Topic: Test notes

Services for the cause of Islam before becoming caliph

a. He was the first man to embrace Islam.
ii. Due to his endeavor’s, many prestigious companions like Hazrat
Usman (RA), Zubair (RA), Abdul Rehman bin Auf (RA), Saad bin
Abi Waqas (RA) and Abu Ubaidah bin Jarrah (RA) entered the fold
of Islam.
iii. He got freed many slaves like Hazrat Bilal (RA), Hazrat Amir
(RA), et al, who later rendered exemplary services for the cause of
Islam.
iv. He was the first person who testified the Meraaj i.e., the miracle
of Ascent of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) in which he (PBUH) was
taken from Makkah to Jerusalem and then to heavens in a small
portion of the night, two years before the Migration (Hijrah).
v. He took part in major battles during the life of the Holy Prophet
(PBUH) like Badr, Uhad, Khyber, Hunayn, Conquest of Makkah
and exhibited great feats of valor and steadfastness.
vi. He accompanied the Holy Prophet (PBUH) during the migration
journey and made all the requisite arrangements like hiring the
guide, provision of food, and so on. During that journey, he set
unprecedented standards of friendship and loyalty in the Thawr
Cave. This journey has been mentioned in the Holy Quran in verse
40 of Surah At-Tawbah (the Repentance) which states: “If you do
not aid the Prophet – Allah has already aided him when those who
disbelieved had driven him out [of Makkah] as one of two, when
they were in the cave and he said to his companion, ‘Do not grieve;
indeed, Allah is with us’.”
vii. On the occasion of the Battle of Tabook, when the Holy Prophet
(PBUH) sought financial assistance from the Muslims, Abu Bakr
Siddiq (RA) brought all his belongings for the cause of Islam. When
the Holy Prophet (PBUH) asked him that had he left something for
his family, he said, “I have left the name of Allah and Muhammad
(PBUH) for them.”
viii. After migration, he paid the amount for purchasing land for
building the Prophet’s Mosque in Medina.
ix. In 9th AH, when Hajj was made obligatory, the Holy Prophet
(PBUH) sent him as the head of 300 Muslims for the purpose of
performing Hajj. Next year, the Holy Prophet (PBUH) himself led
Muslims to Makkah for the only Hajj he (PBUH) performed in his
life.
x. In 11th AH, when the Holy Prophet (PBUH) fell seriously ill and
was unable to lead the congregational prayers, he (PBUH)
nominated Hazrat Abu Bakr (RA) to lead the prayers and the Holy
Prophet (PBUH) himself offered the prayer behind him.
xi. He was the father-in-law of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) as he tied
the nuptial knot of his daughter Hazrat Ayesha (RA) with the Holy
Prophet (PBUH). She is the only previously unmarried woman to
become the wife of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) and the Mother of
Believers.
Services as Caliph
I. The demise of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) was a great shock to the
Muslims and many Muslims including Hazrat Umar-e-Farooq (RA)
refused to accept that. On this critical juncture, Hazrat Abu Bakr
(RA) came forward and recited verse 144 of Surah Aal-e-Imran
which states: “And Muhammad (PBUH) is not but a Messenger,
and indeed (many) messengers have passed away before him. If
he dies or is killed, will you then turn back on your heels? And he
who turns back on his heels, not the least harm will he do to Allah;
and Allah will give reward to those who are grateful.” Thus, he
played a pivotal role in convincing the Muslims about that tragic
incident and saved them from internal rifts.
ii. Saqifa Bani Saidah and his election as caliph: After Holy
Prophet’s (PBUH) demise, some Ansar asserted that they also had
the right to be chosen as caliph. So, they gathered in a quarter of
Medina called Saqifa Bani Saidah in order to elect from amongst
them a successor to the Prophet (PBUH). Soon after coming to
know about that, Hazrat Abu Bakr (RA) went to that place with
Hazrat Umar (RA) and Hazrat Abu Ubaydah bin Jarrah (RA).
Sensing the gravity of the situation, he asked them to choose any
one from Hazrat Umar (RA) and Hazrat Ubaydah (RA) as caliph.
But both of them declared that there was no one better than him for
caliphate; hence, they took the oath of allegiance to him. Then, the
Ansar also followed the suit. Next day, all the people of Medina
assembled in the Prophet’s Mosque and confirmed the nomination
of Hazrat Abu Bakr (RA) as caliph. When the people took oath of
allegiance to him, he addressed them in these words: “O people!
You have chosen me as your chief, although I am not the best
amongst you. I will need all your advice and all your help. If I do
well, support me; if I make a mistake, set me right. As long as I
obey Allah and His Prophet (PBUH), do obey me; wherein I
disobey, obey me not.”
iii. Usama’s expedition: During the last days of his worldly life, the
Holy Prophet (PBUH) had prepared an army under the command
of Hazrat Usama bin Zayd (RA) to deal with the rebellious tribes on
the Syrian border. That army was about to leave for Syria when the
Holy Prophet (PBUH) passed away. At that critical moment, some
people advised Hazrat Abu Bakr (RA) that as caliph he should halt
sending that expedition for the time being. But he replied that he
could not even think of reversing the decision taken by the Holy
Prophet (PBUH). By sending that army, Hazrat Abu Bakr (RA)
dispelled the impression that Islamic state had weakened after the
demise of the Holy Prophet (PBUH).
iv. Bedouin Attack on Medina (632 AD): Soon after the demise
of the Holy Prophet (PBUH), Bedouin tribes living around Medina
attacked the city. Some of them were incited by Tuliahan, the false
prophet of Najd. After the departure of Usama’s army, they
launched their offensive on the city. Hazrat Abu Bakr (RA) was
ready for this and he himself led the Muslim army against them.
The Bedouin tribes were defeated in the battles of Dhu’l Qassa and
Rabadha.
v. False Prophets and wars against Apostasy (RIDDAH): After
the Holy Prophet (PBUH) passed away, four persons in different
parts of Arabia started claiming to be a prophet. They were
Musaylima the liar from Central Arabia, Aswad al-Ansi of Yemen,
Tulyaha of Najd and Sajah of Mesopotamia – Sajah also was a
false prophetess. Besides the rise of false prophets, another mighty
problem emerged and that was the renunciation of Islam by one
tribe after another. They revolted against the caliph and returned to
the period of ignorance. With a mission to crush these apostates
and rebels, Hazrat Abu Bakr (RA) summoned the army of Usama
and all other Muslims to assemble at Dhu’l Qassa. He divided them
into eleven battalions and placed each one of them under a
distinguished commander. Through an effective strategy, apostasy
was quelled, and Islamic spirit was reinvigorated. It was, indeed,
one of the greatest achievements of Abu Bakr (RA).
vi. Compilation of the Holy Quran: Another distinction and credit
to Hazrat Abu Bakr (RA) was the compilation of the Holy Quran.
During his caliphate, he constituted a commission under Hazrat
Zaid bin Thabit (RA) for the purpose of preparing a manuscript of
the Holy Quran. The need for compiling a complete written copy of
the Holy Quran was strongly felt after the battle of Yamamah that
was waged against Musaylima the liar. Although the Muslims won
the war, they had to face about 2000 casualties and majority of the
victims were Huffaz (those who had learned the Holy Quran by
heart).
The commission that was tasked to compile the Holy Quran
comprised those companions who had memorized the Holy Quran
and who had served as scribe with the Holy Prophet (PBUH). With
the beat of drums, it was announced in Muslim territories that those
having verses of the Holy Quran in black and white must bring them
before the commission for veracity. After a hectic exercise
spanning many months, the commission completed the first
manuscript of the Holy Quran during the caliphate of Hazrat Abu
Bakr (RA).
vii. Conquests: Apart from internally stabilizing the Islamic state,
Hazrat Abu Bakr (RA) also gave considerable attention on the
external front. Nefarious designs of Roman and Persian empires
and their unwarranted patronage of mutineers and rebels of Islamic
state compelled Hazrat Abu Bakr (RA) to take prompt action
against them. Hazrat Khalid bin Waleed (RA) inflicted a serious
blow to Persians in the battle of Chains or Dhat-as-Salasil in 633
AD. The Byzantine army was defeated in the battle of Ajnadayn in
634 AD. These triumphs laid the foundation for the future
conquests of Iraq and Syria. So, under the enabling leadership of
Hazrat Abu Bakr (RA), the fear of Muslims was sowed in the hearts
of Romans and Persians.
viii. Impartial government based on consultation: In
consonance with Islamic teachings, Hazrat Abu Bakr (RA)
conducted affairs of the state by consulting with the Muslims
around him, commonly known as “Shura” or consultative body. He
formed an efficacious and impartial government where governors,
commanders and other government functionaries were appointed
only on the basis of merit, integrity and services for the state of
Islam.
Death
After an exemplary life as a revered companion of the Holy Prophet
(PBUH), and a glorious rule spanning two years and three months,
Hazrat Abu Bakr (RA) breathed his last on 23rd August 634 AD and
was buried by the side of the Holy Prophet’s (PBUH) grave in the
apartment of Hazrat Aysha in consonance with his will. His
profound love and regard for the Holy Prophet (PBUH) has been
expressed by the great poet Allama Muhammad Iqbal in the
following words:
What were the achievements of
caliph Abū Bakr, the first caliph of
Islam?

Turkey’s coronavirus cases highest in Middle East

Abū Bakr, who was to become the first caliph of Islam, was a close
friend of the Prophet Muhammad and one of his earliest converts. One
proof of the closeness of their friendship was that the Prophet
Muhammad took his daughter Aisha bint Abu Bakr as a second or third
wife (sources disagree about the precise timing); Aisha herself
became a distinguished scholar, narrating 2210 hadith.

Abū Bakr accompanied Muhammad to Medina in 622, acted as an

adviser to Muhammad for many years, and led a pilgrimage to Mecca
in 631. In 632, after much debate, he was acclaimed the khalīfat rasūl
Allāh (successor or caliph to the prophet of God.) As he died in 634,
his caliphate lasted only two years. The Muslims who supported Abū
Bakr and successive caliphs evolved into what are now followers of
Sunni Islam; those who opposed him and supported the claims of Ali
ibn Abi Talib became what are now the Shiite Muslims.

Abū Bakr's main achievement during this period was to unify the
Islamic world under the central authority of Medina in the “wars of
apostasy”, a series of civil wars against other Muslims intended to
unify Islam and suppress dissent. His success in these wars led to a
strong central government in the Arabian Peninsula and the beginning
of the expansion of Islam into Syria and Iraq. He also works to collect
and preserve the sayings of the Prophet in writing, into a form that
became the Koran.

Abu Bakr was the first caliph and shared an ancestor on the paternal
side with the Prophet (Peace be upon him). The caliph was also the
father-in-law to the Prophet who had married his daughter Aisha.
After the passing of the Prophet, the established Muslim community
was under threat, with different groups wishing to break away.
Individuals within powerful families appointed themselves leaders
and sought to establish their authority, however, it was known that
the likely successors were either Abu Bakr according to the Sunnis or
Ali according to the Shia. Given Ali’s young age and the need to unify
the Muslim community, Abu Bakr was installed as the Caliph.

Some of his achievements include:

• Crushing the rebellion that threatened the Muslim religious

community as posed by shifting tribal allegiances after the passing of
the Prophet

• It was during his leadership that the Qur’an was preserved in text
format

• He initiated the expansion of the Rashidun Empire by destroying both

the Persian and Byzantine Empires through one of his strongest
military leaders Khalid

As you say, the caliph Abu Bakr was the first caliph of Islam. He was
a personal friend of the Prophet and one of the first men to become
a Muslim.

After he became caliph, Abu Bakr helped to spread Islam. This is his
main achievement. Under his rule, Islam spread out over the entire
central part of the Arabian Peninsula. He also spread the faith
outside the peninsula by invading Iraq.

Abu Bakr is also given credit for being the man who made sure that
the sayings of the Prophet were written down. These sayings are
what are now the Koran.

(b) Was Abu Bakr a good choice as caliph? Give reasons to support your answer. [4]
Candidates could give a variety of reasons to support their answer, if they agree to him being a
good choice as caliph, they could refer to him being the first male Muslim, to his being the
Prophet's closest friend and father-in law, for being appointed as the first Amir al Hajj by the
Prophet when it first became obligatory in the 9th year of Hijra and for all his contributions to
Islam etc. If they disagree, they will need to support their view. All valid points must be credited.
The first Amir-ul-Haj. In 631 C.E., the Holy Prophet sent from Medina a delegation of three
hundred Muslims to perform the Haj according to the new Islamic way. Abu Bakr was
appointed as the leader of the delegates. Abu Bakr had thus the honor of being the first
Amir-ul-Haj in the history of Islam.
Abu Bakr was a senior companion (Sahabah) and the father-in-law of the Islamic
Prophet Muhammad. He ruled over the Rashidun Caliphate from 632-634 CE when
he became the first Muslim Caliph following Muhammad's death.[1] As Caliph, Abu
Bakr succeeded to the political and administrative functions previously exercised
by the Prophet, since the religious function and authority of prophethood ended
with Muhammad's death according to Islam. He was called Al-Siddiq (The Truthful)
and was known by that title among later generations of Muslims.
As a young man, Abu Bakr became a cloth merchant and he traveled extensively in
Arabia and neighboring lands in the Middle East, through which he gained both
wealth and experience. He eventually came to be recognized as the chief of his
clan.[3] On his return from a business trip to Yemen, he was informed that in his
absence Muhammad had openly declared his prophethood. Not long after, Abu
Bakr accepted Islam and was the first person outside the family of Muhammad to
openly become a Muslim. He was instrumental in the conversion of many people
to the Islamic faith [4] and early in 623, Abu Bakr's daughter Aisha was married to
Muhammad, strengthening the ties between the two men. Abu Bakr served as a
trusted advisor and close friend to the Prophet. During the lifetime of Muhammad,
he was involved in several campaigns such as the Battle of Uhud, the Battle of the
Trench, the Invasion of Banu Qurayza, Battle of Khaybar, the Conquest of Mecca,
the Battle of Hunayn, the Siege of Ta'if, and the Battle of Tabuk where he was
reported to have given all of his wealth for the preparation of this expedition.[5]
He also participated in the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah and was made one of the
witnesses over the pact.
In 631, the Prophet became fatally ill, and after his death Abu Bakr became the first
Muslim Caliph. During his rule, he defeated the rebellion of several Arab tribes in a
successful campaign, unifying the entire Arabian Peninsula and giving it stability.[6]
This enabled him to launch successful campaigns against the Sassanid Empire
(Persian Empire) and the East Roman Empire (Byzantine Empire) who were
threatening Arabia's borders. Prior to dispatching his army to Syria against the
Romans he gave them the following commands which established the conduct of
war for later Muslim generations:
Stop, O people, that I may give you ten rules for your guidance in the battlefield.
Do not commit treachery or deviate from the right path. You must not kill a young
woman. Bring no harm to the trees which are fruitful. Slay not any of the enemy's
flock, save it for your food. You are likely to pass by people who have devoted their
lives to monastic services; leave them alone
Abu Bakr's Caliphate lasted for a little over two years (or 27 months), ending with
his death after an illness. Though the period of his caliphate was not long it included
successful invasions of the two most powerful empires of the time, a remarkable
achievement in its own right. He set in motion a historical trajectory that in few
decades would lead to one of the largest empires in history.

Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiq (R.A) – The Best Companion of Prophet

(PBUH)

Hazrat Abu Bakr (R.A), born in Makkah in 573 A.D, belonged to one of the highly respected families
of Quraysh tribe, Bani Tamim. He was two years younger than Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH), sharing
the common descent with Him. His surname was Abdullah, but he was commonly known as Abu Bakr
because of his forefathers. His parents Uthman and Salma were also recognized by their inherited
names, Abu Quhafah and Ummul Khair.

Right from his early age, he was quite different from the rest, and was more or less similar in his
behavior with that of the Messenger (PBUH) of Allah, having qualities of truthfulness and honesty.
Because of this, he was the closest companion of Rasulullah (PBUH) from his youth, and remained
till the end. He took on trade as his profession, and was well known for his integrity in dealings, due to
which people used to keep their belongings with him as trusts. His services to the Religion of Peace
exceedingly distinguished among all the devoted associates of the Holy Prophet (PBUH).

Some of the most significant instances from his life, which shows his great position
in the history of Islam, are:

First Adult to Have Accepted Allah`s Message

Abu Bakr had spent most of his time with Muhammad (PBUH), and knew
about His personality characteristics of candor, sincerity, uprightness, and
reliability etc. So, when the Apostle (PBUH) of God told him about the
revelation, he readily accepted Him as the Messenger of Allah and single
mindedly embraced Islam.

Earliest Person to Invite Others Towards Righteousness After Prophet

(PBUH)
As soon as he entered the religion of Islam, he started actively participating
in the cause for calling others towards it. First, he went to ‘Uthman, Talha,
Zubair and Said, who acknowledged his message. Then, he encouraged
other prominent figures of Quraysh including ‘Uthman bin Maz’un,
Abu’Ubaidah, Abdur Rahman bin ‘Auf, who also responded positively. In this
way, he became the very first individual after the Holy Prophet (PBUH) to
preach Islam.
Bearing Hardships During Dawah (Call) to Islam
Although He was considered as one of the highly respected man of Qureysh,
but the day he opposed the idolaters of many gods and previous customs,
and embraced morality, he was ridiculed and treated badly by the
disbelievers. He asked Rasulullah (PBUH) to invite people towards Allah`s
message explicitly, he was permitted to it. When he openly asked people to
come towards rectitude, which was the very first sermon, the history of the
Religion of Peace, he was dealt with quite severely resulting in losing
consciousness. So, he always took the act of Dawah (invitation) towards
Islam very seriously and helped the Holy Prophet (PBUH) in His expedition.
The Chosen One Among All Companions of Prophet (PBUH)
The great importance of Abu Bakr among all the companions of the Prophet
(PBUH) is evident from the fact that he was chosen as the one to accompany
Rasulullah (PBUH) while immigrating to Madina. Allah Almighty has
described that journey in the Holy Quran as:

If you do not aid the Prophet – Allah has already aided him when those
who disbelieved had driven him out [of Makkah] as one of two, when they
were in the cave and he said to his companion, “Do not grieve; indeed,
Allah is with us.” And Allah sent down his tranquility upon him and
supported him with angels you did not see and made the word of those
who disbelieved the lowest, while the word of Allah – that is the highest.
And Allah is Exalted in Might and Wise. [Quran, 9: 40]
Although Abu Bakr trembled non-believers had gathered around the cave
they were keeping inside, so that they could them. But the Apostle (PBUH)
of Allah remained calm and told Abu Bakr about the Almighty`s Help, and
they were eventually relieved of that worrying time. It highlights that he was
the only one who was taken by the Messenger (PBUH) of God with Him while
immigration. It also shows his great stature among the rest of the close
acquaintances of the Prophet (PBUH). That is why Hazrat Muhammad
(PBUH) once said:

“Abu-Bakr has favored me much with his property and company. If I were
to take a Khalil (an intimate friend) from mankind I would certainly have
taken Abu Bakr.” (Bukhari)
Abu Bakr (R.A) was the one who submitted everything in the way of Jihad
(fighting for Allah`s cause) on the occasion of the Last Ghazwa (Battle in
which Hazrat Muhammad PBUH has fought) of Tabooq. That is why
Rasulullah (PBUH) has talked about his property in this Hadith. He also used
to spend his earning on freeing newly entrants of Islam from slavery.
Besides, his company was also dearest to the Holy Prophet (PBUH) which
is also discussed in terms of taking only him as the closest friend in Jannah
(paradise) from all mankind.

The Most Faithful Among All the Believers

Abu Bakr was the one who blindly believed in everything Hazrat Muhammad
(PBUH) told him about Allah`s revelation. He was never in doubt over his
truthfulness, which demonstrates the great level of his conviction in
the teachings of Islam. The Holy Prophet (PBUH) is reported to have said in
regard:
“If the Eeman of Abu Bakr were put on one side of the scale and the man of
this entire Ummah on the other, Abu Bakr’s elan would have
outweighed. “(At-Tirmidhi and Ahmad)
Such is the highest level of Abu Bakr`s devotion to Islam that his faith is
referred as more in weight than the conviction of the rest of the believers by
the Apostle (PBUH) of Allah. He was the one who stood by Rasulullah
(PBUH) when the treaty of Hudaibya was being made, when all the rest
opposed it and judged it harmful to Muslims. But the history shows the
decision was quite right as Muslims eventually won the Battle of Makkah and
ended the oppression of non-believers. Due to his great stance, he was
always chosen as the second person to lead the Muslim prayers after
Prophet (PBUH). During every battle, he remained close to Hazrat
Muhammad (PBUH) and never trembled against the non-believers for a
second. There are many other instances on which Abu Bakr (R.A) remained
steadfast along with the Prophet (PBUH), hence, no one was as faithful as
him among all the believers.

Earning the Title of As-Saddiq (The Truthful One)

The incident of Prophet Muhammad`s (PBUH) Miraj (visiting Jerusalem and
heavens) was beyond a common person`s belief, as it took place in no time.
When the Messenger (PBUH) of God told people about its next morning, all
of them were astonished and were in a state of disbelief, except Hazrat Abu
Bakr (R.A). When others came to him and asked whether one should accept
this fantasy as accurate?! Thereupon, he said: “Yes! If the Prophet (PBUH)
says so”. They could not believe it and asked again the same question. Abu
Bakr (R.A) told them that he believed in each and every word of His. Thus,
Rasulullah (PBUH) gave him the title of “As-Siddiq”, which means “the
truthful and genuine person in his devotion”.

First Caliph in The History of Islam

Hazrat Abu Bakr (R.A) was rated so highly among the believers that He was
given authority to lead the Muslims after demise of the Holy Prophet (PBUH).
Although at first, there was some confusion over whether Ameer (Chief)
should be from Ansar or Muhajireen, but eventually Abu Bakr (R.A) was
given the power to have this great honor as no one was as close to the
Messenger (PBUH) of Allah as he was.

First Person to Start Compilation of The Holy Quran

During his Khilaafat (reign), Hazrat Abu Bakr (R.A), by the advice of Hazrat
Umar (R.A), began the very necessary act of accumulating Furqan e
Hameed in one piece, so that the future generations of Muslims benefit
from reading the holy Quran them in the right way.
Abu Bakr (R.A) died at the age of 63, exactly the age the Holy Prophet
(PBHU) died at. He is buried very next to the Apostle (PBUH) of Allah.

So, to conclude, Hazrat Abu Bakr (R.A) was the noblest of all the
companions of the Messenger (PBUH) of Allah SWT in terms of faith,
truthfulness, honesty, and care for others, and many other qualities which
were found in the Holy Prophet (PBUH). He spent his entire life in the service
of Islam and always tried to be a better Muslim. May Allah Almighty give us
all the desire to know and get inspiration from Hazrat Abu Bakr (R.A) in order
to improve our lives! Ameen!
Significance of Abu Bakr (RA):
Important Figures: Abu Bakr
Posted on January 3, 2012 by Reem

Abu Bakr in Arabic

One of the most well-known figures of Islam is Abu Bakr. Many Muslims up to the current
day will name their children after this man, who was an awfully close companion of the
Prophet Muhammad and after his death became the first caliph, according to Sunnis. Abu
Bakr was also the father of Ayesha, one of the Prophet’s wives. My focus in this post, the
first in a series on important figures in Islam, will be the life of this man who has influenced
Islamic tradition immensely.
While he is widely known by his nickname, Abu Bakr (the father of camel’s foal because
of his love for the animal), he was born Abdul Kaba ibn Abi Quhafa. Like the Prophet
Muhammad he was a merchant. From an early age, Abu Bakr earned the respect of his
fellow tribesman, as he became the chief of his tribe even when his father was alive.
Abu Bakr was also a close friend of the Prophet. He was the first male adult to become
Muslim after the Prophet Muhammad received his first revelation in 610 C.E. The Prophet
then changed Abu Bakr’s name from Abdul Kaba (the servant of the Kaba) to Abdullah
(the servant of Allah) and also gave Abu Bakr another title, As-Siddiq (The Truthful), that
has remained with him until the present day.
In Islamic sources, Abu Bakr is described as being one of the most loyal supporters of the
Prophet Muhammad. One example was after the Night Journey, in Arabic isra wa
miraj. The Meccans were ridiculing the Prophet Muhammad for saying that he had
journeyed from Mecca to Jerusalem overnight. When asked by the Meccans if he believed
the Prophet’s account, Abu Bakr responded:
“If he said so, He has said the truth” … “I believe him when he says he receives revelation
from the Creator of the skies and Heaven, I believe him in saying that he hears the great
Angel Jibril (Gabriel) who comes down through the seven skies giving the message to him,
would it be hard to believe that he crossed those miles in such a time.”
Moreover, during the hijra from Mecca to Medina, Abu Bakr was the Prophet’s
companion. Since the Meccans were following the Prophet Muhammad, he and Abu
Bakr had to hide in a cave. The following verse in the Qur’an describes this episode and
most scholars assert that the companion mentioned in the verse is Abu Bakr.
If ye help not (your Leader) (it is no matter): for Allah did indeed help him; when the
unbelievers drove him out: he had no more than one companion: they two were in the
cave, and he said to his companion “Have no Fear, for Allah is with us”: then Allah sent
down His peace upon him, and strengthened him with forces which ye saw not, and
humbled to the depths the word of the Unbelievers. But the word of Allah is exalted to
the heights: for Allah is Exalted in might, Wise. (Chapter 9, verse 40)
Abu Bakr’s dedication to Islam is often referenced by Muslims. He is reported to
have bought and then freed slaves who had become Muslims. It has also been said that
he gave all his wealth to the new Muslim community. Additionally, he played an important
role after the death of the Prophet Muhammad. Before becoming the first caliph, Abu
Bakr is the one who informed the Muslims of the death of the Prophet and brought some
calm. He said,
If anyone amongst you used to worship Muhammad, then Muhammad has passed away,
but if you used to worship Allah, then Allah is Alive and shall never die. Allah said, “And
Muhammad is but a messenger; the messengers have come before him; if then he dies
or is killed will you turn back upon your heels? And whoever turns back upon his heels,
he will by no means do harm to Allah in the least and Allah will reward the grateful.”
(Qur’an, Chapter 3, verse 144)
The initial fracture among the Muslims leading to the Sunni/Shia divide was around who
would lead the Muslims after the Prophet’s death. According to Sunnis, Abu Bakr was
chosen to be the first caliph of the four Rightly Guided Caliphs because he was a close
companion and the Prophet had trusted him immensely, even designating him to lead the
prayers at the end of his life when he was too ill. Abu Bakr served from 632 to 634 when
he died of natural causes. During his tenure, he led battles against defecting tribes in
Arabia called the Ridda Wars (the Wars of Apostasy) and campaigns against the Sassanid
Empire and the Byzantine Empire. During his short caliphate, Abu Bakr was able to bring
some stability to the Muslim community after the loss of the Prophet.
Abu Bakr is remembered and revered for his dedication to Islam and the strength of his
conviction.