Question:
Can the wrong leadership of Abu Bakr be affirmed under force and necessity?
Answer:
Al-Hasan Al-Askari (a.) reported that a man came to Imam Ali Al-Hadi (a.) and said: “O son of the Messenger of God, I was troubled today by a group of the common people of the country. So they grabbed me and said: “You do not confess to the leadership of Abu Bakr, the son of Abu Quhafah!” I was afraid, o son of the Messenger of God, and wanted to say: “Yes.” I said it out of fear. Some of them spoke to me and put their hands on my mouth and said: “You only say this out of fear. Answer to what i confront you with.” I said: ” Speak yourself out.” Then one said to me: “Do you confess,that Abu Bakr, the son of Abu Quhafah, the Imam after the Prophet Muhammad (s.), is a just and lawful leader and that Ali (a.) is not more entitled to it?” I said: “Yes, and I want to obtain one of the animals: The camel, beef or sheep.” I was told: “I am not convinced until you swear! Say: “By God, besides whom no one is worthy of worship, the demanding, the conquering, the righteous, the omniscient, the secret and the manifest.” I said: “Yes, and I would like to obtain one of the animals.” I was told: “I am not convinced of you until you say: “Abu Bakr, the son of Abu Quhafah, is the Imam, by God, besides whom no one is worthy of worship, and by his right shinbone!.” I said: “Abu Bakr, the son of Abu Quhafah, is the Imam.” By which is meant: “He is an Imam of those, who takes him as leader and imam, by God, besides whom no one is worthy of worship.” I went through the attributes of God until they were convinced of me and they left me unharmed and i was saved from them, but what is my condition with God? He said: “One of the best conditions. God has given you our companionship amongst the highly esteemed because of your good behaviour and fear.” [Mustadrak-ul-Wasa’il by Al-Mirza An-Nuri, Volume 12 Page 267 – 268]
عن حسين بن محمد عن الحسن العسكري عليه السلام قال: وجاء رجل إلى علي بن محمد عليهما السلام، فقال: يا بن رسول الله، بليت اليوم بقوم من عوام البلد، فأخذوني وقالوا: أنت لا تقول بإمامة أبي بكر بن أبي قحافة، فخفتهم يا بن رسول الله وأردت أن أقول: بلى، أقولها للتقية، فقال لي بعضهم ووضع يده على فمي، وقال: أنت لا تتكلم الا بمخوفة أجب عما ألقنك، قلت: قل: فقال لي: أتقول ان أبا بكر بن أبي قحافة هو الامام بعد رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله، إمام حق عدل، ولم يكن لعلي عليه السلام حق البتة؟ قلت: نعم، وأنا أريد نعما من الانعام، الإبل والبقر والغنم، فقال: لا اقنع بهذا حتى تحلف، قل: والله الذي لا إله الا هو، الطالب الغالب، العدل المدرك العالم من السر ما يعلم من العلانية فقلت: نعم، وأريد نعما من الانعام، فقال: لا اقنع منك الا ان تقول: أبو بكر بن أبي قحافة هو الامام، والله الذي لا إله إلا هو وساق اليمين، فقلت: أبو بكر بن أبي قحافة امام، أي هو إمام من ائتم به واتخذه اماما، والله الذي لا إله الا هو، ومضيت في صفات الله، فقنعوا بهذا مني، وجزوني خيرا ونجوت منهم، فكيف حالي عند الله؟ قال: خير حال، قد أوجب الله لك مرافقتنا في عليين، لحسن تقيتك