is general in scope and encompasses all those subject to religious obligations, as in His words:

“O mankind!”

“O you who believe!”

“O My servants!”

“O Children of Israel!”

Likewise, the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, would address the people from his pulpit with the same words for everyone to hear. Yet people differ in their understanding of those words according to the strength of understanding and soundness of belief that Allah grants each of them.

For this reason, Abū Bakr al-Siddīq understood his intent better than anyone else, as related in the two Sahīh collections on the authority of Abū Sa'īd:

“The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, addressed the people, saying: ‘Allah gave a servant a choice between this world and the Hereafter, and that servant chose what is with Allah.’ Abū Bakr wept and said: ‘We would ransom you with our lives and our wealth!’ The people were astonished at him and said: ‘How astonishing this old man is! He weeps because the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, mentioned a servant whom Allah had given a choice between this world and the Hereafter.’ It was the Messenger, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, who had been given the choice, and Abū Bakr understood him better than any of us.”

Thus, the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, mentioned an unspecified servant without identifying him, but Abū Bakr knew exactly who he was.

As for what some people relate from 'Umar, that he said:

“The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and Abū Bakr would converse, while I was like a man of the Zanj between them,”

this is a fabricated lie. Likewise, the report that he gave Abū Bakr one answer and 'Ā'ishah another is a lie, by the agreement of the scholars.