Abu Bakr

Not at all. On the contrary, this verse is very clear that the person who was with the Prophet in the cave, was not a believer because he was not entitled to receive the Calmness from Allah. Allah sent His Calmness on the Prophet only and never in that companion فأنزل الله سكينته عليه وأيّدَهٌ بجنود لم تروها.

'There is a discussion among the scholars about the name of the person who was with the Prophet in the cave, but whosoever he was, he was not entitled for receiving the peace from Allah, which is received by the believers (Sura 48, verse 4). (It is He who sent down calmness in the hearts of the believers).

'Even Ayesha, daughter of Abu Bakr denied any verse in Quran regarding her and her father but only in the allegation of Al-Ifk. Bukhari, V. 6. Page 42. If the verse 40 in Sura Tauba was mentioning her father, she should known that.

Wassalam.

Asma Bint Umays was always a pious lady, all along her life as she was one of the sincere followers and servants of Ahlul Bayt (A.S.). She never accepted bad deeds of others, but was patient and tolerant like the wife of Firaun, who was one of the great believing ladies despite the bad behaviour of her husband.

Wassalaam

Lady Asma Bint Umays was the wife of Jafar Ibn Abi Talib (Jafar Al-Tayyar), the real brother of Ameerul Mo'mineen (AS) and she migrated with him to Abyssinia and remained with him till his return back to Madina in year 8 after Hijra then till was martyred in the battle of Mo'tah. She was the mother of Abdullah Ibn Jafar (husband of Lady Zainab Al-Khubra) and other children of Jafar Al-Tayyar. Abu Bakr proposed and married her.. After the death of Abu Bakr, Imam Ali (AS) proposed to her to look after the orphans of his brother Jafar Al-Tayyar. She had then a child from Abu Bakr called Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr who grew up in the house of Imam Ali (AS) and became one of the best believers and followers of Ameerul Mo'mineen (AS).

Wassalam.

This claim is not true at all. It is part of the politically oriented fabricated narrations. Even leading Sunni scholars said that the narration is fabricated.

‘Keep in mind that lot of narrations in praise of the Saqeefah rulers were fabricated for political reasons. This fact is well known to the scholars of Muslim history and science of Hadeeth.

Wassalam.

No. We don't have any authentic narration in this meaning. This narration is fabricated for political reasons and has no value in the eyes of scholars who researched the chain of the narrators. It is narrated from Abdul Azeez ibn Muhammad al-Azdi  who is unknown narrator even among Sunni scholars. (Lisaan al-Meezan 2:32).

Muhammad son of Abu Bakr was a pious follower of Ahlul Bayt (AS).

Wassalam.

This question deals with one of the issues which were fabricated to adjust a political agenda to justify the conspiracy of Saqeefah which was a big blunder immediately after the demise of the Prophet Muhammad (SAWA). Even Omar ibn al-Khattab who was the partner of Abu Bakr in Saqeefah called the allegiance to Abu Bakr as a dangerous blunder from its evil Allah Has protected the Muslims, and any one tries to do like it must be killed. ( Saheeh al- Bukhari , Hadeeth 6830, and Musnad Ahmad ibn Hanbal; 7:431 Hadeeth 37031 and 37032).

It is a well known fact that Imam Ali (AS) rejected the outcome of Saqeefah and refused to give allegiance to Abu Bakr. ( Saheeh al-Bukhari and Saheeh Muslim). Some narrations in Sunni books claim that imam Ali (AS) has given allegiance to Abu Bakr after six months. Such narrations are fabricated politically oriented. Imam Ali (AS) has never given allegiance to Abu Bakr despite the tremendous pressure and threatening which he faced from the group of Saqeefah which reached to burning the house on him and his wife Fatimah and all his family if he refuses to give allegiance to Abu Bakr. ( Musannaf ibn Abi Shaibah;Hadeeth 36383, and Tareekh al-Tabari;V.2, P. 443, and Ansaari al-Ashraf by al-Balathuri; V.1, P.586 and al-Soyooti in Musnad Fatimah, page 36, and Ibn Qutaiba al-Dinori in Al-Imamah wal Siyaasah , V.1, P.19.and many other Sunni books.

Al-Shaikh al-Mufeed refuted the claim of the opponents that Imam Ali (AS) gave allegiance to Abu Bakr saying: The refusal of Imam Ali to give allegiance to Abu Bakr is undisputed fact among all the scholars, while the claim that he gave allegiance is disputed. His refusal was based on his responsibility to refuse wrong, and this responsibility remained with him always and there is no evidence that wrong has turned to be right. Al-Shaikh Al-Mufeed and our authentic great Ulama has stated that Imam Ali has never given allegiance to Abu Bakr. Obviously, the real leader of all the Faithful can never be a follower of Saqeefah imposed rulers.

Well known Sunni scholar Al-Dhahabi has stated : Ali did not attend any Friday prayer nor congregational prayer with any of the three Caliphs. ( Siyar A'laam al-Nubalaa' 9: 284).

Wassalam.

The narrations claiming that the Prophet Muhammad (SAWA) instructed Abu Bakr to lead the prayers during his last sickness is not authentic at all. The main narrator is just one person who is Ayisha the daughter of Abu Bakr. Another narrator is 'O'rwah Ibn al-Zubair ,the sin of Asmaa' who is Ayisha's real sister. 'O'rwah was not even born in the time of incident, beside his own benefit to support his the claim of his aunt for political reasons. 'O'rwah fought against Imam Ali in the battle of Jamal (The Camel). He was a staunch enemy of Imam Ali (AS) till the end of his life.

Lot of people were present near the Prophet during his last sickness, but none of them narrated such incident. The Masjid was full of Muslims, but none of them narrated that the Prophet sent Abu Bakr to lead the prayers. On the contrary, authentic narrations stated that Ayisha while the Prophet was not well, told her father to go to the Masjid to lead the prayers with out informing the Prophet. When the Prophet was cane to know, he tolerated his heavy illness and went to the Masjid and dragged Abu Bakr back and led the prayers. If Abu Bakr was  really sent by the Prophet to lead the prayer, then why did the Prophet drag him back and prevent him from leading the prayers.

Even if Abu Bakr was told to lead the prayers, which never happened, leading the prayers can never be an evidence to be a successor of the Prophet as it is a clear fact that the Prophet used to order a man (Ibn Abi Maktoom) to lead the prayers in his Masjid when he away from Madinah. Can any one claim that that man is the successor after the Prophet?

This fabricated story aims to justify ignoring the clear orders and obvious allegiance which was taken from Muslims in the Day of Ghadeer to follow Ali (AS) after the Prophet (SAWA).

Wassalam.

Sunni books mentioned that Imam Ali (AS) refused to give allegiance to Abu Bakr and Abu Bakr sent Umar with group of people to force Imam Ali on giving allegiance or burn his house on him and Fatima and Hasan and Husain.

(Tareekh Tabari (2: 443).

Mussannaf Ibn Abi Shaibah, (8:572)

Ansaab Al-Ashraaf by Balathori (1:586).

Al-Soyooti inMusnad Fatima , Page 36.

Ibn Qutaibah in Al-Imamah wal Siyasah (1:19) and (1:30).

Ibn Abd rabbih in Al-'iqd al-Fareed (1:78).

Ibn Abd al-Barr  in Al-Estee'aab (3:975).

And many other Sunni books.

Those who claim that Imam Ali (AS)has given allegiance to Abu Bakr after six months need to prove their claim. There is no authentic narration but a narration from Aiysha Bint Abi Bakr claiming that. Everyone knows the stand of Aiysha against Imam Ali (AS).

We have in the books that after the demise of Lady Fatimah (AS), the Saqeefa people threatened to kill Imam Ali if he does not give allegiance and took from him an allegiance under threat. Obviously, even if this narration was right, such allegiance is invalid according to Islam because it was under threatening to kill him.

Imam Ali (AS) did not even pray with them in the Masjid nether Jumm'ah nor Jama'ah. (Siyar A'laam Al-Nubalaa' By Al-Dhahabi (9:284).

Wassalam.

Simple search in Sunni books of Hadeeth leads to the fact that all the three whom you named ran away from the Jihad.

1. Abu Bakr: 

Al-Haakim Al-Nisaboori who is one of the well known Sunni scholars narrated in his famous book  Al-Mustadrak Alal Saheehayn, Volume 3, Page 37 that Abu Bakr ran away.

2. Umar:

In Saheeh Bukhari and Dalaa'l Al-Sidq , V. 1, P.362 and Noor Al-Absaar by Shiblanji, P. 87, you find that Umar ran away.

3. Uthman:

Ibn Katheer (student of Ibn Yatmiyyah) mentioned in his books Al-Bidayah Wal Nihayah V.4, P. 28 that Uthman ran away.

Many other Muslims have also run away from the battles due to weakness in the faith. Only the firm and strong in faith stood fast and never ran away.

Exposing the hypocrites was declared in Quran by their deeds but not by their names. Same was done by the Prophet (SAWA) who did not expose their names.

The Prophet  (SAWA) has clearly stated that many of his companions will change and turn back from right path after him then will be sent to hellfire. (Saheeh Bukhari, Hadeeth number 4259

and Saheeh Bukhari, Hadeeth number 6098,

and Saheeh Bukhari , Hadeeth number 6099,

and Saheeh Bukhari, Hadeeth number 6026,

and Saheeh Bukhari, Hadeeth number 6528.

Wassalam.