If Hz. Fatima did not pay allegiance to Hz. Abu Bakr, what is the religious decree about it? Is there a religious responsibility about it?

- Did Hz. Fatima and Hz. Sa'd Bin Ubada pay allegiance to Hz. Abu Bakr?

- If they did not pay allegiance, what is the religious decree about it? Does it lay a religious responsibility on them?

Dear Brother / Sister,

- It is written in the Islamic resources that Hz. Ali paid allegiance to Hz. Abu Bakr on the second day of his caliphate. It is not possible for Hz. Fatima not to pay allegiance though she saw Hz. Ali pay allegiance (or to pay allegiance to Hz. Ali as the Shiite claim).

The people who were at the Saqifa of Sons of Saida paid allegiance to Hz. Abu Bakr there but an allegiance ceremony was made again on the second day in the mosque; everyone in the mosque paid allegiance. Hz. Abu Bakr ascended the pulpit and looked at the Companions; when he could not see Hz. Ali, he asked where he was. When Hz. Ali came, he said,

“You are the cousin and son-in-law of the Messenger of Allah. I feared that there would be conflict among the Muslims if you did not come. Therefore, I looked for you in particular.”

Thereupon, Hz. Ali said, “O Caliph of the Messenger of Allah! There is no sin for you due to this thought.” Then, he paid allegiance to Hz. Abu Bakr. (see Bayhaqi, as-Sunanul-Kubra, 8/143)

Hz. Ali always went to mosque and performed prayers behind Hz. Abu Bakr. He never said anything that would offend Hz. Abu Bakr. It is unthinkable for Hz. Fatima who saw all this not to pay allegiance to Hz. Abu Bakr. However, during the allegiance ceremony in the mosque, the names of certain men were mentioned, not everybody, in accordance with the tradition, and the other Muslims were meant by the word “in general”. There is no information indicating that not only Hz. Fatima but also the other wives of the Prophet (pbuh) paid allegiance to the four caliphs. Allegiance was made within a narrow framework and by the notable men of that period due to the conditions of that period. The issue is not the allegiance of Hz. Fatima to Hz. Abu Bakr only.

Even today, not all voters go to polls. Allegiance is made, so to speak, based on the voters who go to polls.

- Even after fourteen centuries, in an age when communication is widespread, it is not in question for everybody to take part in the allegiances; therefore, it is not appropriate to think that that there is a responsibility for all members of the ummah related to participation in allegiance. For this reason, it will be more appropriate to attribute the hadith narrations that warn the people who do not pay allegiance to those who are notables and leaders in society.

- The complexity of the issue of the allegiance of Hz. Fatima originates from the following fact: After the partial allegiance made in the Saqifa of Sons of Saida, a ceremony of allegiance open to all the people of Madinah took place in the mosque on the second day. In the days after this public allegiance, Hz. Fatima and Hz. Ali applied to Hz. Abu Bakr in order get their inheritance from the property of the Messenger of Allah. However, the Caliph reminded them of the following hadith, which he heard from the Messenger of Allah:

“We prophets do not leave inheritance to anyone ... Our property belongs to the whole ummah.”

Therefore, he did not give them anything as inheritance from the property of the Messenger of Allah. Thereupon, Hz. Fatima was offended by it as a human being, and throughout the six months that she lived, she was cross with the Caliph and did not speak to him. Hz. Ali held himself at a distance from the Caliph for Fatima's sake. After Hz. Fatima's death, Hz. Ali paid allegiance to Hz. Abu Bakr for the second time - to show that he did not have any special resentment against the caliph. (see al-Bidaya wan-Nihaya, 8/92)

- There are also narrations showing that Hz. Fatima was reconciled with Hz. Abu Bakr.

According to a narration, Hz. Abu Bakr went to Hz. Fatima’s house when she was ill and wanted to visit her. Hz. Ali told Hz. Fatima that Abu Bakr wanted to visit her and asked if she would allow him. Hz. Fatima said, "Do you want me to allow?" She allowed him to visit her after Hz. Ali's answer "Yes". Thereupon, Hz. Abu Bakr walked in and said,

“By Allah, the only reason why I did not give the Prophet's inheritance to his relatives is to gain the consent of Allah, His Messenger and you, Ahl al-Bayt.”

Then, he softened her by uttering some other words. Thereupon, Hz. Fatima was reconciled with him. (see Bayhaqi, Sunan, 6/301; Halabi, as-Sira, 3/478) Beyhaqi stated that this mursal narration had a sound chain of narrators. (ibid)

In our opinion, Hz. Fatima's reconciliation with Hz. Abu Bakr means an implied allegiance in a way.

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