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Incident of Saqifa: Difference between revisions
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==The story== | ==The story== | ||
According to Sunni sources, [[ | According to Sunni sources, the [[Prophet (s)]] died on Monday [[Rabi' I 12]]/[[June 7]], 632, and according to Shiite sources, he died on Monday 28, [[Safar]], 11 A.H. (May 25, 632). The news about the Prophet (s)'s demise was soon circulated around the then small city of [[Medina]], and some people immediately started campaigns to introduce a successor or caliph for the Prophet (s), while [['Ali b. Abi Talib (a)]], [[Fadl b. 'Abbas]] and some others were engaged in the ritual washing of the Prophet (s)'s corpse. | ||
==Ansar's assembly in Saqifa Bani Sa'ida== | ==Ansar's assembly in Saqifa Bani Sa'ida== | ||
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There are different accounts of where [[Abu Bakr]] was when the Prophet (s) died, but on the most widely accepted view, he was in Sanh, where [[Salim b. 'Ubayd]] gave him the news of the Prophet (s)'s demise. | There are different accounts of where [[Abu Bakr]] was when the Prophet (s) died, but on the most widely accepted view, he was in Sanh, where [[Salim b. 'Ubayd]] gave him the news of the Prophet (s)'s demise. | ||
On this account, when Abu Bakr arrived in the Mosque, [['Umar b. al-Khattab]] was standing among people, and was angry at people who were talking about the Prophet (s)'s death, calling them hypocrites and threatening them to death. When Abu Bakr went to the Prophet (s)'s house, he removed the cloth that was on his face, kissed the point between his two eyes, and then went to the Mosque, asking 'Umar to calm down. He then appealed to a verse of the [[ | On this account, when Abu Bakr arrived in the Mosque, [['Umar b. al-Khattab]] was standing among people, and was angry at people who were talking about the Prophet (s)'s death, calling them hypocrites and threatening them to death. When Abu Bakr went to the Prophet (s)'s house, he removed the cloth that was on his face, kissed the point between his two eyes, and then went to the Mosque, asking 'Umar to calm down. He then appealed to a verse of the [[Qur'an]] and confirmed the news about the Prophet (s)'s demise. | ||
Some scholars believe that 'Umar knew about the Prophet (s) | Some scholars believe that 'Umar knew about the Prophet's (s) death, but he denied it so that no person other than the one he had in mind (that is, Abu Bakr) becomes the caliph. What supports this thesis is that 'Umar withdrew his denial when Abu Bakr confirmed the news. | ||
On some accounts, it is probable that Abu Bakr, 'Umar, and [[Abu 'Ubayda al-Jarrah]] consulted about the selection of the Prophet (s)'s successor in Abu 'Ubayda's house before they learned about, and joined, Ansar's assembly in Saqifa. | On some accounts, it is probable that Abu Bakr, 'Umar, and [[Abu 'Ubayda al-Jarrah]] consulted about the selection of the Prophet (s)'s successor in Abu 'Ubayda's house before they learned about, and joined, Ansar's assembly in Saqifa. | ||
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There was a quarrel between [[Muhajirun]] and [[Ansar]] over the succession ([[khilafa]] or [[caliphate]]) of the Prophet (s). Each group argued that the caliph should be selected from among them because of their virtues and advantages over the other party. | There was a quarrel between [[Muhajirun]] and [[Ansar]] over the succession ([[khilafa]] or [[caliphate]]) of the Prophet (s). Each group argued that the caliph should be selected from among them because of their virtues and advantages over the other party. | ||
In the event of Saqifa Bani Sa'ida, [[Sa'd b. 'Ubada]] delivered a speech for people and praised people of Ansar and their virtues and services for Islam. He then claimed that the Prophet (s) | In the event of Saqifa Bani Sa'ida, [[Sa'd b. 'Ubada]] delivered a speech for people and praised people of Ansar and their virtues and services for Islam. He then claimed that the Prophet's (s) caliph should be from Ansar. After his speech, people of Ansar wanted to pledge their allegiance to Sa'd b. 'Ubada. But some of them raised the question of what to say to Muhajirun if they oppose Sa'd b. 'Ubada's caliphate. Thus they decided to offer the suggestion of electing a ruler from Muhajirun and another from Ansar. | ||
However, Abu Bakr, 'Umar b. al-Khattab, and Abu 'Ubayda al-Jarrah turned people's attentions away from Sa'd b. 'Ubada, and invited them to pledge their allegiance to Abu Bakr as the caliph. 'Umar rejected the suggestion of one ruler from Muhajirun and another from Ansar on the grounds that one cannot place two swords in one scabbard, and people of Arab will not obey two rulers. | However, Abu Bakr, 'Umar b. al-Khattab, and Abu 'Ubayda al-Jarrah turned people's attentions away from Sa'd b. 'Ubada, and invited them to pledge their allegiance to Abu Bakr as the caliph. 'Umar rejected the suggestion of one ruler from Muhajirun and another from Ansar on the grounds that one cannot place two swords in one scabbard, and people of Arab will not obey two rulers. | ||
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The argument made by people of [[Quraysh]] for the claim that they were qualified for the succession of the Prophet (s) was that the Prophet (s) was from the Quraysh, and thus they were branches of the same tree that the Prophet (s) belonged to. | The argument made by people of [[Quraysh]] for the claim that they were qualified for the succession of the Prophet (s) was that the Prophet (s) was from the Quraysh, and thus they were branches of the same tree that the Prophet (s) belonged to. | ||
In his exposition of the 65th sermon of ''[[Nahj al-balagha]]'', [[Ibn Abi l-Hadid]] says: 'Umar told Ansar: "Arabs will never be happy with your rule, since the Prophet (s) is not from your tribe, but they will definitely accept the rule of a person from the Prophet (s) | In his exposition of the 65th sermon of ''[[Nahj al-balagha]]'', [[Ibn Abi l-Hadid]] says: 'Umar told Ansar: "Arabs will never be happy with your rule, since the Prophet (s) is not from your tribe, but they will definitely accept the rule of a person from the Prophet's (s) tribe. Who can oppose us, the relatives of the Prophet (s), in his succession and the heritage?" | ||
==Reasons for Abu Bakr's victory in Saqifa== | ==Reasons for Abu Bakr's victory in Saqifa== | ||
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* The old hostility between [[Aws]] and [[Khazraj]] and their tribal competitions made it more difficult for a person from Ansar to be elected as the caliph and thus the path was paved for Abu Bakr's caliphate. | * The old hostility between [[Aws]] and [[Khazraj]] and their tribal competitions made it more difficult for a person from Ansar to be elected as the caliph and thus the path was paved for Abu Bakr's caliphate. | ||
* The engagement of [[Imam | * The engagement of [[Imam Ali (a)]], [['Abbas b. 'Abd al-Muttalib]] and other seniors of Banu Hashim with the washing and shrouding rituals of the Prophet (s)'s corpse, and hence their absence in the meeting for the election of the caliph, made it easier for Abu Bakr to win the position of caliphate. | ||
* [[Al-Shaykh al-Mufid]] summarized the reasons for Abu Bakr's victory as follows: the engagement of Imam 'Ali (a) with rituals of the Prophet (s)'s corpse, absence of Banu Hashim in the meeting, and disputes among people of Ansar themselves. | * [[Al-Shaykh al-Mufid]] summarized the reasons for Abu Bakr's victory as follows: the engagement of Imam 'Ali (a) with rituals of the Prophet (s)'s corpse, absence of Banu Hashim in the meeting, and disputes among people of Ansar themselves. | ||
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==The reasons for Imam 'Ali (a)'s refusal to oppose Abu Bakr's caliphate== | ==The reasons for Imam 'Ali (a)'s refusal to oppose Abu Bakr's caliphate== | ||
At the time when the event of Saqifa was taking place, [[Imam | At the time when the event of Saqifa was taking place, [[Imam Ali (a)]], [['Abbas b. 'Abd al-Muttalib]] and some Muhajirun were busy with the washing and shrouding rituals of the Prophet's (s) corpse. According to ''[[Sahih al-Bukhari]]'' and ''[[Sahih Muslim]]'', Imam 'Ali (a) did not pledge his allegiance to Abu Bakr so long as his wife, [[Fatima al-Zahra (a)]] was still alive, that is, 6 months after the Prophet's (s) demise. According to 'Abd al-Razzaq, [[al-Bukhari]]'s teacher, in his book, ''al-Musannaf'', in addition to Ali (a), no person from [[Banu Hashim]] pledged their allegiance to Abu Bakr during those six months. | ||
==Shiites' | ==Shiites' Questions about the Event of Saqifa== | ||
Shiites have a lot of questions about the event of Saqifa Bani Sa'ida, including the following: | Shiites have a lot of questions about the event of Saqifa Bani Sa'ida, including the following: | ||
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Shiites do not find the answers provided by Sunni scholars to these questions convincing, believing that they cast doubts about the legitimacy of Abu Bakr's caliphate. Moreover, there are other pieces of evidence that reinforce these doubts: | Shiites do not find the answers provided by Sunni scholars to these questions convincing, believing that they cast doubts about the legitimacy of Abu Bakr's caliphate. Moreover, there are other pieces of evidence that reinforce these doubts: | ||
* The denial of the Prophet (s) | * The denial of the Prophet's (s) death by 'Umar | ||
* 'Umar's prevention of people from bringing a paper and a pen for the Prophet (s) at his request in the last moments of his life (the Prophet (s) was probably going to write about his successor) | * 'Umar's prevention of people from bringing a paper and a pen for the Prophet (s) at his request in the last moments of his life (the Prophet (s) was probably going to write about his successor) | ||
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* … | * … | ||
Some people have appealed to these pieces of evidence concluding that the allegiance with Abu Bakr did not happen out of the blue, rather it was a pre-planned plot. Some Shiite [[ | Some people have appealed to these pieces of evidence concluding that the allegiance with Abu Bakr did not happen out of the blue, rather it was a pre-planned plot. Some Shiite [[hadith]]s have referred to such a plot being planned during the Prophet's (s) life. | ||
==References== | ==References== | ||