Address
of Abu Bakr (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ)
After the meeting at Saqifah Banu
Sâ'idah and being absolved from his duty of the burial of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم), Abu Bakr (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) took the oath of
allegiance from the general population and then rose to deliver his address.
After praising and glorifying Allâh, he said to the people:
"I have been chosen as your
chief although I am better than none of you. Thus, if I do good work it is
incumbent on you to extend your help and support to me; if I go wrong it is
your duty to put me on the right path. Truth and righteousness are a trust and
untruth is a breach of trust. The weak among you are strong to me unless I give
them full justice, and the strong among you are weak to me unless I receive
what is due from them. Abandon not Jihâd, when the people hold back from Jihâd,
they are put to disgrace. Obey me while I keep obeying Allâh and His Messenger (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم); renounce me when I
disobey Allâh and His Messenger (صلى الله عليه وآله
وسلم), for obedience to me is not incumbent on you then."
That was the day when thirty-three
thousand Companions pledged their allegiance to Abu Bakr (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ). The dispute between the Muhâjirin and
the Ansâr was solved leaving no hard feelings behind. It was because the
Companions of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)
had thoroughly learned to prefer Faith to temporal affairs and due to this quality
no other segment of humanity ever attained the level of development that the
Companions of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)
had gracefully reached.
Usâmah's
Army marches on
The people of Yemen and Najd had
come into the fold of Islam just a few months before the death of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) and Islam had not
yet entered their hearts perfectly bringing about the complete transformation
of their thoughts and actions. This resulted in men like Aswad and Musailamah
raising their heads to claim prophethood and leading a section of new Muslims
astray in each territory. The final departure of the Messenger of Allâh (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) came as a golden
opportunity for them to cash in on the prevailing shock and feeling of disappointment
among the Muslims at large.
Every age produces some
mischiefmongers of an evil nature and they try to take advantage of these type
of situations. Thus some people and tribes having an extreme lust for power and
fame, raised their heads and set about devising ways and means to capture power
and bring the Muslims under their direct influence. As a result of the winds of
apostasy and hypocrisy blowing here and there, the pure and sincere Muslims
felt shocked and deeply disturbed. Had they not been brought up by the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) and his sacred
company to instill courage, determination and firmness, the binding force of
Islam would have been miserably disintegrated.
Almost every where in the Arabian
continent except Al-Madinah, Makkah and Tâ'if, the flames of apostasy were
fiercely raging threatening to burn down the citadel of Islam. Still more
disturbing were the reports that forces inimical to Islam had once again
mustered courage to invade Al-Madinah, and preparations were on to implement
their long standing and wicked plans. The Prophet (صلى
الله عليه وآله وسلم) had already dispatched an expedition
headed by Usâmah bin Zaid (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ)
to take on the Romans in Syria, which had halted its movement due to the
serious illness of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله
وسلم).
Now when Abu Bakr (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) wanted to send the same expedition after
the death of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم),
the Companions put forward their suggestion to the Caliph that in the wake of
the clouds of apostasy gathering on all sides, the expedition should be held
back for sometime. It shows the fathomless depth of courage, grit,
determination and power of Faith wielded by Abu Bakr Siddiq (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) when he answered them, "If I was
convinced that a beast would tear me apart after the dispatch of the army, I
would not hold back at any cost what the Prophet (صلى
الله عليه وآله وسلم) had ordered to go ahead."
In response to the call of the
Caliph, the Companions already enlisted collected in the military camp outside
Al-Madinah. Although they joined the army of Usâmah (رَضِيَ
ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) a section still had some reservations about it for two
reasons. One, Usâmah (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ)
was the son of a slave and he was only 17 years old, and therefore, too young
and inexperienced to lead an army of distinguished Companions. Before moving
ahead Usâmah sent Umar (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ)
as a soldier of his army to Al-Madinah with the message that the eminent
Companions should be called back as the headquarters of Islam was under the
threat of an enemy attack. The Ansâr also sent a message to the Caliph through
Umar (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) that an elderly
person of noble stock be appointed as the commander of the Muslim troops.
Responding to the message of Usâmah (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ
عَنْهُ), the Caliph said, "Had the departure of Muslim troops
rendered the city of Al-Madinah vacant and I would be left alone to be taken
away by beasts of prey, the march of the army would not be put off." As to
the message of the Ansâr, Abu Bakr (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ
عَنْهُ) said "They still carry the impression of arrogance and
snobbery in their hearts." Following this he got up and left on foot for
the military camp outside Al-Madinah to personally see off Usâmah (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) and his army. Usâmah
(رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) moved ahead and Abu
Bakr (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) walked along with
the mount of the commander talking and discussing matters of importance. Usâmah
(رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) said to the Caliph,
"Either you mount the animal or allow me to get down to accompany you on
foot." The Caliph replied, "I shall not ride nor do you need to get
down. What harm shall I be inflicted with if I accompany you over some distance
in the way of Allâh." This act of Abu Bakr (رَضِيَ
ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) was the practical answer to the Ansâr who had some misgivings
regarding the command of Usâmah (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ
عَنْهُ).
Exhortations
to Usâmah (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ):
Walking along with the mount of
Usâmah (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ), the Chief of the
believers instructed Usâmah (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ)
about a ten-point doctrine, which he should follow strictly during the battle
and they are as follows:
Do not approach embezzlement. (2) Do
not tell a lie. (3) Do not commit a breach of trust. (4) Do not kill children,
women or the aged. (5) Do not cut down trees with fruit. (6) Slaughter not
camels, cows or goats for any purpose other than eating. (7) Call to Islam the
people you find. (8) Pay due respect to anyone you meet. (9) Start eating in
the Name of Allâh when the meal is served to you. (10) Fight not with those
among the Jews and the Christians who have taken refuge in their places of
worship. And finally, neither add to what the Messenger of Allâh (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) has ordered you to
do nor subtract from it. Fight the disbelievers with the Name of Allâh and in
His way.
Abu Bakr Siddiq (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) went along with Usâmah (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) up to Jurf and then came back. Before
taking leave, he said to Usâmah (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ
عَنْهُ), "If you grant permission I want Umar to be in Al-Madinah
to assist and give me advice." Usâmah (رَضِيَ
ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) promptly permitted Umar (رَضِيَ
ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) to return back to Al-Madinah.
It is significant and exemplary that
the Caliph took permission from the military commander to keep Umar (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) with him although he
was totally within his rights to order this on his own.
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