1st Question:

A follower of the illegitimate Imams made the claim that Imam Ali (a.) performed his five prayers behind Abu Bakr and approved him as the Imam, Likewise, he was pleased with him and took pleasure in it. The following sources were given: Al-Ihtijaj by At-Tabarsi, page 53; Kitab Sulaim, page 203; Mir’at-ul-Uqul by Al-Majlisi, page 388. Are such reports actually available?

Response:

As for Al-Ihtijaj, this work has 2 volumes and in neither of them is such a statement found on page 53:

As for Kitab Sulaim, again there is nothing of such a statement on page 203:

As for Mir’at-ul-Uqul, this work has 26 volumes and in none of them is such a statement found on page 388:

Yet the enemies of God continue to spread this lie as if it were in the sources of Islam.

2nd question:

The innovator added, that the Commander of the Faithful (a.) would have entered the mosque and prayed behind Abu Bakr as the leader and gave Tafsir Al-Qummi under the chapter Ar-Rum as the source. Which report is actually available?

Response:

Once again, they are making use of the falseness of their falsehoods without any sense of shame in doing so.

Ali Ibn Ibrahim Al-Qummi writes: ,,After that, Imam Ali (a.) got up and prepared for the prayer and he entered the house of prayer and stood behind Abu Bakr and prayed for himself while Khalid Ibn Al-Walid was by his side and had a sword with him. Now when Abu Bakr sat down for the confession of the prayer (Tashahhud), he regretted what he said and was afraid of the strife and aggravation that would follow. He did not stop thinking about it, so he did not come to the final peace salutation (Taslim) until people thought he was doing it to sanctify the prayer. Thereupon, Abu Bakr addressed Khalid Ibn Al-Walid and said: ,,O Khalid, do not perform what I had commanded you. Peace be upon you and the mercy of God and His blessings.” Imam Ali (a.) said: ,,O Khalid, what is that which he had commanded you?” Khalid ibn Al-Walid replied: ,,He ordered me to kill you.” Imam Ali (a.) said: ,,And you were about to do it?” Khalid Ibn Al-Walid replied: ,,If Abu Bakr had not ordered me not to do it, I would have killed you after the final greeting of peace (Taslim).” Then Imam Ali (a.) grabbed him and threw him on the ground and people gathered around him. Umar ibn Al-Khattab said: ,,He is killing him, by the Lord of the Ka’bah!” The people said: ,,By God and the right of the companion of this grave!” So Imam Ali (a.) desisted from Khalid Ibn Al-Walid and turned to Umar Ibn Al-Khattab, whom he grabbed by the collar and said: ,,O son of Suhak, if it were not for the covenant with Prophet Muhammad (s.) and the Book of God, you would know who among us is weak and in need of help and who is not.” Thereupon, he went inside his home.” [Tafsir Al-Qummi, Vol. 2 page 159]

قال علي بن إبراهيم القمي رضي الله عنه: ثم قام وتهيأ للصلاة وحضر المسجد ووقف خلف أبى بكر وصلى لنفسه وخالد بن الوليد إلى جنبه ومعه السيف فلما جلس أبو بكر في التشهد ندم على ما قال وخاف الفتنة وشدة على وبأسه فلم يزل متفكرا لا يجسر ان يسلم حتى ظن الناس انه قدسها، ثم التفت إلى خالد فقال يا خالد لا تفعل ما أمرتك به السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته، فقال أمير المؤمنين عليه السلام: يا خالد ما الذي أمرك به؟ قال امرني بضرب عنقك، قال وكنت تفعل؟ قال إي والله لولا أنه قال لي لا تفعل لقتلتك بعد التسليم، قال فأخذه علي (ع) فضرب به الأرض واجتمع الناس عليه فقال عمر يقتله ورب الكعبة فقال الناس يا أبا الحسن الله الله بحق صاحب هذا القبر فخلى عنه، قال فالتفت إلى عمر وأخذ بتلابيبه وقال يا بن الصهاك لولا عهد من رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وكتاب من الله سبق لعلمت أينا أضعف ناصرا وأقل عددا ثم دخل منزله

Accordingly, the Commander of the Faithful (a.) did not take Abu Bakr to be the Imam, but prayed for himself behind him and there is no problem in that. Interestingly, there are reports among the people of innovation that if someone prays behind him, it does not make a person righteous.

Abdullah Ibn Umar that Prophet Muhammad (s.) said: ,,Pray behind the one who says: ,,None is worthy of worship except the One God.” [Al-Istikdhar by Ibn Abd Al-Barr, Volume 4 page 29]

حدثنا إسماعيل بن عبد الرحمن قال حدثنا محمد بن القاسم بن شعبان قال حدثنا عيسى بن أحمد بن يحيى قال حدثنا نصر بن مروان بن مرزوق قال حدثنا جعفر بن هارون الكوفي أبو محمد قال حدثنا محمد بن الفضل بن عطية عن سالم الأفطس عن عطاء بن أبي رباح عن عبد الله بن عمر أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال صلوا خلف من قال لا إله إلا الله

Abu Hurrah reported that Imam Al-Hasan (a.) said: “Neither does the believer invalidate his prayer which he performs behind a hypocrite, nor does a hypocrite benefit from the prayer of the believer behind whom he is.” [Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaibah, Hadith 7392]

حدثنا هشيم، عن أبي حرة، عن الحسن، قال: لا يضر المؤمن صلاته خلف المنافق، ولا ينفع المنافق صلاة المؤمن خلفه