Therefore, no one should aspire that the same thing happens to him as happened to Sayyidina Abu Bakr radiya Llahu ‘anhu, i.e. people pledging allegiance to him first in a small group and then the people uniting upon him without any difference whatsoever regarding him due to his established right and precedence. They were not in need to examine the matter or make another consultation. None besides him in this matter is like him.”
The reason Sayyidina ‘Umar radiya Llahu ‘anhu made this statement is that he heard someone saying, “If ‘Umar dies, I will pledge allegiance to so and so.” i.e. he intended to do as was done to Sayyidina Abu Bakr radiya Llahu ‘anhu.
This is extremely challenging, in fact, it is impossible for people to unite on a person as they united upon Sayyidina Abu Bakr radiya Llahu ‘anhu. Why should this not be the case when all the Sahabah radiya Llahu ‘anhum realised his lofty rank in Rasulullah’s salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam sight and they knew that Sayyidina Abu Bakr’s radiya Llahu ‘anhu caliphate was the prophetic desire.
This was realised by Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam commanding Sayyidina Abu Bakr radiya Llahu ‘anhu to lead the congregation in salah. It was also understood from the reports of Sayyidah ‘Aisha radiya Llahu ‘anha, who is al Siddiqah the daughter of al Siddiq:
لما ثقل رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم لعبد الرحمن بن أبي بكر ائتني بكتف أو لوح حتى أكتب لأبي بكر كتابا لا يختلف عليه فلما ذهب عبد الرحمن ليقوم قال صلى الله عليه و سلم أبى الله و المؤمنون أن يختلف عليك يا أبا بكر
When Rasulullah’s salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam sickness intensified, he said to ‘Abdul Rahman ibn Abi Bakr, “Bring me a shoulder bone or slate so that I may write for Abu Bakr a document in order that no one differs in his matter.”
As ‘Abdul Rahman prepared to stand up, Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said, “Allah and the believers reject that anyone differ in your matter, O Abu Bakr.”[1]
The person who intends to take bay’ah privately, and not in the public gathering of Muslims who are aware of these prophetic indications, has only presented himself to be executed. This is the meaning of Sayyidina ‘Umar’s radiya Llahu ‘anhu words:
تغرة أن يقتلا
i.e. whoever does this has deceived himself and his companion, and presented himself to be slain.
The reason for this is Sayyidina ‘Umar’s radiya Llahu ‘anhu declaration, “There is none among for whom necks will be slain like Abu Bakr.”
[1] Musnad Ahmed. Declared authentic by al Albani.