Response to: “Abu Bakr and Shirk: Sahih Sunni Narration”
Article being answered:
https://www.twelvershia.net/2016/04/13/response-to-abu-bakr-and-shirk/
The anti-Shia article tries to dismiss the narration where the Prophet ﷺ said to Abu Bakr:
“O Abu Bakr, shirk among you is more hidden than the crawling of ants.”
Their defense is:
“There is an unknown man from Basra in the chain, so the narration is rejected.”
This is only half the story.
Yes, the chain in al-Adab al-Mufrad contains:
رجل من أهل البصرة
“a man from the people of Basra.”
But the article hides the most important point:
al-Albani authenticated the exact Abu Bakr wording in Sahih al-Adab al-Mufrad.
So the fair claim is not:
“Abu Bakr was a major mushrik.”
No.
The fair claim is:
Sunni sources narrate that the Prophet ﷺ directly warned Abu Bakr about hidden shirk, and al-Albani graded the exact Abu Bakr wording sahih.
That is enough to refute the article.
==============================
1. The narration in al-Adab al-Mufrad
Arabic:
حدثنا عباس النرسي قال: حدثنا عبد الواحد قال: حدثنا ليث قال: أخبرني رجل من أهل البصرة قال: سمعت معقل بن يسار يقول:
انطلقت مع أبي بكر الصديق رضي الله عنه إلى النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم، فقال:
يا أبا بكر، للشرك فيكم أخفى من دبيب النمل.
فقال أبو بكر: وهل الشرك إلا من جعل مع الله إلها آخر؟
فقال النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم:
والذي نفسي بيده، للشرك أخفى من دبيب النمل، ألا أدلك على شيء إذا قلته ذهب عنك قليله وكثيره؟
قال:
قل: اللهم إني أعوذ بك أن أشرك بك وأنا أعلم، وأستغفرك لما لا أعلم.
English:
Ma‘qil ibn Yasar said:
“I went with Abu Bakr al-Siddiq to the Prophet ﷺ, and he said:
‘O Abu Bakr, shirk among you is more hidden than the crawling of ants.’
Abu Bakr said:
‘Is shirk anything other than making another god with Allah?’
The Prophet ﷺ said:
‘By the One in Whose hand is my soul, shirk is more hidden than the crawling of ants. Shall I not guide you to something which, if you say it, will remove from you its small amount and its great amount?’
He said:
‘Say: O Allah, I seek refuge in You from associating partners with You knowingly, and I seek Your forgiveness for what I do unknowingly.’”
Reference:
al-Bukhari, al-Adab al-Mufrad, hadith 716.
Online reference:
https://sunnah.com/adab:716
Point:
The wording is explicit:
يا أبا بكر
“O Abu Bakr.”
So this is not a vague general statement only.
The Prophet ﷺ directly addressed Abu Bakr in this narration.
==============================
2. al-Albani graded the exact Abu Bakr wording sahih
Dorar lists the hadith as follows:
Arabic:
يا أبا بكرٍ، لَلشِّركُ فيكم أخْفى من دبيبِ النَّملِ، والذي نفسي بيدِه لَلشِّركُ أخْفى من دَبيبِ النَّملِ، ألا أدُلُّك على شيءٍ إذا فعلتَه ذهب عنك قليلهُ وكثيرهُ؟ قل: اللَّهمَّ إنِّي أعوذُ بك أن أُشرِكَ بك وأنا أعلمُ، وأستغفِرُك لما لا أَعلمُ.
English:
“O Abu Bakr, shirk among you is more hidden than the crawling of ants. By the One in Whose hand is my soul, shirk is more hidden than the crawling of ants. Shall I not guide you to something which, if you do it, will remove from you its small amount and its great amount? Say: O Allah, I seek refuge in You from associating partners with You knowingly, and I seek Your forgiveness for what I do unknowingly.”
Dorar grading:
Arabic:
خلاصة حكم المحدث: صحيح
English:
“Summary of the hadith scholar’s ruling: Sahih.”
Reference:
Narrator: Ma‘qil ibn Yasar.
Hadith scholar: al-Albani.
Source: Sahih al-Adab al-Mufrad.
Page/number: 551.
Dorar:
https://dorar.net/h/IMmnnllh
Point:
This destroys the article’s claim.
The article tries to make it sound as if al-Albani only authenticated some general wording and not the Abu Bakr-specific report.
But Dorar explicitly lists the wording:
يا أبا بكر
“O Abu Bakr.”
And then gives al-Albani’s ruling:
صحيح
“Sahih.”
So either accept that al-Albani authenticated it, or openly say you reject al-Albani here.
But do not mislead readers.
==============================
3. Dorar also lists it in Sahih al-Jami‘
Dorar also lists another entry:
Arabic:
الشركُ فيكم أخفى من دبيبِ النملِ، وسأدلُّك على شيءٍ إذا فعلتَه أذهبَ عنك صغارَ الشركِ وكبارَه، تقول: اللهم إني أعوذ بك أن أُشرك بك وأنا أعلم، وأستغفرك لما لا أعلم.
English:
“Shirk among you is more hidden than the crawling of ants. I will guide you to something which, if you do it, will remove from you the small forms of shirk and the great forms of it. Say: O Allah, I seek refuge in You from associating partners with You knowingly, and I seek Your forgiveness for what I do unknowingly.”
Dorar grading:
Arabic:
خلاصة حكم المحدث: صحيح
English:
“Summary of the hadith scholar’s ruling: Sahih.”
Reference:
al-Albani, Sahih al-Jami‘, hadith 3731.
Dorar:
https://dorar.net/hadith/sharh/146517
Point:
Again, al-Albani authenticated the concept and the du‘a connected to hidden shirk.
The article’s attempt to erase the narration is not honest hadith discussion.
It is damage control.
==============================
4. IslamWeb also quotes the Abu Bakr wording and says al-Albani authenticated it
IslamWeb states:
Arabic:
وروى البخاري في الأدب المفرد عن معقل بن يسار قال: انطلقت مع أبي بكر الصديق رضي الله عنه إلى النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم فقال: يا أبا بكر! للشرك فيكم أخفى من دبيب النمل.
فقال أبو بكر: وهل الشرك إلا من جعل مع الله إلهاً آخر؟
فقال النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم: والذي نفسي بيده، للشرك أخفى من دبيب النمل، ألا أدلك على شيء إذا قلته ذهب عنك قليله وكثيره؟
قال: قل: اللهم إني أعوذ بك أن أشرك بك وأنا أعلم، وأستغفرك لما لا أعلم.
وصححه الألباني.
English:
“al-Bukhari narrated in al-Adab al-Mufrad from Ma‘qil ibn Yasar who said: I went with Abu Bakr al-Siddiq to the Prophet ﷺ and he said: ‘O Abu Bakr, shirk among you is more hidden than the crawling of ants.’
Abu Bakr said: ‘Is shirk anything other than making another god with Allah?’
The Prophet ﷺ said: ‘By the One in Whose hand is my soul, shirk is more hidden than the crawling of ants. Shall I not guide you to something which, if you say it, will remove from you its small amount and its great amount?’
He said: ‘Say: O Allah, I seek refuge in You from associating partners with You knowingly, and I seek Your forgiveness for what I do unknowingly.’
And al-Albani authenticated it.”
Reference:
IslamWeb fatwa on hidden shirk and riya.
https://www.islamweb.net/ar/fatwa/174725
Point:
IslamWeb did not say:
“The Abu Bakr wording is fabricated.”
It quoted the Abu Bakr wording and said:
وصححه الألباني
“al-Albani authenticated it.”
So Twelvershia’s claim is misleading.
==============================
5. The article’s “unknown Basran man” argument is incomplete
The article says:
One narrator is unknown, so the hadith is rejected.
Answer:
If we only looked at that single chain in isolation, this would be a valid weakness.
But hadith grading is not always based on one isolated chain.
Reports can be strengthened by supporting routes, parallel narrations, and corroborating wordings.
That is exactly why al-Albani authenticated it.
Dorar’s takhrij for the Abu Bakr wording says:
Arabic:
التخريج: أخرجه أبو يعلى (61)، وابن بطة في الإبانة الصغرى (982) باختلاف يسير.
English:
“Takhrij: Reported by Abu Ya‘la no. 61 and Ibn Battah in al-Ibanah al-Sughra no. 982 with slight difference.”
Reference:
Dorar entry for Sahih al-Adab al-Mufrad, p. 551.
So the article cannot simply scream:
“Unknown narrator!”
and pretend the discussion is finished.
A major Sunni hadith scholar authenticated it.
A Sunni fatwa site quoted it and said al-Albani authenticated it.
Dorar lists the exact wording with the sahih ruling.
That is the point.
==============================
6. The general warning about hidden shirk is supported by other Sunni reports
The Prophet ﷺ also warned the people generally about hidden shirk.
Arabic:
خطبنا رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ذات يوم فقال:
يا أيها الناس اتقوا هذا الشرك، فإنه أخفى من دبيب النمل.
فقال له من شاء الله أن يقول: وكيف نتقيه وهو أخفى من دبيب النمل يا رسول الله؟
قال:
قولوا: اللهم إنا نعوذ بك من أن نشرك بك شيئا نعلمه، ونستغفرك لما لا نعلمه.
English:
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ addressed us one day and said:
“O people, beware of this shirk, for it is more hidden than the crawling of ants.”
Someone said:
“How can we protect ourselves from it when it is more hidden than the crawling of ants, O Messenger of Allah?”
He said:
“Say: O Allah, we seek refuge in You from associating anything with You knowingly, and we seek Your forgiveness for what we do unknowingly.”
Reference:
Musnad Ahmad, from Abu Musa al-Ash‘ari.
IslamWeb says:
رواه أحمد، وحسنه الألباني
“Ahmad narrated it, and al-Albani graded it hasan.”
Reference:
IslamWeb fatwa 174725.
Point:
This supports the general concept that hidden shirk is real, subtle, and dangerous.
The Abu Bakr wording is a specific application of that warning.
==============================
7. Ibn Abbas also explained hidden shirk
Arabic:
عن ابن عباس في قوله: فَلَا تَجْعَلُوا لِلَّهِ أَنْدَادًا
قال:
الأنداد هو الشرك أخفى من دبيب النمل على صفاة سوداء، في ظلمة الليل.
وهو أن يقول: والله، وحياتك يا فلانة، وحياتي. ويقول: لولا كلبه هذا لأتانا اللصوص، ولولا البط في الدار لأتى اللصوص. وقول الرجل لصاحبه: ما شاء الله وشئت، وقول الرجل: لولا الله وفلان. لا تجعل فيها فلان، فإن هذا كله به شرك.
English:
Ibn Abbas said regarding the verse, “Do not set up rivals with Allah”:
“Rivals means shirk, which is more hidden than the crawling of ants on a black stone in the darkness of night.
It is like saying: ‘By Allah and by your life, O so-and-so, and by my life,’ or saying: ‘If not for this dog, thieves would have come to us,’ or ‘If not for the ducks in the house, thieves would have come,’ or a man saying to his companion: ‘What Allah wills and you will,’ or saying: ‘If not for Allah and so-and-so.’ Do not include so-and-so in it, for all of this contains shirk.”
Reference:
Ibn Abi Hatim, Tafsir, under Qur’an 2:22.
Point:
This proves the type of shirk being discussed is hidden/subtle shirk.
It is not necessarily idol worship.
It can be subtle speech, riya, or hidden attachment of the heart.
So we do not need to exaggerate.
The argument is strong without exaggeration.
==============================
8. The shirk here is hidden/minor shirk, like riya
IslamWeb explains that hidden shirk refers to minor shirk such as riya.
Arabic:
فالمراد بالشرك الخفي الذي هو أخفى من دبيب النمل الشرك الأصغر كالرياء، وما يكون من حلف الرجل بغير الله، أو قوله لولا الله وفلان ونحو ذلك.
English:
“The intended meaning of hidden shirk, which is more hidden than the crawling of ants, is minor shirk, such as riya, swearing by other than Allah, or saying ‘if not for Allah and so-and-so,’ and the like.”
Reference:
IslamWeb fatwa on hidden shirk.
https://www.islamweb.net/ar/fatwa/158985
Point:
This is why the fair Shia argument should be precise.
Do not say:
“Abu Bakr was an idol-worshipping mushrik.”
Say:
“According to a Sunni-authenticated narration, the Prophet ﷺ directly warned Abu Bakr about hidden shirk and taught him a du‘a to remove its small and great forms.”
That is precise.
That is sourced.
And that is enough.
==============================
9. The article’s logic is weak
The article says:
“The other narrations do not mention Abu Bakr, therefore we know for a fact this is not authentic.”
This is bad hadith logic.
Supporting narrations do not need to repeat every single personal detail.
They can support the core matn:
that hidden shirk is extremely subtle,
that it is more hidden than the crawling of ants,
and that the Prophet ﷺ taught a du‘a to seek protection from knowingly and unknowingly committing shirk.
Then al-Albani judged the Abu Bakr wording acceptable in light of the wider evidence.
If Twelvershia wants to disagree with al-Albani, fine.
But then say clearly:
“We reject al-Albani’s authentication here.”
Do not pretend there is no Sunni authentication.
==============================
10. What the narration actually proves
This narration does not prove that Abu Bakr committed major shirk.
It does not prove that Abu Bakr worshipped idols.
It does not prove that Abu Bakr left Islam.
Nobody needs to claim that.
What it proves is:
1. Sunni sources narrate the Prophet ﷺ directly addressed Abu Bakr about hidden shirk.
2. The wording is:
يا أبا بكر
“O Abu Bakr.”
3. The Prophet ﷺ said shirk among you is more hidden than the crawling of ants.
4. Abu Bakr initially thought shirk only meant worshipping another god.
5. The Prophet ﷺ corrected that understanding.
6. The Prophet ﷺ taught Abu Bakr a du‘a seeking refuge from knowingly committing shirk and seeking forgiveness for unknowingly committing it.
7. al-Albani graded the exact Abu Bakr wording sahih.
That is the actual argument.
==============================
Final response
The narration is not a Shia fabrication.
It is found in al-Bukhari’s al-Adab al-Mufrad.
The wording directly says:
يا أبا بكر
“O Abu Bakr.”
Dorar lists the exact Abu Bakr wording under al-Albani’s Sahih al-Adab al-Mufrad and gives the ruling:
صحيح
“Sahih.”
IslamWeb quotes the same Abu Bakr wording and says:
وصححه الألباني
“al-Albani authenticated it.”
The article’s “unknown Basran man” objection is only an objection to one chain in isolation.
It does not erase al-Albani’s authentication.
It does not erase supporting routes.
It does not erase the fact that Sunni sources preserve the report.
The fair conclusion is simple:
We are not saying Abu Bakr was guilty of major idol-worship.
We are saying Sunni-authenticated material reports that the Prophet ﷺ directly warned Abu Bakr about hidden shirk and taught him a du‘a to seek refuge from knowingly and unknowingly committing shirk.
That is enough to refute the exaggerated Sunni polemical image that Abu Bakr was beyond such spiritual danger.
So the article fails.
It does not refute the narration.
It only tries to hide al-Albani’s authentication behind one chain objection.
That is not scholarship.
That is damage control.
Did the Prophet ﷺ Warn Abu Bakr About Hidden Shirk?
Primary Category :
Secondary Category :
Loading comments...