روى الشيخان أن عمر بن الخطاب رضي الله عنه خطب الناس لما رجع من الحج فقال في خطبته: بلغني أن فلانًا منكم يقول: لو مات عمر بايعت فلانًا. فلا يغترنّ امرؤ أن يقول: إن بيعة أبي بكر كانت فلتةً وتمّت. ألا وإنها قد كانت كذلك، ولكن الله وقى شرها، وليس فيكم اليوم من تنقطع إليه الأعناق مثل أبي بكر. وإنه كان من خيرنا حين توفي رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ﷺ. وتخلّف عليٌّ والزبيرُ ومن معهما في بيت فاطمة، وتخلّفت عنا الأنصار بأجمعها في سقيفة بني ساعدة، واجتمع المهاجرون إلى أبي بكر، فقلت له: يا أبا بكر، انطلق بنا إلى إخواننا من الأنصار. فانطلقنا نحوهم، فلقينا منهم رجلان صالحان، فذكرا لنا ما صنع القوم، فقالا: أين تريدون يا معشر المهاجرين؟ فقلنا: نريد إخواننا هؤلاء من الأنصار. فقالا: لا عليكم أن لا تقربوهم، واقضوا أمركم يا معشر المهاجرين. فقلت: والله لنأتينهم. فانطلقنا حتى أتيناهم في سقيفة بني ساعدة، فإذا رجل مزمَّل بين ظهرانيهم. فقلت: من هذا؟ فقالوا: سعد بن عبادة. فقلت: ما له؟ قالوا: وجع. فلما جلسنا قام خطيبهم فحمد الله وأثنى عليه بما هو أهله، ثم قال: أما بعد، فنحن أنصار الله وكتيبة الإسلام، وأنتم معشر المهاجرين رهطٌ، وقد دفّت دافّةٌ من قومكم، فإذا هم يريدون أن يختزلونا من أصلنا، وأن يحضنونا من الأمر. فلما سكت أردت أن أتكلم، وكنت قد زوّرت مقالةً أعجبتني أريد أن أقدمها بين يدي أبي بكر، وكنت أداري منه بعض الحدّ. كنتُ أخشى فيه قلّةَ الحزم، وكان أكثرَ لينًا وحِلمًا منّي وأوقرَ. فقال أبو بكرٍ: «على رِسلِك». فكرهتُ أن أُغضِبه، وكان أعلمَ منّي. فوالله ما ترك من كلمةٍ أعجبتني في تزويرِي إلا قالها في بديهته بمثلها أو أفضلَ منها حتى سكت. فقال: «أما ما ذكرتم فيكم من خيرٍ فأنتم له أهلٌ، ولن تُعرف هذه الإمارةُ إلا لهذا الحيِّ من قريش، فهم أوسطُ العربِ نسبًا وداراً، وقد رضيتُ لكم أحدَ هذين الرجلين، فبايِعوا أيَّهما شئتم». فأخذ بيدي وبيدِ أبي عبيدةَ بنِ الجراحِ، وهو جالسٌ بيننا، فلم أكرهْ مما قال غيرَها، وكان والله أن أُقدَّمَ فتُضربَ عنقي لا يقرّبني ذلك إلى إثمٍ أحبَّ إليَّ من أن أتأمّرَ على قومٍ فيهم أبو بكر. ثم قال قائلٌ من الأنصار: «أنا جُذَيلُها المُحكَّكُ وعُذَيقُها المُرجَّبُ، منّا أميرٌ ومنكم أميرٌ يا معشرَ قريش». فكثُر اللغطُ وارتفعت الأصواتُ حتى خشيتُ الاختلافَ، فقلت: «ابسُطْ يدَك يا أبا بكرٍ»، فبسط يده فبايعتُه، وبايعه المهاجرون، ثم بايعته الأنصارُ. فوالله ما وجدنا فيما حضرنا أمرًا أقوى من مبايعةِ أبي بكرٍ، خشينا إن فارقنا القومُ ولم تكن بيعةٌ أن يُحدِثوا بعدنا بيعةً، فإما أن نبايعهم على ما لا نرضى، وإما أن نخالفهم فيكون فسادٌ. خشينا أن نتفرّق عن الناس وأن لا يُبايَع بيعةٌ، فإذا فارقنا الناسَ أن يُبايعوا بيعةً بعدنا، فإمّا بايعناهم على ما لا نرضى، وإمّا أن نخالفهم فيكون في ذلك فتنة.

I lie two Shaykhs narrated that cUmar ibn al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, addressed the people upon his return from the Hajj and said in his khutbah: It has reached me that so-andso of you said, ‘If cUmar were to die I would pledge allegiance to so-and-so.’ Let no man deceive himself by saying, ‘The pledge of allegiance to Abu Bakr was made suddenly and unexpectedly.’ It was like that but Allah protected (us) from the evil of it. There is not among you today one behind whom the necks of competitors stop short (an Arabic expression) like Abu Bakr. He was one of the best of us when the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, died. cAli and az-Zubayr and those with them stayed back in the house of Fatimah. The Ansar all stayed away from us in the roofed gallery of Bani Sacidah. The Muhajirun gathered around Abu Bakr, so I said to him, ‘Abu Bakr, let us be off to our brethren, the Ansar! So we went off until two good men met us and mentioned to us what the people had done. They said, ‘Where do you intend (going) Muhajirun? I said, ‘We want our brethren the Ansar! They said, ‘You must not approach them, but decide your own affair, Muhajirun! I said, ‘By Allah, we will go to them.’ We went on until we came to them in the roofed gallery of Bani Sacidah and there they were all gathered, and right in the middle of them a man all muffled up. I said, ‘Who is this?’ They said, ‘Sa°d ibn cUbadah.’ I said, What is wrong with him?’ They said, ‘He is in pain.’ When we sat down, their speaker stood, praised Allah as He is worthy and said, ‘And now, we are the Ansar of Allah, and the battalion of Islam and you, Muhajirun, are a handful of us, and a party of you have come at a leisurely pace wishing to uproot us and exclude us from the command.’ When he became silent I wanted to speak. I had prepared a speech that pleased me and which I wanted to deliver in the presence of Abu Bakr. I used to fear in him a lack of incisiveness and he was milder, more forbearing than me and more dignified. Then Abu Bakr said, ‘Gently.’ I disliked to anger him, and he was more knowledgeable than me. By Allah, he did not leave a word that had pleased me in my prepared speech but that he said it in his spontaneous talk, the like of it and better than it until he was silent. He said, ‘Now, as for that good which you have mentioned about yourselves, you are worthy of it, but the Arabs will never recognise this command except among this section of Quraysh. They are the midmost (noblest) of the Arabs by descent and by tribe, and I am contented for you with either of these two men, (so pledge allegiance to) whichever of them you wish.’ He took hold of my hand and the hand of Abu cUbaydah ibn al-Jarrah (and he was seated between us) and I disliked nothing he had said apart from that. It was, by Allah, such that if I were to be put forward and my head struck off, that not approaching me because of any guilt, it would have been more beloved to me than that I should assume command over a people among whom was Abu Bakr. Then a speaker from them said, ‘I am of those by means of whose counsel people seek relief and one having a family that will aid and defend me (literally, ‘I am their much-rubbed little rubbing post and their honoured little palm-tree’). Let there be from us an amir and from you an amir, Quraysh.’ Then the confusion increased and voices were raised until I became afraid of dissension, so I said, 'Stretch out your hand, Abu Bakr,’ and he stretched out his hand Hlid 1 swore allegiance to him, the Muhajirun swore allegiance to him, then the Ansar swore allegiance to him. By Allah, we did not lind in that for which we assembled a matter more fitting than the pledge of allegiance to Abu Bakr. We feared that if we separated from the people and there was no pledge of allegiance that they would conclude a pledge of allegiance after we had gone, and we would have to pledge allegiance on a basis with which we were not pleased, or we would have to oppose them so that there would be strife over that.

وروى النسائي وأبو يعلى والحاكم، الذي صححه، عن ابن مسعود قال: لما قُبض رسول الله ﷺ قالت الأنصار: منا أمير ومنكم أمير! فجاءهم عمر بن الخطاب رضي الله عنه فقال: يا معشر الأنصار، ألستم تعلمون أن رسول الله ﷺ أمر أبا بكر أن يصلي بالناس؟ فأيكم تطيب نفسه أن يتقدم على أبي بكر؟ فقالت الأنصار: نعوذ بالله أن نتقدم على أبي بكر. وروى ابن سعد والحاكم والبيهقي عن أبي سعيد الخدري قال: توفي رسول الله ﷺ، فاجتمع الناس في دار سعد بن عبادة، وفيهم أبو بكر وعمر، وقام خطباء الأنصار، فقام أحدهم فقال: يا معشر المهاجرين، إن رسول الله ﷺ كان إذا استعمل رجلاً منكم قرن معه رجلاً منا، ونرى أن يكون من هذا الأمر رجل منا ورجل منكم. فتتابع خطباء الأنصار على ذلك. ثم قام زيد بن ثابت فقال: ألستم تعلمون أن رسول الله ﷺ كان من المهاجرين، وخليفته من المهاجرين، ونحن كنا أنصار رسول الله ﷺ، ونكون أنصار خليفة رسول الله ﷺ كما كنا أنصاره! فأخذ أبو بكر بيد عمر وقال: هذا صاحبكم، ثم بايعه عمر، ثم بايعه المهاجرون والأنصار. وصعد أبو بكر المنبر، فنظر في وجوه الناس فلم يجد الزبير، فدعا الزبير فجاء.

An-Nasa’i, Abu Yacla and al-Hakim, who declared it sahih, narrated that Ibn Mascud said: When the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was taken, the Ansar said, ‘Let there be from us an amir and from you an amir! cUmar ibn al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, came to them and said, 'Ansar, do you not know that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, ordered Abu Bakr to lead the people (in salah)? So which of you would be pleased to give himself precedence O ver Abu Bakr?’ The Ansar said, ‘We seek refuge with Allah that we should give ourselves precedence over Abu Bakr.’ Ibn Sacd, al-Hakim and al-Bayhaqi narrated that Abu Sacid al- Khudri said: The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, died and the people assembled in the house of Sacd ibn °Ubadah and among them were Abu Bakr and cUmar, and the public speakers of the Ansar stood up and one of them began to speak, saying, ‘You men of the Muhajirun, whenever the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family and grant them peace, appointed one of you to any position of authority, he paired one of us with him; we think therefore that a man from us and a man from you should be appointed to this command.’ The public speakers of the Ansar followed each other on that same theme. Then Zaid ibn ’ lhabit stood up and said, ‘Do you not know that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was one of the Muhajirun and his khalifah is one of the Muhajirun and we were the Ansar of the Messenger of Allah and we shall be the Ansar of the khalifah of the Messenger of Allah just as we were his Ansar! He took the hand of Abu Bakr and said, ‘This is your man,’ then cUmar swore allegiance to him and then the Muhajirun and the Ansar. Abu Bakr ascended the minbar and looked at people’s faces and did not find az-Zubayr, so he called for az-Zubayr and he came.

قال: «قلتَ: يا ابنَ عمِّ رسولِ اللهِ ﷺ وخليفتَه، أتريدُ أن تشقَّ عصا المسلمين؟» فقال: «لا تثريبَ عليكم يا خليفةَ رسولِ اللهِ ﷺ»، فقام فبايعه. ثم نظر في وجوه القوم فلم يرَ عليًّا، فدعاه فجاء، فقال: «قلتَ: يا ابنَ عمِّ رسولِ اللهِ ﷺ وختنَه على ابنته، أتريدُ أن تشقَّ عصا المسلمين؟» فقال: «لا تثريبَ عليكم يا خليفةَ رسولِ اللهِ ﷺ»، فبايعه.

He (Abu Bakr) said, ‘You said, son of the aunt of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and his disciple, that you want to break the staff of the Muslims.’ So he said, ‘There is no blame on you Khalifah of the Messenger of Allah,’ and he stood and pledged allegiance to him. Then he looked at the faces of the people and could not see cAli so he summoned him and he came. He said, ‘You said, son of the uncle of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and his relation through marriage to his daughter, that you want to break the staff of the Muslims.’ So he said, ‘There is no blame on you, Khalifah of the Messenger of Allah,’ and he pledged allegiance to him.

قال ابن إسحاق في السيرة: حدثني الزهري، قال: حدثني أنس بن مالك، قال: لما بويع أبو بكر في السقيفة، وجلس على المنبر في اليوم الثاني، قام عمر فتكلم قبل أبي بكر، فحمد الله وأثنى عليه ثم قال: إن الله قد جمع أمركم على خيركم، صاحب رسول الله ﷺ و«ثاني اثنين إذ هما في الغار» (التوبة: 40)، فقوموا فبايعوه. فبايع الناس أبا بكر بيعة عامة علنية بعد البيعة التي كانت في السقيفة. ثم تكلم أبو بكر فحمد الله وأثنى عليه ثم قال: أما بعد، أيها الناس، فقد وليت عليكم ولست بخيركم، فإن أحسنت فأعينوني، وإن أسأت فقوموني. الصدق أمانة، والكذب خيانة. والضعيف فيكم قوي عندي حتى آخذ الحق له، إن شاء الله، والقوي فيكم ضعيف عندي حتى آخذ الحق منه، إن شاء الله.

Ibn Ishaq said in as-Sirab. az-Zuhri narrated to me: Anas ibn Malik narrated to me and he said: When Abu Bakr was pledged allegiance in the assembly hall, then, on the morrow, he sat upon the minbar and cUmar stood and spoke before Abu Bakr, praised Allah, and said, Allah has gathered your authority to the best of you, the Companion of the Messenger of Allah and the “second of the two when they two were in the cave” (Qur’an 9: 40), so stand and pledge allegiance to him,’ and the people pledged allegiance to Abu Bakr with a general and public allegiance after the allegiance made in the assembly hall. Then Abu Bakr spoke, praised Allah, and said, ‘And now, people, I have been put in authority over you and I am not the best of you. So if I do right then help me, and if I do wrong then put me straight. Truthfulness is a sacred trust and lying is a betrayal. The weak one among you is strong as far as I am concerned until I restore to him his right, inshaAllah, and the strong one of you is weak until I take what is due from him, insha’Allah.

وَمَا تَرَكَ قَوْمٌ الْجِهَادَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ إِلَّا سَلَّطَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمْ ذُلًّا، وَلَا فَشَتِ الْفَاحِشَةُ فِي قَوْمٍ قَطُّ إِلَّا عَمَّهُمُ اللَّهُ بِالْبَلَاءِ. أَطِيعُونِي مَا أَطَعْتُ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ، فَإِذَا عَصَيْتُ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ فَلَا طَاعَةَ لِي عَلَيْكُمْ. قُومُوا إِلَى صَلَاتِكُمْ رَحِمَكُمُ اللَّهُ. رَوَى مُوسَى بْنُ عُقْبَةَ فِي مَغَازِيهِ، وَالْحَاكِمُ وَصَحَّحَهُ، أَنَّ عَبْدَ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنَ عَوْفٍ قَالَ: خَطَبَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ فَقَالَ: وَاللَّهِ مَا كُنْتُ حَرِيصًا عَلَى الْإِمَارَةِ يَوْمًا وَلَا لَيْلَةً قَطُّ، وَمَا سَأَلْتُهَا اللَّهَ فِي سِرٍّ وَلَا عَلَانِيَةٍ، وَلَكِنِّي أُشْفِقْتُ مِنَ الْفِتْنَةِ، وَمَا لِي فِي الْإِمَارَةِ مِنْ رَاحَةٍ، وَقَدْ قُلِّدْتُ أَمْرًا عَظِيمًا مَا لِي بِهِ طَاقَةٌ وَلَا يَدٌ إِلَّا بِتَقْوِيَةِ اللَّهِ. وَقَالَ عَلِيٌّ وَالزُّبَيْرُ: مَا غَضِبْنَا إِلَّا أَنَّنَا أُخِّرْنَا عَنِ الْمَشُورَةِ، وَإِنَّا نَرَى أَبَا بَكْرٍ أَحَقَّ النَّاسِ بِهَا، إِنَّهُ لَصَاحِبُ الْغَارِ، وَإِنَّا لَنَعْرِفُ شَرَفَهُ وَخَيْرَهُ، وَلَقَدْ أَمَرَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَنْ يُصَلِّيَ بِالنَّاسِ وَهُوَ حَيٌّ. وَرَوَى ابْنُ سَعْدٍ أَنَّ إِبْرَاهِيمَ التَّيْمِيَّ قَالَ: لَمَّا تُوُفِّيَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَتَى عُمَرُ أَبَا عُبَيْدَةَ بْنَ الْجَرَّاحِ فَقَالَ: ابْسُطْ يَدَكَ أُبَايِعْكَ.

No people forsake jihad in the way of Allah but that Allah delivers u humiliating blow to them. Nor does indecency ever spread among U people but that Allah envelops them in trials. Obey me as long hs 1 obey Allah and His Messenger, and if I disobey Allah and His Messenger then you do not owe me obedience. Stand up for your prayer, may Allah have mercy upon you.’ Musa ibn cUqbah narrated, in his Maghazi, and al-Hakim, who declared it sahih, that cAbd ar-Rahman ibn cAwf said: Abu Bakr gave an address (khutbah) and said, ‘By Allah, I was never eager for a position of command for even as long as a day or a night, and I never desired it, and I have never asked Allah for it in secret nor openly. However, I was afraid of dissension. I will have no rest in command. I have been invested with a mighty matter for which I have not the energy, nor the power, except it be by Allah’s strengthening.’ cAli and az-Zubayr said, ‘We were not angry except that we were too late for the counsel, and we see Abu Bakr as the person most fitted for it. He was the Companion of the Cave. We know his honour and his excellence. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, ordered him to lead the people in prayer while he was yet alive.’ Ibn Sacd narrated that Ibrahim at-Tamimi said: When the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family and grant them peace, died, cUmar came to Abu cUbaydah ibn al-Jarrah and said, ‘Stretch out your hand so that I can pledge allegiance to you.

أنتَ الأمينُ على هذه الأمةِ بحسبِ قولِ النبيِّ ﷺ. فقال أبو عبيدةَ لعمرَ: «ما ظننتُكَ ضعيفَ العقلِ قبلَ هذا منذُ أسلمتُ، أتبايعُني وفيكم الصِّدِّيقُ، ثانيُ اثنينِ؟» وقال محمدُ بنُ أبي بكرٍ: إنَّ أبا بكرٍ قال لعمرَ: «ابسطْ يدَكَ أبايعْكَ». فقال له عمرُ: «أنتَ أفضلُ مني». فقال له أبو بكرٍ: «أنتَ أقوى مني»، وكرّرَ ذلك، فقال عمرُ: «قوتي لكَ معَ فضلِكَ»، فبايعَه.

You are the trusted one of this ummah according to the tongue of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace.’ So Abu "Ubaydah said to cUmar, ‘I never thought you weak in your mind before this, since I became a Muslim. Would you pledge allegiance to me when among you there is as-Siddiq, the “second of the two”?’ Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr said that Abu Bakr said to cUmar, ‘Stretch out your hand so that I can pledge allegiance to you.’ cUmar said to him, You are better than me.’ Abu Bakr said to him, ‘You are stronger than me,’ and he repeated it, but cUmar said, ‘My strength shall be for you along with your merit,’ and he swore allegiance to him.

روى أحمد عن حميد بن عبد الرحمن بن عوف قال: توفي رسول الله ﷺ وأبو بكر بالسُّنْح مع بعض أهل المدينة، فجاء فكشف عن وجهه وقبّله وقال: بأبي أنت وأمي، طِبْتَ حياً وميتاً، لقد مات محمد ﷺ وربِّ الكعبة! وذكر بقية الحديث ثم قال:

Ahmad narrated that Humayd ibn cAbd ar-Rahman ibn cAwf said: The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, died while Abu Bakr was with some of the people of Madinah, so he came and uncovered his face and kissed him and said, ‘May my father and mother be your ransom, how sweet you are in life and death. Muhammad has died, by the Lord of the Kacbah!’ and he mentioned the rest of the hadith and then he said:

ذهب أبو بكر وعمر مسرعين حتى وصلا إليهم.

Abu Bakr and cUmar went off in haste until they came to them.

ثُمَّ تَكَلَّمَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ، فَلَمْ يَتْرُكْ شَيْئًا أَنْزَلَهُ اللهُ فِي الْأَنْصَارِ، وَلَا مَا ذَكَرَهُ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ فِيهِمْ إِلَّا ذَكَرَهُ، وَقَالَ: «لَقَدْ عَلِمْتُمْ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ قَالَ: "لَوْ سَلَكَ النَّاسُ وَادِيًا، وَسَلَكَتِ الْأَنْصَارُ وَادِيًا، لَسَلَكْتُ وَادِيَ الْأَنْصَارِ"، وَقَدْ عَلِمْتَ يَا سَعْدُ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ قَالَ وَأَنْتَ جَالِسٌ: "قُرَيْشٌ وُلَاةُ هَذَا الْأَمْرِ، فَبَرُّ النَّاسِ تَبَعٌ لِبَرِّهِمْ، وَفَاجِرُهُمْ تَبَعٌ لِفَاجِرِهِمْ"». فَقَالَ لَهُ سَعْدٌ: «صَدَقْتَ، نَحْنُ الْوُزَرَاءُ وَأَنْتُمُ الْأُمَرَاءُ». وَرَوَى ابْنُ عَسَاكِرَ عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ قَالَ: لَمَّا بُويِعَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ رَأَى فِي النَّاسِ فُتُورًا، فَقَالَ: «مَا لَكُمْ تَتَرَدَّدُونَ؟ أَلَسْتُ أَحَقَّ مَنْ وَلِيَ هَذَا الْأَمْرَ؟ أَلَسْتُ أَوَّلَ مَنْ أَسْلَمَ؟»

Then Abu Bakr spoke and he didn’t leave out anything that Allah had revealed about the Ansar nor anything that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, had mentioned about them but that he mentioned it, and he said, ‘You know that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “If mankind were to travel in one valley and the Ansar were to travel in another valley, I would travel in the valley of th & Ansar” You know, Sacd, that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said while you were seated, “Quraysh are the authorities of this matter, and the best of mankind will follow the best of them and the worst of them will follow the worst of them.’” So Sacd said to him, ‘You have told the truth. We are the deputies and you are the commanders.’ Ibn cAsakir narrated that Abu Sacid al-Khudri said: When Abu Bakr was pledged allegiance, he saw some dejection among people and so he said, ‘What is holding you back? Am I not the one with the most right to this command? Am I not the first to accept Islam?

أَلَسْتُ ...؟ أَلَسْتُ ...؟ وَذَكَرَ صِفَاتٍ مُتَعَدِّدَةً.

Am I not ...? Am I not ...?’ and he mentioned various qualities.

أخرج أحمد عن الرفيع الطائي قال: أخبرني أبو بكر عن بيعته وما قالت الأنصار، وما قال عمر، فقال: «فبايعوني فقبلت منهم، خشيت أن تكون فتنة، وبعدها ردة». قال ابن إسحاق وابن عابد في مغازيه عنه أنه قال لأبي بكر: ما حملك على أن تلي أمر الناس، ونهيتني أن أتأمر على اثنين؟ قال: «لم أجد من ذلك مخرجًا، خشيت الفرقة على أمة محمد ﷺ». وأخرج أحمد عن قيس بن أبي حازم قال: «جلست إلى أبي بكر الصديق بعد وفاة رسول الله ﷺ بشهر»، فذكر قصته. قال: «ثم ارتفعت الصيحة في الناس: الصلاة جامعة، فاجتمع الناس فصعد المنبر فقال: وددت أن غيري كفانيه، فإن عاتبتموني على سنة نبيكم ﷺ لم أكن بها، كان ﷺ معصومًا من الشيطان، وكان ينزل عليه الوحي من السماء». وأخرج ابن سعد عن الحسن البصري قال: لما بويع أبو بكر قام خطيبًا في الناس فقال: «إني قد وليت هذا الأمر وإني لأكرهه».

Ahmad narrated that ar-Rafic at-Ta’i said: Abu Bakr told me about his pledge of allegiance and what the Ansar had said, and what cUmar had said, and he said, ‘So they pledged allegiance to me and I accepted it from them. I was afraid that there would be dissension and, after it, reneging (from Islam).’ Ibn Ishaq and Ibn cAbid, in his Maghazi, from him that he (ar-Rafic) said to Abu Bakr, ‘What made you take upon yourself the governance of the people and you forbade me taking command of (even) two people?’ He said, ‘I could not find any escape from that. I was afraid of division in the ummah of Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace.’ Ahmad narrated that Qais ibn Abi Hazim said, ‘I sat with Abu Bakr as-Siddiq a month after the death of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace,’ and he mentioned his story. ‘Then the cry went up among people, “The prayer is summoned.” People gathered and he ascended the minbar then said, “I would love that someone other than me would take care of this authority for me. If you take me to task by the Sunnah of your Prophet I am not up to it. He was protected from the shaytan, and revelation used to descend upon him from heaven.’” Ibn Sacd narrated that al-Hasan al-Basri said: When Abu Bakr was pledged allegiance he stood addressing the people and said, ‘Now, I have been put in charge of this authority and I dislike it.

والله، لوَدِدتُ أن يتولّى أحدُكم ذلك عنّي. فإن حَمَّلتموني أن أعمل فيكم بعملِ النبيِّ ﷺ، فإنّي لا أستطيع ذلك. فإنّ النبيَّ ﷺ كان عبدًا أكرمه الله بالوحي وعصمه به، وإنما أنا بشرٌ، ولستُ بخيرٍ من أحدٍ منكم. فراقبوني، فإن رأيتموني على الاستقامة فاتّبعوني، وإن رأيتموني على الانحراف فقوِّموني.

By Allah, I would love that one of you would take care of it for me. If you charge me with acting among you with the like of the action of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, I cannot undertake that. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was a slave whom Allah honoured with revelation and protected him by it (from error). I am only human. I am no better than any of you. Take care of me, and if you see me going straight then follow me and if you see me deviating then set me straight.

اعلم أن لي شيطانًا يعتريني، فإذا رأيتموني أغضب فاجتنبوني، لئلا أترك آثارًا وعلامات في شعوركم وجلودكم». رواه ابن سعد، والخطيب في رواية مالك، قال عروة: لما استُخلف أبو بكر خطب الناس فحمد الله وقال: «أما بعد، فإني قد ولِّيت عليكم ولستُ بخيركم».

Know that I have a shaytan who seizes upon me; when you see me becoming angry then avoid me, so that I do not leave traces and marks on your hairs and your-skins.’ Ibn Sacd narrated, and al-Khateeb, in the narration of Malik, that cUrwah said: When Abu Bakr was appointed, he addressed people with a khutbah. He praised Allah and said, ‘Now, I have been appointed in command over you and I am not the best of you.

ومع أن القرآن قد نزل، فإن النبي ﷺ سنّ سننًا مختلفة وعلّمنا فتعلّمنا. فاعلموا أيها الناس أن أحدَّ الذكاء وأذكى العقل هو صاحب أعظم خشية وتقوى؛ وأن أعجز العجز هو الفجور؛ وأن أقواكم عندي الضعيف حتى آخذ الحق له؛ وأن أضعفكم عندي القويّ حتى آخذ منه ما عليه من الحق. أيها الناس، إنما أنا متّبِع ولستُ بمبتدِع، فإن أحسنتُ فأعينوني، وإن زغتُ فقوّموني. أقول قولي هذا وأستغفر الله لي ولكم. قال مالك: لن يكون أحدٌ إمامًا

However, the Qur’an was revealed, the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, laid down as customary different sunnahs and we were taught, so we learnt. So, know, people, that the most acute of sharp intellect is (he who has) the most fearful obedience (,tuqa); that the most incapable (form) of incapacity is wickedness; that the strongest of you, as far as I am concerned, is the weak one until I take his right for him; and that the weakest of you, as far as I am concerned, is the strong one until I take from him what he is due (to give). People, I am only a follower, I am not an innovator, so that if I do well, help me and if I deviate then put me straight. I say these words of mine and I seek the forgiveness of Allah for me and for you.’ Malik said, ‘No-one will ever be an imam (i.e. amir)

unless on this condition.’ روى الحاكم في مستدركه عن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه قال: لما توفي رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ﷺ اهتزت مكة بزلزال، فسمع أبو قحافة بذلك فقال: ما هذا؟ قالوا: توفي رسول الله ﷺ. قال: أمر عظيم! فمن تولى الأمر بعده؟ قالوا: ابنك. قال: أرضيت بنو عبد مناف وبنو المغيرة بذلك؟ قالوا: نعم. قال: لا يُدفع ما رفعوه، ولا يُرفع ما وضعوه. وروى الواقدي من طرق متعددة أن عائشة، وابن عمر، وسعيد بن المسيب وغيرهم ذكروا أن أبا بكر بويع يوم توفي رسول الله ﷺ، يوم الاثنين، لاثنتي عشرة ليلة خلت من ربيع الأول، سنة إحدى عشرة من الهجرة.

unless on this condition.’ Al-Hakim narrated in his Mustadrak that Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, said: When the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, died, Makkah was shaken with an earthquake and Abu Quhafah heard that and said, ‘What is this?’ They said, ‘The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, has died.’ He said, ‘A momentous thing. Who has undertaken the command after him?’ They said, ‘Your son.’ He said, ‘Are Banu cAbd Manaf and Banu al-Mughirah contented with that?’ They said, ‘Yes.’ He said, ‘No-one may put down what they raise up and no-one may raise up what they put down.’ Al-Waqidi narrated in a variety of ways that cA’ishah, Ibn cUmar, Sacid ibn al-Musayyab and others relate that Abu Bakr was pledged allegiance on the day that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, died, on Monday the 12th night of Rabic al-Awwal in the eleventh year of the Hijrah.

رَوَى الطَّبَرَانِيُّ فِي الْأَوْسَطِ عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ قَالَ: لَمْ يَجْلِسْ أَبُو بَكْرٍ قَطُّ فِي ذَلِكَ الْمَكَانِ الَّذِي جَلَسَ فِيهِ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ عَلَى الْمِنْبَرِ حَتَّى لَقِيَ اللَّهَ، وَلَمْ يَجْلِسْ عُمَرُ فِي مَكَانِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ حَتَّى لَقِيَ اللَّهَ، وَلَمْ يَجْلِسْ عُثْمَانُ فِي مَكَانِ عُمَرَ حَتَّى لَقِيَ اللَّهَ.

At-Tabarani narrated in al-Awsat that Ibn cUmar said: Abu Bakr never sat on that place upon which the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, sat upon the minbar until he met Allah. cUmar did not sit on the place Abu Bakr sat until he met Allah and cUthman did not sit in cUmar’s place until he met Allah.