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Revision as of 23:04, 28 August 2005 by Striver (talk | contribs) (talk page)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)Saqifah, also known as "Saqifa Bani Saeda" or Saqifat Bani Sa'ida, was the roofed building , of the tribe, or banu, of Sa'ida, of the faction of the Khazraj, of the city of Medina in the Hijaz, northwestern Arabia.
Significance of Saqifah
On the day that the Muslim prophet Muhammad died, June 8 in 632 CE, the Muslims originally from Medina, the Ansar, gathered in the saqifah to discuss the future of the Muslim community. There were two factions in the Ansar, the Khazraj and the Aws; both were present. However, the Muslim emigrants from Mecca, the Muhajirun, had not been notified of the gathering. When Muhammad's companions Abu Bakr and Umar learned of the gathering, they rushed to the meeting. After a tumultuous debate, the details of which are highly contested, those gathered there gave their allegiance, or bay'ah, to Abu Bakr as the new leader of the Muslims.
The name of the house is used as shorthand for the event, or the gathering, which was a crucial turning point in the history of Islam. There were a number of Muslims who felt that Ali ibn Abi Talib, Muhammad's cousin and son-in-law, should have been the new leader. They initially refused to take the oath of allegiance to Abu Bakr and were known as Rafidi, or refusers. Ali himself refused to take the oath. After a period of time -- long or short, this also is a matter of debate -- Ali and his party submitted. However, the Rafidi never ceased to feel that there had been a miscarriage of justice at Saqifah. Over time, disaffection with the government of the caliphs, or successors to Muhammad, increased to the extent that the Shi'a, or Shi'at Ali, the party of Ali, split from the majority Sunni Muslims.
Ibn Ishaq's account
One of the earliest accounts of Saqifah is to be found in Ibn Ishaq's sira, or biography of Muhammad. It is based on the words of Umar himself, as reported to Ibn Ishaq by Ibn Al-Abbas.
According to this account, after the death of Muhammad the Ansar gathered at the Bani Sa'ida's saqifah while the closest relatives of Muhammad, Fatima and Ali and their relatives, were preparing Muhammad's body for burial. The Muhajirun had gathered with Abu Bakr and Umar. Abu Bakr suggested that they join the Ansar. On the way, the Mahajirun learned that the Ansar were prepared to choose a leader without consulting them. Abu Bakr and Umar hastened to the meeting, where Abu Bakr addressed the Ansar.
Abu Bakr argued that only a leader from the Quraysh, Mecca's leading clan, could keep Muhammad's state intact. Only the Quraysh were universally recognized as a noble clan, worthy of leadership. He suggested that the meeting choose either Umar or Abu Ubayda (both Quraysh) as a leader.
One of the Ansar suggested that the Ansar should choose a leader and the Meccans should choose their own leader. The meeting became loud and unruly. Umar is reported to have said that he feared that the Muslim state would dissolve then and there. He seized Abu Bakr's hand and loudly swore fealty to him as the leader of the Muslims. The Muhajirun hurriedly followed, and then, after an altercation, the Ansar. (The Muhajirun "jumped on" the leader of the Khazraj faction of the Ansar, Sa'd ibn 'Ubada, as detailed on p. 686 of Guillaume's translation of Ibn Ishaq.) According to Madelung's book The Succession to Muhammad, Umar described the event as a falta, a precipitate arrangement (p. 30).
The next day, the Muslim community of Medina gathered for prayers and Umar spoke, praising Abu Bakr and urging the community to swear allegiance to him. Ibn Ishaq says that they did so.
A Sunni view of Saqifah
Many Sunni accounts of Saqifah omit some of the uglier details. They record only that the companions of Muhammad gathered and after much deliberation, chose Abu Bakr as the leader. They omit any mention of the apparently ad hoc nature of the meeting, of the absence of some of those most concerned (Ali and Muhammad's other relatives), of the squabbles and fights in the saqifah, and of Umar's desperate bid to unite the community behind Abu Bakr.
However, a good case could be made for the Sunni view of the succession if one considers the events that followed the meeting in the saqifah. The Muslims, following pre-Islamic custom, believed that each member of the tribe should personally give his (or perhaps her) allegiance to the new leader. If the Muslims NOT at the meeting had refused to do so, the group would have split. However, all the Muslims, including Ali and the Rafidi, did eventually give their allegiance, their bay'ah, to Abu Bakr. They valued the unity of the ummah, the Muslim community, over their first preferences for the leadership. It could additionally be argued that if Umar had not acted as he did, the community would have dissolved, and that Umar, and the community, acted out of necessity. (This, of course, assumes that Umar was telling the truth about the events at the saqifah.)
The Shi'a view of Saqifah
Preceding events
Shi'a accounts of the matter argue for a deep-laid plot on the part of Abu Bakr and Umar to seize the leadership from the rightful heir, Ali. Shi'a believe that Muhammad had repeatedly made known to the community his wishes regarding a successor, namely, that Ali should follow him. Shia belive that Muhammad did so most prominantly in Ghadire Khumm.
Shia view this event with the events of the preceding days in mind, beliving it gives important context to this event.
It is established that on Muhammads last Thursday, in the Event of Pen and Paper he was about to announce his will, something that would "forever prevent them from going astray". However, a commotion started by Umar prevented Muhammad. Later on Saturday Muhmmad sent Abu Bakr, Umar and Abu Ubaidah away with Usamas Dispatchment, even though they objected. Shia belive that on Sunday, in the Event of the prayer, Abu Bakr violated Muhammads order regarding not leaving the dispatchmend and tried to set precedense of himself as the new leader, wich lead him to leave Medina after having been rebuked by Muhammad.
With this, the Shia belive there was a pattern of Abu Bakr and Umar acting contrary to Muhammad's wishes, and also expains how and why people acted the way they did in this event.
Umar delayed maters
Shia give the episode immediately following the death of Muhammad, as a proof of the complicity of Abu Bakr and Umar. Althogh Sunni portray Umar being deranged with grief when he found that Muhammad had died, Shia content that Umar promised "By Allah!" that "Allah's Apostle is not dead!" (Bukhari). Umar said:
- "Some of the hypocrites allege that the Messenger of God is dead. By God, he is not dead but has gone to his Lord as Moses ibn Imran went and remained hidden from his people for forty days. Moses returned after it was said that he had died. By God, the Messenger of God will return and will cut off the hands and feet of those who allege that he is dead" (Tabari).
The burial could not proceed while Umar stubbornly refused to compromise. Some sources claim that the 13 year old Ibn Abbas aproach Umar and tried to stop him from threatening people, however, Umar ignored him.
Abu Bakr was informed
When Abu Bakr heard that Muhammad had died, he was in a town named As-Sunah and road back to Muhammad on horse (Bukhari). It took Abu Bakr three durations (hours, prayes, unspecified) to return to Medina from As-Sunah(Tabari). When Abu Bakr returned, Umar was still threatening people, scarying some people to the extent that it is reported that they left Islam (Bukhari).
When he came to Medina, he visited Muhamamds body and then he spoke to the crowd, saying -- in the words reported by Ibn Ishaq:
- "O men, if anyone worships Muhammad, Muhammad is dead; if anyone worships God, God is alive, immortal." (Guillaume, p. 683)
At this, Umar stoped his threats. The Shi'a say that this whole episode was a charade, arranged so that Abu Bakr, Umar, and their followers would have more time to plot their coup against Ali. Shia quote the Sunni scholar Allamah Shibli Numani in his Umar the great to the extent that while Umar and Abu Bakr where in Muhammad house, they became informed and went to the meeting in the shed of Banu Sa'ida. Shia belive this to be another proof of the complicity. Umar and Abu Bakr left for the meeting without mentioned it to the Banu Hashim or anybody else present in Muhammads house, and instead left them to tend for Muhammads body. Abu Ubaydah joined them on the way while they were going to the meeting.
The meeting was very rushed and ended with Abu Bakr being the one chosen to rule, even though none of Muhammads close relatives or Banu Hashim participiated in it . Ali was at the time preparing the coffin of Muhmmad and did not know anything about the meeting .
Opposoition to Abu Bakr
Shia further quote Umar in Sahih Bukhari:
- "And no doubt after the death of the Prophet we were informed that the Ansar disagreed with us and gathered in the shed of Bani Sa'da. Ali and Zubair and whoever was with them, opposed us, while the emigrants gathered with Abu Bakr.". When
In other words, The Ansar where having a meeting, and some Muhajireen sided with Umar and Abu Bakr. Among those is people like Khalid ibn Walid. some Muhajireen opposed Abu Bakr and Umar, namely theBanu Hashim, Zubair and "whoever was with them" .
According to Tabari, When this news reached Zubair, he drew his sword saying:
- "I will not put it back until the oath of aligance is give to Ali!" (tabari)
Shia belive that the event evolved into the Siege of Fatimahs house.
See also
The events of Saqifah are only some of the issues involved in the Succession to Muhammad. See that article for a broader discussion.
References
- Guillaume, A. The Life of Muhammad, Oxford University Press, 1955
- Madelung, W. The Succession to Muhammad, Cambridge University Press, 1997
External links
- answering-ansar.org - Shia site