The incident of the Sakifa Bani sa’dah and the election of the first caliph after the Prophet(peace and blessings be upon him)

K. ABDALLAH-TANI

The Incident of Sakifa Bani sa’dah is considered one of the most significant events following the passing of Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). It took place in the 11th year of Hijra, shortly after Abu Bakr assumed the role of caliph, succeeding the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him).

After the death of Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), Imam Ali (peace and blessings be upon him) and several companions were engaged in the burial proceedings. Meanwhile, a group of supporters, led by Saad Ibn Obadah, the leader of the Khazraj tribe, convened in the shed of Bani Saadah to address the leadership vacuum left by the Prophet’s departure.

Initially, some historians believed that the meeting of the Ansar was solely intended to appoint a governor for the city. However, with the arrival of certain immigrants, the discussion shifted towards selecting a successor to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to lead the Muslim community. Ultimately, Abu Bakr was chosen as the Caliph of the Muslims. It is worth noting that Umar ibn al-Khattab and Abu Ubayda Ibn Jarrah, who were present at the shed, were immigrants distinct from Abu Bakr.

While Sunni scholars assert that the appointment of Abu Bakr and his subsequent succession were based on the consensus of the people, historians highlight that the pledge of allegiance to Abu Bakr was a subject of debate and disagreement in Medina for a period of time. It did not immediately receive widespread acceptance. Imam Ali (peace be upon him) and Lady FATIMA Zahra (peace be upon her) expressed their opposition to the pledge, along with Al-Fadl and Abdullah, the sons of Al-Abbas ibn Abdul Muttalib, and a number of other companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him), including Salman Al-Farsi, Abu Dharr Al-Ghaffari, Al-Miqdad ibn Amr, and Zubayr Ibn al-Awam. The Shia community considers this incident and its consequences to be contradictory to the teachings of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), which emphasized the guardianship of Imam Ali (peace and blessings be upon him), particularly as mentioned in the event of Ghadir Khum.

The Incident of the Shed is well-documented in historical sources, and numerous books have been written analyzing its details. Notably, scholars such as Henry Lammens, Kitani, and Wilfred Medlong have extensively studied and provided insights into this incident in their writings. Among the notable works in this field are “The Caliphate of Muhammad” by Medlong and “The Theory of the Triangle of Power” by Henry Lammens.

The Sakifa Bani sa’dah, also known as the porch or nave, was a roofed area situated on one side of the city. It belonged to Bani Saadah Ibn Ka’b Al-Khazraji, hence its name, the Bani Saadah Sakifa. This location served as a gathering place for the supporters, where they sought advice and resolved their issues. The Shed of Bani Saadah was situated on the northwestern side of the Prophet’s mosque, between the dwellings of the Bani Saadah Ibn Ka’b Ibn Khazraj tribe, adjacent to a well of goods. Saad Ibn Obadah, the Ansar candidate for the caliphate, resided near this place.