366 - Mansur ibn al-Walid informed me, saying: Ali ibn Sa'id narrated to us that he asked Abu Abd Allah (Ahmad ibn Hanbal) about the Imamate (leadership in prayer): Who is most entitled to it? He said: "The one who reads (the Qur'an) best among them. If they are equal in that, then in my view, it is the one who is most righteous." And Allah knows best. (He was asked): Did the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, not appoint Abu Bakr to lead the people in prayer, yet he was not the one who read the best among them, while Ibn Mas'ud was the most knowledgeable of them regarding the Book of Allah, the Almighty and Exalted? He said: "This is a matter of difference." He (the questioner) said: "Whoever he wishes?" He (Ahmad) said: "He only appointed him (Abu Bakr) because of the Caliphate, and this is a matter of interpretation."
٣٦٦ - أَخْبَرَنِي مَنْصُورُ بْنُ الْوَلِيدِ، قَالَ: ثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، أَنَّهُ سَأَلَ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَنِ الْإِمَامَةِ، مَنْ أَحَقُّ؟ قَالَ: " أَقْرَؤُهُمْ، فَإِذَا اسْتَوَوْا فَالصَّلَاحُ عِنْدِي، وَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ، قَدَّمَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَبَا بَكْرٍ يُصَلِّي بِالنَّاسِ، وَلَمْ يَكُنْ أَقْرَأَهُمْ، وَابْنُ مَسْعُودٍ أَعْلَمُهُمْ بِكِتَابِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ؟ فَقَالَ: هَذَا يَخْتَلِفُ. فَقَالَ: مَنْ شَاءَ؟ قَالَ: إِنَّمَا قَدَّمَهُ مِنْ أَجْلِ الْخِلَافَةِ، وَهَذَا مَوْضِعُ تَأْوِيلٍ "
