Was it obligatory upon the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم to follow Abū Bakr al-Ṣiddīq (r.a.)?

Last time the respected Muftī Ṣāḥib had visited me, he had posed a question: “Tell me, which aspect of intelligence do you most admire?” When I answered, he became so upset and agitated that I did not expect he would forget his anger so swiftly. Muftī Ṣāḥib is indeed sincere and pious, but when seized by anger, he appears almost as a manifestation of divine wrath. Perhaps it was this temperament which brought him, unannounced, to my house early this very morning. My joy at his arrival was immense, but alas, short-lived.

As soon as he entered, he declared: “Brother! I have a complaint against you.”
With humility I replied: “Sir! Every complaint of yours is valid. Do not be displeased. For us the greatest honour is your pleasure.”
He responded: “Whether you are blessed or wretched will depend on how you answer my enquiry.”

I submitted respectfully: “Please tell me, what is the question?”
He said: “It is that you do not show proper reverence to the Companions (ṣaḥābah, r.a.).”
I replied: “Muftī Ṣāḥib! What strange and baseless words are these! How could I ever fail in venerating the Companions of the Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم?”

He said: “Your claim will be credible only if you swear a solemn oath.”
I replied: “By the Lord of the Ka‘bah and the Lord of Ibrāhīm and Muḥammad صلى الله عليه وسلم, I hold, from my heart, the greatness and reverence of the Companions.”

He was somewhat pleased, but then said: “You are very simple-minded. In our juristic terminology, a solemn oath (yamīn mughallaẓah) means an oath suspended upon divorce. Say: ‘If I do not revere the Companions, then my wife is thrice divorced.’”

I said: “But Sir, what fault has my wife in all this?”
He replied: “This is not about fault. In our curriculum, every serious oath ends with divorce. We studied and understood it thus, and now I wish to test you upon it.”

I pleaded: “Muftī Ṣāḥib, I seek God’s refuge from such an oath!”
He retorted: “See! It is proven that you are not a true believer in the honour of the Companions. Otherwise, what is one wife? You would sacrifice four for them!”

At last, I resolved inwardly to drink this bitter cup, so that at least the contention might end.
So I said: “If I do not hold the Companions in reverence, then my wife is thrice divorced.”

This oath was to me detestable, even hateful—dear reader, you cannot imagine its bitterness. Still, I thought that after this I would be free from this trial. But alas, destiny decreed otherwise. Many times have I said: whoever answers a Muftī’s question directly is bound to be ensnared. Woe to my folly—I answered, and was ensnared!

He declared: “Your wife is now thrice divorced; she is separated from you forever.”
Alarmed, I said: “Muftī Ṣāḥib, what calamity have you wrought? I do revere the Companions—how then has divorce taken place?”
He said: “Because you do not regard the Companions as the criterion of truth. And failing to take them as the criterion is itself against reverence; hence your oath is broken.”

Forced into debate, I said: “Muftī Ṣāḥib, your problem is that you do not tolerate hearing another’s view. If you would listen, perhaps your confusion may be lifted.”
He replied: “Speak then—what proof have you?”
I said: “At least grant me the right to defend myself.”
He conceded: “Very well.”

I asked: “Tell me, what is a criterion (mi‘yār)?”
He replied: “You tell me.”
I said: “A criterion is a fixed measure, an accepted principle, or an authoritative standard by which other things are tested and judged.”
He said: “Quite right! At least one thing you have said correctly.”

I continued: “God, the Exalted, sent the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم as the sole criterion, the balance, and the measure. Upon all mankind it was made obligatory to conform their words, deeds, and states to that criterion. The very first who answered this call were the Companions of the Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم.

They not only acknowledged this criterion, but embodied it in their lives in such a manner that no later community—whether the tābi‘ūn, the four imams, the great ḥadīth scholars, or other saints—could ever attain their rank.”

At this, the Muftī Ṣāḥib seemed subdued and said: “Then what harm is there if both the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم and the Companions are taken as criteria?”
I replied: “Sir, that would amount to associating others in prophethood (shirk fī ’l-nubuwwah).”

This weighed heavily upon him. He said: “Explain yourself.”
I asked: “Was it obligatory upon the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم to follow the Companions?”
He exclaimed: “What strange words! He was the Prophet—the Companions were obliged to follow him.”
I asked further: “Was it obligatory upon him to follow the Rightly Guided Caliphs? Was he bound by the obedience of ‘Umar (r.a.)? Was he obliged to follow Abū Bakr (r.a.)?”
He replied: “Never.”

I asked: “If someone were to claim so, what ruling would you give?”
He answered: “This indeed is shirk fī ’l-nubuwwah, and there is not the least doubt in the disbelief of such a person.”

I submitted: “Precisely, Sir! That is my very point. When you describe a non-prophet as the criterion, in reality you are guilty of shirk fī ’l-nubuwwah. Since I am not a Muftī like you, I will not declare you a disbeliever. But I will say this much: you are neither aware of the true meaning of ‘criterion’ nor conscious of the gravity of your words.”

He said: “Miyān! Today you have escaped. Tomorrow I shall find some way to separate your wife from you.”
I replied: “Then accept congratulations on having attained the lofty station of ‘those who cause division between a man and his wife’ (Q 2:102).”

No sooner had these words left my tongue than the saintly Muftī vanished suddenly from my sight.

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Disclaimer: This article was translated by AI. Original post: