Indeed, I even know a group of the most astute hypocrites who say:

“The Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—was an intelligent man who established his rule through his intelligence and skill.”

They say:

“Abū Bakr was his intimate confidant in this and knew his secrets concerning it, unlike Umar, Uthmān, and Alī.”

It thus became evident to people at large that Abū Bakr [may Allah be pleased with him] (1) was the person closest to Muhammad—may Allah bless him and grant him peace. Here was the Prophet, and here was his Siddīq (steadfast affirmer of truth). If Muhammad is the best of the prophets, then his Siddīq is the best of all the siddīqs.

Sound texts attest to the validity and firm establishment of the caliphate of Abū Bakr al-Siddīq, and show that Allah and the Messenger [of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace] approved him (2) for it. It was instituted through the Muslims’ pledge of allegiance to him and their choice of him—a choice based on what they knew of the preference Allah and His Messenger had shown him and that, in the sight of Allah and His Messenger, he was the one among them most entitled to this office. It was therefore established through both textual evidence and consensus.

The textual evidence, however, demonstrated Allah’s and His Messenger’s approval of it (3), that it was rightful, that Allah had commanded and decreed it, and that the believers would choose it. This was more emphatic than a mere formal designation to the caliphate, for in that case its sole basis would have been that designation.

By contrast, when the Muslims chose him without any formal designation, and the texts demonstrated that they were right in what they had done and that Allah and His Messenger were pleased with it, this constituted evidence that