How do we reconcile the Prophet’s prohibition against combining the name of Allah with that of His Messenger with Abu Bakr’s statement, “I have left Allah and His Messenger for your family”?

Question:
I heard the questioner say: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) prohibited combining the name of Allah the Exalted with the name of His Prophet. How is this reconciled with the fact that when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) asked Abu Bakr about his family during a campaign he led, he said, “What have you left for your family?” and he replied, “I have left Allah and His Messenger for them”? We seek clarification of this and the resolution of the apparent contradiction.

Answer:
This applies to supplication. One does not supplicate to Allah and His Messenger; one supplicates to Allah alone. However, if one says “Glory be to Allah” and sends prayers upon the Messenger of Allah, as in the testimony of faith: “I bear witness that there is no god but Allah and I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah,” then saying “There is no god but Allah” or “Glory be to Allah” and sending prayers and blessings upon the Messenger of Allah is all good. But one does not supplicate to the Messenger alongside Allah, nor say “I have placed my trust in Allah and the Messenger” or “I am by Allah and the Messenger.” No, one says “I have placed my trust in Allah alone” and “I have believed in Allah and His Messenger.”