Second Proof Based on the Scholarly Consensus

The second line of evidence drawn from the consensus is that more than one Companion and Follower commanded this principle at different times and in a variety of situations; it became widespread and no one objected to it.

Qays ibn Abī Ḥāzim narrates:

“Abū Bakr al-Ṣiddīq—may Allah be pleased with him—entered upon a woman of the Aḥmas tribe named Zaynab and found her not speaking. He asked, ‘Why is she not speaking?’

They said, ‘She performed the pilgrimage while vowing to remain silent.’

He said to her, ‘Speak! This is not lawful; it is a practice of the Days of Ignorance.’

She then said, ‘Who are you?’

He replied, ‘A man from the Emigrants.’

She asked, ‘Which Emigrants?’

He said, ‘From Quraysh.’

She asked, ‘Which clan of Quraysh?’

He replied, ‘You are certainly inquisitive! I am Abū Bakr.’

She asked, ‘How long will we remain upon this righteous affair that Allah has brought after the age of ignorance?’

He said, ‘You will remain upon it so long as your leaders remain upright.’

She asked, ‘And who are the leaders?’

He said, ‘Did your people not have chiefs and nobles who commanded them and they obeyed?’

She replied, ‘Yes.’

He said, ‘They are those leaders over the people.’”

Al-Bukhārī recorded this report in his Ṣaḥīḥ.