Hadith of Abu Bakr and Muhammad in the cave

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Hadith of Abu Bakr and Muhammad in the cave is a Hadith in Islam about an event involving Abu Bakr.

Sunni use it to show one of Abu Bakr's merits.

Contents

[edit] Hadith

Narrated Abu Bakr

I was with the Prophet in the Cave. When I raised my head, I saw the feet of the people. I said, "O Allah's Apostle! If some of them should look down, they will see us." The Prophet said, "O Abu Bakr, be quiet! (For we are) two and Allah is the Third of us." Sahih Bukhari 58.259

[edit] Qur'an

[9.40] If you will not aid him, Allah certainly aided him when those who disbelieved expelled him, he being the second of the two, when they were both in the cave, when he said to his companion: Grieve not, surely Allah is with us. So Allah sent down His tranquillity upon him and strengthened him with hosts which you did not see, and made lowest the word of those who disbelieved; and the word of Allah, that is the highest; and Allah is Mighty, Wise.

[edit] views

[edit] Sunni

A hadith states that Abu Bakr was stung by a scorpion while he was in the cave with Muhammad. "A scorpion stung Abu Bakr hard twice, Hakim narrated this and graded this as Sahih" [1]

[edit] Shi'a

Shi'a do not view Abu Bakr's being with Muhammad in the cave as a meritorious act. They argue that being there did not constitute a merit in itself, as any merit should be derived from his action and behavior there. Then, they quote Sunni sources:

Narrated Abu Bakr: I was with the Prophet in the Cave. When I raised my head, I saw the feet of the people. I said, "O Allah's Apostle! If some of them should look down, they will see us." The Prophet said, "O Abu Bakr, be quiet! (For we are) two and Allah is the Third of us." [2]

Shi'a argue that a behavior that resulted in Muhammad responding "O Abu Bakr, be quiet!" can not be constituted as meritorious, especially when compared to Ali, who voluntarily slept in the bed of Muhammad.

Some Sunnis say that the fact that Abu Bakr was referred to as the "Companion" (Sahib) of the Prophet in the Cave, in the Qur'an, shows his high status. However, Shi'a claim that this word does not represent a high status at all. In the Qur'an, Yusuf (Joseph) talks to two disbelievers in prison who are referred to as his "Companions" for the sole reason that they are in close physical proximity to him, clearly showing that the word "Companion" in the Qur'an does not represent a high status, but just may describe the physical proximity of someone to another person.

Further, Shi'a claim that the fact that the verse says that Allah only bestowed tranquility 'upon him' (one person of the two only- being the Prophet) and not on Abu Bakr demonstrates that Abu Bakr is not a believer. The argument continues that elsewhere in the Quran, verses state that Allah bestows tranquility on the believers. Hence if Allah did not bestow tranquility on Abu Bakr here, then Abu Bakr is not a believer according to Quranic interpretation.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ Taufa Ithna Ashari p. 82, Part 15 Muthaeen Abu Bakr [1]
  2. ^ Sahih Bukhari 58.259

[edit] External link

Sunni: