Abu Bakr* (Radi Allahu Anhu). Caliphate of Abu Bakr* After the death of the Holy Prophet ﷺ, Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه was elected as the Caliph. On assuming office, in his inaugural address, Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه said that he was not the best among them, and needed their advice and help. He held that to tell the truth to a person commissioned to rule was faithful allegiance, and to conceal it was treason. He declared that in his sight the strong and the weak were to be alike, and he would render justice to all without fear or favor. He laid down the following criterion for the obedience of the people: “As I obey Allah and His Prophet, obey me. If I neglect the laws of Allah and His Prophet, I have no more right to your obedience.” Situation at the time of the accession of Abu Bakr*. The situation that Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه faced on assuming the caliphate was very grim. Many tribes apostatized from Islam and refused to pay Zakah. Many false prophets rose throughout the length and breadth of Arabia, and many people offered allegiance to them. The argument that weighed with them was that a living prophet was to be preferred to one who was dead. Usamah’s Expedition* Immediately before his death, the Holy Prophet ﷺ had ordered that an expedition should be sent to Syria under the command of Usamah, the son of Muslim commander Zayd who had been martyred in the battle of Mautah in 629 CE. Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه was advised that as Madina was surrounded by hostile tribes, the expedition should be abandoned. He repudiated the suggestion and said that he could not withhold the expedition that the Holy Prophet ﷺ had ordered to proceed. Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه was next asked that if the expedition was to be necessarily undertaken, the command should be entrusted to some veteran General instead of Usamah who was a mere boy. Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه said that as the Holy Prophet ﷺ had appointed Usamah to the command, he could not, as a representative of the Holy Prophet ﷺ, countermand such orders. Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه accordingly sent the force under Usamah to the Syrian front. Confrontation with the Tribes* After Usamah’s army had left for the Syrian front, the tribes around Madina sent a deputation to wait on Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه. The tribes said that they were prepared to owe allegiance to Islam, but they were not prepared to pay Zakah. Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه was advised that in view of the circumstances on the ground, the terms of the tribes should be accepted. Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه held that as the payment of Zakah was a compulsory obligation under Islam, he had no authority to allow any relaxation. Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه remained firm, and told the tribes that if they withheld with regard to Zakah, even as much as a string to tie a camel, he would fight against them for the vindication of the injunction of Islam. Thus rebuffed, the recalcitrant tribes marched to Madina one night and launched the attack. The tribes met some initial success, but the Muslims under the command of Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه rallied, and in a counter attack repulsed the tribes. To be contd...
Posted on: Tue, 09 Dec 2014 07:10:43 +0000
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