Ibn Taymiyyah [Author of al-Minhaj al-Sunnah, a refutation of the braying of the Rafidi donkey called Ibn al-Mutahhir] mentions in his short treatise, in al-Khulafaa al-Raashidoon, the important point that all the statements made by the Messenger (sallAllaahu alayhi wasallam) with respect to Ali (radiAllaahu anhu), then similar statements have been made for other companions, such as the saying

“I am from him and he is from me,”

And giving the flag of leadership and what is similar to that. When this is established, it is clear from the Qur’an and the Sunnah that Abu Bakr is unique in specific matters that none of other Companions, incuding Ali (radiAlaahu anhum) share in, which establishes his rank as the highest in the Ummah after the Messenger (sallAllaahu alayhi wasallam). One important hadeeth in this regard is that of Abu Sa’eed al-Khudree (radiAllaahu anhu).

The Hadeeth of Abu Sa’eed al-Khudree

صحيح مسلم - كِتَاب فَضَائِلِ الصَّحَابَةِ - يا أبا بكر ما ظنك باثنين الله ثالثهما

حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ يَحْيَى بْنِ خَالِدٍ حَدَّثَنَا مَعْنٌ حَدَّثَنَا مَالِكٌ عَنْ أَبِي النَّضْرِ عَنْ عُبَيْدِ بْنِ حُنَيْنٍ عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ جَلَسَ عَلَى الْمِنْبَرِ فَقَالَ عَبْدٌ خَيَّرَهُ اللَّهُ بَيْنَ أَنْ يُؤْتِيَهُ زَهْرَةَ الدُّنْيَا وَبَيْنَ مَا عِنْدَهُ فَاخْتَارَ مَا عِنْدَهُ فَبَكَى أَبُو بَكْرٍ وَبَكَى فَقَالَ فَدَيْنَاكَ بِآبَائِنَا وَأُمَّهَاتِنَا قَالَ فَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ هُوَ الْمُخَيَّرُ وَكَانَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ أَعْلَمَنَا بِهِ وَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِنَّ أَمَنَّ النَّاسِ عَلَيَّ فِي مَالِهِ وَصُحْبَتِهِ أَبُو بَكْرٍ وَلَوْ كُنْتُ مُتَّخِذًا خَلِيلًا لَاتَّخَذْتُ أَبَا بَكْرٍ خَلِيلًا وَلَكِنْ أُخُوَّةُ الْإِسْلَامِ لَا تُبْقَيَنَّ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ خَوْخَةٌ إِلَّا خَوْخَةَ أَبِي بَكْرٍ حَدَّثَنَا سَعِيدُ بْنُ مَنْصُورٍ حَدَّثَنَا فُلَيْحُ بْنُ سُلَيْمَانَ عَنْ سَالِمٍ أَبِي النَّضْرِ عَنْ عُبَيْدِ بْنِ حُنَيْنٍ وَبُسْرِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ قَالَ خَطَبَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ النَّاسَ يَوْمًا بِمِثْلِ حَدِيثِ مَالِكٍ

Sahih Muslim: Virtues of the Companions: Chapter: O Abu Bakr, What is Your Thought About Two the Third of Whom is Allaah

Narrated Abu Sa’eed al-Khudree that the Messenger of Allaah (sallAllaahu alayhi wasallam) sat on the pulpit and said,

“A servant to whom Allaah gave a choice between that He should give him the enjoyment of the world and between giving him what is with Him (in the hereafter), so he chose that which is with Him.”

Then Abu Bakr cried and he cried bitterly. He (Abu Bakr) said, “Let our fathers and our mothers be taken as ransom for you.”

It was Allaah’s Messenger (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) who had been given the choice and Abu Bakr knew it better than us, and Allaah’s Messenger (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “Behold, of all people the most generous toward me in regard to his companionship and his property was Abu Bakr and were I to choose anyone as my intimate friend, I would have chosen Abu Bakr as my dear friend, but (for him) I cherish Islamic brotherliness and love. There shall be left open no door in the mosque except Abu Bakr’s door.”

The mention of the door is in relation to the various small entrances to the mosque from the houses of the companions which were in very close proximity to the mosque. So the Messenger (alayhis salaam) expressed that they should all be closed except for that of Abu Bakr (radiAllaahu anhu).

And in the hadeeth of Abdullaah bin Mas’ood also reported by Muslim in his Saheeh there occurs:

“If I were to choose amongst the people of earth someone as my bosom friend, I would have chosen the son of Abu Quhafah [Abu Bakr] as my friend but Allaah has taken your companion (i.e. the Prophet himself) as a friend.”

Three Distinct Qualities For Abu Bakr in the Above Hadeeth

Shaykh al-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah explained in his short treatise, “al-Khulafaa al-Raashidoon”, that this hadeeth mentions three unique qualities specific only to Abu Bakr (radiAllaahu anhu) without anyone else sharing with him with respect to them:

1. The First: His saying, “the most generous of people towards me…” which means that there was no other companion in whose companionship and property there was a greater right for the Prophet (sallAllaahu alayhi wasallam) than Abu Bakr.

2. The Second: His saying, “…There shall be left open no door in the mosque except Abu Bakr’s door…”, which means Abu Bakr has been specified and singled out from the rest of the Companions in this matter.

3. The Third: His saying, “…and were I to choose anyone as my intimate friend, I would have chosen Abu Bakr as my dear friend…”, this is a clear text stating that there is no one from any of mankind, which if it were possible, who would be deserving of the intimate friendship of the Prophet (sallAllaahu alayhi wasallam) with the exception of Abu Bakr (radiAllaahu anhu).

It is established in the Sunnah (this hadeeth being one illustration) that Abu Bakr is indeed unique in specific matters, which establishes his rank as the highest in the Ummah after the Messenger (sallAllaahu alayhi wasallam). From this, it is clear that the Rafidi Shia are disputants to the Messenger (sallAllaahu alayhi wasallam). And as for the tactical method employed by the Rafidi Shia towards dealing with the Qur’anic verses and Prophetic ahaadeeth clashing with their doctrines, that will be dealt with separately as one needs to understand that thoroughly to see how they are able to confuse the people and disseminate their falsehood.

(Source: shia.bs)