1. Ask A Question About Islam And Muslims
  2. Ask A Question About Islam And Muslims

Ask A Question About Islam And Muslims

23 Questions

Is it stated in Shia Books that Abu Bakr accompanied the Prophet SAW in the migration from Makkah to Madina and was with him in the cave of Thawr?
Sayyed Mohammad Al-Musawi

We do not have any authentic evidence neither in our books nor in Sunni books that Abu Bakr accompanied the Prophet Muhammad (SAWA) in his migration from Makkah to Madina. On the contrary, we have in authentic Sunni books that Abu Bakr was not with the Prophet during that journey as you can see in Al-Bidayah Wal Nihayah by Ibn Katheer narrating from Ibn Jareer al-Tabari. (Al-Bidayah Wal Nihayah , Vol 3, Page 219)  and also Al-Seerah al-Nabawiyyah by Ibn Katheer , V. 2 , Page 236).

The person who was accompanying  the Prophet (SAWA) was a travel guide who knows the roads of the desert between Makkah and Madina by the name of Abdullah Ibn Orayqit Ibn Bakr عبد الله بن أريقط بن بكر (Mukhtasar Tareekh Dimashq by Ibn Asaakir , V. 13, P. 35).

Some people changed the name from Ibn Bakr to Abu Bakr.

The narration that Abu Bakr was with the Prophet in the cave of Thawr and the spider covered the cave's entrance is fabricated and it has got similar story in the Jewish stories as it as been admitted by leading Sunni scholars. (Tafseer al-Qurtubi, V. 13, P. 346).

In the well known book (Saheeh al-Bukhari (1:170) narrating from Ibn Umar that Abu Bakr and Umar and other well known persons migrated to Madina before the Prophet and used to pray in Masjid Qiba behind Saalim Mawla Abi Huthaifah. Also, there is in Saheeh al-Bukhari 8:115), a narration from Abdullah Ibn Umar that Saalim Mawla Abi Huthaifa used to lead in prayers Muslims including Abu Bakr, Umar,  Abu Salamah, Zaidand  Aamir Ibn Rabee'ah. That was before the arrival of the Prophet to Madina.

Al-Haakim Al-Neesaboori who is a leading Sunni scholar in Hadeeth has narrated that the Prophet migrated from makkah alone and Abu Bakr was not with him (Al-Mustadrak Alal Saheehayn, 3:133).

There is book written on this subject by Shaikh Najaah al-Taa'ee.

Wassalam.
Did Abu Bakr really lead the congregation prayer before the Prophet (pbuh) passed away? If yes, isn’t that evidence that he was the true successor?
Mahmood Abu Maryam

This book goes into the detail of what the other respected scholars have indicated in their responses.

https://www.al-islam.org/did-abu-bakr-really-lead-salat-toyib-olawuyi
Did Abu Bakr really lead the congregation prayer before the Prophet (pbuh) passed away? If yes, isn’t that evidence that he was the true successor?
Sayyed Mohammad Al-Musawi

The narrations claiming that Abu Bakr led the congregational prayers
during the illness of the Holy Prophet (SAWA) is a fabricated
narration. The narrators of it are well-known enemies of Ameerul
Mo’meneen (AS) and even in Sunni books of Ahadith and ‘Elm-al-Rijaal
they are being criticized by lying. The narrations come mainly from
Ayesha bint Abu Bakr, who led a big army (Al-Jamal battle) to fight and to kill Ameerul Mo’meneen (AS). Other narrators like ‘Orwah ibn al Zubair and his son
Hisham ibn ‘Orwah are well-known enemies of Ameerul Mo’meneen (AS).

Among the narrators is ibn Shihab al Zohri, the well-known servant of
the tyrant rulers of bani Omayyah and Abu Burdah who was appointed by
Muwaiyah and he was among those who gave false witness to kill the pious
companion Hijr bin Adai who was killed by Muwaiyah, So, going through
the narrators it is very clear that all them had a negative stand
against Ahlul Bayt (AS).

Besides the unauthentic  narrators, the context of the
narrations itself is doubtful.  If the Holy Prophet (SAWA) had really
asked Abu Bakr to lead the prayers in the Masjid, then why should he
go with his critical health supported by Al Fazl ibn Abbas and Ameerul
Mo’meneen (AS) to the Masjid and drag Abu Bakr back,as it is mentioned
in the authentic Sunni books. In fact the Holy Prophet (SAWA) never
sent Abu Bakr but he came to know that Ayesha sent a message to her
father that the Holy Prophet (SAWA) is unable to lead the prayers so
go and lead the prayers in the Masjid. When the Holy Prophet (SAWA)
came to know, he was so upset and he tolerated with difficulty walking
with support of 2 people to the Masjid and lead the prayers himself after dragging back Abu Bakr who was sent by his daughter Ayesha with out the permission of he Prophet (SAWA) and against his orders as he wanted Ali (AS) to lead the prayers.

Wassalaam.
Did Abu Bakr really lead the congregation prayer before the Prophet (pbuh) passed away? If yes, isn’t that evidence that he was the true successor?
Zoheir Ali Esmail

Bismillah

Thank you for your question. It is not agreed upon that he did lead a congregational prayer on behalf of the Prophet (saw) the days before his (saw) death. In fact there are instances where Abu Bakr was about to lead prayer and the Prophet (saw) despite his illness and the weak state of his (saw) body got up to lead the prayer.

For the sake of argument that he did lead a prayer, that was not put forward by Abu Bakr himself as a reason to be the successor of the Prophet (saw). The event of saqifa shows that those ghat believe in the validity of the Caliphate of Abu Bakr do so on the basis that the Prophet (saw) did appoint a successor.

May you always be successful