Ihyaaud Deen An Effort to Revive Deen in Totality
Muhammed bin ‘Ali (rahimahullah) narrates the following incident that transpired between his father and a person who bore enmity for Hazrat Abu Bakr (radhiyallahu ‘anhu). He says:
A person once came to my father, ‘Ali bin Husain (rahimahullah), who was famously known as Zainul ‘Aabideen (rahimahullah), and said, “Tell me about Abu Bakr.”
Zainul ‘Aabideen (rahimahullah) replied, “Are you asking me regarding Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddeeq (radhiyallahu ‘anhu)?”When the man heard Zainul ‘Aabideen (rahimahullah) show respect and honor to Hazrat Abu Bakr (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) by referring to him with the title ‘Siddeeq’, the man asked, “Are you calling him ‘Siddeeq’? I don’t regard him to be Siddeeq.”
Zainul ‘Aabideen (rahimahullah) realized that this man had an ill opinion of Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddeeq (radhiyallahu ‘anhu). He thus addressed him saying, “Woe to you! The people who were better than me all referred to him with the title ‘Siddeeq’! They were Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) and his illustrious Sahaabah from among the Muhaajireen and the Ansaar (radhiyallahu ‘anhum). When Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) himself honored him with the title Siddeeq then I will definitely call him by this title. If any person does not accept this title and refuses to afford Hazrat Abu Bakr (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) this title of respect, then may Allah Ta‘ala not make such a person true and not accept any of his ‘ibaadaat. Go, and ensure that you love Hazrat Abu Bakr and Hazrat ‘Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhuma) from your heart, and align yourself to them in the friendship of Islam, for I stand guarantee for their great virtue and superiority by Allah.”
(Siyar A’laam min Nubalaa 4/395)
