And he abandoned the Sunnah of the Prophet when he stopped...

And he abandoned the Sunnah of the Prophet when he stopped giving money to those whose hearts could have been won and inclined to Islam, following Umar's view in their regard. And he abandoned the Sunnah of the Prophet when he appointed Umar as the caliph over the Muslims without even consulting with them. Yes; all these and other actions are violations of the Sunnah of the Prophet recorded by the authors of the Sahih books of "Ahl al-Sunnah wal Jama`a" and by their historians.

They are violations filling their biography books. So, if the Prophet's Sunnah is what the scholars have defined as "every statement or action of or endorsement by the Messenger of Allah," Abu Bakr has violated the Sunnah through his statements, actions, or decisions. Among the Prophet's statements which he violated is this one: "Fatima is part of me; whoever angers her angers me." Fatima died angry with Abu Bakr according to al-Bukhari.

Another is the Prophet's statement saying: "The curse of Allah be upon anyone who lags behind Usamah's army." He said so when they challenged his appointment of Usamah over them and refused to go to war with him and under his military command. Abu Bakr, despite such admonition, lagged behind Usamah's army under the pretext of taking care of the issue of caliphate.

Among his actions in violation of the Sunnah is what the Messenger of Allah used to do with those whose hearts could be won towards Islam; he was very kind to them and even gave them a portion of the zakat as commanded by Allah, the Most Exalted One.

But Abu Bakr deprived them of that right which the Holy Qur'an had already mandated, and which was carried out by the Prophet, only to please Umar ibn al-Khattab who said to them, "We have no need for you." Among the decisions whereby he violated the Sunnah was a decree made by the Prophet to write his ahadith down and to disseminate them among the public: Abu Bakr burnt them instead and prohibited everyone from disseminating or quoting them.

Add to all the above the fact that he was ignorant about many Qur'anic injunctions. He was, for instance, asked once about the rule with regard to one who dies leaving some wealth but neither a will nor dependents.