Assalam AlaikumHe does not surpass you by performing more prayers and fasts - there are among you those who pray and fast more - but by something which deeply has embedded itself in his heart: Iman in his heart. Is this fabricated ?Also why was Abu Bakr so superior ? Why was his thinking different ? Can we strive to think similarly ?

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

Al-‘Iraaqi said about this statement: “There is no basis that this statement is attributed to the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam.” [End of quote]

Rather, this was said by some scholars of the Salaf (righteous predecessors). However, its content and meaning is correct and there is no problem in it. Some scholars said while commenting on this statement: “What was in the heart of Abu Bakr is the love of Allah Almighty, and sincere advice to people.” [End of quote]

The believers differ because of the difference of faith and sincerity that are in their hearts, and not only because of their abundant apparent acts. Two men may be standing in the same row in prayer, but the difference between the prayer of one of them and the other is like the difference between the heaven and the earth.

The Prophet said: “Do not revile my Companions; I swear by Him in Whose Hand my soul is, if one of you were to spend an amount of gold equivalent to mount Uhud, it would not amount to as much as a Mudd (a measure of weight) of one of them, or half of it.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

That is because the faith and certainty that were in the hearts of the Companions were greater than that of those who came after them, so the handful of food that one of the Companions had spent is greater in the sight of Allah than the whole of mount Uhud in gold spent by others who came after them.

Hence, whoever wants to follow the path of the rightly guided –among whom was Abu Bakr –then let him first endeavor in strengthening his faith by reforming his faith and his intention, and then rectifying his apparent conduct with good deeds.

For more benefit on the excellence of Abu Bakr, please refer to Fataawa 124462, 84453, 90882, and ">86517.

Allah knows best.