History of Khulafah Rashideen by Jalal ad-Din as-Suyuti - translated by Abdassamad Clarke

Al-Lalika’i narrated in as-Sunnah that Ibn cUmar said: A man came to Abu Bakr and said, ‘Do you see adultery as a decree (of Allah)?’ He said, ‘Yes.’ He said, ‘So Allah has decreed it for me and then later He will punish me for it?’ He said, ‘Yes, son of the uncircumcised woman. By Allah, if there were anybody with me, I would order him to cut off your nose.’ Ibn Abi Shaybah narrated in his Musannafthat az-Zubayr narrated that Abu Bakr said, while he was delivering the khutbah to people, ‘People, be shy and modest before Allah. By the One in Whose hand my self is, I shade myself when I go to the toilet in the open spaces, covering my head out of modesty towards Allah.’ cAbd ar-Razzaq narrated in his Musannaf that cAmr ibn Dinar Abu Bakr as-Siddiq said: Abu Bakr said, ‘Be shy before Allah. By Allah, I enter the toilet and I lean my back against the wall out of modesty before Allah.’ Abu Dawud narrated in his Sunan that Abu cAbdullah as- Sunabihi related that he once prayed the prayer after sunset behind Abu Bakr as-Siddiq and he recited in the first two sets of bowing and prostration the Fatihah and a surah from among the small surahs (at the end of the Qur’an) and that he recited in the third, 'Our Lord, do not cause our hearts to deviate after You have guided us! (Qur’an 3: 8)

Ibn Abi Khaythamah and Ibn cAsakir narrated that Ibn cUyaynah said: Abu Bakr used to say, when he was consoling a man for a bereavement, ‘There is no harm in patience, and no benefit in impatience, and death is less serious than what comes before it and more severe than what comes after it. Remember the loss of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and your affliction will seem little to you, and Allah will magnify your reward.’ Ibn Abi Shaybah and ad-Daraqutni narrated that Salim ibn ' Ubayd, and he was a Companion, said: Abu Bakr as-Siddiq used to say to me, ‘Stand between me and the dawn so that I can take the pre-dawn meal (preparatory to fasting).’ And he narrated that Abu Qilabah and Abu’s-Safar both said:

Abu Bakr as-Siddiq used to say, ‘Shut the door until we have eaten the pre-dawn meal.’ Al-Bayhaqi and Abu Bakr ibn Ziyad an-Naysaburi, in Kitab az- Ziyadat, narrated that Hudhayfah ibn Usayd said: I observed Abu Bakr and cUmar and what they would make apparent (of their actions), wishing to set sunnahs.

Abu Dawud narrated that Ibn cAbbas said: I bear witness that Abu Bakr as-Siddiq said, ‘Eat the fish which float (on the surface, i.e. which have died naturally, as it is permitted to eat them).’ Ash-Shafici narrated in al-Umm that Abu Bakr as-Siddiq disliked trading meat for live animals.

Al-Bukhari narrated that he placed the grandfather in the same standing as the father, meaning in inheritance.

Ibn Abi Shaybah narrated in his Musannafthzt cAta’ narrated from Abu Bakr that he said: The grandfather has the same degree as the father as long as there is no father but him, and the son of the son is in the place of the son as long as there is no son apart from him.

He narrated that al-Qasim narrated that Abu Bakr was brought a man who had denied his father and so Abu Bakr said, ‘Hit the head for the shaytan is in the head.’ He narrated that Ibn Abi Malik said: Abu Bakr, when he prayed over the dead, used to say, ‘O Allah, [he is] Your slave, whose family, property and relatives have forsaken him; the wrong action is great, and You are all-forgiving, compassionate.’ Sacid ibn Mansur narrated in his Sunan that cUmar narrated that Abu Bakr gave judgement that cAsim ibn cUmar ibn al-Khattab should go to Umm cAsim (cUmar’s ex-wife), and that he said (to cUmar), ‘Her scent, her odour and her gentleness are better for him than you are.’ Al-Bayhaqi narrated that Qais ibn Abi Hazim said: A man came to Abu Bakr and said, ‘My father wants to take my property, all of it and he will make an end of it.’ Abu Bakr said to his father, ‘You can only have of his property that which will be sufficient for you.’ He (the father) said, ‘Khalifah of the Messenger of Allah, did the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, not say, “You and your property belong to your father”?’ So he said, ‘Yes, and by that he only meant expenditure on maintenance.’ Ahmad narrated that cAmr ibn Shucayb narrated from his father from his grandfather that Abu Bakr and cUmar would not kill a freeman (in retaliation) for (the killing of) a slave.

Al-Bukhari narrated that Ibn Abi Mulaykah narrated from his grandfather that a man bit the hand of a man and so caused his (own) incisor to fall out, and Abu Bakr declared that there was no retaliation for it.

Ibn Abi Shaybah and al-Bayhaqi narrated that Tkrimah said that Abu Bakr gave judgement that there were fifteen camels for (cutting off or mutilating) an ear, and said, ‘The hair and the turban will conceal its disfigurement.’ Al-Bayhaqi and others narrated that Abu Tmran al-Juni said that Abu Bakr sent troops to Syria and put in command over them Yazid ibn Abi Sufyan and said, ‘I counsel you with ten qualities: do not kill a woman, nor a child, nor a feeble old man; do not cut down a fruitful tree; do not ruin cultivated land; do not slaughter a camel or a sheep except for its owner; do not destroy the date-palm, nor burn it; do not conceal plunder; and do not be cowardly.’ Ahmad, Abu Dawud and an-Nasa’i narrated that Abu Barzah al-Aslami said: Abu Bakr was angry with a man and his anger became very severe indeed, so I said, ‘Khalifah of the Messenger of Allah, strike off his head!’ He said, ‘Woe to you! That belongs to no-one after the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace.’ Saif narrated in the Kitab al-Futuh from his shaykhs that al- Muhajir ibn Abi Umayyah, who was the Amir of al-Yamamah, had two women singers brought before him, one of whom had sung abuse of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, so he cut off her hand and pulled out her teeth; and the other had sung ridicule of the Muslims, so he cut off her hand, and pulled out her teeth. Abu Bakr wrote to him, ‘It has reached me that which you have done with the woman who sang abusing the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and if it were not that you had preceded me I would have told you to kill her, because the hadd punishment for the prophets does not resemble other hadd punishments. Whoever of the Muslims dares to do that is a renegade, and if he is a non-Muslim who has a covenant with the Muslims then he is a treacherous and hostile enemy. As for the one who sang ridiculing the Muslims; if she was one of those who claim to be Muslims, then she should be taught manners and punished but not mutilated. If she was one of the people of the dhimmah (People of the Book living under the governance of the Muslims), then, by my life, that shirk which you have turned away from is greater (as a crime than ridicule of the Muslims). If I had previously commanded you in a case the like of this (and then later you had done what you did) you would have reached affliction, so accept that I will let things be, and beware of mutilating people, because it is a crime and must be avoided except in retaliation (for a similar crime of mutilation).’ Malik and ad-Daraqutni narrated that Safiyyah bint Abi cUbayd narrated that a man had sexual intercourse with a virgin slave girl and confessed it, so he ordered that he should be whipped and then he exiled him to Fadak.

Abu Yacla narrated that Muhammad ibn Hatib said: A man who had stolen was brought to Abu Bakr and already all his hands and feet had been cut off (for thefts), so Abu Bakr said, ‘I cannot find anything for you except what the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, decided about you on the day he ordered that you be killed, and he certainly knew better about you,’ and he ordered that he be killed.

Malik narrated that al-Qasim ibn Muhammad said that a man from Yemen, who had a hand and a foot cut off, came and stayed with Abu Bakr. He complained to him that the governor of the Yemen had wronged him, and he used to pray at night. So Abu Bakr would say, ‘By your father, your night is not the night of a thief.’ Then later they missed some jewellery belonging to Asma’ bint cUmays, Abu Bakr’s wife. He began to go around with them saying, ‘Allah, You must take [to task] whoever plotted against the people of this righteous house.’ Then they found the jewellery with a jeweller who claimed that the man whose limbs were amputated had brought it, and he confessed or someone witnessed against him. Abu Bakr gave the command and his left hand was cut off.

Abu Bakr said, ‘By Allah, his supplication against himself, for me Is stronger and more severe against him than his theft.’ Ad-Daraqutni narrated that Anas said that Abu Bakr would cut (off the hand) for a shield whose value was five dirhams.

Abu Nucaym narrated in al-Hilyah that Abu Salih said: When I he people of the Yemen came in the time of Abu Bakr and they heard the Qur’an, they began to weep. Abu Bakr said, ‘Just like this we used to be, then the hearts became hard.’ Abu Nucaym said, 'i.e. they became strong and tranquil with the mdrifah (gnosis) of Allah, exalted is He.’ Al-Bukhari narrated that Ibn cUmar said: Abu Bakr said, ‘Be regardful of Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, in the people of his house.’ Abu cUbayd narrated in al-Gbareeb that Abu Bakr said, ‘Fragrant good fortune to whoever dies in the time of weakness,’ i.e. in the very beginning of Islam before the stirrings of dissensions.

The Four and Malik narrated that Qabisah said: A grandmother came to Abu Bakr as-Siddiq asking him for her inheritance and he said, ‘There is nothing for you in the Book of Allah and I have not learnt that there is anything for you in the Sunnah of the Prophet of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, so go back until I ask people.’ He asked people and al-Mughirah ibn Shucbah said, ‘I attended the Messenger of Allah who gave her (a grandmother) a sixth.’ Abu Bakr said, ‘Is there anyone else with you?’ Muhammad ibn Maslamah arose and said the like of what al-Mughirah had said.

So Abu Bakr allocated her that.

Malik and ad-Daraqutni narrated that al-Qasim ibn Muhammad said that two grandmothers came to Abu Bakr seeking their inheritances, the mother of a mother and the mother of a father, and so he gave the inheritance to the mother of the mother. cAbd ar-Rahman ibn Sahl al-Ansari, who was one of those who had been present at Badr and was a member of Bani Harithah, said to him, ‘Khalifah of the Messenger of Allah, you have given to the one 93

T h e H isto r y o f t h e K h a l ifa h s from whom he would not have inherited if she had died!’ And so he divided it between the two of them.

cAbd ar-Razzaq narrated in his Musannafxhax. cA’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, narrated the hadith of the wife of Rifacah who was divorced from him and married cAbd ar-Rahman ibn az-Zubayr after him but he was unable to consummate the marriage, and so she wanted to return to Rifacah. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said to her, ‘No, not until you taste the sweetness of intercourse with him and he tastes the sweetness of intercourse with you.’ This much is in the Sahih. cAbd ar-Razzaq added: She remained for a while and then she came to him and informed him that he had touched her. He forbade her to return to her first husband and said, ‘O Allah, if it was more expansive for her that she should return to Rifacah, then her marriage to him would not be completed for her another time.’ Then later she came to Abu Bakr and cUmar in their khilafahs and they both forbade her.

Al-Bayhaqi narrated that cUqbah ibn cAmir said that cAmr ibn al-cAs and Shurahbil ibn Hasanah both sent him as a messenger to Abu Bakr with the head of Bannan, the Byzantine general of Syria.

When he came to Abu Bakr, he disapproved of that strongly and so cUqbah said to him, ‘Khalifah of the Messenger of Allah, they (the Byzantines) do that with us.’ He said, ‘Are they following the Sunnah of the Persians and the Byzantines? Don’t carry the head to me; a letter and news are enough.’ Al-Bukhari narrated that Qais ibn Abi Hazim said: Abu Bakr went into a woman of Ahmas called Zaynab, and he saw her not talking and he said, ‘What is wrong with her that she does not talk?’ They said, ‘She performed the Hajj in silence.’ He said to her, ‘Speak, because this is not permitted. This is one of the acts of Jahiliyyah.’ So she spoke and said, ‘Who are you?’ He said, ‘I am a man of the Muhajirun.’ She said, ‘Which of the Muhajirun?’ He said, ‘From Quraysh.’ She said, ‘From which group of Quraysh?’ He said, ‘You are a real questioner - I am Abu Bakr.’ She said, 'I low long will we remain on this right matter which Allah has brought us after ignorance?’ He said, ‘Your remaining upon it will be as long as your imams stay upstanding.’ She said, ‘Who are the imams?’ He said, ‘Do your people not have leaders and nobles who order them and they obey them?’ She said, ‘Of course.’ He said, "Ihey are those people.’ Al-Bukhari narrated that CA’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, said: Abu Bakr had a slave who used to pay him his revenue. One day he brought him something and Abu Bakr ate of it. The slave said to him, ‘Do you know what this is?’ Abu Bakr said, ‘What is it?’ He said, ‘I used to act as a foreteller of the future for a man in the jahiliyyah and how good was the foretelling, except that I deceived.

I hen he met me and gave me that which you have eaten from.’ So Abu Bakr thrust his hand in his mouth and vomited everything in his stomach. Ahmad narrated in az-Zuhd that Ibn Sirin said, ‘I know of no-one who made himself vomit food which he had eaten cxcept for Abu Bakr,’ and he told the same story.

An-Nasa’i narrated that Aslam said that cUmar discovered Abu Bakr grasping his tongue, saying, ‘This is the one which has brought me to so many places.’ Abu cUbayd narrated in al-Ghareeb that Abu Bakr passed by cAbd ar-Rahman ibn cAwf while he was quarrelling with his neighbour and he said, ‘Do not quarrel with your neighbour for he will remain when people have left you.’ Ibn cAsakir narrated that Musa ibn cUqbah related that Abu Bakr as-Siddiq used to deliver the khutbah saying, ‘Praise belongs to Allah, the Lord of the creatures, I praise Him and seek His aid, and We ask Him for generosity for that which is after death, because my term and yours have drawn near. And I witness that there is no god but Allah alone, no partner with Him and that Muhammad is His slave and messenger whom He sent with the Truth, as a bringer of good news and a warner and an illuminating lamp so that he might warn whoever is alive and that the word would be realised on the disbelievers. Whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger is truly guided, and whoever disobeys them has gone astray into clear error. I counsel you to have fearful obedience of Allah, and to cling strongly to the command of Allah which He has laid down for you and by which He has guided you, because the comprehensive summation of the guidance of Islam after the word of sincerity (the shahadati)

is ‘hearing and obedience’ to whomever Allah has given authority over your affairs, for whoever obeys Allah and those who order the well-recognised virtues and forbid what is rejected, has succeeded and prospered, and discharged that duty with which he is obliged.

Beware of following the whim of passion, for he is successful and prospers who is protected from the whim of passion, greed, ambition, and anger. Beware of boasting, for what boast can he have who is created from dust, and then will later return to dust, then later maggots will eat him, and he is today alive and tomorrow dead? So know a day by a day (the Last Day) and an hour by an hour (the Hour of the end). Protect yourselves from the supplication of the wronged one, and count yourselves among the dead, and be patient, for all action is by patience, and be on your guard, for watchfulness is useful. And act, and action will be accepted. Guard yourselves from that which Allah cautioned you about of His torment, and hasten to that which Allah promised you of His mercy. Understand and you will be understood, have fearful obedience (taqwa\ literally - self-protecting) and you will be guarded, for Allah has made clear to you that for which He destroyed those who were before you, and that for which He saved whomever He saved before you. He has made clear to you in His book His halaland His haram, and which actions He loves and which He deplores. I will not neglect you and myself, and Allah is the One from Whom aid is sought. And there is no power (to prevent evil) and strength (to do right) but by Allah.

Know that as long as you are sincere towards your Lord in your actions then you have obeyed your Lord and you have protected and guarded your portion, and you will be in a state of wellbeing.

A nd that which you offer voluntarily for your deen, then make it a I ree-will offering (which you send) before you and you will receive lull payment for your loan, and you will be given your permanent daily allowance of food during your poverty and in your (time of)

need of it. Then reflect, slaves of Allah, on your brethren and your companions who have passed away. They have come to that which t hey sent before them and they are established upon that, and they are alone in the grief and the happiness in that which is after death.

Allah has no partner, and there is no relationship between Him and any one of His creatures by which He will give him good or avert evil, excepting by obedience to Him and following His command.

I ruly, there is no good in a good after which comes the Fire, nor any evil in an evil after which comes the Garden. I say this word of mine and I seek the forgiveness of Allah, for me and for you. Send blessings on your Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and peace be on him, the mercy of Allah and His blessings.’ Al-Hakim and al-Bayhaqi narrated that cAbdullah ibn Hakim said:

Abu Bakr as-Siddiq addressed a khutbah to us and in it he praised Allah as He is worthy and then said, ‘I counsel you with fearful obedience of Allah, that you praise Him as He is worthy, and that you mix longing with fear, because Allah, exalted is He, praised Zakariyya and the people of his family saying, “ They used to hasten competitively in doing good actions, and they would supplicate Us, full of longing and fear, and they were humble to Us.” (Qur’an 21: 90). Then know, slaves of Allah, that Allah has taken, by His right, your selves as a pledge, and He has taken on that basis your covenants, and He has bought from you the transient little with the everlasting much. This Book of Allah is among you; its light does not become snuffed out and its wonders never end, so take illumination from its light, accept the sincere advice of His Book, and seek light from it for the Day of darkness; for He has only created you for His worship and service, and He has entrusted over you noble scribes who know what you are doing. Then know, slaves of Allah, that you go out in the mornings and come back in the evenings for a period of time (the life-span) the knowledge of which He has concealed from you; so if you are able that your life-spans should come to an end while you are on the work of Allah, then do so, and you will only be able to by the permission of Allah. Race in your life-spans before they pass away and return you to the worst of your actions, for some people have given their lives to others and forgotten themselves and I forbid you to be like them.

Make haste! Make haste! Be quick! Be quick! For behind you there is a nimble pursuer whose command is very fast.’ Ibn Abi’d-Dunya, Ahmad in az-Zuhd, and Abu Nucaym in al- Hilyah narrated that Yahya ibn Abi Kathir narrated that Abu Bakr used to say in his khutbah, ‘Where are the handsome fair of face, conceited with their youth? Where are the kings who built the cities and fortified them? Where are those who used to be given conquests in battles? Their strongest were humbled when time betrayed them and they awoke in the darknesses of the graves. Make haste! Make haste! Be quick! Be quick!’ Ahmad narrated in az-Zuhd that Salman said: I came to Abu Bakr and said, ‘Counsel me!’ He said, ‘Salman, have fearful obedience of Allah, and know that there will be conquests, but I do not know what your portion of them will be, that which you put in your belly or throw upon your back (clothing). Know that whoever prays the five prayers enters the morning in a covenant with Allah, exalted is He, and enters the evening in a covenant with Allah, exalted is He.

Do not kill anyone of the people who is in a covenant with Allah and thus behave treacherously towards Allah concerning His covenant, for then Allah will throw you down in the Fire upon your face.’ He narrated that Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, also said, ‘The right-acting people will be taken away, the foremost and then the next foremost until there only remain chaff, husks and dregs of people like those left over from dates and barley, for whom Allah will not be concerned or care.’ Sacid ibn Mansur narrated in his Sunan that Mucawiyah ibn Qurrah narrated that Abu Bakr as-Siddiq, may Allah be pleased with him, used to say in his supplication, ‘O Allah, make the best of my life the last of it, and the best of my action its seals and the best of my days the day I meet You.’ Ahmad narrated in az-Zuhd that al-Hasan said: It has reached me that Abu Bakr used to say in his supplication, ‘O Allah, I ask You that which is best for me at the end of the affair. O Allah, make the last that You give me of good Your good pleasure and the highest ranks in the Gardens of Bliss.’ He narrated that cArfajah said: Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, said, ‘Whoever is able to weep let him weep, and if not let him endeavour to weep.’ He narrated that cAzrah narrated: Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, said, ‘Two reds have destroyed them (women): gold and saffron.’ He narrated that Muslim ibn Yasar narrated that Abu Bakr said, ‘The Muslim is rewarded for everything, even a hurt (in the foot)

caused by a stone, the breaking of his sandal’s thong, or some article in his sleeve which he misses and fears for, then finds it in the fold (of his garment).’ He narrated that Maymun ibn Mihran said: Abu Bakr was brought a crow with large wings and he turned it over and said, ‘No game is caught nor tree lopped but because of the glorification it neglected.’ Al-Bukhari narrated in al-Adab, and cAbdullah ibn Ahmad in the Zawa’id az-Zuhd that as-Sunabihi narrated that he heard Abu Bakr saying, ‘The supplication of the brother for his brother for the sake of Allah is expected to be answered.’ cAbdullah ibn Ahmad in the Zawa’id az-Zuhd narrated from cUbayd ibn cUmayr that Labid the poet said that he came to Abu Bakr and said, ‘Every thing apart from Allah is false.’ Abu Bakr said, ‘You have told the truth.’ He said, ‘And every bliss inevitably fades away.’ He (Abu Bakr) said, ‘You lie! With Allah there is a bliss that does not pass away.’ When he turned away Abu Bakr said, ‘Perhaps the poet said the word from wisdom.’ His words indicative of the strength of his fear of his Lord Abu Ahmad al-Hakim narrated that Mucadh ibn Jabal said: Abu Bakr entered a walled garden and there was a species of pigeon in the shade of a tree, so he sighed and then said, ‘Fragrant good fortune to you, bird! You eat of the trees, you find shade in the trees, and you fly off without reckoning. Would that Abu Bakr was like you.’ Ibn cAsakir narrated that al-Asmaci said: When Abu Bakr was praised he used to say, ‘O Allah, You know my self better than I do, and I know my self better than they do. O Allah, make me better than what they think, and forgive me for what they don’t know, and don’t take me to task for what they say.’ Ahmad narrated in az-Zuhd that Abu cImran al-Juni said: Abu Bakr said, ‘I would love to be a hair in the side of a believing slave.’ Ahmad narrated in az-Zuhd that Mujahid said: Ibn az-Zubayr used to be like a piece of wood, when he stood in prayer, out of fearful humility and he said, ‘I have been told that Abu Bakr was like that.’ He narrated that al-Hasan said: Abu Bakr said, ‘By Allah, I wish that I was this tree which is eaten (from) and chopped down.’ He narrated that Qatadah said: It has reached me that Abu Bakr said, ‘I wish that I was herbage which cattle eat.’ He narrated that Damrah ibn Habib said: Death came to a son of Abu Bakr as-Siddiq. The young man began to glance towards a mattress. When he died they said to Abu Bakr, ‘We saw your son glancing towards the mattress.’ They removed him from the mattress and found underneath it five or six dinars. Abu Bakr struck his hand upon the other repeatedly saying, ‘ Truly, we belong to Allah and truly we are returning to Him. So and so, I don’t think your skin would be ample enough for it.’ He narrated that Thabit al-Banani narrated that Abu Bakr used to quote this poem as a proverb:

‘You will continue lamenting the death of a beloved until you are him, and the youth hopes a hope which he dies short of (attaining).’ Ibn Sacd narrated that Ibn Sirin said: No-one after the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was as much in awe of what he did not know as Abu Bakr. No-one after Abu Bakr was as much in awe of what he did not know as cUmar. Sometimes a case would come before Abu Bakr for which he could find no source in the Book of Allah nor any trace or tradition in the Sunnah and so he would say, ‘I will exert myself to arrive at my own conclusion. If it is right then it is from Allah. If it is wrong it is from me and I seek forgiveness of Allah.’