that he had no less knowledge of alms than any other learned Companion, and perhaps (was)(1) even more knowledgeable, for the Prophet had appointed others as well, and he would appoint only someone knowledgeable about the duty entrusted to him. Zakat is one of the pillars of the religion after prayer.

The proof of what we have said concerning Abū Bakr’s complete knowledge of alms is that, of the reports transmitted concerning zakat, the soundest—the one that must be acted upon and that it is not(2) permissible to contradict—is the hadith transmitted through Abū Bakr. Then(3) comes the report transmitted through Umar. As for the report transmitted through(4) Alī, it is inconsistent and contains a provision that the jurists have rejected altogether: that five sheep(5) are due on twenty-five camels.

We also found that the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—placed Abū Bakr in charge of the pilgrimage. It therefore necessarily follows that he was more knowledgeable about the pilgrimage than all the Companions. These are pillars of Islam.

We then found that he appointed him to command military expeditions. It is therefore established that he possessed as much knowledge of the rulings governing jihad as all the others whom the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—appointed to command military expeditions, for he would appoint only someone knowledgeable about the task. Abū Bakr’s knowledge of jihad was therefore no less(6) than that of Alī and the other commanders of military expeditions.

And since Abū Bakr’s precedence over Alī and others has thus been established in knowledge of prayer(7)