A young man says: Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyyah is more knowledgeable than Abu Bakr al-Siddiq in the sciences of the Shari'ah. How do we respond to him?
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The questioner : The honorable Shaykh, a disagreement occurred between some of the brothers, and one of them said: Ibn al-Qayyim is more knowledgeable in the knowledge of the Shari'ah than Abu Bakr.
The Shaykh : Than Abu Bakr?
The questioner : I mean in the knowledge of the Shari'ah. And the other said: No, because Ibn al-Qayyim came after... all the hadith.
The Shaykh : What?
The questioner : He came after the Companions... all the hadith. And he said: Abu Bakr was constantly with the Messenger, so he knew all the hadith. So which of the two is more correct?
The Shaykh : Does anyone doubt that Abu Bakr is more knowledgeable than Ibn al-Qayyim, and also than Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, in the sciences of the Shari'ah? No one doubts this. And for this reason, the statement of Abu Bakr is a proof, while the statement of Ibn al-Qayyim is not a proof. As for the other sciences that emerged later, yes, these may be hidden from Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him). But if there was good in them, Abu Bakr would have been the most knowledgeable of people about them after the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him).
The questioner : But he may know a hadith that Abu Bakr did not hear?
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : But he may know hadiths that Abu Bakr did not hear?
The Shaykh : And how do we know that he did not hear them?
The questioner : It is possible, right?
The Shaykh : The word "possible" is not verified.
The questioner : Like the hadith of Mu'adh, which he said.
The Shaykh : Do you think that something is hidden from Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) while he was constantly with the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) in complete constant companionship? As for the hadith of Mu'adh, it is possible that the Messenger informed Mu'adh of it and said: And he informed Abu Bakr of it as well. Then this is idle talk, idle talk, and its speaker intends nothing by it but evil. How can one compare the most knowledgeable of the Ummah with someone from the seventh century?
The questioner : Is it not in excellence, but in knowledge?
The Shaykh : Knowledge, knowledge, not excellence? In any case, this does not come except from fools, fools who do not know the status of the Companions, especially Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him).
The Shaykh : Than Abu Bakr?
The questioner : I mean in the knowledge of the Shari'ah. And the other said: No, because Ibn al-Qayyim came after... all the hadith.
The Shaykh : What?
The questioner : He came after the Companions... all the hadith. And he said: Abu Bakr was constantly with the Messenger, so he knew all the hadith. So which of the two is more correct?
The Shaykh : Does anyone doubt that Abu Bakr is more knowledgeable than Ibn al-Qayyim, and also than Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, in the sciences of the Shari'ah? No one doubts this. And for this reason, the statement of Abu Bakr is a proof, while the statement of Ibn al-Qayyim is not a proof. As for the other sciences that emerged later, yes, these may be hidden from Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him). But if there was good in them, Abu Bakr would have been the most knowledgeable of people about them after the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him).
The questioner : But he may know a hadith that Abu Bakr did not hear?
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : But he may know hadiths that Abu Bakr did not hear?
The Shaykh : And how do we know that he did not hear them?
The questioner : It is possible, right?
The Shaykh : The word "possible" is not verified.
The questioner : Like the hadith of Mu'adh, which he said.
The Shaykh : Do you think that something is hidden from Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) while he was constantly with the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) in complete constant companionship? As for the hadith of Mu'adh, it is possible that the Messenger informed Mu'adh of it and said:
Do not give them good news
لا تبشرهمThe questioner : Is it not in excellence, but in knowledge?
The Shaykh : Knowledge, knowledge, not excellence? In any case, this does not come except from fools, fools who do not know the status of the Companions, especially Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him).