Abu Bakr

Abu Bakr wasn't poor like Abu Dharr or Abu Hurayrah, but he was better than them. He wasn't perpetually tortured like Khabab and Bilal, or Sumayyah and Yasir, but he was better than them. He wasn't severely injured in battle like Talha or Abu Ubaydah or Khalid, but he was better than them. He wasn't martyred like Hamza or Umar or Uthman or Ali, but he was better than them!

So what was the secret that made Abu Bakr better than everyone?

Bakr ibn Abdullah Al-Muzani said, "Abu Bakr didn't precede them due to offering a lot of prayer and fasting, but because of something that settled in his heart."

It's the actions of the heart you see. That's what made his faith outweigh the faith of the entire ummah.

We learn that faith (iman) is actions of the heart combined with statement of the tongue and actions of the limbs, but we ignored the actions of the heart even though that is its essence and core.

Every act of worship has an essence and a physical manifestation.

So the manifestation of the prayer is the standing and bowing and prostration, but its essence is the khushu' (the humility, awe, reverence, concentration) of Allah.

The manifestation of fasting is to withhold from everything that breaks the fast from sunrise to sunset but it's essence is taqwa (consciousness) of Allah.

The manifestation of hajj is the tawaf and sa'ee and standing on Arafat and..and..and..but it's essence is honoring the symbols of Allah.

The manifestation of du'a is the raising of hands and praise and request but it's essence is the brokenness and need of Allah.

The manifestation of Dhikr is saying Allahu Akbar and AlHamdulillah, and La illaha ila Allah etc, but it's essence is the remembrance, reverence and love of Allah.

For on the day of Judgment it is the hearts that will be exposed, and only those who come with a serene heart, and a heart that is repentant who will be saved on that day.

Let us then remember to monitor our hearts as severely as we monitor our actions and remember that in this world we traverse distances with our feet, but in the hereafter distances are only traversed by our hearts.

Shaykh Alaa

I ask this because reading Wikipedia, it seems that all these events (the announcement of Ali's succession, the swearing of allegiance by followers to Ali, the proclaiming of Abu Bakr despite this and the events at Ali and Fatima's house) look like they are accepted by all Muslim traditions as having happened in some form.

How did Islamic tradition reconcile its reverence for both Ali and Abu Bakr?

[Rephrased this question according to helpful mod suggestions in order to be more neutral and respect the rules. I'm just trying to understand something that isn't making sense from what I've read about these events on (what I think are) neutral sources. I come from ignorance, not bias towards any interpretation.]

Edit: I have been getting short answers that make me think that I may have misunderstood the swearing of allegiance to Ali in the "event of Ghadir Khumm" as general acceptance that "Muhammad chose Ali as his successor"; I now see that this isn't necessarily right, and while some traditions interpret it that way, others see it differently. I would still love to read an answer that touches on the different interpretations of this event, but I ask that you ignore the assumption(s) I made in the title. Again, I come from ignorance, not bias.

I know about the other sahaba and why they say La but I’m not sure why Shia say Abu Bakr LA. What did he do wrong? I’m just learning. I’m a revert.

541. Ali Bin Ibrahim, from his father, from Hammad Bin Isa, from Ibrahim Bin Amro Al-Yamani, from Suleym Bin Qays Al-Hilali who said: I heard Salman Al-Farsy (ar) saying:

‘When the Rasool Allah ﷺ passed away, and the people did what they did, and Abu Bakr and Umar, and Abu Ubeyda Bin Al-Jarrah disputed with the Helpers, they disputed with them by the ‘بِحُجَّةِ’ rights of Ali (a.s).

Salman (ar) said. ‘So I (ar) came to Ali (a.s) and he (a.s) was washing (the body of) the Rasool Allah ﷺ.

I informed him of what the people had done and I said, ‘At this time, Abu Bakr is upon the Pulpit of the Rasool Allah ﷺ, and by Allah (azwj), they are not happy to pledge their allegiances to him with one hand, they are pledging their allegiances by both, their right hands and their left’.

So he (a.s) said to me; ‘O Salman (ar)! Do you know the one who pledged his allegiance to him upon the Pulpit of the Rasool Allah ﷺ?’

I (ar) said, ‘I (ar) do not know except that I (ar) saw in the shadow of the Clan of Sa’ada where the Helpers were disputing, and the one who was the first to pledged his allegiance to him was Basheer Bin Sa’ad, and Abu Ubeyda Bin Al-Jarrah, then Umar, then Saalim’.

He (a.s) said; ‘I (a.s) did not ask you (ar) about this, but do you (ar) know the first one who pledged his allegiance when he ascended upon the Pulpit of the Rasool Allah ﷺ?’

I (ar) said, ‘No, but I (ar) saw an old man leaning upon his walking stick, with a mark of prostration between his eyes due to the intensity of Al-Tashmir (prostrations) climb up to him and he was weeping and saying, ‘Praise be to Allah (azwj) Who did not Cause me to die from the world until I saw you in this place. Extend your hand’.

So he extended his hand, and he pledged his allegiance to him. Then he descended and went out from the Masjid’. So Ali (a.s) said; ‘Do you know who he was?’

I said, ‘No, but his speech had displeased me, as if he was gloating at the passing away of the Prophet ﷺ’.

So he (a.s) said; ‘That was Iblees (la), may Allah (azwj) Curse him (la). The Rasool Allah ﷺ informed me (a.s) that Iblees (la) and the chiefs of his (la) companions witnessed the Messenger ﷺ establishing me (a.s) to the people at Ghadeer Khumm by the Command of Allah (azwj), so he ﷺ told them that I (a.s) was higher to them than their own selves and commanded them that those who were present should make it reach to the absentees.

So the devils and the castaways companions of his (la) turned towards Iblees (la) and said, ‘This community is a Blessed community and is infallible, and there is neither for you (la) nor for us (la) a way against them, for they have come to know their Imam (a.s), and their shelter after their Prophet ﷺ.

So Iblees (la) , may Allah (azwj) Curse him (la) went away bleak and in grief.

And the Messenger ﷺ informed me (a.s) that when he ﷺ passes away, the people would be pledging their allegiances to Abu Bakr in the shade of the Clan of Sa’ada after their quarrelling, then they would be coming to the Masjid, so the first one who would be pledging his allegiance upon my ﷺ Pulpit would be Iblees (la) may Allah (azwj) Curse him (la) in the image of an old man with mark of prostration, saying such and such.

Then he (la) will go out and gather his (la) Satans and devils and excitedly say to them,

‘All of you (la) thought that there was no way for me (la) against them, so how do you (la) see what I (la) have done with them, to the extent that they had left the Command of Allah (azwj) Mighty and Majestic, and being obedient to Him (azwj), and what the Rasool Allah ﷺ has commanded them for’.

I am currently doing Religious Studies of Islam and obviously it is Sunni-Biased. Saying that Abu Bakr was a best friend of the Prophet (PBUH)

I am asking here because I want a Shia (Follower of the Prophet Muhammad’s family) POV.

Thanks

So, lately I've been contemplating about Muhammad Ibn Abu Bakr, the son of first Caliph and one of the closest companion of Imam Ali(As).

Just like any other companion of Imam Ali, Mohammad had to face severe hardships for being a Shia of Ali. After the passing of his father, He had the luxury to be raised by Imam Ali(As) and Imam Raised him as his own son and Imam would call him his son in Nahjul Balagha. Growing up, he realised that the first three Caliphs wronged the Imam Ali, and he only became active during the reign of uthman and constantly opposed him. Some sources confirm that he was part of Uthman's seige of castle but Insists on that he really wasn't the one who killed uthman.

Moving on, During the reign of Imam Ali(A.S). He faced many challenges as the Shia of Imam Ali but I think the hardest thing, The second hand embarrassment, The utmost confusion he must've had to face is in Battle of Jamal. His own sister Ayesha bringing a war against his Father like Figure, who's character he had grown fond of. Of course, Mohammad Ibn Abu Bakr sided with Imam Ali in this battle but If I was in Muhammad's shoes, I would've died of Embarrassment. I would never be able to look Imam Ali in the eyes, I would be so confused as what to do. However, Imam Ali's Kindness and understanding is always overwhelming, Imam never let the doings of his father or his sister get in the way of Loving Muhammad R.A and continued to treat him as he always would. Subhanallah.

That's it, thank you guys for reading. If you would like to add something to this, Go ahead and I don't mean any Disrespect to Muhammad Ibn Abu Bakr(R.A), I'm just expressing my thoughts on how Difficult it is to be a Shia of Ali and I tried to imagine myself in the place of Muhammad Ibn Abu Bakr, One of the Closest Companion Of Imam Ali(A.S).

I have an interesting perspective to share.

Instead of referring to them as “Sunni”, we could consider using the term “Shiat Abu Bakr”. Allow me to explain my thoughts:

The term "Ahl al Sunnah", which they currently identify with, is not rightfully appointed.

Clear evidence shows that the authentic Ahl al Sunnah are the followers of Ahl al Bait, commonly known as “Shiat Ali (as)”.

After the death of the Prophet, Islam was divided into two factions: Shiat Ali (as) and Shiat Abu Bakr.

Both factions uphold the Shahada, but only one holds on to the authentic Sunnah (i.e. Shiat Muhammad (p.b.u.h.)).

Let us leave the judgment of who truly represents Ahl al Sunnah to God.

Until then, may He guide us all on the right path.