The Life of Abu Bakr - II

First Khutbah

All perfect praise is due to Allah; I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad is His Slave and Messenger; may Allah exalt his mention, as well as that of his family and all his companions.

The Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) clarified the rank of Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him. He commanded all the doors of the houses that overlooked the mosque to be closed and forbade the Companions from entering through them into the mosque, except for the door of Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him.

Also, Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, was appointed by the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) to lead the people during prayer when he  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) was suffering from his death sickness. Ibn `Umar, may Allah be pleased with him and his father, reported that: “When the sickness of the Messenger of Allah   sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) became critical, he was asked about who should lead the prayer (instead of him) and he  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) replied:“Command Abu Bakr to lead the prayer,” whereupon `Aa’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, said: 'Abu Bakr is very tender hearted. He is always overcome by weeping when he recites the Qur'aan.' The Messenger of Allah  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) repeated:“Command Abu Bakr to lead the prayer.” In another narration, `Aa’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, said:“If Abu Bakr were to stand in your place, he would be unable to recite the Noble Qur'aan to the people due to his weeping.” [Al-Bukhari & Muslim]

Bilaal may Allah be pleased with him, reported: “After the Messenger of Allah  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) commanded that Abu Bakr was to be the one leading the people during prayer, I went out looking for him at the time of prayer, but I could not find him, so the people requested ‘Umar to lead them. He therefore began leading the prayer and the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) heard his voice, so he  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) became angry and said:“Where is Abu Bakr? Allah and the believers refuse (all) except Abu Bakr… Allah and the believers refuse (all) except Abu Bakr.” Later, when Abu Bakr arrived, he  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) ordered him to lead the people in prayer.” [Abu Daawood] It was due to the abovementioned two narrations that ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, said at the time of selecting the first caliph in Islam: “We select for leadership the one whom our Prophet selected to lead us (in prayer).”

Another clear evidence of his status, may Allah be pleased with him, is the narration of `Aa’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, who said:“During the death sickness of the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) he said to me: “Call your father - Abu Bakr - and your brother, so that I can get a letter written for Abu Bakr to take over after my death, lest anyone comes after my death claiming to be worthier than him for leadership. Allah and the believers refuse (all) except Abu Bakr (for leadership).”” This clearly highlights the virtue of Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him.

Another incident highlighting his great status is when a woman came to the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) during the farewell pilgrimage and asked him about a certain matter, then she inquired: “If I come next year to ask you and you are not present, who should I ask instead?” He  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) responded: “Ask Abu Bakr.” [Al-Bukhari & Muslim]

Abu Ad-Dardaa’ may Allah be pleased with him, reported: “Once, Abu Bakr came to the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) and said: 'O Allah's Messenger! There was something (i.e. a quarrel) between me and the son of Al-Khattaab. I talked to him harshly and then regretted it; I asked him to forgive me, but he refused; this is why I have come to you.' The Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) said thrice: “O Abu Bakr! May Allah forgive you.” In the meantime, ‘Umar bin Al-Khattaab felt remorse (due to him refusing Abu Bakr's apology), so he went to Abu Bakr's house and asked if he was there, but the reply was in the negative. Therefore, 'Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, went to the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) and greeted him, but signs of displeasure appeared on the face of the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ). This caused Abu Bakr to feel pity for ‘Umar, so he knelt down and said twice: 'O Allah's Messenger! I swear by Allah that I was more unjust to him (than he was to me).' The Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) then said: “Allah sent me (as a Prophet) to you (people), but you told me: 'You are lying,' whereas Abu Bakr said: 'He is telling the truth,' and consoled me with himself and his wealth."He  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) then said twice: “Will you not cease harming my companion?”After that, nobody harmed Abu Bakr.”

He, may Allah be pleased with him, was the most knowledgeable of the Muslims; he was also the best at understanding the intended speech of the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ). Abu Sa’eed, may Allah be pleased with him, reported: “The Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) delivered a sermon at the end of his life, in which he said: “Allah gave a choice to one of (His) slaves to either choose this world, or what is with Him in the Hereafter. He chose the latter."Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, heard this and wept. The people were amazed at Abu Bakr’s weeping and could not understand what the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) had meant by those words. I (Abu Sa'eed) said to myself: `Why is this old man crying?` We were to discover later that the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) himself was the slave mentioned who was given the choice, and that he  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) was therefore close to his death. We also realised that Abu Bakr was the most knowledgeable among us and the best at understanding the speech of the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ). After this, the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) said: “O Abu Bakr! Do not weep. Behold, of all the people, the most generous toward me in regard to companionship and property was Abu Bakr, and were I to choose anyone as my intimate companion, I would have chosen Abu Bakr; but (for him) I cherish Islamic brotherhood and love.”"

Imaam Ibn Taymiyyah,  may  Allaah  have  mercy  upon  him said: “Many scholars have reported the consensus of the Muslim scholars that Abu Bakr was the most knowledgeable amongst all the Companions. The rites of Hajj are the most involved of all acts of worship, there is no issue related to acts of worship that is more complicated. If it were not for the vast knowledge of Abu Bakr, then the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) would not have made him the leader of the first Hajj contingent, and he  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) also chose him to lead the people in prayer. After the death of the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) he proved this (i.e., the fact that he was the most erudite of the Companions) on many occasions, such as when he had proved to the Companions that the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) had indeed died by reciting the verse of the Qur’aan which states that he  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) would die; There is also in this regard his position regarding the war against the apostates who refused to pay Zakaah, and many other evidences.” [End of quote]

Abu Bakr may Allah be pleased with him, was the firmest of all Companions at times of distress and during calamities. When the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) died, most of the Companions were overwhelmed and in great shock and disorientation. In fact, ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, refused to believe that he  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) had died and swore that anyone who said that he did would be executed. But Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, went to the (corpse of the) Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), uncovered his face, kissed it, and cried, saying: “I ransom my father and my mother for you! Blessed were you in life as you are in death.”

Afterwards, he went out to people whilst ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, was threatening to kill whoever claimed that the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) had died. Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, ascended the pulpit and said firmly: “O ‘Umar! Be quiet. O people! For those who worship Muhammad, Muhammad is now dead. For those who worship Allah, Allah is Ever-Living and will never die.”

Despite the lofty position of ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, people knew very well the rank of Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, so they immediately turned their attention to him and listened attentively. He, may Allah be pleased with him, reminded them and firmly re-established the fact that Allah is the only one worthy of worship and that Muhammad  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) was but a human Messenger of Allah. Then he, may Allah be pleased with him, recited the saying of Allah which means: “Muhammad is not but a messenger. [Other] messengers have passed on before him. So if he was to die or be killed, would you turn back on your heels [to unbelief]? And he who turns back on his heels will never harm Allah at all; but Allah will reward the grateful.”[Aal 'Imraan: 144] The grateful are those who remain steadfast and who do not turn to disbelief; they continue upon the true path until they meet Allah.

The narrator of this incident said: “It was as if people had up until then never heard this verse being recited. When they heard it, they began wailing, for they realised that the death of the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) was a reality.”

‘Aa’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, reported: “The Ansaar were assembled with Sa’d bin 'Ubaadah in the hovel of the tribe of Saa’idah in an attempt to appoint a caliph. They said (to the Emigrants): 'There should be one caliph from us and one from you.' Then Abu Bakr, ‘Umar bin Al-Khaattab and Abu 'Ubaydah bin Al-Jarraah arrived (at the meeting). 'Umar wished to speak, but Abu Bakr prevented him. 'Umar later said about this: 'I swear by Allah that I only intended to say something that appealed to me as very relevant to the situation and I was afraid that Abu Bakr would not address the issue the same way.' Abu Bakr then spoke and his speech was very eloquent; he said: 'We are the rulers and you (i.e., the Ansaar) are the ministers (i.e. advisers).' Hubaab bin Al-Munthir said: 'No! I swear by Allah that we will not accept this. Rather, there must be a ruler from us and a ruler from you.' Abu Bakr said: 'No! We will be the rulers and you will be the ministers, for they (i.e., the Quraysh) are the finest people amongst the Arabs and the best in origin; therefore, you should elect either 'Umar or Abu 'Ubaydah bin Al-Jarraah as your caliph.' 'Umar then said (to Abu Bakr): 'No! Rather, we elect you, for you are our chief and the best amongst us, and you were the most beloved of all of us to Allah's Apostle   sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ).' Thereupon, 'Umar took Abu Bakr's hand and gave him the pledge of allegiance, and the people followed in giving the pledge of allegiance to Abu Bakr.” [Al-Bukhari]

Second Khutbah:

All perfect praise is due to Allah; I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad is His Slave and Messenger; may Allah exalt his mention, as well as that of his family and all his companions.

Slaves of Allah! After the death of the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), almost all the Arabs reneged on their Islam, except the people of Makkah, Madeenah and Taa’if. The hypocrites in Madeenah became manifest and started plotting against the new caliph. Not only did the Arabs apostate and refuse to pay the Zakaah, they also prepared to fight the new caliph. Moreover, some of them, such as Musaylamah the liar, even claimed prophethood for themselves.

This was an extremely difficult time because these people outnumbered the Companions who were with Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him. ‘Aa’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, stated: “After the death of the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) many of the Arabs reneged (on their Islam) and grave matters befell my father, the likes of which would split mountains. (At that time), the companions of the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) became like wet sheep on a rainy night in a land filled with wolves.”

Following the death of the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him,wished to dispatch a Muslim battalion commanded by Usaamah, may Allah be pleased with him, to Levant (i.e. Shaam) where Zayd and Ja’far, may Allah be pleased with them, were martyred. Usaamah, may Allah be pleased with him, was being sent as a reinforcement for the Muslim army that was already there and fighting the Christians (Romans). When Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, wished to dispatch these troops headed by Usaamah, may Allah be pleased with him, many Companions, including ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, opposed him and argued instead for the troops to remain, so that they could join in the fight against the apostates. However, Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, insisted on dispatching them, saying: “I swear by Allah that I will not disperse a banner that was mobilised by the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) himself, even if we were to be overtaken by birds of prey.”

Due to his great insight and discernment, Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, was confident that the apostate Arabs would become terrified of fighting the Muslims if the troops of Usaamah, may Allah be pleased with him, were sent outside Madeenah, because they would think that if the Muslims were able to dispense with such a number of troops for an external mission, then they must have a formidable force remaining with them.

Sure enough, the army was seen off and some of the Companions, like ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, tried to convince Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, to at least change the commander of the army to a more senior figure than Usaamah, may Allah be pleased with him, but Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, refused to change a leader who was appointed by the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) himself.

What was the result of dispatching this battalion? It passed, with all its weaponry, through areas inhabited by Arab tribes and made them remark: “If they did not have multiples the size of this battalion (remaining with them), they would never have dispatched it.” This made many of the tribes who had contemplated fighting the Muslims have a change of heart, which, although reducing the size of the problem, did not solve it entirely.

The other tribes that insisted on fighting headed towards Madeenah and began gathering at night, which was when Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, was preparing his army. At the break of daylight, the Muslims attacked these troops who were gathered around Madeenah in a surprise attack and killed many of them, while the rest fled in defeat.

That was not the end of the story though, because Musaylamah the liar and those with him, as well as others like him, were still a source of strife, so Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, sent troops to fight them, and Allah supported these troops and granted them victory. With this, the Muslim state became well established and had a firm command over its affairs.

After this event he, may Allah be pleased with him, decided, after consulting with ‘Umar and other Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, to collect the Qur’aan as a single book, for which purpose he formed a committee headed by Zayd bin Thaabit, may Allah be pleased with him.

Slaves of Allah! When Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, became caliph, he did not have money enough to suffice his family, so he left his house and went to the market to trade. ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, saw him and asked: “O Leader of the believers! Where are you headed? You are now in charge of the affairs of the Muslims.” He replied: “How can I feed my family if I do not do this?” ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, said: “Let us go to assign you a portion from the Muslim treasury.” They went to Abu ‘Ubaydah, may Allah be pleased with him, who was in charge of the treasury, who said: “I will give you the average of what I give any Muslim from the Muhaajireen (emigrants): A garment for the winter and another for the summer, and whenever any of them wears out you can return it and I will replace it for you. I will also give you half a sheep daily and a small amount of money.”

He settled for the least amount of provision and concentrated on running the affairs of the Muslims. One day his wife wished to buy sweets, but he told her that they did not have enough money to do so, so she told him that she would try to save some of their income, to which he consented. After a few days, she had saved an amount of money, and when he saw that she was actually able to save it, he, may Allah be pleased with him, took it from her and said: “Since you could save it, then it is more than our daily need; the Muslims are more deserving of it.” He therefore deducted this amount form his daily allowance.

When he was on his death bed, he began saying out of fear of Allah: “I wish I was a bird, a tree, a leaf, or any of the fruits that animals eat – just so that I could escape the position of being liable for accountability.” Then he, may Allah be pleased with him, asked ‘Aa’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her: “On what day did the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) die?” She replied: “On a Monday.” He, may Allah be pleased with him, then asked: “What day is today?” She replied: “Monday” Then he, may Allah be pleased with him, asked: “How many sheets did you use to shroud the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention )?” She replied: "Three." He, may Allah be pleased with him, looked at a garment that was hanging in the room and said: “Wash this garment, and bring two more and shroud me in them as I hope to die on the same day the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) died.” She, may Allah be pleased with her, asked: “This is a worn out garment, should we not get three new ones instead?” He, may Allah be pleased with him, said: “The living are more deserving of the new than the dead.”

It was that very night that he, may Allah be pleased with him, passed away, and he was buried next to the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ).

Many Muslims are unaware of the great merits of this man and fail to give him his due, but this does not harm him in the least. We ask Allah to make us amongst those who follow in his footsteps.

The Life of Abu Bakr - I

 First Khutbah:

All perfect praise is due to Allah; I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad is His Slave and Messenger; may Allah exalt his mention, as well as his family and all his companions.

One of the matters that moves the hearts, draws people closer to Allah, and increases them in faith, is mentioning and describing the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them. This discussion of their virtues and highlighting of their greatness is so that people would look up to them, follow in their footsteps, and endeavour to reach their exalted level.

Slaves of Allah! The Companion we will discuss today is Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him. His name was ‘Abdullaah bin ‘Uthmaan, and he was born two and a half years after the 'Year of the Elephant'.

He was the finest person ever created after the prophets and messengers, may Allah exalt their mention. If the faith of the entire Muslim nation (excluding the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention )) were to be placed on one side of a scale and his faith on the other, then his side would outweigh the other side. He was the master of all masters.

He was a very wealthy man, and he utilised this wealth for the sake of Allah; he would purchase believing slaves and set them free for the sake of Allah.

When some of the Quraysh came to him to inform him that his companion (i.e. the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention )) was claiming that he had been on a journey at night to Jerusalem and then ascended through the Heavens, and then returned to his home (in Makkah) - all in one night, he remarked: “If he is really saying this, then he is telling the truth.” He was the believing one referred to in the saying of Allah (what means): {And the one who has brought the truth [i.e., the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention )] and [the one who] believed in it – those are the righteous.} [Az-Zumar: 33] Allah testified for him that he was a true believer. The one who came with the truth was Muhammad  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) and the one who believed in him and was truthful was Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him. He was the first man to believe in the message and follow the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ).

Anas, may Allah be pleased with him, reported: “The Messenger of Allah  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) climbed on mount Uhud along with Abu Bakr, ‘Umar and ‘Uthmaan, and it shook, so the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) said:“O Uhud! Remain still, for you only have on you a Prophet, a Siddeeq (i.e., a truthful person), and two martyrs.”" [Al-Bukhari]

He is the one who was given the appellation 'Al-‘Ateeq' (i.e. the one freed from Hell) by the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), as mentioned in the book of Imaam At-Tirmithi  may  Allaah  have  mercy  upon  him.

He, may Allah be pleased with him, was a handsome, dignified man and was a forerunner in performing acts of virtue. He was slim and narrow-shouldered, with a protruding forehead. He would dye his hair with Hennah. He was also very soft-hearted, compassionate, merciful and would weep very easily when hearing the recitation of the Quran.

During the pre-Islamic era, his knowledge of genealogy and the history of the early Arab tribes was so profound and detailed that ‘Aa’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, stated that: “The Messenger of Allah  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) said:“Abu Bakr is the most knowledgeable person of Quraysh with regards to its lineage.”"[Al-Bukhari]

He was well loved by people and held in high esteem. People would acknowledge and recognise his tremendous virtue and sublime manners; the head of his tribe once said to him: “You make this tribe a praised one (by being a member of it); you help the needy, support the afflicted and do all other types of virtuous deeds.”

He resembled the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) in many of his characteristics, such as his never consuming intoxicants in the pre-Islamic era and making it forbidden for himself; nor did he ever prostrate to any idol. He, may Allah be pleased with him, explained why this was so, saying: “When I reached the age of discernment, Abu Quhaafah (i.e., his father ‘Uthmaan) took me by my hand and we headed to a place of worship that was filled with idols. He told me that these were my gods and the gods of my fathers and forefathers, and that I should therefore worship them. He then left me there, alone. I got close to one of the idols and said: `I am hungry, so please feed me. I am bare, so please provide me with clothing.' However, the idol did not budge. I therefore picked up a rock, threw it at the idol, and knocked it to the ground.” [End of quote]

Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, reported that the Messenger of Allah  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) said:"The best of people in the Pre-Islamic Period of Ignorance are the best in Islam, provided they comprehend religious knowledge." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

When the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) invited him to embrace Islam, he, may Allah be pleased with him, did not hesitate or delay - unlike everyone else; he immediately believed and accepted Islam, and began calling others to it. Many great Companions entered Islam through his efforts, such as ‘Uthmaan bin ‘Affaan, Az-Zubayr bin Al-‘Awwaam, ‘Abdur-Rahmaan bin ‘Awf, Sa’d bin Abi Waqqaas, Talhah bin ‘Ubaydullaah, Abu ‘Ubaydah bin Al-Jarraah,and many others, may Allah be pleased with them.

Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, had a servant who would bring him his earnings which he, may Allah be pleased with him, would eat from. One day, he brought him something and when Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, had eaten some of it, the servant asked him if he knew where he had obtained the food. Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, replied that he did not, and asked him where he got it from. The servant replied:“I acted as a soothsayer for a man in the pre-Islamic period, and not being good at it, I deceived him. Today, he met me and he recompensed me for that soothsaying, and that is what you have just eaten.” Upon hearing this, Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, immediately put his fingers down his throat and vomited up all that he had eaten. He then said: “I swear by Allah! If it would have not come out except with my life, then I would still have done it (i.e., made himself vomit), because I heard the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) saying: “Hell is more deserving of every (piece of) flesh that is cultivated from ill-gotten provision.”[Al-Bukhari] 

He, may Allah be pleased with him, endured much harm during his propagation and spreading of Islam, an example of which is when a man from the polytheists had pledged to protect him and therefore secured his return to his house after the Quraysh had threatened him; the man stopped them from assaulting him, informing them that he was under his protection, so they left him alone. After this, Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, returned to his house and built a mosque in his front yard, in which he would recite the Qur’aan. This enraged the Quraysh because his recitation caused their women and children to gather outside his house in order to listen, and they feared that these women and children would be influenced by the recitation. Due to this, the Quraysh went to the man under whose protection Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, was and urged him to end his pledge of protection. The man went to him and reminded him of the pledge he had given for his protection; he then gave him the choice to either stop reciting the Qur’aan or to free him from the pledge of protection. Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, chose to end the pledge and told the man: “I will be content with the protection of Allah.”

The reason the Quraysh were enraged is that he, may Allah be pleased with him, was a very tender-hearted person and would easily cry whenever he recited the Qur’aan. His recitation was a means of calling people to Islam.

Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, was the one who rescued the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) when the Quraysh attacked him, beat him and attempted to strangle him. He, may Allah be pleased with him, rushed and freed the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), saying to them: “Will you kill a man simply because he says: 'My Lord is Allah'?” They therefore left the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) and turned on him, beating him so severely that his face was covered in blood. The only thing that saved him, after Allah, was his tribesmen hearing what was taking place and rushing to his rescue. They carried him to his house thinking, due to his appearance, that he had died.

He was for the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) his personal consultant and entrusted advisor who assisted him in his mission in Makkah. The best ever news for him, may Allah be pleased with him, was when he heard that the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) had selected him as his companion for his Hijrah, or migration. Upon hearing this news, he cried for joy, which made his daughter ‘Aa’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, who was very young at the time, remark: “I never thought I would see someone cry due to happiness.”

He, may Allah be pleased with him, was one of 'The Two' (i.e. him and the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention )), who hid from their pursuers in a cave during their Hijrah. It was in this cave that the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) said to him: “Do not grieve; indeed Allah is with us.” His fear and grief were not for his own life, but rather for that of the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), lest the disbelievers would find them both and harm the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ). He, may Allah be pleased with him, was a very brave man and did not fear his enemies in the least.

Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated this story himself, saying: “I said to the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) when we were in the cave: ‘O Messenger of Allah! If any of them (i.e., the pursuing disbelievers) were to look down at their feet, they would see us.’ The Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) replied reassuringly: “What do you think about two companions of whom Allah is the third (i.e. in terms of assistance)?” This was a statement to remind and reassure him, may Allah be pleased with him, that Allah was their supporter and protector.

He, may Allah be pleased with him, utilised his wealth, family and life for the service of Islam. He left his family, took just enough money, and went on this momentous journey, the outcome of which was unknown and fraught with danger. This bravery must certainly be recorded as one of his great merits.

He, may Allah be pleased with him, was on guard throughout this journey; he would walk behind the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) at times, in front of him at other times, to his left at other times, and to his right at others; he did this to ensure that nobody would surprise them with an attack. When they reached a location where a shepherd was, he, may Allah be pleased with him, asked the shepherd for milk and asserted that the udder be washed prior to milking the sheep in order to ensure that it would be clean for the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ).

During the battle of Badr, he, may Allah be pleased with him, was guarding the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) bravely lest the polytheists of the Quraysh would cause him any harm. He, may Allah be pleased with him, had his sword unsheathed and would strike anyone who attempted to come near the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ).

‘Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, once asked the people who were around him: “I ask you by Allah! Who is better, Abu Bakr or the believer from the people of Pharaoh?” The people were silent. He, may Allah be pleased with him, said: “Answer me!" The people remained silent, so he, may Allah be pleased with him, said: "I swear by Allah! One hour of Abu Bakr is better than the entire life of that believer from the people of Pharaoh because that man concealed his faith whilst Abu Bakr openly proclaimed his belief from the very outset.”

He, may Allah be pleased with him, was always at the very forefront in performing virtuous acts. Once, the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) asked his companions, may Allah be pleased with them: “Who is fasting this morning?”Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, replied: “I am, O prophet of Allah.” Then he  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) asked: “Who followed a funeral procession today?” Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, replied: “I did, O prophet of Allah.” He  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) then asked: “Who fed a hungry person today?” Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, replied: “I did, O prophet of Allah.” He  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) then asked: “Who visited a sick person this morning?” Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, replied: “I did, O prophet of Allah.” Thereupon, he  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) said: “It is never that these acts are done in a single day by a person except that he will therefore be admitted into Paradise.”

Had it not been that the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) asked these questions, he, may Allah be pleased with him, would surely not have informed anyone about the good deeds that he performed on that day, but since the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) asked, there was no choice but to reply.

He, may Allah be pleased with him, was always the forerunner in performing good deeds, and nobody could compete with him in this regard. ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, had always wished to precede Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, in any good deed, even if it would be just the once; the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) once requested the people to spend in charity, so ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, said to himself: “Today is my chance to be victorious.” He, may Allah be pleased with him, brought half of his wealth and placed it in front of the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), who asked: “O ‘Umar! What is this?” ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, responded: “This is half of my wealth.” The Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) asked: “What did you keep for your family?”‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, replied: “The other half.” Shortly afterwards, Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, came and placed some money in front of the Prophet   sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), who asked him: “O Abu Bakr! What is this?”Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, responded: “This is all my wealth.” The Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) asked: “What did you keep for your family?” Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, replied: “I kept for them Allah and His Messenger.” ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, remarked about this feat: “I realised on that day that I could never be victorious against him.” [At-Tirmithi]

His high ambition in performing acts of virtue and his striving for Paradise were unmatchable. Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, reported that the Messenger of Allah  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) said: “He who spends a pair (of anything) in the way of Allah will be called from the gates of Paradise: `O slave of Allah! This gate is better for you.' One who is constant in prayer will be called from the Gate of Prayer; and whoever is eager in fighting in the Cause of Allah will be called from the Gate of Jihaad; and whoever is regular in observing fasting will be called from the Rayyaan Gate. Furthermore, the one who is generous in charity will be called from the Gate of Charity.”Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, said: “O Messenger of Allah! May my mother and father be sacrificed for you! Those who are called from these gates will stand in need of nothing. Will anybody be called from all of these gates?” He  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) replied: “Yes, and I hope that you will be one of them.”[Al-Bukhari & Muslim]

Abu Hurayrah may Allah be pleased with him, said: “It was never that we (i.e. the Companions) competed in any act of virtue except that Abu Bakr came first.” [Ahmad]

An example of his remarkable humility was when he was seeing off the army that was heading to Levant (i.e. Shaam); he, may Allah be pleased with him, was walking while Zayd, may Allah be pleased with him,who was the commander of the army, was riding on his horse. Zayd, may Allah be pleased with him, said: “O leader of the believers! Either you ride or I step down.” Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, said: “Neither will you come down, nor will I ride, I am seeking the reward of these steps (in the Path of Allah).”

Even the disbelievers recognised his rank amongst the Muslims, and this is why during the battle of Uhud, when the false news spread that the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) had been killed, Abu Sufyaan, may Allah be pleased with him, who was a disbeliever at the time asked: “Is Muhammad still alive amongst you?” The Muslims did not respond because the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) had commanded them not to. Hearing no answer, Abu Sufyaan, may Allah be pleased with him, then asked thrice:  “Is Abu Bakr still alive amongst you?"

Muhammad bin ‘Ali bin Abi Taalib may Allah be pleased with him, once asked his father: “Who was the best person after the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention )?” He, may Allah be pleased with him, said: “Abu Bakr.” Then he asked: “Then who?” He, may Allah be pleased with him, said: “`Umar.” Muhammad, may Allah be pleased with him, commented: “I was afraid he would say `Uthmaan next, so I said: 'then you?'” ‘Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, said: “I am but a common person from the Muslim nation.” [Al-Bukhari]

It was he who was referred to by the saying of Allah which means: “But the righteous one will avoid it [i.e., Hell]. [He] who gives [from] his wealth to purify himself. And not [giving] for anyone who has [done him] a favour to be rewarded. But only seeking the countenance of his Lord, Most High. And he is going to be satisfied.” [Al-Layl: 17-21]

He, may Allah be pleased with him, was the best of those mentioned in the saying of Allah which means: “And the first forerunners [in the faith] among the Muhaajireen [i.e., the emigrants from Makkah] and the Ansaar [i.e., the residents of Madeenah] and those who followed them with good conduct – Allah is pleased with them and they are pleased with Him, and He has prepared for them gardens beneath which rivers flow, wherein they will abide forever. That is the great attainment.” [At-Tawbah: 100]

The Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) testified to him that he was free of arrogance. Ibn `Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, reported that the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) said: “Whoever allows his lower garment to drag out of vanity will find that Allah will not look at him on the Day of Resurrection.”Upon hearing this, Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, said: “O Messenger of Allah! My lower garment keeps sliding down, though I am always careful and pull it up and wrap it (around me).” The Messenger of Allah  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) said: “You are not of those who do it out of vanity.”[Al-Bukhari]

‘Amr bin Al-‘Aas may Allah be pleased with him, asked the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ): “O Messenger of Allah! Who is the most beloved person to you?” The Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) said: “`Aa’ishah.”He then asked: “And from the men?” He  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) replied: “Her father.”[Muslim]

The First Group Nurtured by the Prophet

The first group that was nurtured by the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), had important characteristics that enabled it to proceed at a steady pace towards the formation of the Muslim personality that establishes an Islamic state and produces an ideal civilization. Among the most prominent characteristics are:

1- Full compliance with revelation and not putting themselves forward before it

Complete and sound understanding of beliefs, laws and manners could only be achieved through revelation - the Quran and the Sunnah of the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ). Adhering to the Sharee‘ah is proof of the methodology of the ones upon whom Allah has bestowed the favor of sound faith. Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {And among those We created is a community which guides by truth and thereby establishes justice.} [Quran 7:181]

The Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, were the finest when it came to benefiting from evidences and revelation and submitting to them. This was because of many reasons, such as:

§ The uprightness of their hearts and their freedom from any inclination or desire that would contradict Islamic texts, as well as their complete readiness to accept what the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ), said and submit fully without hesitation, discomfort or abstention.

§ Witnessing the legislation and the revelation in addition to accompanying the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ). Thus, they were the most knowledgeable people about the circumstances of the revealed texts. Knowing the circumstances of an incident or a text is one of the most important reasons for understanding it.

§ The texts, either the Quran or Sunnah, were mostly connected to reasons that pertained to them, either individually or collectively. Thus, these texts were addressing them directly and affected them greatly as they dealt with real incidents and occurred immediately after the incidents when the souls were still affected and ready to receive the order and respond to it. According to Ibn ‘Abbaas, may Allah be pleased with him, whenever they heard someone saying, “The Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) said…”, they would direct their eyes towards him and pay great attention to what he said.

2- Being deeply and emotionally affected by the revelation and faith:

The Companions never dealt with sound knowledge as abstract practical facts that are only dealt with by the mind, without being connected to the heart and body. Rather, their knowledge of Allah, His Attributes, Names and Actions, brought about the love of Allah in them, the desire to meet Him and the joy of looking at His Honored Face in Paradise. This also granted them the ability to glorify Allah The Almighty, fear Him, be aware of His punishment and revenge, and hope for what He has and for His Paradise and satisfaction. They were thinking well of Allah The Almighty so, they knew Him and believed in Him. These poignant meanings are the great purpose of gaining knowledge and if they are lost, no knowledge would be useful and would rather become harmful sooner or later.

The Companions were warriors in the morning and worshippers at night. Their knowledge, faith and submissiveness did not prevent them from managing their worldly affairs such as buying, selling, farming, marrying, carrying out their responsibilities towards their families and children, and anything else they needed.