and their feet.” When Abū Bakr forbade him (1) and recited to him:

“Indeed, you will die, and they too will die.”

[Surah al-Zumar: 30]

and His saying:

“If he dies or is killed, will you then turn back on your heels?”

[Surah Āl Imrān: 144]

he said, “It was as though I had never heard (2) this verse.”’”

The response is as follows:

As for Umar, his knowledge and virtue have been established to a degree not established for anyone other than Abū Bakr. In Sahīh Muslim, Ā’isha narrated from the Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—that he used to say:

“Among the nations before you there were muhaddathūn—people granted divine inspiration. If there is one in my nation, it is Umar.”

Ibn Wahb said: “The term muhaddathūn means ‘those divinely inspired.’” (3)

Al-Bukhārī narrated from Abū Hurayra that the Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—said:

“There were indeed (4), among the nations that passed before you (5), muhaddathūn. If there is one of them in this nation of mine, it is Umar [ibn al-Khattāb].” (6)

In another wording narrated by al-Bukhārī (7): “There certainly were