• current selection in your language

ABU BAKR FOUGHT THOSE WHO REFUSED TO PAY THE OBLIGATORY CHARITY

1233

“When the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, passed away and Abu Bakr became the Caliph some Arabs reverted to disbelief.

Omar asked him, ‘How can you fight them after the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, said, 'I have been ordered to fight people until they bear witness that there is no god except Allah. Then whosoever bears witness to this, his life and property will be secure from me except when his case is that of a right and his accountability is to Allah?’

Abu Bakr told him, ‘Indeed I will fight those who make a distinction between prayer and the obligatory charity. This charity is obligatory in respect of wealth. Allah is my witness that if they withhold from me even the nose-rope of a camel that they paid to the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, I shall fight against them for their withholding.’

Afterwards Omar said, ‘Then I understood that Allah had made the matter of fighting clear to Abu Bakr and I realized he was right.’"

Bukhari and Muslim with a chain up to Abu Hurairah who related this.