For any Muslim, anything remotely connected to the Holy Prophet (peace be on him and his progeny) is sacrosanct. Even a strand of hair considered to be belonging to him (peace be on him and his progeny) is revered by Muslims around the globe. There is no doubt that the ahaadith/sayings written on paper and attributed to the Messenger of Allah (peace be on him and his progeny) is the most sacred thing possible after his physical presence. But the Prophet (peace be on him and his progeny) had barely departed from this world, Abu Bakr, who usurped the right of Ameerul Momineen Ali Ibn Abi Talib (peace be on them both) ordered that all the sayings of the Messenger of Allah (peace be on him and his progeny) be consigned to flames. The narrator of this tragedy of history is none other than Abu Bakr’s daughter Ayesha.
Ayesha reports: My father had collected five hundred traditions of the Holy Prophet (peace be on him and his progeny). One night I saw that my father is restless. I became sad to see him in this condition. I asked him, ‘Are you restless because of some illness or some news that has reached you?’ (He did not reply). On the morn, he ordered me, ‘My daughter! Bring those traditions of the Prophet (peace be on him and his progeny) to me’. Thereafter, he asked me to bring some fire and burnt all the traditions.
(Kanz al-Ummaal, Alaauddeen Ali Muttaqi Hindi Burhanpuri (exp. 975 A.H.) vol. 10, p. 285, H. 29460, Chapter Concerning the Etiquette of Knowledge and Scholars)
From the above narration, we can conclude that:
- There was something recorded in those traditions whose trace Abu Bakr did not want to leave behind or want anyone to be known. Obviously, nothing comes to mind except the excellences of Ali Ibn Abi Talib (peace be on them both) and his right to caliphate.
- Anyone who can mete out this treatment to the sayings of the Holy Prophet (peace be on him and his progeny), is it surprising that he and his cohorts deal with Prophet’s daughter in this manner?
- The father burns the traditions of the Prophet (peace be on him and his progeny) and the daughter’s goat eats the verses of the Holy Quran!! God save the Muslims!!