Ali Ibn Abi Talib - Volume 1 of 2

'Ali ibn Abi Trilib 221
household of the king. Thus words to that effect were
narrated from people of that ilk.""
(d) Calling Abu Bakr 'as-Sideeq' and testifying to his
preeminence and courage. It was narrated that Y&ya ibn
Hakeem ihn Sa'd said: "I heard 'Ali (&) swearing an
oath by Allah (s) that the name of Abu Bakr (+$) came
down from heaven: aS-~ideeq."28 It was also narrated that
Silah ihn Zafar al-'Absi said: "Abu Bakr (&) was
mentioned in the presence of 'Ali (&), and he said: 'Are
you mentioning the name of the one who has precedence?
By the One in Whose hand is my soul, we never competed
in doing good but Ahu Bakr (&) surpassed us."'29 And it
was narrated that Muhammad ihn 'Aqeel ibn Ahi wib
said: " 'Ali(4)
addressed us and said: '0 people, who is
the bravest of the people?' We said: 'Yon, 0 Amir al-
Mu'mineen.' 'Ali said: 'Rather it is Ahu Bakr as-Sideeq,
because on the day of Badr, we built the hut for the
Messenger of Allah (g), then we said: "Who will stand
with him so that none of the polytheists will get close to
him?" No one stood with him except Ahu Bakr (&), who
stood with his sword unsheathed, guarding the Prophet
(g); every time anyone got close to him, Ahu Bakr (&)
struck him with his sword. I saw the Messenger of kah
(g) when Quraysh caught hold of him at the Ka'hah and
started shaking him and saying: "You are the one who
made the gods into one God." By Allah, no one got close
to him except Abu Bakr (&), and at that time Ahu Bakr
(&) had two braids. He started poking this one and
pushing that one, saying: 'Woe to you! Would you kill a
man because he says my Lord is Allah (B), when be has
brought you proof from your Lord?" One of Ahu Bakr's
braids was cut off, and 'Ali (&) .. said to his companions: