That is just a morsel of the creed of the Rāfiḍah regarding the companions in general except for those whom they have excluded. Now we will see some of their speech regarding Abū Bakr al-Siddīq, may Allāh be pleased with him. I do not have to remind you, my noble brother reader, that Abū Bakr is Abū Bakr, and this is sufficient.¹

Abū Bakr As-Siddīq was the first of the people to believe in the Prophet (ﷺ) and he was his companion in the cave. He was his successor in (leading) the prayer on the day when he was extremely sick and the most beloved of the men to him. He was the one who, if he were to take a Khalīl (intimate companion) from the creation then he would have taken him as a Khalīl. He spent his wealth in the cause of Allāh. The companions pledged their allegiance to him unanimously acknowledging his virtue and affirming his eminence; the just Imām who walked amongst the people upon the path of justice, humility, kindness, and mercy whilst having resoluteness and determination. So may Allāh be pleased with him and may He cause him to be pleased. In spite of that there has come to Abū Bakr, from the Rāfiḍah, numerous and unspeakable insults, oppression, lies, and slander. They accuse him in his religion and in his Īmān. So what do you think (they say) about (him in) that which is less than the religion? Here is something from their vileness in this regard:

1. They accuse him with never having left the worship of idols at all. They said: “He used to pray behind Allāh’s Messenger, may blessings be upon him and his family, with an idol hanging around his neck prostrating to it.”²

2. They accuse him of great acts of disobedience and things that necessitate apostasy. They said: “He used to break his fast intentionally during the daytime in Ramaḍān, drink intoxicants, and satirize Allāh’s Messenger (ﷺ).³

3. They accuse him (ﷺ) of never acknowledging his Lord. Al-Tūsī the Shīʿī said: “Indeed from amongst the people is he who doubted his (Abū Bakr’s) Īmān, because within the Ummah is he who says: ‘He never acknowledged Allāh the Exalted at all.”⁴

4. Ibn Tāwus, the Shīʿī, held that his (ever) being guided to Islām) is doubtful.⁵ Al-Majlisī held that he had no Īmān (i.e. that he was a Kāfir).⁶

5. They justified his being nicknamed Al-Siddīq (the truthful) saying that he deemed to be true (the claim of the pagans) that the Prophet (ﷺ) was a sorcerer. Al-Saffār, Al-Qumī, and Al-Mufīd, from the Shīʿah, narrated with their Shīʿah based chains of narration on the authority of Khālid ibn Najīh that he said: “I said to Abū ʿAbdullāh Ja’far Al-Sādiq: ‘May I be sacrificed for you! Did Allāh’s Messenger, may blessings be upon him and his family, named Abū Bakr ‘As-Siddīq’ (the truthful)?’ He said: ‘Yes.’ I said: ‘How?’ He said: ‘When he was with him in the cave Allāh’s Messenger, may blessings be upon him and his family, said: ‘Indeed I see the boat of Jaʿfar ibn Abū Ṭālib experiencing turbulence within the sea deviating (from its course).’ He (Abū Bakr) said: ‘Are you able to show me?’ He said: ‘Come close to me.’ So he came close to him and he wiped his eyes. Then he said: ‘Look.’ So Abū Bakr looked and he saw the boat experiencing turbulence in the sea. Then he looked (and saw) the mansions of Al-Madīnah; so he said within himself: ‘Now I believe that you are a sorcerer.’ So Allāh’s Messenger, may blessings be upon him and his family, said: ‘You are Al-Siddīq. (i.e. you affirm and believe in what the pagans say.’”⁷

Endnotes:

1. Translator’s note: It is sufficient for him as a virtue that he is who he is; i.e. Abū Bakr Al-Siddīq.
2. Al-Anwār Al-Nuʿmāniyah by: Al-Jazāʾirī 1/53
3. Al-Burhān by: Al-Bahrānī 1/500
4. Talkhīs Ash-Shāfī by: At-Tūsī pg. 407
5. At-Tarā’if by: Ibn Tāwus pg. 32
6. Mir’āh Al-‘Uqūl: The Explanation of Ar-Rawdah by: Al-Majlisī 3/429-430
7. Tafsīr Al-Qumī 1/290

Translated By: Raha ibn Donald Batts
Excerpted from: Ruin not Rapprochement