Virtues of Abu Bakr and `Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) from the Sunnah

The first Hadith:

Ibn Abu Mulaykah reported that he heard Ibn `Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) say: "When (the dead body of) `Umar was put on his deathbed, the people gathered around him and invoked (Allah) and prayed for him before the body was taken away, and I was amongst them. Suddenly I felt somebody taking hold of my shoulder and found out that he was 'Ali ibn Abu Talib. 'Ali invoked Allah's Mercy for `Umar and said: "O `Umar! You have not left behind you a person whose deeds I like to imitate and meet Allah with more than I like your deeds. By Allah! I always thought that Allah would keep you with your two companions, for very often I used to hear the Prophet (peace be upon him) saying: 'I, Abu Bakr and `Umar went (somewhere); I, Abu Bakr and `Umar entered (somewhere); and I, Abu Bakr and `Umar went out."'[1]

The second Hadith:

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: "Once Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) offered the morning prayer and then faced the people and said: "While a man was driving a cow, he suddenly rode over it and beat it. The cow said: "We have not been created for this, but we have been created for sloughing." On that the people said astonishingly: "Glorified be Allah! A cow speaks!" The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "I believe this, and Abu Bakr and `Umar too, believe it, although neither of them was present there. While a person was amongst his sheep, a wolf attacked and took one of the sheep. The man chased the wolf till he saved it from the wolf, where upon the wolf said, 'You have saved it from me; but who will guard it on the day of the wild beasts when there will be no shepherd to guard them except me (because of riots and afflictions)?'" The people said surprisingly: "Glorified be Allah! A wolf speaks!" The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "But I believe this, and Abu Bakr and `Umar too, believe this, although neither of them was present there."[2]

The third Hadith:

Jabir ibn `Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: "While the Prophet (peace be upon him) was preaching on Friday, a caravan arrived in Medina and the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) rushed towards it, until there was no one left with him except twelve men, among whom were Abu Bakr and `Umar. By Him in Whose Hands my soul is, if you had gone for trade until no one is left, the valley will become fire and melt you. Then this Ayah was revealed: "And when they see some merchandise or some amusement they disperse headlong to it, and leave you standing."[3]

The fourth Hadith: Anas ibn malik said: "The Prophet of Allah (peace be upon him), Abu Bakr, `Umar and `Uthman (may Allah be pleased with them) ascended Uhud (a mountain). It began to shake with them. The Prophet of Allah (peace be upon him) struck it with his foot and said: Be still, for only a prophet, an ever-truthful and two martyrs are on you."[4] In the narration of Muslim[5]: Abu Hurayrah narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) was on (Mount) Hira' with Abu Bakr, `Umar, Ali, `Uthman, Talhah and Az-Zubayr. The rock shook and the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "Be still, for there is no one on you but a Prophet, a Siddiq, or a martyr."

Some people of the knowledge (may Allah show mercy to them all) said: The Hadith contains a great honor to those who were upon the mountain with the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him).[6]

The fifth Hadith:

Abu Sa`id Al Khudry (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "As for those having higher ranks (in paradise), those having a lower rank will look at them as you look at the stars shining in the horizon of the heaven. Abu Bakr and `Umar are of them-and how excellent!"[7]

The sixth Hadith:

Ibn `Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: It was said to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him): "Why do not you send Abu Bakr and `Umar for they are better? He said: I cannot do without them, for they are to the religion as hearing and sight from the head."[8]

The seventh Hadith:

Hudhayfah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "Follow those who succeed me: Abu Bakr and `Umar."[9]

The eighth Hadith:

Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Abu Bakr and `Umar are chiefs of the middle-aged people of Paradise whether the foremost or the last with the exception of the Prophets and the Messengers. Do not inform them, O Ali." [10]

The ninth Hadith:

Sa`id ibn Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: "I bear witness to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) that I heard him say: Ten persons will go to Paradise: the Prophet (peace be upon him) will go to Paradise, Abu Bakr will go to Paradise, `Umar will go to Paradise."[11]

The tenth Hadith:

`Abdur-Rahman ibn Abu Bakrah narrated: "I came with my father (may Allah be pleased with him) to Mu`wiyah ibn Abu Sufyan (may Allah be pleased with him) who made us enter to him. Abu Bakrah said: Tell us something you heard from the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). He said: The Messenger of Allah used to like good vision and ask about it. One day the Prophet asked: "Did any of you see anything in his dream?" A man said: "O Messenger of Allah, I saw in my dream as if a balance came down from the heaven in which you were weighed against Abu Bakr and outweighed him, then Abu Bakr was weighed against `Umar and outweighed him, then `Umar was weighed against `Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) and outweighed him, then the balance was raised up." This displeased the Prophet who said: "Succession of prophethood (khilâfa nubuwwa)! Then Allah shall give kingship to whomever He will."[12]

The eleventh Hadith:

Al `Irbad ibn Sariyah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "One day Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) delivered us a very eloquent Khutbah on account of which eyes shed tears and hearts were full of tears. A man said: "O Prophet of Allah, this is as if it were a parting advice. So advise us". He (peace be upon him) said: "I admonish you to fear Allah, to listen and obey even if an Abyssinian slave is appointed as your leader. Because whosoever among you shall live after me, will see much discord. So hold fast to my Sunnah and the examples of the Rightly-Guided Caliphs who will come after me. Adhere to them and hold to it fast. Adhere to obedience even if the emir is a black Ethiopian slave. A believer is like an obedient camel wherever he is led, he goes." [13]

Harmalah said: I heard Al Shafi`y say: The Rightly Guided Caliphs are five: Abu Bakr, `Umar, `Uthman, Ali (may Allah be pleased with them), and `Umar ibn `Abdul-`Aziz (may Allah bestow mercy on his soul).[14]

Ahmad said about Abu Bakr, `Umar, `Uthman, and Al (may Allah be pleased with them): By Allah, they are the Rightly Guided Caliphs.[15]

Ibn `Abdul-Bar said: The Rightly Guided Caliphs are: Abu Bakr, `Umar, `Uthman, and Ali (may Allah be pleased with them).[16]

The twelfth Hadith:

Abu Raja' Al `Ataridy (may Allah bestow mercy on his soul) said: "I heard Ali and Az-Zubayr (may Allah be pleased with him) say: We heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) say: The best of my nation after me are: Abu Bakr and `Umar (may Allah be pleased with him)."[17]

The thirteenth Hadith:

Jabir ibn `Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "Verily, Allah chose my Companions and gave them precedence over all creatures except the Prophets and the Messengers. Then He chose for me four Companions: Abu Bakr, `Umar, `Uthman, and Ali (may Allah be pleased with them) to be my Companions. He said about My Companion: They are all good. He elected my nation over other nations and chose from my nation four centuries: The first, the second, the third, and the fourth centuries."[18]

The fourteenth Hadith:

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "The best of men is Abu Bakr. The best of men is 'Umar. The best of men is Abu 'Ubayda. The best of men is Usayd ibn Hudayr. The best of men is Thabit ibn Qays ibn Shammas. The best of men is Mu`adh ibn `Amr ibn Al-Jamuh. The best of men is Mu`adh ibn Jabal." Then he said: "The worst of men is so-and- so. The worst of men is so-and-so," until he had named seven men."[19]

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[1] Reported by Al Bukhari No. (3482) with his own wordings, reported by Muslim No. (2389), reported by Ahmad (1/ 112), and others.

[2] Reported by Al Bukhari No. (3284) reported by Muslim No. (2388), reported by Ahmad (2/ 382).

Al Albany said: These are the wordings of Al Bukhari. Imam Muslim has a similar Hadith in which he mentioned Abu Salamah Sa`id ibn Al Musayyab in another narration. The Hadith begins with: "Convey (my teachings) to the people even if it were a single sentence, and tell others the stories of Banu Israel (which have been taught to you), for it is not sinful to do so. He said: While a man was driving a cow, he suddenly rode over it and it looked at him. Then mentioned the Hadith. I said: The Hadith is of good chain of transmission. See Irwa' Al Ghalil fi Takhrij Ahadith Manar As-Sabil (7/ 242 - 243).

[3] Reported by Abu Ya`la in his Musnad (3/ 468/ 1979), and Ibn Hibban reported the same Hadith from his way (6877, edition of Al M'assasah, see As-Silsilah As-Sahihah (7/215) No. (3147).

[4] Reported by Al Bukhari No. (3472 - 3483).

[5] No. (2417).

[6] Ikmal Al Mu`lim Shrah Sahih Muslim (7/ 218) by Al Qady `Iyad.

[7] Reported by Ahmad (3/ 93), and At-Tirmidhy No. (3658) and said:

This is a good Hadith that was reported from different ways from `Atiyyah on the authority of Abu Sa`id with his own wordings. Reported by Ibn Majah No. (96)

and others. Al Albany graded it as authentic in Sahih Al Jami` No. (3793),

and Shu`ayb Al Arna`ut said: Authentic by Virtue of another Hadith: This term refers to a Hadith deemed Good on its own virtue in the case where it is narrated by one or more chains.

[8] Reported by At-Tabarany in Al Mu`jam Al Awsat No. (4999), and Al Albany graded it as authentic in As-Silsilah As-Sahihah (2/ 457) No. (815).

[9] Reported by Ahmad (5/ 382), and At-Tirmidhy No. (3662), and said:

This is a good Hadith.

Shu`ayb Al Arna`ut said: A good Hadith by its similar narrations. This chain of transmission contains trustworthy narrators of Al Bukhari and Muslim, but it is interrupted.

It was reported from the Hadith of `Abdullah ibn Mas`ud, Anas ibn Malik, and `Abdullah ibn `Umar (may Allah be pleased with them). And see: As-Silsilah As-Sahihah, (3/ 233) No. (1233).

[10] Reported by Ahmad (1/ 80) and At-Tirmidhy No. (3665) who said: This is Hadith Gharib (a Hadith with a single narrator usually at the beginning of the chain of narration) from this way of narration with his own wordings. Reported by Ibn Majah No. (95) and others. It was reported from a group of Companions including: Ali ibn Abu Talib, Anas ibn Malik, Abu Juhayfah, Jabir ibn `Abdullah, and Abu Sa`id Al Khudry (may Allah be pleased with them). It is authentic; ranked authentic by As-Suyuty in Al Gharar in the virtues of `Umar (p. 1) and others. And see: As-Silsilah As-Sahihah (2 / 487) No. (824).

[11]Reported by Ahmad (1/ 187), At-Tirmidhy No. (3748), Abu Dawud No. (4651), An-Nasa'y in As-Sunan Al Kubra No. (8195), Ibn Majah No. (133), and Ibn Hibban No. (6993). Shu`ayb Al Arna`ut said: An authentic Hadith, and ranked as authentic by As-Suyuty in Al Gharar (p. 1), and Al Albany in his comment on the explanation of At-Tahawiyyah (p. 488 - 489).

[12] Reported by Ahmad (5/ 44) and Shu`ayb Al Arna`ut said: "a good Hadith" This chain of transmission is weak because of the weakness of Ali ibn Zayd Ibn Jid`an.

[13] Reported by Ahmad (4/ 126), Ibn Majah No. (43), and Al Hakim (1/ 96).

Al Albany graded it as authentic; see: As-Silsilah As-Sahihah, (2/ 648) No. (937).

[14] It was authentically reported from the Prophet as reported by Adh-Dhahaby in the trustworthy narrators whom scholars spoke about without censuring their narrations (p. 5), however we have an objection to the mention of `Umar ibn `Abdul-`Aziz but this is not the proper place to explain.

[15] Al `Aqidah (p. 64) by Ahmad ibn Hanbal by the narration of Abu Bakr Al Khallal.

[16] Al Istidhkar (8/ 323).

[17] Reported by Ibn `Asakir, and Al Albany graded him as weak in As-Silsilah Ad-Da`ifah (8/ 64) No. (3573).

[18] Reported by Al Bazzar in his Musnad (3/ 288) No. (2763). Al Qurtuby graded it as authentic in his Tafsir (13/ 305) but Al Albany graded it as weak, see As-Silsilah Ad-Da`ifah (13/ 275) No. (6123).

[19] Reported by Al Bukhari in Al Adab Al Mufrad No. (337) and Ahmad (2/ 419).

Shu`ayb Al Arna`ut said: Its chain of transmission is strong according to the conditions of Muslim.

Reported by At-Tirmidhy No. (3795) who said: This is a good Hadith but we do not know it from the way of Suhayl.

Al Albany graded it as authentic, and our sheikh Muqbil graded it as good in Al Jami` As-Sahih (4/ 49).