Qabiṣah ibn Jābir said, “I have never seen anyone more knowledgeable of Allah, more proficient in reciting the Book of Allah, or more deeply versed in the religion of Allah than ʿUmar.” (1)

ʿAlī said, “The Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—dispatched me to Yemen while I was still a young man and knew nothing about adjudication. I said, ‘You are sending me to a people among whom disputes occur, yet I have no expertise in passing judgment.’ He struck my chest and said, ‘Allah will surely guide your heart (2) and steady your tongue.’ ʿAlī continued, ‘After that I never felt uncertain about any ruling between two people.’ (3)

In the Ṣaḥīḥ it is narrated from ʿAbd Allah ibn Masʿūd: “I was herding sheep that belonged to ʿUqbah ibn Abī Muʿayṭ when the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—and Abu Bakr passed by. He said to me, ‘Young man, do you have any milk?’ I replied, ‘Yes, but I am entrusted with the flock.’ He asked, ‘Is there a ewe that the ram has not yet mounted?’ I brought him such a ewe, and he passed his hand over its udder. Milk descended, so he milked it into a vessel, drank from it, and gave Abu Bakr to drink. Then he said to the udder, ‘Retract,’ and it retracted. Later I came to him and said, ‘Messenger of Allah, teach me some of these words.’ He stroked my head and said, ‘May Allah have mercy on you; you are a small lad (4) who will be taught.’ (5)"}