Fadl Abi Bakr al-Siddiq
- Author died
- 728 AH
- Editions
- Majallat Jami'at Umm al-Qura li-Ulum al-Shari'ah
Fadl Abi Bakr al-Siddiq (The Virtue of Abu Bakr al-Siddiq) is a theological treatise and legal responsa (fatwa) by the Hanbali scholar Ibn Taymiyya (661–728 AH / 1263–1328 CE), examining the relative virtues of the companions of the Prophet Muhammad and establishing the superiority of Abu Bakr al-Siddiq over Ali ibn Abi Talib and the rest of the Companions .
Background and Context
The treatise was written in response to an inquiry regarding a nobleman (sharif) committed to the Sunnah who experienced doubt regarding the theological consensus on the ranking of the Rightly-Guided Caliphs (Abu Bakr, Umar ibn al-Khattab, Uthman ibn Affan, and 'Ali ibn Abi Talib) . The questioner noted that this individual had leaned toward regarding 'Ali as superior to the other caliphs based on prophetic traditions such as أنت مني وأنا منك ("You are from me and I am from you") and أنت مني بمنزلة هارون من موسى ("You are to me in the station of Aaron to Moses") . Ibn Taymiyya composed the treatise to clarify the distinction between shared virtues (manaqib) and exclusive distinctions (khasa'is), demonstrating that no prophetic evidence elevates 'Ali above Abu Bakr .
Content and Arguments
Ibn Taymiyya organizes his response around three methodological steps: enumerating the exclusive distinctions granted solely to Abu Bakr, examining the traditions concerning 'Ali to show that they convey shared rather than unique virtues, and critiquing weak or fabricated narrations transmitted by sectarian groups .
Exclusive Virtues of Abu Bakr
Ibn Taymiyya identifies several specific merits granted exclusively to Abu Bakr that were not shared by any other companion :
- Intimacy and devotion: The Prophet singled out Abu Bakr's companionship and financial sacrifice, stating that if he were to take an intimate friend (khalil) from among the people of the earth, he would have taken Abu Bakr .
- Sealing of mosque doors: The Prophet commanded that all private doors (khawkha) opening into the mosque be sealed except for the door of Abu Bakr .
- Leadership of prayer: The Prophet ordered Abu Bakr to lead the congregational prayers during his final illness, and never commanded the community to pray behind anyone else in his presence during his lifetime .
- Leadership of the pilgrimage: The Prophet appointed Abu Bakr as the commander of the Hajj pilgrimage from Medina to establish the Sunnah and eradicate pre-Islamic practices .
- General preference: The Prophet stated, يأبى الله والمؤمنون إلا أبا بكر ("Allah and the believers refuse anyone except Abu Bakr"), and when asked by Amr ibn al-As about the most beloved of men to him, he named Abu Bakr .
Analysis of Traditions Regarding 'Ali
Ibn Taymiyya affirms that authentic traditions regarding 'Ali's merits are true and provide a refutation against the Nawasib (those who harbor enmity toward 'Ali), but explains that they do not prove his absolute superiority over Abu Bakr :
- "You are from me and I am from you": Ibn Taymiyya argues that this phrasing designates closeness in faith and type rather than exclusive superiority; the Prophet addressed similar words to Julaybib ( هذا مني وأنا منه ), the Ash'arites ( هم مني وأنا منهم ), and Zayd ibn Haritha ( أنت أخونا ومولانا ) .
- The Banner at Khaybar: The statement at the Battle of Khaybar— لأعطين الراية غدا رجلا يحب الله ورسوله، ويحبه الله ورسوله ("Tomorrow I shall give the banner to a man who loves Allah and His Messenger, and whom Allah and His Messenger love")—establishes 'Ali's piety and faith, but loving Allah and His Messenger and being loved by Them is a quality shared by all righteous believers .
- The Station of Aaron: The tradition comparing 'Ali to Aaron (Harun) was uttered during the Expedition of Tabuk when the Prophet left 'Ali behind in Medina over his family and those unable to join; its purpose was to reassure 'Ali against the disparaging claims of the hypocrites, not to grant general succession or superiority over the other companions .
Manuscript and Publication
A primary manuscript of the treatise is preserved in the Manuscript Center of the Central Library at the Islamic University of Madinah (no. 2385/4), photographed from the original held at Dar al-Kutub al-Misriyya in Cairo . In the Islamic University catalogue, it was recorded under the title al-Radd 'ala su'al 'an tafdil 'Ali 'ala al-khulafa' al-rashidin (Refutation of a Question Regarding Preferring 'Ali over the Rightly-Guided Caliphs), derived from the question's text .
The manuscript spans seven two-sided folios (ff. 136a–142b), with sixteen lines per page, transcribed in Eastern (Mashriqi) script by the copyist Salih ibn Ahmad ibn 'Abd al-Qadir . An abridged version of the fatwa is also included in Majmu' al-Fatawa compiled by 'Abd al-Rahman ibn Qasim . The text was edited by 'Abd al-'Aziz ibn Muhammad al-Furayh under the title Fadl Abi Bakr al-Siddiq and published in the Journal of Umm al-Qura University for Sharia Sciences in 1422 AH / 2001 CE .
Answer updated