I became your commander (1). The same would be true if Abū Bakr had appointed someone commander over Umar, then died and Umar assumed office: Umar would become commander over the man who had formerly been his commander. Similarly, if Umar had appointed someone (2) commander over Uthmān, Alī, or anyone else, and then, after Umar died, one of them became caliph, he would become commander over the man who had formerly been his commander (3).

Likewise, suppose that the Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—had sent Alī out and placed someone else in command over him, just as he placed Abū Bakr in command over him when he sent Abū Bakr [to lead the people in Hajj] (4) in the ninth year, whereupon Alī caught up with him (5). Abū Bakr asked Alī:

“Are you a commander or are you under orders?”

He replied:

“Rather, I am under orders.”

Thus, Abū Bakr was Alī’s commander. Yet if Alī had been the caliph, he could rightly have been commander over Abū Bakr.

Only an ignorant person would deny something such as this. Usāma was far too intelligent, God-fearing, and knowledgeable to address someone like Abū Bakr with such ravings.

More astonishing than this (6) is these fabricators’ claim that Abū Bakr and Umar went to Usāma and placated him, while also claiming that the two of them subdued Alī, Banī Hāshim, and Banī Abd Manāf, yet did not placate them (7), even though they were more powerful, stronger, [more numerous (8)], and nobler than Usāma—may Allah be pleased with him. What need would those who had subdued Banī Hāshim, Banī Umayya, and all the descendants of