First Khalifa of Islam

Hadrat Abu Bakr, as-Siddiq, (R.A.) was born in 573 A.D. at Mecca. Thus he was two years younger than the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu ‘alaihi wa Sallam). He belonged to a respectable and noble family, the Bani Tamim, a branch of Quraish Tribe. H is lineage joins with that of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu ‘alaihi wa Sallam) six generations before. His name was Abdullah. Abu Bakr was his patronymic name (or Kuniyah) which became so famous that most of the people did not know his real name. After his conversion to Islam he received the title of “As-Siddiq” (The Truthful). His father’s name was ‘Uthman who was known by his patronymic name, Abu Qahafah. His mother’s name was Salma but she was also known by her patronymic name, Ummul Khair.

Abu Bakr was always a very close Companion of the Holy Prophet, he knew him better than any other man. He knew how honest and upright the Prophet was. Such knowledge of the Prophet made Abu Bakr be the first man to follow the Message of Prophet Muhammad sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. He was indeed the first adult male to accept Islâm.

The Holy Prophet told Abu Bakr what had happened at Mount Hira’, he told him that Allâh subhanahu wa ta’ala has revealed to him and made him His Messenger. When Abu Bakr heard this from the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, he did not stop to think, he at once became a Muslim. He submitted to Islâm with such determination that once the Holy Prophet himself remarked, “I called people to Islâm, everybody thought over it, at least for a while, but this was not the case with Abu Bakr, the moment I put Islâm before him, he accepted it without any hesitation”. He was titled As-Siddiq by the Prophet because his faith was too strong to be shaken by anything.

In fact, Abu Bakr was more than a great believer, as soon as he became a Muslim, he immediately began to preach Islâm to others. Among those who accepted Abu Bakr’s invitation to Islâm were; Uthman, Zubair, Talha, Abdul Rahman bin Auf, Saadi bin Waqqas and others who later became the pillars of Islâm.

Abu Bakr’s love of the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam was so great that he was willing to sacrifice his life for the sake of protecting and comforting the Prophet saw. Such love and sacrifice were demonstrated when one day the Holy Prophet was saying his prayers in the Ka’ba, while some of the chiefs of Mecca were sitting in the court yard of the Ka’ba. Seeing the Prophet praying, ‘Uqbah bin Abi Mu’eet took a long piece of cloths and put it around the Prophet’s neck and twisted it hard in an attempt to strangle the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam to death. At that moment Abu Bakr happened to pass by from a distance, he saw ‘Uqbah trying to strangle the Prophet to death. Immediately Abu Bakr ran to the help of the Prophet, he pushed ‘Uqbah aside and took the cloth from aroundthe Prophet’s neck. Thereupon the enemiesof Islâm came down upon Abu Bakr and beat him unnerafully, although Abu Bakr with faith like a rock did not care for his own suffering, he was glad that he was able to save the Prophet of Allâh, even at the risk of his own life.

Abu Bakr with the wealth he had, also had a major role in freeing some of the Muslim slaves, who were barbarically tortured by their heartless Mushrik masters to give up the Faith and return to their masters’ beliefs. The heartless monsters tried all kinds of torture: they made them lie all naked on the burning desert sand, putting big stones on their chest, as well as other kinds of torture. Here Abu Bakr’s wealth came to the rescue, as he bought the poor helpless slaves from their inhuman masters and set them free, Bilal Al-Habashi, the slave of Umayya bin Khalaf, was among those who were set free by Abu Bakr. Bilal became afterwards the Mu’azzin at the Prophet’s mosque.

After an illness of two weeks, Abu Bakr passed away on Died:Aug. 23, 634. He was sixty-three at the time. He was buried by the side of the Holy Prophet.
Before his death he said, “Do not use new cloth to cover my dead body. The sheet of cloth I have on will do for me. Wash it clean.”  “But this is too old and worn, father,” said his daughter Aisha.  “This old and worn sheet will do for me,” he replied.

“When the disbelievers drove him (Rasulallah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,) out; he had no more than one companion. They were two 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”.
– The Holy Quran 9:40

Tags: First Khalifa of Islam, Hadrat Abu Bakr

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