Documents of the Right Word

another’s value even when they criticised one another. If hadrat
Zubeyr had preferred his personal considerations to his religious
conceptions, he would not have disagreed with hadrat Abû Bekr,
his father-in-law. Hadrat ’Umar was the most eager supporter of
hadrat Abû Bekr in the caliphate election. On the other hand, he,
again, was the person who cherished and praised hadrat Alî most.
One day hadrat ’Umar asked hadrat Alî a question. The latter
answered the question. Upon this he said, “I entrust myself to
Allah’s protection from confronting a difficult question in hadrat
Alî’s absence.” Hadrat Alî used to say, “After Rasûl-i-ekrem, the
most useful people in this Ummat are Abû Bekr and ’Umar.”
‘radiy-Allâhu ta’âlâ alaihim ajma’în.’
A month later hadrat Abû Bekr ‘radiy-Allâhu anh’ mounted
the minber and said, “I want to resign from the office of caliphate.
If you expect to see me following precisely the same way taken by
the Messenger, this is impossible. For the devil could not
approach him. In addition, he would be revealed the Wahy from
heaven.” Could the hearts of such noble persons harbour any
ambitions for rank or position? Could any tongue speak ill of
them?
Actually, Fâtima-t-uz-Zehrâ ‘radiy-Allâhu anhâ’ was so deeply
distressed with the bereavement of her father’s death that she
could not go out. Hadrat Alî also mostly stayed at home to keep
her company in her bereavement; therefore he could not
frequently attend the Khalîfa’s sohbat. However, after hadrat
Fâtima’s passing away he paid homage again. He would often
enter the Khalîfa’s presence, help him and make suggestions.
‘radiy-Allâhu anhum ajma’în’.
As will be concluded from the abovementioned information
which we have derived from Qisâs-i-enbiyâ, the allegation in the
book being circulated among Shiites and which asserts that hadrat
Alî and six other Sahâbîs did not pay homage to hadrat Abû Bekr,
is ungrounded. To stand against the unanimity of the As-hâb-ikirâm
by not accepting hadrat Abû Bekr (as Khalîfa) and to make
immoderate statements in this subject not only would have been
incompatible with Islam, but it would also have meant to disobey
Rasûlullah’s command to his Sahâba: “Be in unity and avoid
controversies.” To say that hadrat Alî and six other Sahâbîs and
Fâtima-t-uz-Zehrâ the highest of women did not carry out this
command and disobeyed Islam would mean, let alone loving them,
to controvert and belittle those great religious leaders. So grave is
the controversy imputed to them that it has inflicted a fatal wound
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