Sahaba - The Blessed

earliest Believer. There are other scholars, however, who argue
that Hadrat Abû Bakr was the earliest conversion to Islam. On the
other hand, the majority of scholars are unanimous in that Hadrat
Khadîja preceded them both in embracing Islam. If precedence in
time of embracing Islam were the mere valid criterion of
superiority, Hadrat Khadîja and Zayd would necessarily have
been the highest Sahâbîs. Precedence in time of embracing Islam
may be considered as a superiority only in that it causes others also
to embrace Islam. And that assumption has cogency only if the
person concerned is an adult, or at least has reached the age of
puberty. Hadrat Alî was a child when he became a Believer. He
kept his belief as a secret, even from his own father. The
superiority of embracing Islam and thereby causing others to
embrace Islam belonged singularly to Abû Bakr ‘radiy-Allâhu
ta’âlâ ’anh’.
Question 7: Hadrat Alî ‘radiy-Allâhu ta’âlâ ’anh’ was the most
eloquent of all the Sahâba.
Answer 7: It is axiomatic that Hadrat Alî was superior to most
of the Sahâba in eloquence, rhetoric and oratory. Yet he cannot be
said to have been superior to the Shaikhayn as well. In fact,
(speeches called) khutbas which some notable Sahâbîs quote from
the Shaikhayn are nonpareil masterpieces of rhetoric. Hadrat Abû
Bakr’s perfectly eloquent eulogies are written in the history by Ibn
Is-haq. However, eloquence has nothing to do with caliphate. It is
true that eloquence is necessary in the communication and
propagation of Islam. The Shaikhayn ‘radiy-Allâhu ’anhumâ’
communicated all the Islamic facts eloquently, eliminating all the
grounds for difference. On the other hand, none of the differences
that appeared in the time of Hadrat Alî ‘radiy-Allâhu ’anh’ was
provided with a solution. That a statement made by Hadrat Alî
‘radiy-Allâhu ta’âlâ ’anh’ caused a Sahâbî to reconsider his own
ijtihâd could at the most be a speculative event which was never
witnessed to happen.
Question 8: Didn’t Hadrat Alî have the most correct ra’y
(ijtihâd) and kashf (inspiration)?
Answer 8: Hadrat Alî’s strict accuracy in ijtihâd was
incontestable, and it was crowned by his breathtaking speed in
inferring decisions from âyats and hadîths and answering people’s
questions. As a matter of fact, Rasûlullah ‘sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa
sallam’ stressed this fact, stating, “Alî is ahead of you all in
reaching conclusions.” One day Hadrat ’Umar was commending
the Ashâb-i-kirâm for their superior merits, and he observed, “Alî
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