The Strongest of the Companions in Eemaan-Authored By Shaykh ul –Islaam Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah

1- On the authority of Abu Huraira –Radi Allaahu anhu– who said the Messenger of Allaah –sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam– prayed the morning prayer, then he faced the people and said: ‘While a man was leading a cow, he began to ride it and beat it.  So the cow said to him: ‘we were not created for this, rather we were created for ploughing.’

So the people said: ‘Subhana Allaah a cow spoke!’

The Messenger of Allaah –sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam– said: ‘Indeed I believe this, me and Abu Bakr and Umar.’ Even though they were not present.

The Messenger –sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam- continued: ‘While a man was with some sheep, suddenly a wolf attacked them and took away one sheep from amongst them.  The shepherd called the sheep as if trying to rescue it from the wolf.

The wolf said to him: ‘You want to rescue it from me, so who will protect it on the day when the predatory animal comes, the day when it has no shepherd other than me.’

So the people said: ‘Subhana Allaah, a wolf spoke.’

The Messenger of Allaah –sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam– said: ‘Indeed I believe this, me and Abu Bakr and Umar.’ Even though they were not present.[1]

* Hafidh Ibn Hajr said: ‘It is possible that the Prophet –sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam- said that due to what he knew of their overwhelming Eemaanand the strength of their certainty.[2]

2-  On the authority of Abu Huraira –Radi Allaahu anhu– who said the Messenger of Allaah –sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam– said: There was a man walking wearing a garment whose appearance  impressed his own self.  Allaah made the ground swallow him up and he kept tumbling down into it until the Day of Judgement.’ Abu Bakr and Umar testified to it, while Abu Bakr and Umar were not present.[3]

3- On the authority of Ayyoob who said: that AbdurRahmaan bin Abu Bakr said to his father (Abu Bakr):

I saw you on the day of Uhud but I avoided you. So Abu Bakr said: ‘if I had seen you I would not have avoided you.’[4]

4- On the authority of Umar: ‘If the Eemaan of Abu Bakr was weighed against the Eemaan of the people of the earth, the Eemaan of Abu Bakr would outweigh the others.’[5]

5- On the authority of Aa’ishah who said: ‘I swear by Allaah that Abu Bakr left drinking alcohol in pre-Islaamic times and he did not doubt in Allaah after having accepted Islaam.’[6]

6- On the authority of Ibn Shihaab who said: ‘From the excellence of Abu Bakr is that he never ever doubted in Allaah – Azza wa Jal – even for an hour.’[7]

7- On the authority of Bakr bin Abdullaah who said: ‘Indeed the people did not prefer Abu Bakr because he would pray and fast more than them, rather they preferred him due to something his heart.’[8]

‘Aboo Bakr did not have excellence over the people ( lam yafdulin-naasa) on

account of praying and fasting more than them, but rather he had excellence over them on

account of something which was in his heart.’

-And I think the reference should be

Narrated by Imam Ahmad in ‘Fadail as-Sahabah’ with this wording (1:141) no. 118 .

[Taken from the book: ‘The Life of the Greatest Man After the Prophets & Messengers: Abu Bakr as-Siddeeq’ P.190-191]

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[1] Narrated by Bukhari no.3285 and Muslim (15/156 Nawawee).

[2] Fath al-Bari 7/18

[3] Narrated by Imam Ahmad in ‘Fadail as-Sahabah’ with this wording (1:112) no. 92.  Its researcher WaseeAllaah bin Muhammad Abbas said: Its Isnaad is Saheeh.

Narrated by Bukhari no.5453 & Muslim (14/63 Nawawee). By AbdurRazzaq (11:82) no. 19983 but they did not mention ‘Abu Bakr and Umar testified to it.’ This extra wording was mentioned by Musadad as in ‘al-Mutalib al-‘Aaleeyah’ (4:35)

[4] Narrated by Ibn Abee Shaybah (14:408) no. 18642 and Ibn Hajr said in ‘Talkhees al-Habeer’ (4:101): its narrators are trustworthy along with Irsaal.

[5] Narrated by al-Bayhaqi in ‘al-Jamia’ lashu’ab al-Eemaan’ (1:18) and its narrators are trustworthy.

[6] Narrated by Abu Na’eem in ‘al-Ma’arifah’ 91;179) no. 108

[7] Narrated by Abdullaah in his Zawaid of al-Fadail (1:126) no. 96.  Its researcher WaseeAllaah bin Muhammad Abbas said: Its Isnaad is Saheeh till az-Zuhri.

[8] Narrated by Imam Ahmad in ‘Fadail as-Sahabah’ with this wording (1:114) no. 118 Its researcher WaseeAllaah bin Muhammad Abbas said: Its Isnaad is Saheeh.

Authored By Shaykh ul –Islaam Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah as-Salafi -Rahimullaah-
Taken from the book ‘The Life of the Greatest Man After the Prophets & Messengers: Abu Bakr as-Siddeeq’
Compiled By Muhammad Uthmaan al-Anjaaree