Question:

Some reports say that the one who loves Abu Bakr and Umar is an Disbeliever (Kafir) and the one who gives them preference over Imam Ali (a.) is an enemy (Nasibi). Isn’t that what the majority of Muslims believe in?

Answer:

First of all, it is important to remember who is making these statements.

Abu Ali Al-Khurasani reported that the servant of Ali Ibn Al-Husain (a.) said: “I met secretly with Imam Ali Ibn Al-Husain (a.) and said: “Do i not have the right with you that you tell me about the two men, Abu Bakr and Umar?” He said: “They are both disbelievers, and he who loves them is an disbeliever.” [Taqrib-ul-Ma’arif of Abu As-Salah Al-Halabi, page 244 Hadith 4]

وعن أبي علي الخراساني، عن مولى لعلي بن الحسين عليهما السلام قال: كنت مع علي بن الحسين عليهما السلام في بعض خلواته، فقلت: إن لي عليك حقا، ألا تخبرني عن هذين الرجلين، عن أبي بكر وعمر؟ فقال: كافران، كافر من أحبهما

Muhammad Ibn Ahmad reported that he asked Imam Ali Al-Hadi (a.): “What is the situation with the enemy (Nasibi)? When examining him, do I need more than the preference he gives to the false god (Abu Bakr) and idol (Umar) and the belief in their leadership?” He replied: “Whoever is on it is an enemy (Nasibi).” [Wasa’il-ush-Shi’ah of Al-Hurr Al-Amili, Volume 9 Page 490 – 491 Hadith 14]

محمد بن إدريس في آخر السرائر نقلا من كتاب مسائل الرجال عن محمد بن أحمد بن زياد وموسى بن محمد بن علي بن عيسى قال: كتبت إليه – يعني: علي بن محمد عليه السلام – أسأله عن الناصب هل أحتاج في امتحانه إلى أكثر من تقديمه الجبت (أبا بكر) والطاغوت (عمر) واعتقاد إمامتهما؟ فرجع الجواب: من كان على هذا فهو ناصب

When the infallible (a.) speak about the two persons in question, they speak about the reality. They talk about hypocrites, murderers, sinners and criminals. However, when their followers today speak of the two, they are speaking of made-up stories and non-existent mythical creatures.

Sama’ah Ibn Mihran reported that Imam As-Sadiq (a.) said: “Islam is the confession (Shahadah) that there is no god but God and that Muhammad (s.) is the messenger of God and through this their blood is put under protection and on this basis the unions (Nikah) and the inheritances (Irth) are made and to this belongs outwardly (Zahir) the generality of people.” [Al-Hada’iq of Al-Bahrani, Volume 24 page 68 Hadith 2]

عن سماعة عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام أنه قال: الاسلام شهادة أن لا إله إلا الله والتصديق برسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وبه حقنت الدماء وعليه جرت المناكح والمواريث وعلى ظاهره عامة الناس

Sufyan Ibn As-Simt reported that Imam Ja’far As-Sadiq (a.) said: “Islam is the outward form (Zahir) on which the people find themselves on: To profess that no one is worthy of worship except God and that Muhammad is the Messenger of God, to perform prayer, to pay the alms, to go on pilgrimage to the house of God and to fast in the month of Ramadan. So this is Islam. Faith (Iman) is the recognition of this authority together with this outward form, and whoever confirms it while not recognizing this authority is a Muslim and is misguided.” [Bihar-ul-Anwar of Al-Majlisi, Volume 65, Page 247 Hadith 6]

عن محمد بن محمد عن محمد بن يعقوب عن محمد بن يحيى عن أحمد بن محمد عن علي بن الحكم عن سفيان بن السمط عن أبي عبد الله الصادق عليه السلام قال: الاسلام هو الظاهر الذي عليه الناس شهادة أن لا إله إلا الله، وأن محمدا رسول الله، وإقام الصلاة، وإيتاء الزكاة، وحج البيت، وصيام شهر رمضان، فهذا الاسلام، وقال: الايمان معرفة هذا الامر، مع هذا فان أقر بها ولم يعرف هذا الامر كان مسلما وكان ضالا

Sulaim Ibn Qais reported that Imam Ali (a. ) said: “As for the one who worships God alone, who believes in the Messenger (s.) , who does not recognize either the closeness (Wilayah) to us or the misguidance of our enemies, who does not make any rules, who does not introduce anything either permitted or forbidden, who accepts everything about which there is no disagreement among the disagreeing members of this community, about which God has commanded something, who restrains himself in that about which there is disagreement between the disagreeing members of this community, whether God has commanded or forbidden something, so that he makes no regulations and introduces neither permitted nor forbidden things, who does not know, and who leaves the knowledge to God in view of what he is in doubt about, then he is saved. This stage is between believers and idolaters. Those are the majority and the greatest portion of the people and they are companions of accounting, of the scales, of height and fire. They are those for whom the prophets, angels and believers intercede so that they escape from the fire and they are called the people of fire. As for the believers, they enter Paradise without reckoning, and as for the idolaters, they enter the fire without reckoning. The reckoning is meant for those who, with these characteristics, belong to the people between the believers and idolaters and whose hearts are seducible and sinful. They are those who mix up one good deed with another bad deed, and the weak who are not in a position to be deceived by unbelief and idolatry. They are those who are not aware of hostility and are not guided to a way of being knowledgeable believers. Therefore they are the companions of the highest and those are subject to the will of God. If God lets one of them enter the fire, He does so because of their sins and if He forgives one of them, He does so because of His mercy.” [Kitab Sulaim, pages 170 – 172]

عن أبان بن أبي عياش عن سليم بن قيس رضي الله عنهما عن علي بن أبي طالب عليه السلام قال: فأما من وحد الله وآمن برسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله ولم يعرف ولايتنا ولا ضلالة عدونا ولم ينصب شيئا ولم يحل ولم يحرم، وأخذ بجميع ما ليس بين المختلفين من الأمة فيه خلاف في أن الله عز وجل أمر به، وكف عما بين المختلفين من الأمة خلاف في أن الله أمر به أو نهى عنه، فلم ينصب شيئا ولم يحلل ولم يحرم ولا يعلم ورد علم ما أشكل عليه إلى الله فهذا ناج وهذه الطبقة بين المؤمنين وبين المشركين، هم أعظم الناس وجلهم، وهم أصحاب الحساب والموازين والأعراف، والجهنميون الذين يشفع لهم الأنبياء والملائكة والمؤمنون، ويخرجون من النار فيسمون الجهنميين فأما المؤمنون فينجون ويدخلون الجنة بغير حساب، أما المشركون فيدخلون النار بغير حساب. وإنما الحساب على أهل هذه الصفات بين المؤمنين والمشركين، والمؤلفة قلوبهم والمقترفة والذين خلطوا عملا صالحا وآخر سيئا والمستضعفين الذين لا يستطيعون حيلة الكفر والشرك ولا يحسنون أن ينصبوا ولا يهتدون سبيلا إلى أن يكونوا مؤمنين عارفين، فهم أصحاب الأعراف، وهؤلاء لله فيهم المشيئة. إن الله عز وجل إن يدخل أحدا منهم النار فبذنبه وإن تجاوز عنه فبرحمته