Moreover, no legal opinion has been preserved from Abū Bakr that contradicts an authoritative text, whereas many legal opinions by Umar, Alī, and others have been found to contradict such texts. Indeed, al-Shāfiī compiled an entire volume on the divergent positions of Alī and Ibn Masūd, and Muhammad ibn Nasr al-Marwazī compiled a large book on the subject. They disagreed with al-Siddīq concerning the grandfather’s inheritance rights, but the correct view on this question is that of al-Siddīq, as we have explained in a separate treatise, where we set forth ten arguments demonstrating the soundness of his view (1). The majority position among the Companions concerning the grandfather was his, with some fifteen of them supporting it. As for those (2) from whom a contrary view is reported, such as Zayd and Ibn Masūd, their positions were marked by such inconsistency that this itself shows that his view, rather than theirs, is correct.

More than one authority has reported a consensus that Abū Bakr was more knowledgeable than Alī. Among them was Imam Mansūr ibn Abd al-Jabbār al-Samānī al-Marwazī, one of the leading scholars of the Shāfiī school. In his book Taqwīm al-Adillah (The Appraisal of Proofs), he reported the consensus among the scholars of the Sunnah that Abū Bakr was more knowledgeable than Alī. How could it be otherwise, when Abū Bakr would issue legal opinions, give commands and prohibitions, and deliver sermons in the presence of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him? He did so when the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, went out with him to call people to Islam, during their migration, on the Day of Hunayn, and at other notable events, while the Prophet remained silent and tacitly approved of him. No one else attained such standing.

Whenever the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, consulted those possessing jurisprudential knowledge and sound judgment, he would give Abū Bakr and Umar precedence in the deliberation. They were the two who would speak on matters of knowledge and take precedence