The answer is that this is among the gravest falsehoods.
As for Abū Bakr, he is not known to have learned anything at all from ‘Alī. ‘Alī, however, narrated from him, followed his example, and emulated his conduct.
As for ‘Umar, (* ‘Alī learned more from him than ‘Umar learned from ‘Alī.
As for ‘Uthmān, he was less knowledgeable than Abū Bakr and ‘Umar, yet he did not *) (1) need ‘Alī. Indeed, some people complained to ‘Alī about certain zakat collectors serving ‘Uthmān’s officials, so ‘Alī sent him the document concerning zakat. ‘Uthmān (2) said, “We have no need of it.”
‘Uthmān was right. These prescribed zakat dues and thresholds can only be known through instruction (3) transmitted from the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—and they have been transmitted through four channels. The most authentic of these, according to Muslim scholars, is Abū Bakr’s document (* which he wrote for Anas ibn Mālik. This is the document narrated by al-Bukhārī (4), and most leading scholars acted upon it. Next comes the document of *) (5) ‘Umar (6).
As for the document transmitted from ‘Alī, it contains matters that were not adopted by any of
(1) The passage between the two asterisks is omitted in (M).
(2) S, B: ‘Alī.
(3) M: al-tawaqquf (pausing).
(4) The hadith is narrated by Anas ibn Mālik from Abū Bakr al-Siddīq—may Allah be pleased with them both—in various places in al-Bukhārī. Al-Nābulsī states in Dhakhā’ir al-Mawārīth (Treasures of Inheritances), 3/144–145: “In six places: under zakat, khums (the one-fifth levy), partnership, clothing, and the avoidance of legal stratagems, through Muhammad ibn ‘Abd Allāh ibn al-Muthannā.” It appears in al-Bukhārī, 2/116 (Book of Zakat, chapter on goods as zakat); Sunan Abī Dāwūd, 2/129–131 (Book of Zakat, chapter on zakat on grazing livestock); and al-Musnad, al-Ma‘ārif edition, 1/183–184, hadith no. 72. Shaykh Ahmad Shākir—may Allah have mercy on him—said: “It was also narrated by Abū Dāwūd, al-Nasā’ī, and al-Dāraqutnī, and al-Bukhārī narrated it in separate authentic passages.” The hadith also appears in Sunan Ibn Mājah.
(5) The passage between the two asterisks is omitted in (M).
(6) ‘Umar’s document concerning zakat appears in Sunan Abī Dāwūd, 2/132–134 (Book of Zakat, chapter on zakat on grazing livestock); Sunan al-Tirmidhī, 2/66–67 (Book of Zakat, chapter on zakat on camels, sheep, and goats); and al-Muwatta’, 1/257–259 (Book of Zakat, chapter on livestock charity).