Throughout this book of ours...

Throughout this book of ours, we have investigated only authentic ahadith on exclusive merits of ‘Ali, ‘alaihi al-salam , in the most authoritative Sunni sources! Our esteemed readers can themselves verify this. Moreover, Imam al-Nasai (d. 303 H) authored a well-known book – Khasais Amir al-Muminin ‘Ali (The Exclusive Merits of Amir al-Muminin ‘Ali) – in which he compiled only Sunni ahadith on the exclusive merits of Imam ‘Ali! No similar book has ever been written for Abu Bakr, ‘Umar or ‘Uthman.

Anyway, Shaykh Ibn Taymiyyah thinks that the Verse of the Cave above contains an exclusive merit of Abu Bakr, which establishes his overall superiority and Imamah over the Sahabah. In our view – as we will prove – the verse actually does the direct opposite! It basically exposes Abu Bakr and all the Sunni-only “ahadith” about him in very uncomfortable lights. It also totally brings down the Sunni creed, leaving it no chance of revival!

We will begin our analysis by looking first at the full text of the verse: إلا تنصروه فقد نصره الله إذ أخرجه الذين كفروا ثاني اثنين إذ هما في الغار إذ يقول لصاحبه لا تحزن إن الله معنا فأنزل الله سكينته عليه وأيده بجنود لم تروها وجعل كلمة الذين كفروا السفلى وكلمة الله هي العليا والله عزيز حكيم If you help him not, for Allah did indeed help him when the disbelievers drove him out - the second of two when they both were in the cave - when he was saying to his companion: “Do not fear, surely Allah is with us.” So, Allah sent down His sakinah upon him , and helped him with forces which you saw not, and made the word of those who disbelieved the lowermost, while it was the Word of Allah that became the uppermost, and Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise.[^3] The verse is primarily about the Messenger of Allah, sallallahu ‘alaihi wa alihi .

The following points can be deduced from it: The disbelievers drove him out of Makkah. So, he was ordered to migrate to Madinah by Allah. He was the second of two people, when they both were together in the cave. Abu Bakr was the first of the two, as he was the only one present with him in the cave. He has also been called the Prophet’s companion. Abu Bakr exhibited fear. So, the Messenger ordered him not to fear. The meaning of the phrase “Allah is with us” will be discussed in detail soon.

Allah ignored Abu Bakr, and sent down His sakinah upon His Prophet alone , and further helped him alone with unseen forces.