He proceeded with the preparations for Usāma’s expedition, despite their advising him otherwise. He then set about fighting the apostates, despite their counsel that he delay and wait, and he went so far as to fight even those who withheld zakat. With the Companions, he would teach them when they lacked knowledge, strengthen them when they grew weak, and urge them on when their resolve flagged. Through him, Allah strengthened their knowledge, faith, and strength. Even Umar—despite his own consummate strength and courage—would say to him:

“O Successor of Allah’s Messenger, conciliate the people.”

He would reply:

“On what grounds am I to conciliate them? Over a fabricated religion, or over contrived poetry?”

This is a vast subject, and a full account would be lengthy.

No one after Allah’s Messenger—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—possessed the courage required of a ruler more perfectly than Abū Bakr, and then Umar. As for killing in battle, there is no doubt that Companions other than Alī killed more disbelievers than he did. If killing more makes a person braver, then many Companions were braver than Alī. Al-Barā ibn Mālik(1)—Anas’s brother—killed one hundred men in single combat, apart from those whose killing he shared with others.

As for Khālid ibn al-Walīd, only Allah knows the number of those he killed. During the Battle of Mu'ta, nine swords broke in his hand, and there is no doubt that he killed many times as many as Alī did.

Alongside his natural courage, Abū Bakr possessed courage born of faith: a strength(2) rooted in certainty in Allah Almighty and confidence that Allah would grant victory to him and the believers. Such courage is not found in everyone with a strong heart(3); rather, it increases as faith and certainty increase,