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As for his statement, “It indicates his deficiency,” we reply:

First: deficiency is of two kinds: a deficiency incompatible with faith, and falling short of someone more perfect than oneself.

If he means the first, this is false, for Allah Most High said to His Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace:

“Do not grieve over them, nor be distressed by what they plot.” [Surah al-Nahl: 127]

And He said to the believers generally:

“Do not weaken or grieve, for you will have the upper hand.” [Surah Āl ʿImrān: 139]

And He said:

“We have certainly given you seven oft-repeated verses and the great Quran. Do not look longingly at what We have given some groups of them to enjoy, nor grieve over them.” [Surah al-Hijr: 87, 88]

Thus, He told His Prophet not to grieve on more than one occasion, and told the believers collectively not to grieve. It is therefore clear that such grief is not incompatible with faith.

If, however, he means that he falls short of someone more perfect than himself, then there is no doubt that the Prophet’s state—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—was more perfect than Abū Bakr’s. No one among the people of the Sunnah disputes this. Yet nothing in this indicates that ʿAlī, ʿUthmān, ʿUmar, or anyone else was superior to him, for they were not with the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—in