`Ali (ra): “Abu Bakr (ra) used to beat us to the good deeds.”

Hadith from Mustadrak al-Hakim 3/358, al-Dhahabi said “Sahih” in al-Talkhees:

حدثنا أبو بكر بن إسحاق الفقيه ، أنا أحمد بن سلمة ، ثنا إسحاق بن إبراهيم ، أنا جرير ، عن عبد الله بن يزيد الصهباني ، عن كميل بن زياد ، عن علي رضي الله عنه قال : كنت مع النبي صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم ومعه أبو بكر رضي الله عنه ، ومن شاء الله من أصحابه ، فمررنا بعبد الله بن مسعود وهو يصلي ، فقال النبي صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم : ” من هذا ؟ ” فقيل : عبد الله بن مسعود ، فقال : ” إن عبد الله يقرأ القرآن غضا كما أنزل ” فأثنى عبد الله على ربه وحمده ، فأحسن في حمده على ربه ، ثم سأله فأجمل المسألة ، وسأله كأحسن مسألة سألها عبد ربه ، ثم قال : اللهم إني أسألك إيمانا لا يرتد ، ونعيما لا ينفد ، ومرافقة محمد صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم في أعلى عليين في جنانك جنان الخلد ، قال : وكان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم يقول : ” سل تعط ، سل تعط ” مرتين ، فانطلقت لأبشره ، فوجدت أبا بكر قد سبقني وكان سباقا بالخير ” .

[Abu Bakr bin Ishaq al-Faqih told us, Ahmad bin Salamah told us, Ishaq bin Ibrahim told us, Jarir told us, from `Abdullah bin Yaazid al-Sahbani, from Kumayl bin Ziyad, from `Ali may Allah be pleased with him that he said: I was with the Prophet (SAWS) and with him was Abu Bakr may Allah be pleased with him and whoever Allah willed from his companions, so we passed by `Abdullah ibn Mas`oud while he prayed, the Prophet (SAWS) asked: “Who is this?”, they replied: “`Abdullah ibn Mas`oud.” He (SAWS) said: “`Abdullah recites the Qur’an as it was revealed.”
`Abdullah praised his Lord a beautiful praise and thanked him, then he supplicated to him in the best way a slave can supplicate to his Lord, then he said: “O Lord, I ask you for faith that will not subside, and for ever lasting blessings, and to be in the company of Muhammad peace be upon him and his family in the highest of eternal heavens.”
The Prophet (SAWS) used to say: “Ask and you shall be given, ask and you shall be given!” twice, so I left quickly to deliver the good news (to ibn Mas`oud), but I found that Abu Bakr beat me to it and he used to beat us to the good deeds.]

Some Benefits:

1- Early Rafidhah like Kumayl ibn Ziyad would narrate the virtues of the companions and did not believe in Imamah.
2- Abu Bakr (ra) was from the closest companions of the Prophet (SAWS).
3- `Abdullah (ra) would recite the Qur’an with the purest of letters.
4- `Abdullah (ra) was praised for his worship and devotion.
5- The Prophet (SAWS) asked Allah to grant Ibn Mas`oud (ra) what he wished.
6- `Ali (ra) praised Abu Bakr (ra) and said that he would surpass them all in doing the good deeds.
and others…