Tarikh (al-Tabari) 1750
The illness of the Prophet ﷺ and his death
مُدَّةِ مَرَضِهِ ﷺ وَاسْتِخْلَافِهِ أَبَا بَكْرٍ فِي الصَّلَاةِ بِالنَّاسِ قَالَ الْحَافِظُ: اخْتُلِفَ فِي مُدَّةِ مَرَضِهِ، فَالْأَكْثَرُ عَلَى أَنَّهُ ثَلَاثَةَ عَشَرَ يَوْمًا. وَقِيلَ: بِزِيَادَةِ يَوْمٍ وَقِيلَ: بِنَقْصِهِ. وَقِيلَ: تِسْعَةُ أَيَّامٍ رَوَاهُ الْبَلَاذُرِيِّ عَنْ عَلِيٍّ ؓ وَقِيلَ: عَشْرَةٌ، وَفِيهِ جَزَمَ سُلَيْمَانُ التَّيْمِيُّ، وَكَانَ يَخْرُجُ إِلَى الصَّلَاةِ إِلَّا أَنَّهُ انْقَطَعَ ثَلَاثَةَ أَيَّامٍ. قَالَ فِي الْعُيُونِ: أَمَرَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَنْ يُصَلَّى بِالنَّاسِ فَصَلَّى بِهِمْ فِيمَا رَوَيْنَا سَبْعَ عَشْرَةَ صَلَاةً، وَرَوَاهُ الْبَلَاذُرِيُّ عَنْ أَبِي بَكْرِ ابْنِ أَبِي سَبْرَةَ- وَفِي لَفْظٍ- وَقَالَ: «مُرُوا أَبَا بَكْرٍ فَلْيُصَلِّ بِالنَّاسِ». وَرَوَى الْإِمَامُ أَحْمَدُ وَأَبُو دَاوُدَ وَابْنُ سَعْدٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ زَمْعَةَ بْنِ الْأَسْوَدِ قَالَ: لَمَّا اسْتَعَزَّ بِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَأَنَا عِنْدَهُ فِي نَفَرٍ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ قَالَ: دَعَا بِلَالٌ لِلصَّلَاةِ فَقَالَ مُرُوا مَنْ يُصَلِّي بِالنَّاسِ قَالَ: فَخَرَجْتُ فَإِذَا عُمَرُ فِي النَّاسِ وَكَانَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ غَائِبًا فَقَالَ قُمْ يَا عُمَرُ فَصَلِّ بِالنَّاسِ، قَالَ: فَقَامَ فَلَمَّا كَبَّرَ عُمَرُ سَمِعَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ صَوْتَهُ وَكَانَ عُمَرُ رَجُلًا مُجْهِرًا قَالَ: فَقَامَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: لَا، لَا، لَا يُصَلِّي بِالنَّاسِ إِلَّا ابْنُ أَبِي قُحَافَةَ يَقُولُ ذَلِكَ مُغْضَبًا فَأَيْنَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ يَأْبَى اللَّهُ ذَلِكَ وَالْمُسْلِمُونَ، قَالَ: فَبَعَثَ إِلَى أَبِي بَكْرٍ بَعْدَمَا صَلَّى عُمَرُ تِلْكَ الصَّلَاةَ فَصَلَّى بِالنَّاسِ قَالَ: وَقَالَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ زَمْعَةَ قَالَ عُمَرُ لِي: وَيْحَكَ مَاذَا صَنَعْتَ بِي يَا ابْنَ زَمْعَةَ، وَاللَّهِ مَا ظَنَنْتُ حِينَ أَمَرْتَنِي إِلَّا أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَمَرَكَ بِذَلِكَ، وَلَوْلَا ذَلِكَ مَا صَلَّيْتُ بِالنَّاسِ قَالَ: قُلْتُ: وَاللَّهِ مَا أَمَرَنِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَلَكِنْ حِينَ لَمْ أَرَ أَبَا بَكْرٍ رَأَيْتُكَ أَحَقَّ مَنْ حَضَرَ بِالصَّلَاةِ. وَرَوَى الشَّيْخَانِ وَابْنُ سَعْدٍ وَالْبَلَاذُرِيُّ وَالْبَيْهَقِيُّ وَابْنُ إِسْحَاقَ عَنْ عَائِشَةَ ؓ قَالَتْ: لَمَّا مَرِضَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ مَرَضَهُ الَّذِي مَاتَ فِيهِ فَثَقُلَ، فَحَضَرَتِ الصَّلَاةُ فَأَذَّنَ بِلَالٌ فَقَالَ: «أَصَلَّى النَّاسُ ؟ » قُلْتُ: لَا، هُمْ يَنْتَظِرُونَكَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ! [فَقَالَ: ضَعُوا لِي مَاءً فِي الْمَخْضَبِ قَالَتْ: فَفَعَلْنَا فَاغْتَسَلَ ثُمَّ ذَهَبَ لِيَنُوءَ فَأُغْمِيَ عَلَيْهِ ثُمَّ أَفَاقَ فَقَالَ: «أَصَلَّى النَّاسُ ؟ » فَقُلْتُ: لَا، هُمْ يَنْتَظِرُونَكَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ] فَقَالَ: «ضَعُوا إِلَيَّ مَاءً فِي الْمِخْضَبِ» قَالَتْ: فَقُلْنَا فَاغْتَسَلَ فَقَالَ: «أَصَلَّى النَّاسُ ؟ » فَقُلْنَا: لَا، هُمْ يَنْتَظِرُونَكَ ! قَالَتْ: وَالنَّاسُ عُكُوفٌ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ يَنْتَظِرُونَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ لِصَلَاةِ الْعِشَاءِ الْآخِرَةِ. فَقَالَ: مُرُوا أَبَا بَكْرٍ فَلْيُصَلِّ بِالنَّاسِ فَقُلْتُ: إِنَّ أَبَا بَكْرٍ رَجُلٌ أَسِيفٌ إِذَا قَامَ مَقَامَكَ لَمْ يُسْمِعِ النَّاسَ مِنَ الْبُكَاءِ. وَفِي لَفْظٍ: لَمْ يَسْتَطِعْ أَنْ يُصَلِّيَ بِالنَّاسِ فَعَاوَدْتُهُ مِثْلَ مَقَالَتِي فَقَالَ: «مُرُوا أَبَا بَكْرٍ فَلْيُصَلِّ بِالنَّاسِ» فَقُلْتُ لِحَفْصَةَ: قُولِي لَهُ: إِنَّ أَبَا بَكْرٍ إِذَا قَامَ فِي مَقَامِكَ لَمْ يُسْمِعِ النَّاسَ مِنَ الْبُكَاءِ فَمُرْ عُمَرَ فَلْيُصَلِّ بِالنَّاسِ فَفَعَلَتْ حَفْصَةُ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: «إِنَّكُنَّ صَوَاحِبُ يُوسُفَ، مُرُوا أَبَا بَكْرٍ فَلْيُصَلِّ بِالنَّاسِ»، قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ ؓ: لَقَدْ عَاوَدْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ فِي ذَلِكَ، وَمَا حَمَلَنِي عَلَى مُعَاوَدَتِهِ إِلَّا أَنْ يَتَشَاءَمُ النَّاسُ بِأَبِي بَكْرٍ. - وَفِي لَفْظٍ- وَاللَّهِ مَا أَقُولُ ذَلِكَ إِلَّا أَنِّي كُنْتُ أُحِبُّ أَنْ يَصْرِفَ اللَّهُ ذَلِكَ عَنْ أَبِي بَكْرٍ، وَعَرَفْتُ أَنَّ النَّاسَ لَا يُحِبُّونَ رَجُلًا قَامَ مَقَامَهُ أَبَدًا، وَأَنَّ النَّاسَ يَتَشَاءَمُونَ بِهِ فِي كُلِّ حَدَثٍ كَانَ، فَكُنْتُ أُحِبُّ أَنْ يُصْرِفَ ذَلِكَ عَنْ أَبِي بَكْرٍ. - وَفِي لَفْظٍ- عَلِمْتُ أَنَّهُ لَنْ يَقُومَ مَقَامَهُ أَحَدٌ إِلَّا تَشَاءَمُ النَّاسُ بِهِ، فَأَحْبَبْتُ أَنْ يَعْدِلَ ذَلِكَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ عَنْ أَبِي بَكْرٍ إِلَى غَيْرِهِ فَأَرْسَلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ إِلَى أَبِي بَكْرٍ بِأَنْ يُصَلِّيَ بِالنَّاسِ، وَكَانَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ رَجُلًا رَقِيقًا، إِذَا قَرَأَ الْقُرْآنَ لَا يَمْلِكُ دَمْعَهُ مِنَ الْبُكَاءِ فَقَالَ: يَا عُمَرُ صَلِّ بِالنَّاسِ قَالَ: أَنْتَ أَحَقُّ بِذَلِكَ فَصَلَّى بِهِمْ تِلْكَ الْأَيَّامَ ثُمَّ إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَجَدَ خِفَّةً فَخَرَجَ يُهَادَى بَيْنَ رَجُلَيْنِ، أَحَدُهُمَا الْعَبَّاسُ لِصَلَاةِ الظُّهْرِ كَأَنِّي أَنْظُرُ إِلَى رِجْلَيْهِ يَخُطَّانِ الْأَرْضَ مِنَ الْوَجَعِ، فَلَمَّا رَآهُ أَبُو بَكْرٍ ذَهَبَ لِيَتَأَخَّرَ فَأَوْمَأَ إِلَيْهِ أَنْ لَا يَتَأَخَّرَ وَأَمَرَهُمَا فَأَجْلَسَاهُ إِلَى جَنْبِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ عَنْ يَسَارِهِ فَأَخَذَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ مِنْ حَيْثُ الْآيَةُ الَّتِي انْتَهَى أَبُو بَكْرٍ إِلَيْهَا فَقَرَأَ، فَجَعَلَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ يُصَلِّي قَائِمًا وَرَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ يُصَلِّي قَاعِدًا، وَفِي رِوَايَةٍ: فَكَانَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ يُصَلَّى بِصَلَاةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ وَالنَّاسُ يُصَلُّونَ بِصَلَاةِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ. وَرَوَى ابْنُ إِسْحَاقَ وَابْنُ سَعْدٍ وَالْبَلَاذُرِيُّ عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَبِي مُلَيْكَةَ عَنْ عُبَيْدِ بْنِ عُمَيْرٍ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ لَمَّا فَرَغَ مِنَ الصَّلَاةِ يَوْمَ صَلَّى قَاعِدًا عَنْ يَمِينِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ قَالَ: وَأَقْبَلَ عَلَيْهِمْ فَكَلَّمَهُمْ رَافِعًا صَوْتَهُ حَتَّى خَرَجَ صَوْتُهُ مِنْ بَابِ الْمَسْجِدِ: يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ سُعِّرَتِ النَّارُ وَأَقْبَلَتِ الْفِتَنُ كَقِطَعِ اللَّيْلِ الْمُظْلِمِ وَإِنِّي وَاللَّهِ لَا يُمْسِكُ النَّاسُ عَلَيَّ بِشَيْءٍ إِنِّي لَمْ أُحِلَّ إِلَّا مَا أَحَلَّ الْقُرْآنُ وَلَمْ أُحَرِّمْ إِلَّا مَا حَرَّمَ الْقُرْآنُ يَا فَاطِمَةُ بِنْتَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَا صَفِيَّةُ عَمَّةَ مُحَمَّدٍ اعْمَلَا لَهَا عِنْدَ اللَّهِ فَإِنِّي لَمْ أُغْنِ عَنْكُمَا مِنَ اللَّهِ شَيْئًا، فَلَمَّا فَرَغَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ مِنْ كَلَامِهِ قَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنِّي أَرَاكَ قَدْ أَصْبَحْتَ بِنِعْمَةٍ مِنَ اللَّهِ وَفَضْلٍ كَمَا تُحِبُّ وَالْيَوْمُ يَوْمُ بِنْتِ خَارِجَةَ فَأْتِهَا قَالَ: نَعَمْ ثُمَّ دَخَلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَخَرَجَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ إِلَى أَهْلِهِ بِالسُّنُحِ. وَرَوَى الْإِمَامُ أَحْمَدُ وَالنَّسَائِيُّ وَالْبَيْهَقِيُّ وَالتِّرْمِذِيُّ وَصَحَّحَهُ عَنْ عَائِشَةَ ؓ قَالَتْ: صَلَّى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ خَلْفَ أَبِي بَكْرٍ قَاعِدًا فِي مَرَضِهِ الَّذِي مَاتَ فِيهِ». وَرَوَى ابْنُ سَعْدٍ عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ ؓ قَالَ: كَشَفَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ السِّتَارَةَ وَالنَّاسُ صُفُوفٌ خَلْفَ أَبِي بَكْرٍ فَقَالَ: «إِنَّهُ لَمْ يَبْقَ مِنْ مُبَشِّرَاتِ النُّبُوَّةِ إِلَّا الرُّؤْيَا الصَّالِحَةُ يَرَاهَا الْمُسْلِمُ، أَوْ تُرَى لَهُ أَلَا إِنِّي نُهِيتُ أَنْ أَقْرَأَ الْقُرْآنَ رَاكِعًا وَسَاجِدًا، فَأَمَّا الرُّكُوعُ فَعَظِّمُوا فِيهِ الرَّبَّ، وَأَمَّا السُّجُودُ فَاجْتَهِدُوا فِي الدُّعَاءِ فَقَمِنٌ أَنْ يُسْتَجَابَ لَكُمْ». وَرَوَى الطَّبَرَانِيُّ عَنْ عَائِشَةَ ؓ قَالَتْ: كَشَفَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ سِتْرًا، وَفَتَحَ بَابًا فِي مَرَضِهِ، فَنَظَرَ إِلَى النَّاسِ يُصَلُّونَ خَلْفَ أَبِي بَكْرٍ، فَسُرَّ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ بِذَلِكَ. وَرَوَى ابْنُ سَعْدٍ عَنْ أَنَسٍ ؓ قَالَ: إِنَّ أَبَا بَكْرٍ كَانَ يُصَلِّي بِهِمْ فِي وَجَعِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ الَّذِي تُوُفِّيَ فِيهِ حَتَّى إِذَا كَانَ يَوْمُ الِاثْنَيْنِ وَهُمْ صُفُوفٌ فِي الصَّلَاةِ كَشَفَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ سِتْرَ الْحُجْرَةِ يَنْظُرُ إِلَيْنَا وَهُوَ قَائِمٌ كَأَنَّ وَجْهَهُ وَرَقَةٌ بِمُصْحَفٍ، ثُمَّ تَبَسَّمَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ ضَاحِكًا، فَبَهَشْنَا وَنَحْنُ فِي الصَّلَاةِ مِنَ الْفَرَحِ بِخُرُوجِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ، وَفِي رِوَايَةٍ: «وَهَمَّ الْمُسْلِمُونَ أَنْ يَفْتَتِنُوا فِي صَلَاتِهِمْ بِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ حِينَ رَأَوْهُ وَنَكَصَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ عَلَى عَقِبَيْهِ لِيَصِلَ الصَّفَّ وَظَنَّ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ خَارِجٌ إِلَى الصَّلَاةِ فَأَشَارَ إِلَيْهِمْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَنْ أَتِمُّوا صَلَاتَكُمْ ثُمَّ دَخَلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَأَرْخَى السِّتْرَ، قَالَ: فَتُوُفِّيَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ مِنْ يَوْمِهِ». وَرُوِيَ أَيْضًا عَنْهُ قَالَ: آخِرُ نَظْرَةٍ نَظَرْتُهَا إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَوْمَ الِاثْنَيْنِ كَشَفَ السِّتَارَةَ وَالنَّاسُ صُفُوفٌ خَلْفَ أَبِي بَكْرٍ فَلَمَّا رَآهُ النَّاسُ تَخَشْخَشُوا فَأَوْمَأَ إِلَيْهِمْ أَنِ امْكُثُوا مَكَانَكُمْ فَنَظَرْتُ إِلَى وَجْهِهِ كَأَنَّهُ وَرَقَةُ مُصْحَفٍ ثُمَّ أَلْقَى السِّجْفَ وَتُوُفِّيَ مِنْ آخِرِ ذَلِكَ الْيَوْمِ. وَقَالَ الْوَاقِدِيُّ، عَنْ أَبِي بَكْرِ بْنِ أَبِي سَبْرَةَ، أَنَّ أَبَا بَكْرٍ صَلَّى بِهِمْ سَبْعَ عَشْرَةَ صَلَاةً. وَقَالَ غَيْرُهُ: عِشْرِينَ صَلَاةً. فَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ. ثُمَّ بَدَا لَهُمْ وَجْهُهُ الْكَرِيمُ صَبِيحَةَ يَوْمِ الِاثْنَيْنِ فَوَدَّعَهُمْ بِنَظْرَةٍ كَادُوا يَفْتَتِنُونَ بِهَا، ثُمَّ كَانَ ذَلِكَ آخِرَ عَهْدِ جُمْهُورِهِمْ بِهِ، وَلِسَانُ حَالِهِمْ يَقُولُ، كَمَا قَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ: وَكُنْتُ أَرَى كَالْمَوْتِ مِنْ بَيْنِ سَاعَةٍ فَكَيْفَ بِبَيْنٍ كَانَ مَوْعِدَهُ الْحَشْرُ وَالْمَقْصُودُ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَدَّمَ أَبَا بَكْرٍ الصِّدِّيقَ إِمَامًا لِلصَّحَابَةِ كُلِّهِمْ فِي الصَّلَاةِ الَّتِي هِيَ أَكْبَرُ أَرْكَانِ الْإِسْلَامِ الْعَمَلِيَّةِ. قَالَ الشَّيْخُ أَبُو الْحَسَنِ الْأَشْعَرِيُّ: وَتَقْدِيمُهُ لَهُ أَمْرٌ مَعْلُومٌ بِالضَّرُورَةِ مِنْ دِينِ الْإِسْلَامِ. قَالَ: وَتَقْدِيمُهُ لَهُ دَلِيلٌ عَلَى أَنَّهُ أَعْلَمُ الصَّحَابَةِ وَأَقْرَؤُهُمْ ; لِمَا ثَبَتَ فِي الْخَبَرِ الْمُتَّفِقِ عَلَى صِحَّتِهِ بَيْنَ الْعُلَمَاءِ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ: " يَؤُمُّ الْقَوْمَ أَقْرَؤُهُمْ لِكِتَابِ اللَّهِ ، فَإِنْ كَانُوا فِي الْقِرَاءَةِ سَوَاءً فَأَعْلَمُهُمْ بِالسُّنَّةِ، فَإِنْ كَانُوا فِي السُّنَّةِ سَوَاءً فَأَكْبُرُهُمْ سِنًّا، فَإِنْ كَانُوا فِي السِّنِّ سَوَاءً فَأَقْدَمُهُمْ سِلْمًا " قُلْتُ: وَهَذَا مِنْ كَلَامِ الْأَشْعَرِيِّ، رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ، مِمَّا يَنْبَغِي أَنْ يُكْتَبَ بِمَاءِ الذَّهَبِ، ثُمَّ قَدِ اجْتَمَعَتْ هَذِهِ الصِّفَاتُ كُلُّهَا فِي الصِّدِّيقِ، ؓ وَأَرْضَاهُ، وَصَلَاةُ الرَّسُولِ ﷺ خَلْفَهُ فِي بَعْضِ الصَّلَوَاتِ، كَمَا قَدَّمْنَا بِذَلِكَ الرِّوَايَاتِ الصَّحِيحَةَ، لَا يُنَافِي مَا رُوِيَ فِي " الصَّحِيحِ " أَنَّ أَبَا بَكْرٍ ائْتَمَّ بِهِ عَلَيْهِ الصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلَامُ ; لِأَنَّ ذَلِكَ فِي صَلَاةٍ أُخْرَى، كَمَا نَصَّ عَلَى ذَلِكَ الشَّافِعِيُّ وَغَيْرُهُ مِنَ الْأَئِمَّةِ، رَحِمَهُمُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ فَائِدَةٌ: اسْتَدَلَّ مَالِكٌ وَالشَّافِعِيُّ وَجَمَاعَةٌ مِنَ الْعُلَمَاءِ، وَمِنْهُمُ الْبُخَارِيُّ، بِصَلَاتِهِ، عَلَيْهِ الصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلَامُ، قَاعِدًا، وَأَبُو بَكْرٍ مُقْتَدِيًا بِهِ قَائِمًا، وَالنَّاسُ بِأَبِي بَكْرٍ، عَلَى نَسْخِ قَوْلِهِ، عَلَيْهِ الصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلَامُ، فِي الْحَدِيثِ الْمُتَّفَقِ عَلَيْهِ حِينَ صَلَّى بِبَعْضِ أَصْحَابِهِ قَاعِدًا، وَقَدْ وَقَعَ عَنْ فَرَسٍ فَجُحِشَ شِقُّهُ فَصَلَّوْا وَرَاءَهُ قِيَامًا فَأَشَارَ إِلَيْهِمْ أَنِ اجْلِسُوا، فَلَمَّا انْصَرَفَ قَالَ: " كَذَلِكَ وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ تَفْعَلُونَ كَفِعْلِ فَارِسَ وَالرُّومِ ; يَقُومُونَ عَلَى عُظَمَائِهِمْ وَهُمْ جُلُوسٌ. وَقَالَ إِنَّمَا جُعِلَ الْإِمَامُ لِيُؤْتَمَّ بِهِ، فَإِذَا كَبَّرَ فَكَبِّرُوا، وَإِذَا رَكَعَ فَارْكَعُوا، وَإِذَا رَفَعَ فَارْفَعُوا، وَإِذَا سَجَدَ فَاسْجُدُوا، وَإِذَا صَلَّى جَالِسًا فَصَلُّوا جُلُوسًا أَجْمَعُونَ " قَالُوا: ثُمَّ إِنَّهُ، عَلَيْهِ الصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلَامُ، أَمَّهُمْ قَاعِدًا، وَهُمْ قِيَامٌ فِي مَرَضِ الْمَوْتِ، فَدَلَّ عَلَى نَسْخِ مَا تَقَدَّمَ. وَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ. وَقَدْ تَنَوَّعَتْ مَسَالِكُ النَّاسِ فِي الْجَوَابِ عَنْ هَذَا الِاسْتِدْلَالِ عَلَى وُجُوهٍ كَثِيرَةٍ، مَوْضِعُ ذِكْرِهَا كِتَابُ " الْأَحْكَامِ الْكَبِيرِ " إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ، وَبِهِ الثِّقَةُ وَعَلَيْهِ التُّكْلَانُ. وَمُلَخَّصُ ذَلِكَ أَنَّ مِنَ النَّاسِ مَنْ زَعَمَ أَنَّ الصَّحَابَةَ جَلَسُوا لِأَمْرِهِ الْمُتَقَدِّمِ، وَإِنَّمَا اسْتَمَرَّ أَبُو بَكْرٍ قَائِمًا لِأَجْلِ التَّبْلِيغِ عَنْهُ ﷺ. وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَنْ قَالَ: بَلْ كَانَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ هُوَ الْإِمَامُ فِي نَفْسِ الْأَمْرِ كَمَا صَرَّحَ بِهِ بَعْضُ الرُّوَاةِ كَمَا تَقَدَّمَ، وَكَانَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ لِشِدَّةِ أَدَبِهِ مَعَ الرَّسُولِ ﷺ لَا يُبَادِرُهُ بَلْ يَقْتَدِي بِهِ، فَكَأَنَّهُ عَلَيْهِ الصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلَامُ، صَارَ إِمَامَ الْإِمَامِ، فَلِهَذَا لَمْ يَجْلِسُوا لِاقْتِدَائِهِمْ بِأَبِي بَكْرٍ، وَهُوَ قَائِمٌ وَلَمْ يَجْلِسِ الصِّدِّيقُ لِأَجْلِ أَنَّهُ إِمَامٌ، وَلِأَنَّهُ يُبَلِّغُهُمْ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ الْحَرَكَاتِ وَالسَّكَنَاتِ وَالِانْتِقَالَاتِ. وَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ. وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَنْ قَالَ فَرْقٌ بَيْنَ أَنْ يَبْتَدِئَ الصَّلَاةَ خَلْفَ الْإِمَامِ فِي حَالِ الْقِيَامِ فَيَسْتَمِرَّ فِيهَا قَائِمًا وَإِنْ طَرَأَ جُلُوسُ الْإِمَامِ فِي أَثْنَائِهَا كَمَا فِي هَذِهِ الْحَالِ، وَبَيْنَ أَنْ يَبْتَدِئَ الصَّلَاةَ خَلْفَ إِمَامٍ جَالِسٍ فَيَجِبُ الْجُلُوسُ لِلْحَدِيثِ الْمُتَقَدِّمِ. وَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ. وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَنْ قَالَ: هَذَا الصَّنِيعُ وَالْحَدِيثُ الْمُتَقَدِّمُ دَلِيلٌ عَلَى جَوَازِ الْقِيَامِ وَالْجُلُوسِ وَإِنَّ كُلًّا مِنْهُمَا سَائِغٌ جَائِزٌ ; الْجُلُوسُ لِمَا تَقَدَّمَ وَالْقِيَامُ لِلْفِعْلِ الْمُتَأَخِّرِ. وَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ.
Translation
✧ The duration of his ﷺ illness and his appointing Abū Bakr to lead the people in prayer Al-Ḥāfiẓ said: There was disagreement over the duration of his illness, and the majority held that it was thirteen days. It was said: with an additional day. It was said: with one less. It was said: nine days, narrated by al-Balādhurī from ʿAlī ؓ. It was said: ten, and Sulaymān al-Taymī affirmed this, and he used to go out to the prayer except that he was absent for three days. He said in al-ʿUyūn: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ commanded that prayer be led for the people, and in what we have narrated he led them in seventeen prayers. Al-Balādhurī narrated this from Abū Bakr b. Abī Sabrah— —and in one wording— and he said: “Command Abū Bakr to lead the people in prayer.” Imam Aḥmad, Abū Dāwūd, and Ibn Saʿd narrated from ʿAbd Allāh b. Zamʿah b. al-Aswad, who said: When the illness of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ became severe, while I was with him among a group of Muslims, he said: Bilāl called the prayer, and he said, “Command someone to lead the people in prayer.” He said: I went out and found ʿUmar among the people, while Abū Bakr was absent. He said, “Rise, O ʿUmar, and lead the people in prayer.” He said: He rose, and when ʿUmar said the takbīr, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ heard his voice—and ʿUmar was a man with a loud voice. He said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ rose and said: “No, no, no one leads the people in prayer except Ibn Abī Quḥāfah,” saying that while angry. “Where is Abū Bakr? Allah and the Muslims refuse that.” He said: He sent for Abū Bakr after ʿUmar had prayed that prayer, and he led the people in prayer. He said: And ʿAbd Allāh b. Zamʿah said: ʿUmar said to me: “Woe to you! What have you done to me, O Ibn Zamʿah? By Allah, when you commanded me, I thought only that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had commanded you to do that. Were it not for that, I would not have led the people in prayer.” He said: I said: “By Allah, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ did not command me, but when I did not see Abū Bakr, I considered you the most entitled of those present to lead the prayer.” Al-Shaykhān, Ibn Saʿd, al-Balādhurī, al-Bayhaqī, and Ibn Isḥāq narrated from ʿĀʾishah ؓ, who said: When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ fell ill with the illness in which he died and it became severe, the prayer time arrived and Bilāl made the call. He said: “Have the people prayed?” I said: “No, they are waiting for you, O Messenger of Allah!” [He said: “Put water for me in the basin.” She said: We did so, and he bathed. Then he went to rise but fainted, then regained consciousness and said: “Have the people prayed?” I said: “No, they are waiting for you, O Messenger of Allah.”] He said: “Put water for me in the basin.” She said: We did so, and he bathed. He said: “Have the people prayed?” We said: “No, they are waiting for you!” She said: The people were gathered in the mosque waiting for the Messenger of Allah ﷺ for the last evening prayer. He said: “Command Abū Bakr to lead the people in prayer.” I said: “Abū Bakr is a tender-hearted man; if he stands in your place, he will not be able to make the people hear because of weeping.” And in one wording: He could not lead the people in prayer. I repeated to him something like my words, and he said: “Command Abū Bakr to lead the people in prayer.” I said to Ḥafṣah: “Tell him: Abū Bakr, if he stands in your place, will not make the people hear because of weeping; so command ʿUmar to lead the people in prayer.” Ḥafṣah did so, and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “You are indeed like the companions of Yūsuf. Command Abū Bakr to lead the people in prayer.” ʿĀʾishah ؓ said: I repeated this to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and nothing made me repeat it except that the people would regard Abū Bakr as an ill omen. —And in one wording— By Allah, I did not say that except because I loved that Allah should turn that away from Abū Bakr. And I knew that people would never love a man who stood in his place, and that people would regard him as an ill omen in every event that occurred, so I loved that this be turned away from Abū Bakr. —And in one wording— I knew that no one would stand in his place but that people would regard him as an ill omen, so I loved that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ should divert that from Abū Bakr to someone else. Then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ sent to Abū Bakr to lead the people in prayer. Abū Bakr was a tender-hearted man; when he recited the Qurʾān he could not control his tears from weeping. He said: “O ʿUmar, lead the people in prayer.” He said: “You are more entitled to that.” So he led them in those days. Then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ felt some relief and came out supported between two men, one of them al-ʿAbbās, for the noon prayer. It is as if I can see his feet scraping the ground from pain. When Abū Bakr saw him, he moved to step back, but he gestured to him not to step back, and he ordered the two men to seat him beside Abū Bakr on his left. The Prophet ﷺ took up from where Abū Bakr had reached in the verse and recited, and Abū Bakr prayed standing while the Messenger of Allah ﷺ prayed seated. And in one narration: Abū Bakr prayed following the prayer of the Messenger of Allah, and the people prayed following the prayer of Abū Bakr. Ibn Isḥāq, Ibn Saʿd, and al-Balādhurī narrated from ʿUbayd Allāh b. Abī Mulaykah, from ʿUbayd b. ʿUmayr, that when the Messenger of Allah ﷺ finished the prayer on the day he prayed seated to the right of Abū Bakr, he said: He turned to them and addressed them raising his voice until his voice went out from the door of the mosque: “O people, the Fire has been kindled and tribulations have come like pieces of the dark night. By Allah, the people cannot hold anything against me. I have not made lawful except what the Qurʾān made lawful, and I have not made forbidden except what the Qurʾān made forbidden. O Fāṭimah, daughter of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, O Ṣafiyyah, aunt of Muḥammad, work for what is with Allah, for I cannot avail you anything against Allah.” When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ finished his speech, Abū Bakr said: “O Messenger of Allah, I see that you have arisen in Allah’s blessing and bounty as you love. Today is the day of the daughter of Khārijah, so go to her.” He said: “Yes.” Then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ entered, and Abū Bakr went out to his family in al-Sunḥ. Imam Aḥmad, al-Nasāʾī, al-Bayhaqī, and al-Tirmidhī—who authenticated it—narrated from ʿĀʾishah ؓ, who said: “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ prayed behind Abū Bakr seated in the illness in which he died.” Ibn Saʿd narrated from Ibn ʿAbbās ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ drew aside the curtain while the people were in rows behind Abū Bakr and said: “There remains nothing of the glad tidings of prophethood except the righteous dream which a Muslim sees or is seen for him. Lo, I have been forbidden to recite the Qurʾān while bowing or prostrating. As for bowing, magnify the Lord therein, and as for prostration, strive in supplication, for it is worthy that it be answered for you.” Al-Ṭabarānī narrated from ʿĀʾishah ؓ, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ drew aside a curtain and opened a door during his illness, and looked at the people praying behind Abū Bakr, and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was pleased by that. Ibn Saʿd narrated from Anas ؓ, who said: Abū Bakr led them in prayer during the illness of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ in which he died, until when it was Monday and they were in rows for prayer, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ drew aside the curtain of the apartment looking at us while standing, as if his face were a leaf of a muṣḥaf. Then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ smiled, laughing, and we were delighted while in prayer at the coming out of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. And in one narration: “The Muslims almost fell into temptation in their prayer because of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ when they saw him, and Abū Bakr stepped back on his heels to join the row, thinking that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was coming out to the prayer. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ gestured to them to complete your prayer. Then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ entered and let down the curtain.” He said: “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ died on that day.” It was also narrated from him: The last look I had of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was on Monday when he drew aside the curtain while the people were in rows behind Abū Bakr. When the people saw him they stirred, and he gestured to them to remain in your places. I looked at his face as if it were a leaf of a muṣḥaf. Then he let fall the curtain and died at the end of that day. Al-Wāqidī said, from Abū Bakr b. Abī Sabrah, that Abū Bakr led them in seventeen prayers. Others said: twenty prayers. And Allah knows best. Then his noble face appeared to them on the morning of Monday, and he bade them farewell with a look that they almost fell into temptation by. Then that was the last time most of them saw him, and the tongue of their state says, as one of them said: I used to think parting was like death between one hour and the next, then how is it with a parting whose appointed time is the gathering? The point is that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ put Abū Bakr al-Ṣiddīq forward as imam for all the Companions in the prayer, which is the greatest of the practical pillars of Islam. Al-Shaykh Abū al-Ḥasan al-Ashʿarī said: His putting him forward is a matter known by necessity from the religion of Islam. He said: His putting him forward is evidence that he was the most learned of the Companions and the best reciter of them, because of what is established in the report agreed upon as authentic among the scholars, that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “The people should be led by the one most versed in the Book of Allah. If they are equal in recitation, then the most knowledgeable of them in the Sunnah. If they are equal in the Sunnah, then the oldest of them. If they are equal in age, then the earliest of them in embracing Islam.” I say: This, from the words of al-Ashʿarī, may Allah have mercy on him, is something that should be written with water of gold. Then these qualities all came together in al-Ṣiddīq, ؓ and may He be pleased with him. And the prayer of the Messenger ﷺ behind him in some prayers, as we have presented the authentic narrations for that, does not contradict what is narrated in the Ṣaḥīḥ that Abū Bakr followed him ﷺ, because that was in another prayer, as al-Shāfiʿī and other imams, may Allah have mercy on them, stated. Benefit: Mālik, al-Shāfiʿī, and a group of scholars—among them al-Bukhārī—used his praying ﷺ seated, with Abū Bakr following him standing and the people following Abū Bakr, as evidence for the abrogation of his saying ﷺ in the agreed-upon hadith when he prayed seated with some of his Companions after he had fallen from a horse and his side was scraped, and they prayed behind him standing, and he gestured to them to sit. When he finished, he said: “Thus, by the One in whose hand is my soul, you do as the Persians and Romans do; they stand before their great ones while they are seated. And he said: The imam is appointed only to be followed. When he says the takbīr, say the takbīr; when he bows, bow; when he rises, rise; when he prostrates, prostrate; and when he prays seated, pray seated all together.” They said: Then he ﷺ led them seated while they were standing during the illness of death, which indicates the abrogation of what preceded. And Allah knows best. People have taken many different paths in responding to this inference, on many grounds, whose place of mention is the book al-Aḥkām al-Kabīr, if Allah wills, and in Him is trust and upon Him reliance. The summary of that is that some people claimed that the Companions sat because of his earlier command, and Abū Bakr only remained standing in order to convey from him ﷺ. Some people said: Rather Abū Bakr was the imam in reality, as some narrators explicitly stated, as previously mentioned, and Abū Bakr, out of his intense courtesy toward the Messenger ﷺ, did not precede him but followed him. Thus it was as if he ﷺ became the imam of the imam. For this reason they did not sit, because they were following Abū Bakr while he was standing, and al-Ṣiddīq did not sit because he was the imam and because he conveyed to them from the Prophet ﷺ the movements, rests, and transitions. And Allah knows best. Some people said there is a difference between beginning the prayer behind the imam in a state of standing and continuing standing in it even if the imam’s sitting occurs in its course, as in this situation, and between beginning the prayer behind a seated imam, where sitting is obligatory according to the earlier hadith. And Allah knows best. Some people said: This action and the earlier hadith are evidence for the permissibility of both standing and sitting, and that each is permissible and allowed: sitting because of what preceded, and standing because of the later action. And Allah knows best.
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