Edict
of Abu Bakr Siddiq (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ):
Immediately after his return to
Al-Madinah, Abu Bakr (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ)
penned an edict and sent copies to the apostate tribes through his messengers
to be read out in public gatherings. The contents of the edict were as follows:
From Abu Bakr, the Caliph of the
Messenger of Allâh (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم),
to each and every person whether he has accepted Islam or not. Let it be known
to one and all that Allâh the Almighty sent Muhammad (صلى
الله عليه وآله وسلم) as a true Prophet who sought to give glad
tidings and to warn and to call to Allâh by His Order, he is the illuminated
lamp of guidance. Allâh the Almighty guides one to the right path who accepts
the invitation of Islam, but anyone who rejects it is made to show obedience
through struggle and fighting. The Prophet of Allâh (صلى
الله عليه وآله وسلم) made his final departure after
accomplishing his task of calling people towards Islam and the straight path of
Allâh. And Allâh the Almighty has already acquainted all with this in the
Qur'ân:
"Verily,
you will die and they will also die." (39:30)
"And We
granted not to any human being immortality before you, then if you die, would
they live forever?" (21:34)
"Muhammad
is no more than a Messenger and indeed Messengers have passed away before him.
Thus, if he is dead or killed, will you turn back? If anyone turns back, he
will do no harm to Allâh the Almighty. Allâh the Almighty will give good reward
to those who give thanks." (3:144)
Thus, one who worshipped Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) then Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) is now dead and
gone, but one who worshipped Allâh Alone then Allâh is living and He has not
died; He is neither overpowered by sleep nor touched by drowsiness. He looks after
His Own Orders and will at anytime take revenge on His enemies. I exhort you
all to fear Allâh, to share what the Prophet (صلى الله
عليه وآله وسلم) brought in the form of light and guidance from Allâh, to
follow the guidance of Allâh and to hold firmly to the rope of the religion of
Allâh. Anyone who is not guided by Allâh the Almighty, goes astray; he is
helpless and alone who is deprived of the support of Allâh. No deed of a man is
acceptable in this world and the Hereafter while he rejects Islam. I have come
to know that some of you have turned to follow Satan and acts of ignorance
forsaking Allah the Almighty. Allâh the Almighty says that Satan is your sworn
enemy, so be hostile to Satan, for he seeks to make his followers dwellers of
Hell-fire. I have decided to send the detachment made up of the Muhâjirin and
the Ansâr to you, they follow virtue. I have instructed them not to fight
anybody without calling them to Islam and to lend support to those who accept
Islam, to keep from evil and reject not the good, and to fight those who reject
Islam. It is good for the one who accepts Islam. I have ordered my emissary to
read out this message at a large gathering. When a Muslim detachment draws near
and its caller calls the Adhân, you too respond to it by calling the Adhân,
this symbolizes your acceptance of Islam and thus spares your life. If you fail
to call the Adhân, you will invite the Muslims to attack.
Uprooting
the Apostates:
As a follow-up action, after the
dispatch of emissaries with the circulars, Abu Bakr (رَضِيَ
ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) made eleven banners. Each to be given to eleven heads who were
chosen to lead separate detachments with the instructions that they should take
some men from Makkah, Tâ'if and other places, and leave the rest to look after
the home front. The first of the flags was handed over to Khâlid bin Walid (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) with the order to
launch his first attack at Tulaihah bin Khuwailid Asadi and to make Mâlik bin
Nuwairah his next target at Butah. Another standard was given to Ikrimah bin
Abu Jahl to make an attack on Musailamah the liar at Yamâmah. Shurahbil bin
Hasanah (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) was given the third
banner to first assist Ikrimah (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ)
and then go to Hadramout to invade Banu Kindah and Banu Qudâ'ah. The fourth one
was entrusted to Khâlid bin Saeed bin Al-Âs (رَضِيَ
ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) to go to Syria and put down uprisings with a firm hand. Fifth
standard was given to Amr bin Al-Âs (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ
عَنْهُ) for Banu Qudâ'ah. Hudhaifa bin Mihsan (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) was sent to the people of Oman, and
Arfajah bin Harthamah (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ)
to Mahrah with the seventh one. The eighth one was given to Tarqah bin Hâjib (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) to go to Banu Sulaim
and Banu Hawâzin. Suwaid bin Muqarrin (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ
عَنْهُ) was ordered to go to Yemen (Tihâmah) with the ninth one. Ala'
bin Hadrami (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ)
with the tenth standard was sent to Bahrain. Muhâjir bin Abu Umayyah was sent
to San'â' with the eleventh. All these heads were given a circular with the
same content, which is given here:
The
Manifesto of Abu Bakr Siddiq (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ):
This is a covenant from Abu Bakr,
the Caliph of the Messenger of Allâh (صلى الله عليه
وآله وسلم), which is handed over to so-and-so, the head of the detachment
on the eve of his departure to fight the apostates. From the commander of the
detachment I have obtained his undertaking to fear Allâh the Almighty in all
affairs of life inwardly and outwardly. I have ordered him to make them see
reason before falling on the apostates and to stop fighting if and when they
accept Islam and then make them learn their rights and duties and their rights be
given and the duties due on them be taken without showing concessions
whatsoever. Whoever keeps any other kind of belief after the confessing of
Islam is left to Allâh to be accountable to Him. But those who will carry the
matter to the point of fighting by rejecting Islam outright, if overpowered or
defeated by the believers, their spoils are to be distributed among the Muslims
after taking out the fifth part therefrom. I have also issued orders to the
commanders to stop their troops from creating disturbances and taking hasty
actions resulting in chaos and havoc and from admitting strangers to their
detachment without their knowing perfectly their identity. I have also written
them to treat the Muslims politely and show mercy to the people while camping at
and decamping a place.
All these detachments left
Al-Madinah in the month of Jumâda Al-Ukhra 11 AH, for the territories assigned
to them.
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