[ فصل ] [ " فيما كتب أبو بكر إلى أسامة بن زيد وجوابه " ] ومما يدل على صحة دعوى من يقول : إن أمير المؤمنين عليه السلام مغصوب حقه من إمامته ، رسالة أبي بكر إلى أسامة بن زيد ، لما نزل من السقيفة ، من عبد الله أبي بكر خليفة رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله إلى أسامة بن زيد : أما بعد فإن المسلمين فزعوا إلى واستخلفوني وأمروني عليهم بعد وفاة رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله !

[Section] [on what Abu Bakr wrote to Usama b. Zayd, and his reply]. And among what indicates the soundness of the claim of him who says that the Commander of the Faithful, peace be upon him, was deprived of his right to the imamate, is the letter of Abu Bakr to Usama b. Zayd when he came down from the portico: From the servant of God, Abu Bakr, the deputy of the Messenger of God, may God bless him and his Family, to Usama b. Zayd. To proceed: the Muslims took refuge with me, and made me their deputy, and set me in command over them after the death of the Messenger of God, may God bless him and his Family!

في كلام طويل ، فإذا قرأت كتابي هذا فادخل فيما دخل فيه المسلمون وأذن لعمر بن الخطاب في خلفه ( تخلفه خ ) عنك ، فإنه لا غنى بي عنه ، وتوجه إلى الوجه الذي وجهك رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله .

— in a long letter — and when you have read this letter of mine, enter into that which the Muslims have entered into, and give leave to 'Umar b. al-Khattab to remain behind from you, for I have no sufficiency without him; and set out to the destination to which the Messenger of God, may God bless him and his Family, directed you.

فكتب إليه أسامة : من أسامة بن زيد مولى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله إلى أبي بكر بن أبي قحافة ، أما بعد فقد أتاني كتاب منك ينقض آخره أوله ، ذكرت في أول كتابك أنك خليفة رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله ، ثم قلت : إن المسلمين استخلفوك ، وفزعوا إليك وأمروك عليهم ، ولو كان ذاك كذلك لكانت بيعتهم في مسجد رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله لا في سقيفة بني ساعدة ! ! !

So Usama wrote to him: From Usama b. Zayd, the freedman of the Messenger of God, may God bless him and his Family, to Abu Bakr b. Abi Quhafa. To proceed: a letter has come to me from you whose end undoes its beginning. You mentioned at the beginning of your letter that you are the deputy of the Messenger of God, may God bless him and his Family; then you said that the Muslims made you their deputy, and took refuge with you, and set you in command over them. Had that been so, their pledge would have been in the mosque of the Messenger of God, may God bless him and his Family, and not in the portico of Banu Sa'ida!

وسألت أن آذن لعمر بن الخطاب في تخلفه عني لحاجتك إليه ، فقد أذن لنفسه قبل أن آذن له ، ولا لأحد أمره رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله بالشخوص معي إلى من أشخصني إليه ، وما أمرك في تخلفك ، وأمره عمر في تخلفه إلا واحد ، وليس بينك وبينه

And you asked that I give leave to 'Umar b. al-Khattab to remain behind from me, because of your need of him. He has already given leave to himself before I gave it to him — nor to anyone whom the Messenger of God, may God bless him and his Family, commanded to set out with me to him to whom he sent me. And your own case in remaining behind, and 'Umar's case in remaining behind, are one and the same; there is no difference between you and him