over all the other Companions in his presence, as in the case of his consultation concerning the captives of Badr and other matters. It is reported in a hadith that he said (1): “If you two agree upon a matter, I will not oppose you (2).”

It is also narrated in the Sunan collections that he said: “Follow the example of the two who come after me: Abū Bakr and Umar” (3).

This was not accorded to anyone besides the two of them. He did, however, say: “You must adhere to my Sunnah and the sunnah of the caliphs” (4).

Thus, he commanded adherence to the sunnah (5) of the four caliphs, but singled out Abū Bakr and Umar as examples to be followed. The standing of one who is emulated both in his actions and in what he instituted (6) for Muslims is higher than that of one followed only in what he instituted.

It is reported in Sahīh Muslim that “the Companions of Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, were with him on one of his journeys.” The hadith is then related, and it contains the words: “If the people obey Abū Bakr and Umar, they will be rightly guided” (7).

It is authentically reported that Ibn Abbās would issue legal opinions according to the Book of Allah; if he found no ruling there, he would turn to what was in the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah; and if he found no ruling there, he would issue an opinion according to the views of Abū Bakr and Umar. He did not do the same with the views of Uthmān or Alī. Ibn Abbās was the learned scholar (8) of the ummah and the most knowledgeable of the Companions in his time, yet he would issue legal opinions according to the views of Abū Bakr and Umar, giving their views precedence over those of anyone else. It is authentically reported that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “O Allah, grant him understanding of the religion and teach him its interpretation” (9).