anywhere but in the books of those Rāfidīs who transmitted it without a connected chain of transmission—people who are among the most dishonest and the most ignorant of the Messenger’s life, such as al-Mufīd ibn al-Nu‘mān, al-Karājikī, and others like them, who are among those furthest removed from knowledge of the Messenger’s life, words, and deeds?

Second, he should be told: These are the words of an ignorant person who thinks that Abū Bakr led them in only one prayer. The scholars know that he continued to lead them in prayer until the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, died, with his permission and by his appointment to lead the prayer, after ‘Ā’ishah and Hafsah had urged him to reconsider. Abū Bakr led them in prayer for several days. The Prophet had also previously appointed him to lead the prayer when he went to Banū ‘Amr ibn ‘Awf to reconcile them. It has not been reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, appointed anyone to lead the prayer in his absence when he was not travelling, and during his illness (1), other than Abū Bakr.

However, ‘Abd al-Rahmān ibn ‘Awf once led the Muslims in the dawn prayer while travelling in the year of Tabūk. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, had gone to relieve himself and was delayed, so the Muslims put ‘Abd al-Rahmān ibn ‘Awf forward to lead them. When the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, arrived with al-Mughīrah ibn Shu‘bah, having performed ablution and wiped over his leather socks, he joined him (2) for one unit of prayer and made up another. He was pleased with their having performed the prayer (3)