Bai‘at Saqifah
With regard to the details of the election of Hazrat Abu Bakr’s (ra) Khilafat, it has been recorded in Tarikh al-Tabari that on this occasion, Hazrat Hubbab (ra) bin al-Mundhir stood up and said:
“O people of the Ansar! Keep this matter in your hands as these people are currently under your care”, referring to the Muhajirin. “No one will have the courage to oppose you and people will not disagree with your opinion. You are honourable, affluent, in the majority, strong, mighty and experienced warriors, courageous and brave. People have turned towards you in order to see what you do. Do not disagree at this moment as your [difference of] opinion will create disorder among you and your matter will be turned against you. Hence, if these people”, i.e. the Muhajirin of the Quraish, “reject what you have just heard then there will be one leader from among us and one leader from among them.”
Upon this, Hazrat Umar (ra) said, “This is impossible! Two swords cannot be combined in one sheath. By Allah! Arabs will never agree to elect you as the leader, while their Prophet (sa) is from a different tribe than yours. However, the Arabs will have no objection to entrusting their matters to those among whom prophethood was established, nor [would they object] that their leaders should be elected from them. Furthermore, if any Arab rejects the leadership in this case, then we will be justified and have the right to oppose him. Who will oppose us regarding the leadership of Muhammad (sa)? We are the very friends and family of the Holy Prophet (sa). None but the foolish, a sinner and the one who throws himself into destruction will oppose this proposition.”
Hubbab (ra) bin al-Mundhir said, “O people of the Ansar! Settle this matter among yourselves and do not at all agree with this person and his companions. They wish to devour your share as well and if they reject your proposition then drive them out of your areas and take control of all matters, because, by God, you are most deserving and worthy of this leadership. Your swords have made everyone obedient to this religion; all those who would otherwise not have obeyed. I take the responsibility of settling this entire matter on my shoulders, as I am experienced therein and also competent. By God! If you so desire then I will correct and settle this matter.”
Hazrat Umar (ra) said, “If you do this then Allah will destroy you!” Hazrat Hubbab (ra) replied, “It will, in fact, be you who will be destroyed!”
At this moment, Hazrat Abu Ubaidah (ra) said, “O congregation of Ansar! You are the pioneers in helping and assisting the religion. It should not be the case that you now become the first ones to alter and change it.”
Upon this, Bashir (ra) bin Saad said, “O congregation of Ansar! The sole objective of the opportunity we received of fighting the idolaters and serving the religion of Islam in its early stages was to acquire the pleasure of our Creator and it was done in obedience to our Messenger (sa) of Allah. It does not befit us to make ourselves superior to others and we do not desire any worldly benefit from this. This is merely a favour of Allah the Almighty upon us. Hearken! The Holy Prophet (sa) was most certainly from among the Quraish and as such, his tribe is more deserving and worthy of this leadership. I swear by God and proclaim that I will not dispute with them regarding this matter! Fear Allah and do not oppose them and do not dispute with them in relation to this matter!”
(Muhammad Ibn Jarir al-Tabari, Tarikh al-Tabari, Vol. 2 [Beirut, Lebanon: Dar al-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, 1987], p. 243)
Another narration of the speech of Hazrat Umar (ra) is recorded in Sunan al-Kubra li al-Nasa‘i that when the Ansar said in the courtyard of the Banu Sa‘idah that there should be one leader from among each party, Hazrat Umar (ra) replied – as was previously mentioned – that there could not be two swords in one sheath as they would not fare well if it were so. Hazrat Umar (ra) then took the hand of Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) and said, “Who is it that possesses these three qualities:
إِذۡ يَقُولُ لِصٰحِبِهِۦ لَا تَحۡزَنۡ إِنَّ اللّٰهَ مَعَنَا
That is, “When he (the Holy Prophet (sa)) said to his companion, ‘Grieve not, for Allah is with us’, who was the companion?” He then said:
إِذۡ هُمَا فِي الۡغَارِ
“‘When they were both in the cave,’ who were these two?”
Hazrat Umar (ra) continued:
لَا تَحۡزَنۡ إِنَّ اللّٰهَ مَعَنَا
“‘Do not grieve, for Allah is with us’; who was it that was beside the Holy Prophet (sa)? Who was He with aside from Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra)?” Saying this, Hazrat Umar (ra) pledged his allegiance to Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) and told the people to also swear allegiance, which they then did.
(Al-Sunan al-Kubra li al-Nasa‘i, Kitab Wafat al-Nabi (sa), Hadith 7119, Vol. 4, p. 264, Dar al-Kutub al-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 1991)
After Hazrat Umar (ra), Hazrat Abu Ubaidah (ra) bin al-Jarrah and Hazrat Bashir (ra) bin Sad pledged their allegiance, and in this manner all of the Ansar pledged allegiance.
(Al-Kamil fi al-Tarikh, Vol. 2, p. 193, Dar-ul-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 2003) (Ali bin Burhan al-Din al-Halabi, Al-Sirah al-Halabiyyah, Vol. 3 [Beirut, Lebanon: Dar al-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, 2002], p. 506)
In Islamic literature, this pledge is also known as the “Bai‘at Saqifah” or “Bai‘at Khassah”.
(Tarikh al-Khulafa al-Rashidin,Vol. 3, p. 367, 22, Dar al-Nafa‘is, Beirut, 2011)
It is mentioned in some narrations that Hazrat Saad (ra) bin Ubadah did not pledge his allegiance to Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra), whereas in other narrations it is evident that he pledged allegiance alongside all the Ansar. It is recorded in Tarikh al-Tabari that all the people pledged their allegiance to Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) one after another, and Hazrat Saad (ra) bin Ubadah also pledged allegiance.
(Muhammad Ibn Jarir al-Tabari, Tarikh al-Tabari, Vol. 3, Sanat Ihda Asharah, Dhikr al-Khabar ‘amma Jara baina al-Muhajirin wa al-Ansar… [Beirut, Lebanon: Dar al-Fikr, 2002], p. 266)