the Sacred Mosque.’ Another said, ‘Jihad in the cause of Allah is better than what you have mentioned.’ Umar rebuked them (1), saying, ‘Do not raise your voices beside the pulpit of the Messenger of Allah—peace and blessings be upon him—on a Friday. Once I have performed the Friday prayer, however, I shall go in and ask him for a ruling concerning your disagreement.’ Then Allah, Mighty and Majestic, revealed:

‘Do you consider providing water to the pilgrims and maintaining the Sacred Mosque equal to the deeds of those who believe in Allah and the Last Day and strive in the cause of Allah?’” [Surah al-Tawbah: 19]—to the end of the verse.

This hadith is not (2) among the exclusive merits of the Imams, nor is it an exclusive merit of Ali. Many people believed in Allah and the Last Day and strove in His cause, and the Emigrants and the Helpers share this description. Abū Bakr and Umar were the foremost among them (3) in faith and jihad, especially since Allah said:

“Those who believed, emigrated, and strove in the cause of Allah with their wealth and their lives are higher in rank in the sight of Allah.”

[Surah al-Anfāl: 72]

There is no doubt that Abū Bakr’s jihad with his wealth and his own self was greater than that of Ali and others. As the Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—said in the authentic hadith:

“Of all people, Abū Bakr has been the most generous (4) toward us through his companionship and his wealth.” (5).