Moreover, whenever the Companions disagreed over an issue during Abu Bakr’s time, he resolved it and the dispute came to an end. No issue is known over which they disagreed during his time without their disagreement being brought to an end through him. Such issues included the death of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him; his burial and inheritance; the dispatch of Usāma’s army; fighting those who withheld zakat; and other major questions.

Indeed, he—may Allah be pleased with him—was truly the successor of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, among them. He taught them, set them aright, strengthened their resolve, and presented them with evidence that dispelled all doubt. They therefore did not fall into disagreement while he was among them.

After him, however, no one’s knowledge and perfection attained the level of Abu Bakr’s. Consequently, they began to disagree over certain issues, such as the inheritance of a grandfather alongside siblings; declaring one’s wife forbidden to oneself; threefold divorce; the tamattu form of pilgrimage; and the maintenance and accommodation of an irrevocably divorced woman. These and other well-known issues were matters over which they had not disagreed during Abu Bakr’s time.

They disagreed with Umar, Uthmān, and Ali over many of their views, yet it is not known that they ever disagreed with al-Siddīq over any legal opinion or judgment he issued. This attests to his consummate knowledge,