Sayyiduna 'Ali رضي الله عنه And The Death Of Sayyiduna Abu Bakr as-Siddeeq رضي الله عنه

Sayyiduna 'Ali رضي الله عنه was one of those whom Sayyiduna Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه consulted as to who should become caliph after he was gone. Sayyiduna 'Ali's رضي الله عنه view was that Sayyiduna 'Umar رضي الله عنه should become caliph after Sayyiduna Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه.

When it was time to depart this world, and death came to Sayyiduna Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه, the last words he spoke were the words of Allaah سبحانه و تعالى:



"Cause me to die as a Muslim (the one submitting to Your Will), and join me with the righteous." (Soorah Yoosuf, 12:101)

Madeenah was shaken by the death of Sayyiduna Abu Bakr as-Siddeeq رضي الله عنه on that sorrowful evening; not since the death of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم had this city seen so many men and women crying. Sayyiduna 'Ali رضي الله عنه came rushing in, weeping and saying, "Inna lillaahi wa inna ilayhi raaji'oon (Verily to Allaah we belong, and to Him is our return)." He stood at the door of the room in which Sayyiduna Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه lay, and said:

"May Allaah have mercy on you, O Abu Bakr. You were a close friend of the Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم, one with whom he felt at ease, in whom he confided and whom he consulted. You were the first of people to become Muslim and the most sincere in faith, the most pious, the most fearing of Allaah, the most effective in supporting the religion of Allaah سبحانه و تعالى, the most protective towards the Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم, the most caring about Islam, the closest in companionship, the greatest in virtue, the best among those who strive to do righteous deeds, the highest in status, the one who has closest access to his Lord, the most closely resembling the Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم in adherence to Islam and attitude, the noblest in position, the one held in high esteem by the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم and the dearest to him.

May Allaah سبحانه و تعالى give you the best reward on behalf of the Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم and on behalf of Islam. You believed the Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم when the people disbelieved him. You were as dear to him as his hearing and sight. Allaah سبحانه و تعالى called you 'as-Siddeeq' in His revelation, as He said:



"And he (Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) who has brought the truth (this Quran and Islamic Monotheism) and (those who) believed therein[saddaqa bihi] (i.e. the true believers of Islamic Monotheism), those are Al- Muttaqoon (the pious and righteous persons)." (Soorah az-Zumar, 39:33)

You consoled him and supported him when others refrained; you stood with him at times of hardship when others held back; you gave him the best companionship at the time of difficulty. You were the second of two, his companion in the cave, the one to whom Allaah سبحانه و تعالى sent down His 'sakeenah' (calmness, tranquility, peace), his companion during the migration to Madeenah, his successor in leading the religion and Ummah of Allaah سبحانه و تعالى, the best successor in dealing with the apostates. You have done what no successor of any prophet ever did; you took initiatives when other companions hesitated; you strove when they kept quiet; you showed strength when they showed weakness; you adhered to the way of the Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم when they faltered. You were, as the Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم said, weak in physical being, strong in supporting the religion of Allaah سبحانه و تعالى, humble in yourself and great in the sight of Allaah سبحانه و تعالى, held in high esteem in people's eyes and highly thought of. None of them ever had any criticism against you, and no one could ever find anything bad to say against you, and you never looked down on any person. The weak, in your view, were strong and powerful until you restored their rights; close relatives and strangers were all equal before you; the one who is more obedient or pious is the closest of people to you.

You were the man of truth, sincerity and kindness; when you said something, you meant what you said. You were a man of patience and resolve; your opinion spoke of knowledge and clarity; the religion was supported by you; faith was strengthened by means of you, and Islam prevailed. You went far ahead of everyone, and you are going to make your successors work hard (to emulate you); you attained a clear victory. Verily to Allaah we belong, and to Him is our return; we accept the will of Allaah and submit to his decree. By Allaah, besides the Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم, the Muslims will never be affected by the loss of a man as they will be by losing you. You brought support, protection and refuge to Islam. May Allaah سبحانه و تعالى cause you to join your Prophet Muhammad and not deprive us of reward for your loss or misguide us after you are gone."

The people fell silent until he had finished speaking, then they wept, and their voices grew loud as they said: "You have spoken the truth."

According to another report, when Sayyiduna 'Ali رضي الله عنه entered upon Sayyiduna Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه after he had been laid out, he said: "There is no one with whose record of deeds I would love to meet Allaah more than this man who has been laid out."

[Dr. 'Ali Muhammad as-Sallabi: Abu Bakr as-Siddeeq رضي الله عنه, His Life & Times, IIPH, pp. 243-245]