—that is, this [view] (1).” They cited in support of their position the fact that most hadiths mentioning the prophetic caliphate name only the first three caliphs.

One example is the report narrated by Imām Ahmad in his Musnad, from Hammād ibn Salama, from ʿAlī ibn Zayd ibn Judʿān, from ʿAbd al-Rahmān ibn Abī Bakra, from his father, who said:

One day, the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—asked, “Which of you has had a dream?”

I replied, “I have, O Messenger of Allah. I saw as though a scale had been lowered from heaven. You were weighed against Abū Bakr (2), and you outweighed Abū Bakr. Abū Bakr was then weighed against ʿUmar, and Abū Bakr outweighed ʿUmar. ʿUmar was then weighed against ʿUthmān, and ʿUmar outweighed [ʿUthmān] (3). Then the scale was lifted away.”

The Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—said, “A prophetic caliphate; then Allah will grant kingship to whomever He wills.” (4).

Abū Dāwūd narrated a hadith from Jābir ibn ʿAbd Allāh, who said that the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—said:

“A righteous man had a dream last night in which Abū Bakr was linked to the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—ʿUmar was linked to Abū Bakr, and ʿUthmān was linked to ʿUmar.”

Jābir said:

“When we rose to leave the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—we said, ‘The righteous man was the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace. As for their being linked to one another, they are the leaders who will take charge of this cause with which Allah commissioned His Prophet.’” (5) \ 491.

Abū Dāwūd also narrated from Samura ibn Jundub that a man said (6), “O Messenger of