This attribution is challenged by Shakir Mustafa, who writes that the Sunni author of the book was likely a Maliki scholar, whereas Ibn Qutayba belonged to the Hanafi school.
[2] The conflict in 632 over the succession to Muhammad between his cousin and son-in-law Ali and his father-in-law Abu Bakr is described in the book more openly than in most other sources.
[13] The book describes that Abu Bakr and Umar subsequently visited Fatima on her deathbed to make amends to Muhammad's daughter.
[15] Vinay Khetia suggests that the author of al-Imama wa al-siyasa made his report palatable to his Sunni audience by depicting the companions as remorseful for what happened to Fatima, and by presenting Abu Bakr as a wise elder[16] who was forced to contend with the daughter of Muhammad, whom the author portrays as an "angry and rancorous" young woman.
[14] She adds that the author did not view this conflict as evidence of the eternal damnation of Abu Bakr but rather as a dispute between two sincere Muslims.
[17] The Sunni author of the book also complements these reports with one in which Ali publicly praises Abu Bakr as the only possible successor to Muhammad.