Narratives Regarding Saʿd ibn ʿUbādah’s Non-Allegiance to Abū Bakr al-Ṣiddīq, may Allah be pleased with them both.

Abstract

Historical sources contain narrations stating that Sa'd ibn Ubadah did not pledge allegiance to Abu Bakr al-Siddiq, while other reports indicate that he did. Some have used the claim of his refusal to pledge allegiance to question the legitimacy of Abu Bakr’s caliphate. However, even if this were accurate, it would not affect the validity of the caliphate, as it is established through consultation (shūrā), and disagreement is a natural part of this process. The legitimacy of the caliphate depends on the agreement of the majority, not unanimity. Other narrations suggest that Sa'd ibn Ubadah pledged allegiance under pressure. In reality, all these reports require critical examination in terms of their chains of transmission (isnāds) and the contradictions among them. This study aims to assess the authenticity of these narrations by applying the principles of historical criticism from both transmission and contextual perspectives.