21. If what Shi′as say about the covenant and the will, as well as the clear texts, is proven accurate, then what can they say about the nation's consensus to nominate Abu-Bakr al-Siddiq? Its consensus is an unequivocal proof that testifies to his statement (S): "My nation's consensus shall never occur regarding anything wrong."

Answer:

There was no consensus.

The meaning of the Prophet statements: "My nation's consensus shall never occur regarding anything wrong," is that he (S) negates the error, or the misguidance, of the issue regarding which the nation arbitrates; thus, the nation will be reaching a unanimous endorsement in that issue's regard. This is the meaning of such traditions, and nothing else. However, the tradition does not guarantee the propriety of a decision hastily made by a few persons who subsequently forced the judicious and prudent members of the society and through them the majority, to accept it.

The pledge of allegiance taken at the Saqifa was not an issue regarding consultation; rather, it was something which was undertaken by the second caliph and by Abu ‘Ubaydah and a group of their friends, then they took by surprise those who actually had the authority to do and undo, assisted by contemporary circumstances. Thus did they finally achieve what they had aspired.

Abu Bakr himself declared that the oath of allegiance, which he had received, was conducted neither in accordance with consultation nor in accordance with wisdom. He did so when he delivered a sermon at the dawn of his caliphate in which he apologized to the public saying, "The allegiance which I have received is a rash slip from the evil of which Allah has protected us, and there was a presentiment regarding dissension."1

‘Umar testified to the same fact in front of many eyewitnesses when he delivered a sermon from the pulpit of the Prophet's Mosque one Friday shortly before the conclusion of his reign, a sermon the news of which became widely publicized. He said, "It has come to my knowledge that someone has said that if ‘Umar dies, he will swear the oath of allegiance to so-and-so. Therefore, let nobody hesitate from saying that the oath of allegiance to Abu Bakr was a slip that was driven home, for it was exactly so, yet Allah protected us from the evil of its consequences... Whoever swears the oath of allegiance to someone prior to consulting others, doing so only out of fear of being killed if he did not, then he should not do it at all [and accept death instead]... One of the rumors circulated about us when Allah took His Messenger (S) away from us is that the Ansar differed from us in their views; they all assembled at the saqifa [shed] of Bani Sa’idah; besides them, ‘Ali and al-Zubayr, and their followers, opposed us too…"2

He continued to point out what had happened at the shed, the disputes, and differences of opinion, the voices that rose out of concern for the safety of the religion, etc. It was under those circumstances that ‘Umar swore allegiance to Abu Bakr.

It is a fact well-known by those who research the events that prevented the members of the Prophet's household (‘a), the custodians of the Message, from attending the allegiance [inauguration] ceremony. They were detained at ‘Ali's house together with Salman, Abu Dharr al-Ghifari, al-Miqdad ibn al-Aswad al-Kindi, ‘Ammar ibn Yasir, al-Zubayr ibn al-Awwam, Khuzaymah ibn Thabit, Abu ibn Ka’b, Farwah ibn ‘Amr ibn Wadqah al-Ansari, al-Bara' ibn ‘Azib, Khalid ibn Sa’d ibn al-’As al-Amawi, and many others. Therefore, how can it be said that there was a consensus in spite of the fact that all these men, including Muhammad's progeny3 (‘a) did not attend?

Both Bukhari and Muslim4, in their sahihs, in addition to many other renowned traditionists and historians, have all proven the fact that ‘Ali (‘a) did not participate in the allegiance process. He did not reconcile and make peace except after the mistress of the women of the world (peace be upon her) had joined her father (S) [in Paradise], six months thereafter, compelled by the general Islamic interest during those very critical circumstances. The testimony to these facts comes from ‘Ayesha herself who said, "Zahra' (Fatimah) boycotted Abu Bakr and did not speak to him after the demise of the Messenger of Allah (S) till she died, and when ‘Ali made peace with them, he accused them of depriving him of his place in the caliphate."

This hadith, as you can see, does not mention anything about his swearing the oath of allegiance to them.

It should be noted that their consolidation in supporting Abu-Bakr, and their providing him with counsel in secrecy and in public, is one thing; the validity of the consignment of the caliphate through consensus is quite another. ‘Ali and all the infallible Imams from his descendants (‘a) had a well-known policy in supporting the Islamic authority. They believed that the Muslim nation could never rise to glory except through a state that unites its populace, mends any crack in its structure, protects its borders, and safeguards its undertakings. However, even if the government is usurped by someone else, then the nation has to support him in every issue upon which the dignity and fortitude of Islam hinges, and so do the protection of the borders of the Islamic state, and the safeguarding of its national security. It is not permissible to divide the Muslims or create discord among them by opposing him.

• 1. . This is quoted by Abu Bakr Ahmad ibn ‘Abdul-’Aziz al-Jawhari in his book Al-Saqifa and by Ibn Abul-Hadid on page 132, Vol. 1, of his Sharh Nahjul Balaghah.
• 2. . Bukhari, vol. 4, p. 119, chapter on the stoning of the woman who becomes pregnant out of adultery if she gets married.
• 3. . The progeny who to the nation are like the head to the body, the eyes to the face, the descendants of the Messenger of Allah. Those who are the custodians of his knowledge, the ones who are peers only to and the companions of the Book of Allah, the arks of the nation's redemption, and the gates of its salvation, the nation's protection against straying, and the standard-bearers of its guidance.
• 4. . Refer to Bukhari's Sahih, and read the last lines of his chapter on Khaybar's campaign on page 39, vol. 3. Also refer to Muslim's Sahih, to his chapter on the Prophet's statement: "We do not leave behind us anything, for whatever we leave is for charity," in his treatise on holy wars and biographies on page 72, vol. 2, and you will find the matter as we have detailed it.