3)Standing guard for the Prophet in his command centre
Once the rows of the Muslim army were lined up at Badr, the Prophet returned to his command post, a makeshift structure which was located on a hill that overlooked the battleground. Accompanying the Prophet was Abu Bakr, as well as a number of young men from the Ansaar; under the authority of Sa’ad ibn Mu’aadh, those brave young men stood guard outside of the Prophet’s command post.
(Seerah ibn Hishaam, 2/233).
Years later, ‘Ali (radiyAllaahu anh) recalled Abu Bakr’s exceptional level of bravery on that day. In a sermon he delivered during his caliphate, ‘Ali ibn Abee Taalib said:
“O people, who is the bravest of all people?”
Those that were present answered,
“You are, O Leader of the Believers.”
‘Ali said,
“Lo, I never entered into a duel with another man except that I came out victorious over him. And yet the bravest of all people was none other than Abu Bakr. We once built a command centre for the Messenger of Allah, and we said,
‘Who will stay with the Messenger of Allah, so as to prevent one of the polytheists from attacking him?’
By Allah, not a single one of us approached (to volunteer for the job) except for Abu Bakr, who, with his sword unsheathed, stood over the head of the Messenger of Allah. Abu Bakr then fought against anyone who tried to attack the Messenger of Allah, and so, yes, he was the bravest of all people.
4)Abu Bakr is given glad tidings of victory
While in his command post, the Prophet turned with his heart to Allah (Subhaanahu wa ta’aala), supplicating to Him and invoking Him to deliver the help that He had promised. The Prophet said in his supplication,
“O Allah, carry out for me that which You have promised me. O Allah, bring forth that which You have promised me. O Allah if you destroy this group from the people of Islam, you will not be worshipped on earth.”
The Prophet continued to invoke his Lord, facing the Qiblah, and with his hands extended, until his robe fell down from his shoulders. Abu Bakr went to him, took his robe and placed it back on his shoulders; he then embraced the Prophet from behind and said,
“O Prophet of Allah, you have sufficiently invoked your Lord (regarding this matter), for He will be indeed carry out for you that which He has promised you.”
(Muslim, the Book of as-Siyar, Hadeeth number, 1763).
Allah then revealed the verse:
“(Remember) when you sought help of your Lord and He answered you.”
According to the narration of Bukhaaree, the Prophet was invoking Allah for help, when Abu Bakr took him by the hand and said,
“That is sufficient for you.”
The Prophet then went out saying:
“Their multitude will be put to flight, and they will show their backs.”
(Qur’aan, 54: 45).
It is related that, while he was in his command post, the Prophet momentarily passed out when he regained consciousness, he said,
“Rejoice, O Abu Bakr, for Allah’s help has come to you. Here is Jibreel, taking of the reins of his horse. He is riding it (so fast) that its front tooth is covered in dust.”
The Messenger of Allah then went out and roused the Muslims to fight bravely and patiently on the battlefield.
(As-Seerah an-Nabawiyyah by Ibn Hishaam, 2/457 and Taareekh ad-Da’wah, pg. 125).
All of the members of the Muslim army were lined up in rows on the battlefield; meanwhile, only Abu Bakr was with the Prophet. In the nerve-racking moments that precede a battle the leader of an army reveals his true character to those that are with him. What the Prophet :saw; revealed to Abu Bakr just prior to the Battle of Badr was his sincerity and complete trust in Allah. He did all that was humanly possible to ensure a positive outcome to the battle, but he did not forget that victory is ultimately in the hands of Allah, Who grants it to whomsoever He pleases. Abu Bakr watched closely as the Prophet supplicated to Allah with all of his heart and soul, to the point that Abu Bakr felt compassion towards and love for his Prophet and leader, pleaded with him to stop, reassuring him that his supplications were surely going to be answered on that day.
To be sure, the memory of the Prophet supplicating in his command post remained firmly ingrained in the memory of Abu Bakr for the rest of his life. What he observed on that occasion certainly taught him important lessons about sincerity and At-Tawakkul (placing one’s complete trust on Allah), lessons that he kept with him for the rest of his life and that helped him through difficult moments when he found himself to be the leader of, and thus responsible for, the entire Muslim nation.
When the fighting began in earnest, the Messenger of Allah left his command post and descended to the battlefield. Rousing his troops to fight bravely, the Messenger of Allah proceeded to set an example for them by entering into the thick of the battle. He fought intensely on that day, and throughout the duration of the battle, Abu Bakr remained close by his side, eager to fight any polytheist that appeared before him, even if that meant fighting against his own son. For on that day, his son ‘Abdur-Rahmaan was fighting alongside the polytheists. Happily for ‘Abdur-Rahmaan, however, his father did not see him that day on the battlefield. Later on, when he embraced Islam, ‘Abdur-Rahmaan said to his,
“You appeared before me as a clear target on the Day of Badr. But I veered away from you, opting not to kill you.”
Abu Bakr replied
“But had you appeared before me as a clear target, I would not have veered away from you.”
(Taareekh al-Khulafaa, by as-Suyootee, pg. 94).
5)The Prisoners of Badr
Ibn ‘Abbaas (radiyAllaahu anh) said,
“When the prisoners were taken (at Badr), the Messenger of Allah asked Abu Bakr and Umar,
‘What do you think should be done regarding these prisoners?’
Abu Bakr said,
‘O Prophet of Allah, they are (our) cousins and fellow clansmen. I think that we should take ransom money from them; that way, we will (with the money we gain) become strong vis-a-vis the disbelievers. And perhaps Allah will guide them to Islam.’
The Messenger of Allah said,
‘O son of al-Khattaab, what is your view (regarding this matter)?’
Umar replied,
‘By Allah, no, O Messenger of Allah: I do not agree with Abu Bakr. Instead, I feel that you should give us authority over them, so that we can strike them in their necks (with our swords, with each one of us being responsible for the execution of his disbelieving relative). Thus allow ‘Ali to strike the neck of ‘Aqeel, and allow me to strike neck of so-and-so (from my clan). For these are the chiefs and leaders of disbelief.’”
‘Umar later recounted what happened next:
“The Messenger of Allah was inclined to follow not my opinion, but the opinion of Abu Bakr. On the following day, I came across the Messenger of Allah and Abu Bakr, both of whom were sitting down and crying.
I said,
‘O Messenger of Allah, tell me why you and your companion are crying. And if I am able to cry, I too will cry (alongside you); otherwise, I will feign to cry as a show of solidarity to you because of the way both of you are crying.’
The Messenger of Allah said:
“I am crying because of what your companions proposed to me, in terms of accepting ransom money (from the prisoners). Indeed, I was shown their punishment, which is closer (to them) that is this tree (to me (he was pointing to a tree that was very close to where he was sitting)).”
Allah, the Possessor of Might and Majesty, then revealed:
“It is not for a Prophet that he should have prisoners of war (and free them with ransom)...So enjoy what you have gotten of booty in war...”
“And Allah made lawful for them the spoils of war.”
(Muslim, the Book of Jihaad and as-Siyyar, 1763).
According to another narration, ‘Abdullah ibn Mas’ood said,
“The Messenger of Allah said on the Day of Badr, ‘What do you all have to say about these prisoners?’
Abu Bakr said,
‘O Messenger of Allah, they are your people and your relatives. Keep them alive, and deal patiently with them, for perhaps Allah will (guide them to the truth and) accept their repentance.’
‘Umar said,
‘O Messenger of Allah, they forced you to leave (your homeland), and they disbelieved (in you). Bring them closer so that I can strike their necks.’
‘Abdullah ibn Rawaahah said,
‘O Messenger of Allah, find a valley that is replete with firewood. Then make them enter it and set fire to them.’
Al-Abbaas (who was one of the prisoners) shot back, ‘(by saying that) you have broken family ties.’
The Messenger of Allah entered (his home or tent), without having said anything in response (to their suggestions).
Some people said,
‘He will take the opinion of Abu Bakr.’
Others said,
‘He will take the opinion ‘Umar.’
- and yet others said,
‘He will take the opinion of ‘Abdullah ibn Rawaahah.’
The Messenger of Allah then went out to them and said,
‘Verily, Allah softens the hearts of certain men until those hearts become softer than milk. And verily, Allah hardens the hearts of certain men until those hearts become harder than stones. Indeed, your example, O Abu Bakr is the example of ‘Eesa (aalayhis-salaam), when he said,
“If You punish them, they are Your slaves, and if You forgive them, verily You, only You are the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.”
(Qur’aan, 5: 118)
And your example, O ‘Umar is the example of Noah (aalayhis-salaam) when he said:
“And Nooh (Noah) said: “My Lord! Leave not one of the disbelievers on the earth!”
(Qur’aan, 71: 26)
And your example is (also) like the example of Moosa (aalayhis-salaam) when he said:
“And Moosa (Moses) said: “Our Lord! You have indeed bestowed on Fir’awn (Pharaoh) and his chiefs splendour and wealth in the life of this word, our Lord! That they may lead men astray from Your Path. Our Lord! Destroy their wealth, and harden their hearts, so that they will not believe until they see the painful torment.”
(Qur’aan, 10: 88)
(Musnad Ahmad, 1/373 and Tafseer ibn Katheer, 1/325)
Thus we see that, when the Messenger of Allah would consult his Companions, Abu Bakr would be the first to speak. And if anyone else offered another opinion, the Prophet would follow not that person’s opinion but the opinion of his most trusted advisor, Abu Bakr (radiyAllaahu anh).
On the Day of Uhud, the Prophet's Companions learned an important lesson the hard way: After some of them disobeyed the Prophet's command, their situation on the battlefield took a turn for the worse. Previously having a clear upper hand over the polytheists, they now were surrounded by the enemy and were on the verge of utter defeat. Each one of them was fleeing to save himself, and the Prophet was left virtually all by himself, vulnerable to enemy attacks. But then a number of Companions fought their way towards the Prophet, in order to protect him and steer him towards safety. It should come as no surprise that the first Companion to reach the Prophet was Abu Bakr who was then joined by Abu 'Ubaidah ibn Al-Jarraah, 'Ali, Talhah, Az-Zubair, 'Umar ibn Al-Khattaab Al-Haarith ibn As-Summah, Abu Dujaanah, Sa'ad ibn Abee Waqqaas and others - may Allah be pleased with them all. These brave men led the Messenger of Allah towards one of the mountain passes of Mount Uhud, hoping that others would join them there so that they could regroup their forces and regain their strength and confidence.
Upon reaching the Prophet, Abu Bakr saw that the Prophet’s skin was cut open on his face and that his front tooth was broken; furthermore, two of his helmet's rings penetrated his skin and were lodged in his face. Abu Bakr was quickly joined by Abu 'Ubaidah, and the Messenger of Allah, said to them both, "Go to your companion."
He was referring to Talhah, who had suffered a great many wounds as he attempted to protect the Prophet . Being more concerned for the welfare of the Prophet, Abu Bakr stayed where he was and made a move to dislodge the rings from the Prophet's face; but Abu Ubaidah insisted that he should be the one who dislodged the rings, and Abu Bakr yielded to his request. Not wanting to hurt the Prophet further, Abu 'Ubaidah decided to use not his hands but his mouth to remove the rings, and in the process of removing the rings, he lost one of his own front teeth. Alter having tended to the immediate needs of the Prophet, Abu Bakr and Abu 'Ubaidah executed the Prophet's command, going out to look for Talhah. They soon found him lying down in a ditch. They saw that he had been afflicted with more than seventy wounds, some of which were caused by arrows; others, by spears; and yet others, by swords.
On the Day of Uhud, it was perhaps Abu Sufyaan's attitude more so than anything else that confirmed the high-ranking of Abu Bakr As-Siddeeq. With an air of triumph, Abu Sufyaan looked in the direction of the mountain pass wherein the Muslims were regrouping and said,
"Is Muhammad among you?"
He repeated this question three times but received no reply because the Prophet, having clearly heard his question, forbade his Companions from answering. Abu Sufyaan then called out,
"Is (Abu Bakr) ibn Abee Quhaafah among you?"
He repeated this question three times, and then asked three times as well, "Is (‘Umar) ibn Al-Khattaab among you?"
Abu Suyfaan then turned towards his companions and said,
"As for these three, they were killed.”
(Al-Fath, 6/188, 7/405)
If not anything else, Abu Sufyaan was a shrewd and intelligent leader; and with his questions, he showed that he clearly understood that the pillars and most important members of the Muslim community in Al-Madeenah were the Messenger of Allah , Abu Bakr, and 'Umar.
The polytheists departed from the battleground of Uhud and made their way back to Makkah. Fearing that they were not heading back to Makkah but perhaps that they were regrouping in order to completely destroy all Muslims in Al-Madeenah, the Messenger of Allah ordered the Muslims, in spite of their injuries, to give chase to the army of the Quraish. Both psychologically and physically the Muslims were spent, and yet they answered the Prophet's call to arms and found the energy they needed to pursue their enemies. Allah (Subhaanahu wa ta’aala) said:
"Those who answered (the Call of) Allah and the Messenger (Muhammad ) after being wounded ; for those of them who did good deeds and feared Allah, there is a great reward."
(Qur'an 3: 172)
Years after the Battle of Uhud had taken place, 'Aaishah discussed this verse with 'Urwah ibn Az-Zubair. She said to him,
"O son of my sister, your two fathers, Az-Zubair and Abu Bakr, were among them. When the Messenger of Allah was afflicted with the hardship he was afflicted with on the Day of Uhud, and after the polytheists departed (from the battlefield), he feared that they would return. And so he said, 'Who will go (with me) in order to give chase to them?'
Seventy Companions volunteered for the mission, and among them were Abu Bakr and Az-Zubair."
In Dhil-Qai’dah, of the year 6H, the Prophet set out with 1400 of his Companions, intending to perform the rites of ‘Umrah and to visit the Inviolable House of Allah. Taking along sacrificial animals, the Prophet and his Companions attired themselves in the clothing of pilgrims, sending a clear signal to the Quraish that their intention was not to fight, but instead to perform ‘Umrah and to honour Allah’s Inviolable House in Makkah. The Prophet ordered a man from the Khuzaa’ah tribe to go out as a scout and to find out if the road ahead of them was safe. The Khuzaa’ee scout soon returned with some unwelcome news: The Quraish were mobilizing an army to go out and intercept the Muslims and prevent them from entering Makkah.
Faced with this grim news, the Prophet consulted his Companions saying to them,
"Advise me, O people."
Abu Bakr then imparted wise counsel, saying,
"O Messenger of Allah, you have come with the intention of visiting this House (i.e., the Ka'bah), and it is neither war nor the killing of anyone that you desire. So head in the direction of this House (i.e., deviate your course away from Quraish's army, making it clear that you do not want to fight). And if anyone then tries to prevent us (from entering Makkah), we will fight him."
Agreeing with the clear wisdom of Abu Bakr's counsel, the Prophet then said to his Companions,
"Proceed upon the name of Allah."
The leaders of the Quraish were furious, and they swore that the Messenger of Allah would not enter Makkah by force. And yet they were faced with a very difficult situation; after all, they were considered by all Arabs as caretakers of the inviolable city Makkah, and as generous hosts to anyone who wanted to visit Makkah — and particularly to those who wanted to honour the sanctity of the Ka'bah. In short, therefore, they had no right according to the norms of Arab traditions - to prevent the Prophet and his Companions from entering Makkah especially considering the fact that they were not carrying any weapons. Nonetheless, the leaders of the Quraish were in such fit of rage that they cared not about what other Arab tribes thought about them, but only about preventing the Prophet and his Companions from performing ‘Umrah.
In the end, however, war was averted, and the leaders of the Quraish realised that their only choice was to negotiate terms with the Messenger of Allah.
Negotiations at Al-Hudaibiyyah
The negotiation process was wrought with difficulties, and a number of delegates from the Quraish went to Al-Hudaibiyyah in order negotiate terms with the Messenger of Allah. The first of those delegates was Budail ibn Warqaa, who was followed by Mikraz ibn Hafs, who was then followed by Al-Hulais ibn ‘Ilqimah. And Al-Hulais was followed by ‘Urwah ibn Mas’ood ath-Thaqafee.
When ‘Urwah went to the Muslim encampment, the Prophet repeated to him what he had previously said to Budail.
(Bukhaaree, 3/236; Hadeeth number, 2732).
‘Urwah replied,
“O Muhammad , suppose you eradicate the affair (the religion, the lives) of your people, have you ever heard of a single person before you from the Arabs who destroyed his people? And if it is the other outcome (i.e., and if the Quraish defeats you), then by Allah, I do not see faces; instead, I see a congregation of people from different tribes (i.e., your Companions) who are worthy of fleeing and of abandoning you.”
‘Urwah was suggesting that people of the same tribe stick together until the end, since their relationship towards one another is strong; but that, since the Prophet’s Companions were from different tribes, their loyalty to one another would not last long, and they would flee as soon as they saw the might of the Quraish. Little did ‘Urwah know that the bonds of faith are much stronger than the bonds that are established through tribal loyalty. Upon hearing ‘Urwah’s vile claim, Abu Bakr silenced him immediately by saying to him,
“Such on the Badhr (the piece of skin that is cut off from female genitals when a girl is circumcised) of Al-Laat (the idol that ‘Urwah worshipped). Will we flee from him and abandon him (as you claim; no, that will never happen, Insha’Allaah)?”
Here we see the permissibility of using offensive language to silence someone who is disrespecting the religion of Islam.
“Who is that?”
‘Urwah asked. The people around him said,
“That is Abu Bakr.”
Directing his voice at Abu Bakr, ‘Urwah said,
“Lo! By the One Who has my soul in His Hand, had it not been for a favour you gave to me (during the pre-Islamic days of ignorance, Abu Bakr once helped ‘Urwah pay off some kind of a debt) and which I never repaid, I would have now answered (your insult with one of my own).”
When ‘Urwah spoke earlier about the Companions fleeing, he was trying to weaken the resolve of the Muslims and cause internal discord among their ranks - and specifically between the leadership and the common ranks of Muslims. On the one hand, he alluded to the strength of the Quraish; and on the other he claimed that the Companions would flee since they were not loyal to one another or to their leader. With a strong show confidence, he tried to convince the Muslims that a confrontation with the Quraish was not in their best interests. His efforts, as soon realized, were in vain; the faith of the Companions was too strong for 'Urwah's words to have an effect on them.
The above-mentioned account proves that one may, under certain very limited circumstances, use vulgar language describe the private parts of human beings; regarding the case in question, Abu Bakr used such strong language to achieve psychological advantage over 'Urwah and to dampen his spirits, Abu Bakr took a firm stance against 'Urwah, speaking with the honour and dignity of true Faith, about which Allah has said:
"So do not become weak (against your enemy), nor be sad, and you will be superior (in victory) if you are indeed (true) believers."
(Qur'an 3: 139)
Abu Bakr’s stance vis-a-vis the Treath of al-Hudaibiyyah
Suhail ibn 'Amr was the last of Quraish's delegates to visit the Prophet at Al-Hudaibiyyah, and it was with him that a treaty was finally agreed upon. Based on the apparent implications of the treaty, the leaders of the Quraish were getting the better the Prophet and his Companions. According to the terms of the treaty, the Muslims were to leave Makkah that year without performing 'Umrah; they could, however, return the following year to perform ‘Umrah. Furthermore it was agreed that if a Muslim left Makkah in order to migrate to Al-Madeenah, it would be binding upon the Prophet to prohibit that Muslim from entering Al-Madeenah; on the other hand, if a polytheist wanted to leave Al-Madeenah and emigrate to Makkah, the leaders of the Quraish reserved the right to welcome him and to allow him to reintegrate into Makkan society. These terms certainly seemed unfair, but in the end the treaty worked at once to the benefit of the Muslims and to the detriment of Quraish’s leaders.
But because the Treaty contained certain clauses that were seemingly unjust and disadvantageous to the cause of Islam, some Muslims, at least at first, voiced their opposition to it. One such Muslim was ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab, who it is related, actually went to the Prophet to voice his objection to the Treaty.
He said to the Prophet ,
“Are you not the Messenger of Allah?” - to which the Prophet responded,
“Yes (I am the Messenger of Allah).”
Umar asked,
“And are we not Muslims?”
- to which the Prophet responded,
“Yes (you are Muslims).”
Umar asked,
“Are they not polytheists?”
The Prophet responded,
“Yes (they are polytheists).”
Umar said,
“Then why are we accepting to be humiliated in our religion?”
To end the argument and make it clear that Umar was not correct in his objections, the Prophet said,
“Verily, I am the Messenger of Allah, and I do not disobey Him.” (Min ma’een as-Seerah, pg. 333).
According to another narration, the Prophet said to Umar,
“I am the slave of Allah and His Messenger; I will not act contrary to His command, and He will not neglect me (or cause me to waste away or to be ruined).” (Taareekh at-Tabaree, 2/643).
Umar was not doubting the Prophet’s wisdom; he was simply asking for an explanation regarding something he did not understand, and what he did not understand was the wisdom behind agreeing to terms that apparently were in favour of the Quraish. ‘Umar also said,
“Did you not say to us that we would come to the House (the Ka'bah) and perform Tawaaf (circuits) around it?"
The Prophet said,
"Yes, but did I inform you that we would come to it this year?"
'Umar said
"No."
The Prophet said,
"Indeed, you will come to it perform Tawaaf around it."
`Umar had two problems with the treaty: he did not understand the wisdom behind agreeing to it, and he could not bear the thought that the Prophet and the Muslims were going to accept humiliation at the hands of the polytheists; hence his concern was genuine and for the welfare of all Muslims. 'Umar then went to Abu Bakr and said to him,
"O Abu Bakr, is he not the Messenger of Allah?"
Abu Bakr said, "Yes (he is the Messenger of Allah)."
'Umar said,
"And are we not Muslims?”
Abu Bakr responded,
"Yes (we are Muslims)."
'Umar said,
"And are they not polytheists?"
Abu Bakr said,
"Yes (they are polytheists)."
'Umar said,
"Then why are we accepting to be humiliated in our religion?"
Abu Bakr knew that 'Umar was sincere but wanted himself to be sincere to 'Umar and to give him good advice. And so he said to 'Umar, "Adhere to the Prophet's command. For I bear witness that he is indeed the Messenger of Allah and that the truth is what he commands. And he will never act contrary to Allah's command, and Allah will not neglect him (or cause him to waste away or to be ruined)."
(Bukhaaree, Musnad Imam Ahmad; and as-Seerah an-Nabawiyyah, by Ibn Hishaam, 3/346)
That Abu Bakr gave exactly the same reply that the Prophet gave to 'Umar attests to Abu Bakr's superior faith, knowledge, and understanding. While 'Umar was not able to understand the wisdom behind the treaty, Abu Bakr clearly comprehended, if not that wisdom, then at least the best and only course of action for himself, for 'Umar, and for all of the Companions, and that was to trust in Allah and to obey the command of the Messenger of Allah, who spoke from revelation and not from desire.
The Treaty of Al-Hudaibiyyah seemed unfavourable to the interests of the Prophet’s Companions, but in the end it proved to be a great victory for them and for the religion of Islam. Abu Bakr later said,
“Throughout the history of Islam, there has been no victory that has been greater than the victory (notice how he (radiyAllaahu anh) used the word ‘victory,’ and not ‘treaty’) of Al-Hudaibiyyah. Nonetheless, on the day (of the signing of that treaty), people remained short-sighted, not realising what was happening between Muhammad and his Lord. The slaves of Allah hurry matters, but Allah does not rush (matters) as they; instead, He allows for matters to reach the conclusion that He intended (for them to reach). During the farewell pilgrimage, I saw Suhail ibn ‘Amr (the same negotiator who arrived at an agreement with the Prophet at Al-Hudaibiyyah) standing beside the spot that was designated for the slaughtering of sacrificial animals, and I saw his proffering such animals to the Messenger of Allah, meanwhile, the Messenger of Allah was slaughtering those animals with his own hand. The Messenger of Allah called for the barber, who then came and shaved his head. And I then saw Suhail picking up pieces of Prophet’s hair, after which I saw him placing those stands of hair over his eye (so as to seek blessings thereby). (That was Suhail on the Day of the Farewell Pilgrimage). And then I remember how, back on the Day of Al-Hudaibiyyah, Suhail refused to write ‘In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful...’ Having remembered that, I praised Allah, Who guided Suhail to Islam.”
(Kanzul-‘Ummaal, 30136, and Khutab Abu Bakr as-Siddeeq, by Muhammad Ahmad ‘Aashoor, pg. 117).
One year after the signing of the Treaty of Al-Hudaibiyyah, the Prophet and his Companions returned to Makkah in order to make up for the ‘Umrah that they were not able to perform during the previous year. This time around, the people of the Quraish, instead of preventing the Muslims from performing ‘Umrah, left them alone and essentially vacated Makkah for three days, during which time the Muslims performed the rites of ‘Umrah. And of course, Abu Bakr was among the Muslims who performed ‘Umrah that year.
The Dhaat as-Salaasil expedition
In regard to this expedition, Raafai' ibn 'Amr at-Taaee (radiyAllaahu anh) said,
"The Messenger of Allah appointed 'Amr ibn al-Aas (radiyAllaah anh) as the leader of the Dhaat as-Salaasil army. (Dhaat as-Salaasil is the name of a place that is situated just on the other side of the Al-Qurs valley; it took one ten days to travel from Al-Madeenah to Dhaat as-Salaasil). The Prophet sent along with him Abu Bakr (radiyAllaah anh), Umar (radiyAllaah anh) and others among the most eminent of his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them all) (all of whom were to act as common soldiers under the command of 'Amr). When they reached Mount Taiy, 'Amr said,
'Find me a man who knows the way and who can act as our guide.'
His soldiers responded,
'The only man we know of who is worthy of that task is Raafai' ibn 'Amr, for he was a highway robber during the pre-Islamic days of ignorance (and is therefore surely knowledgeable regarding the road that lies ahead of us). When we completed the invasion, and when we returned to the place from whence we began our journey, I fixed my gaze upon the countenance of Abu Bakr (radiyAllaah anh), who was wearing a Fadakiyyah robe (i.e., a robe from Fadak, which was one of the villages of Khaibar). When Abu Bakr (radiyAllaah anh) mounted his riding animal, he held its two ends closed together, using a tooth-stick. And when he descended from his riding animal, he spread out his robe out again. I went to him and said,
'O possessor of a tooth-stick, among all of your companions I have singled you out. So inform me about something - something that, if I retain it in my memory, I will be like all of you. But do not be long-winded, for then I might forget what you have to tell me.'
He said,
'Bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger; establish the five prayers; if you have wealth, give Zakaat (obligatory charity) from it; perform Hajj (pilgrimage) to the House (i.e., the Ka'bah); and fast the month of Ramadan. Have you retained these matters in your memory?'
I said,
'Yes.'
He said,
'And there is something else: Never become leader over any two people.'
I said,
'And is not leadership restricted to you people, the people of the houses (i.e., of cities)?'
He said,
'The time draws near when the reins of leadership will spread, to the point that positions of leadership will reach you, as well as those who are below you (in status),... Verily, when a man is a leader (over a people), when the people wrong one another, and when he does not establish justice among them, Allah will exact vengeance upon him...'''
The Lessons and Morals of this Story
1)One appreciates from this story the importance of worship, Abu Bakr limited himself to mentioning only five matters, matters that had to be comprehensive in their scope and that had to summarise the teachings of Islam. And after mentioning the Testimony of Faith, he went on to mention prayer (which is the backbone of Islam), Zakaat, fasting and Hajj.
2)One should never aspire to become leader over a people, for on the day that one becomes a leader, one is held accountable not just for himself but for the people under his command as well. Discussing the issue of leadership, the Messenger of Allah once said to Abu Dharr al-Ghaffaaree (radiyAllaah anh),
"Verily, it is a trust, and verily, it is a disgrace, ignominy, and regret on the Day of Resurrection, except for those who take it (a position of leadership) and fulfil its obligations (i.e., the obligations and duties of leadership)."
(Saheeh Muslim, 1825)
Abu Bakr (radiyAllaah anh) understood these words very clearly, for it is related that he himself once said,
"If one becomes leader, he will be held accountable for a longer time than anyone else, and he will be punished more severely than anyone else. And if one is not a leader, he will be held least accountable among the people, and of all people he will be the least punished.”
Such was Abu Bakr’s understanding of the duties of leadership, an understanding that carried on into action when he became Khaleefah – working tirelessly both day and night to establish justice and to improve the lives of the people over whom he ruled.
3)During the Dhaat as-Salaasil expedition, Abu Bakr showed awonderful display of humility. The best of all the Prophet’s Companions, Abu Bakr could have thought that he was worthiest to become their leader. But when the Prophet appointed ‘Amr ibn Al-‘Aas to lead the Dhaat as-Salaasil expedition, Abu Bakr neither complained nor felt that the was being wrongly overlooked for the job; to the contrary, he not only obeyed the Prophet’s command, but also believed from the bottom of his heart that ‘Amr was appointed leader for a good reason. ‘Abdullah ibn Buraidah (radiyAllaahu anh) related that when the Muslim army reached their destination, ‘Amr issued a decree, forbidding his soldiers from lighting any fires. As cruel as this decree might have seemed to some – for it was a very cold night – it was necessary, since ‘Amr wanted to prevent any of his men from being seen and attacked by the enemy, and to catch the enemy unawares on the following morning.
Not approaching the reasoning behind ‘Amr’s decree, and seeing the harsh conditions that his fellow soldiers had to endure on that chilly night, ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab (radiyAllaahu anh) became furious and had the mind to disobey ‘Amr’s orders and to speak harsh words with him. But Abu Bakr prohibited him from doing anything of the like, informing him that,
“It is only because of ‘Amr’s knowledge of warfare that the Messenger of Allah has appointed him as our leader.”
Hearing these words, ‘Umar calmed down and refrained from showing any anger towards ‘Amr and from disobeying his decree.
(Al-Haakim’s al-Mustadrak. And Al-Haakim said about this hadeeth: “Its chain is authentic, despite the fact that neither Bukhaaree nor Muslim related it” And adh-Dhahabee said: “It is authentic.” Kitaab al-Maghaazee, 3/42).
His encounter with Finhaas, one of the Jewish Raabis of Al-Madeenah
One day, Abu Bakr (radiyAllaahu anh) entered what was known as a Midraas, a kind of Jewish temple that was specifically used for the recitation of the Torah. Having entered the Midraas, Abu Bakr saw a group of people gathered around a man named Finhaas, who was one of their foremost scholars; and seated beside Finhas was Ashya’, who was also a Jewish scholar, Abu Bakr approached the gathering and said to Finhaas,
“Woe upon you! Fear Allah, and embrace Islam. For by Allah, you indeed know that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah , and that he has come to you with truth from Allah. And you have that truth written down with you in the Torah and Injeel.” Finhaas said,
“By Allah, O Abu Bakr, we are not needy to Allah, but rather it is Allah Who is needy to us. We do not supplicate to Him as He supplicates to us; in fact, whereas we do not need Him, He needs us. Had He not needed us, he would not have asked to borrow our wealth (i.e., the distribution of charity to the poor) – which (i.e., the borrowing of wealth for the distribution charity) is what your companion claims. Furthermore, Allah has prohibited you from usury, whereas He has granted it to us. Had He been All-Rich, He would not have given us permission to deal in usury.”
Furious at Finhaas’s impudence, Abu Bakr struck him with a sharp blow to his face, and then said,
“By the One Who has my soul in His Hand, had it not been for the covenant that was agreed upon between us and you, I would have struck off your head, O enemy of Allah.”
Finhaas then went to the Messenger of Allah in order to complain: “O Muhammad ,”
- he said,
“look at what your companion did to me!”
The Messenger of Allah asked Abu Bakr,
“What made you do this?”
Abu Bakr replied,
“O Messenger of Allah, verily the enemy of Allah spoke awful and blasphemous words: He claimed that Allah is poor and that they are rich. When he said that, I became angry for the sake of Allah, which led me to strike him across his face.”
Finhaas, though a purported man of faith, lied, denying that he ever said such words as Abu Bakr was then ascribing to him. Allah then revealed a verse in which he at once exposed Finhaas’s lie and confirmed the truthfulness of Abu Bakr:
“Indeed, Allah heard the statement of those (the Jews) who say: “Truly, Allah is poor and we are rich!” We shall record what they have said in their killing of the Prophets unjustly, and We shall say: “Taste you the torment of the burning (Fire).”
(Qur’aan, 3: 181)
And in regard to Abu Bakr’s show of anger, Allah revealed the following verse:
You shall certainly be tried and tested in your wealth and properties and in your personal selves, and you shall certainly hear much that will grieve you from those who received the Scripture before you (Jews and Christians) and from those who ascribe partners to Allah, but if you persevere patiently, and become Al-Muttaqun (the pious) then verily, that will be a determining factor in all affairs, and that is from the great matters, [which you must hold on with all your efforts].
(Qur’aan, 3: 186)
Preserving the Secret of the Messenger of Allah
When his daughter Hafsah (radiyAllaahu anha) became a widow, ‘Umar wanted her to remarry, and so searched out for a suitable match for her. Her deceased husband’s name was Khunais ibn Hudhaafah (radiyAllaahu anh), a noble man who had had the honour of participating in the Battle of Badr. When Hafsah’s period of mourning came to an end, ‘Umar met ‘Uthman ibn ‘Affan and said to him,
“If you want, I will marry you off to Hafsah.”
Uthman responded,
“I will see,” - and when the two of them met again later on, ‘Uthman said,
“I have come to the conclusion that I do not want to get married at the present time,”
- which was a polite way of refusing ‘Umar’s proposal. ‘Umar then met with Abu Bakr and proposed to him on behalf of his daughter. Without apparent reason, and in a gesture that stung ‘Umar’s heart, Abu Bakr remained silent, giving no response whatsoever to ‘Umar’s proposal. ‘Umar later admitted, “I was more hurt by Abu Bakr’s response than I was by Uthman’s.”
‘Umar then recounted,
“After a number of nights went by, the Messenger of Allah proposed to marry her, and so I married her off to him. Afterwards, Abu Bakr met me and said,
‘Perhaps you became angry at me when I did not answer you.’ I said,
‘Yes, indeed.’
He said,
‘The only thing that stopped me from answering you was my knowledge of the Prophet having mentioned her (i.e., having mentioned his intention to marry her). And so (I remained silent because) I did not want to divulge the secret of the Messenger of Allah. (But just so that you know: ) Had he not taken her, I would have married her.’”
(Al-Fath, 9/81 and at-Tabaqaat al-Kubraa, 8/82).
Abu Bakr and the verse about Jumu’ah prayer
Jaabir ibn ‘Abdullah said,
“While the Prophet as once delivering his Friday sermon, a caravan (of goods) arrived in Al-Madeenah. The Companions of the Messenger of Allah raced towards it, until only twelve men remained with the Prophet.”
When this occurred, Allah revealed the verse:
“And when they see some merchandise or some amusement (beating of Tambur (drum) etc.) they disperse headlong to it, and leave you (Muhammad ) standing (while delivering Jumu’ah’s religious talk (Khutbah). Say “That which Allah has is better than any amusement or merchandise! And Allah is the Best of providers.”
(Qur’aan, 62: 11).
Jaabir said,
“Among the twelve who remained firm in the company of the Messenger of Allah were Abu Bakr and Umar.”
(Muslim, 863 and Al-Aihsaan fee Taqreeb Saheeh ibn Hayyaan, 15/300).
The Messenger of Allah Declares Abu Bakr to be Innocent of the vile characteristic of conceitedness
'Abdullah ibn `Umar related that the Messenger of Allah said,
"If one drags his garment (on the ground) out of conceitedness, then Allah will not look at him on the Day of Resurrection."
Upon hearing his warning, Abu Bakr said,
“Unless I continually hold it up, one of the two sides (of my garment) hangs low (i.e., so does the said warning apply to me?).”
The Messenger of Allah said,
“But you do not do that out of conceitedness.”
(Bukhaaree, 3665).
Abu Bakr’s Strict Adherence to Lawfully Derived Sustenance
One does well when one avoids that which is unlawful in Islam, in fact, is required of every Muslim. Every Muslim should also avoid that which is doubtful; some pious Muslims go even further - most such pious Muslims were from the early centuries of Islam – avoiding anything that, though lawful in itself, might lead to that which is unlawful; or anything regarding which one has the least shred of doubt. This last quality is known, in Arabic, as Wara’; and Abu Bakr, to be sure, was a paragon of Wara’.
Giving an account of a story that illustrates the Wara' of Abu Bakr, Qais ibn Haazim said,
“Abu Bakr had a servant, and whenever that servant brought any food, Abu Bakr would not eat until he first asked him about it.”
Or in other words, Abu Bakr asked whether or not the food had been lawfully derived. Then, if he was satisfied with his servant’s answer, he would eat; otherwise – if he had the least bit of doubt regarding whether the food had been lawfully procured – he would abstain from eating. Qais continued:
“One night, Abu Bakr forgot, eating the food that his servant brought to him without asking him about it. Only afterwards did Abu Bakr ask him about the food. His servant informed him about it, telling him that which he disliked (i.e., Abu Bakr had doubts regarding whether the food had been lawfully derived). Right then and there Abu Bakr inserted his hand deep into his mouth and induced vomiting. And he continued to do so until he became certain that none of the food he had eaten was still inside of him.”
(Az-Zuhd, by Imam Ahmad, 110; and at-Taareekh al-Islaamee, by Al-Humaidee, 13/19).
Abu Bakr thus surely appreciated the strong link between lawfully derived sustenance and having one's supplications answered, a link that is clearly established in the following hadeeth. The Prophet said regarding a dishevelled and dust-covered man,
"He raises his hands in the direction of the sky and says,
'O my Lord,'
- and yet his food is haram (unlawful), his drink is haram, and his clothing is haram. He is nourished by that which is haram, so how likely is it that his supplications will be answered!"
(Muslim, 2/703).
"Allow Me to Join in Your Peace, Just as You Allowed Me to Join in Your War"
One day, as he was visiting the Prophet's home, Abu Bakr heard his daughter 'Aaishah speaking in a loud voice. He hurried towards her in order to grab her, and all the while he was saying,
"Am I seeing you raise your voice while you are speaking to the Messenger of Allah!"
He was even about to strike her on her face, but the Prophet prevented him from doing so by standing in between him and 'Aaishah. Abu Bakr left in an angry state of mind, after which the Prophets aid, "Did you see how I saved you from him?”
A number of days passed by before Abu Bakr visited again, and when he did, he was happy to see that their dispute had been resolved. And so he playfully said to them,
"Allow me to join in your peace, just as you allowed me to join in your war."
The Prophet responded,
"We indeed do so.”
(Seeratus-Siddeeq, by Majdee as-Sayyid pg. 136; Sunan Abu Daawood, 4999. It should be noted, however, that Al-Albaanee, in Da’eef Sunan Abu Dawood, ruled that this hadeeth is weak).
Enjoining Good and Forbidding Evil
One the Day of ‘Eed, Abu Bakr visited ‘Aaishah; and much to his chagrin, she had in her company two young girls who were singing. Upon seeing and hearing them, he exclaimed,
“Is the flute of Shaytaan (the Devil) being played in the house of the Messenger of Allah ?”
Meanwhile, the Messenger of Allah who was home at the time, had his face turned towards the wall and away from the young girls. He said to Abu Bakr,
“Leave both of them alone, O Abu Bakr: For indeed, each nation has a holiday, and this is our holiday, (the holiday of) the people of Islam.”
(Muslim, 892).
Based on the context of this hadeeth, it is clear that singing even when practiced by young girls, was unheard of in Al-Madeenah – which is why Abu Bakr referred to their singing as the flute of Shaytaan. The Prophet allowed the girls to sing because it was the Day of ‘Eed, a day during which young children should be allowed to play and to enjoy themselves. In another narration, the Prophet gave another reason why he was allowing the two young girls to sing:
“In order for the polytheists to know that there is spaciousness (allowance to do things, to relax on occasion, etc) in our religion.”
(Al-Fataawa, 11/308 and Musnad Ahmad, 6/116, 233).
Honouring His Guests
When the Prophet arrived in Al-Madeenah, he was faced with an immediate economic crisis. Many Muslims were migrating to Al-Madeenah, and most of them were coming without any money. True, a number of them had been wealthy; but, due to the circumstances under which they left Makkah, and due to the cruelty of the Quraish, they were not able to take along with them any of their wealth. The Prophet took a few key steps to alleviate the problem: First, whenever a new Muhaajir (one who emigrated from Makkah to Al-Madeenah) arrived in Al-Madeenah, the Prophet appointed for him a host from the Ansaar (the Ansaar were the native inhabitants of Al-Madeensah). That host would then provide his Muhaajir guest with accommodations and food. But then when the number of Muhaajiroon (plural of Muhaajir) increased beyond a level that could be accommodated by the households of the Ansaar, another solution was needed. And so the Prophet started to provide newly arrived Muhaajiroon with accommodations in the back part of his Masjid; there they could at least have a roof over their heads until they properly integrated, in terms of earning money, into their new environment. Such people became known as the "people Suffah." As for their nourishment, the Prophet exhorted his Companions to host dinners for them.
'Abdur-Rahmaan ibn Abu Bakr reported that the Messenger of Allah once said,
"Whoever has enough food for two, then Iet him take a third person (from the people of Suffah) with him. And whoever has enough food for four, then let him take a fifth person with him (to his home)."
In response to this appeal, Abu Bakr invited three of the people of Suffah to dinner. Charging his wife and son, 'Abdur-Rahmaan with the task of feeding his guests Abu Bakr had dinner with the Messenger of Allah.
Later on when he returned to his home, his wife asked him,
"What kept you away from your guests?"
Abu Bakr replied with a question of his own:
"And what did you feed them?"
She said,
"They said that they would not eat until you came. Food was offered to then but they persisted in their refusal to eat."
Meanwhile, 'Abdur Rahmaan , who was overhearing this conversation, feared that his father would blame him for not feeding their guests, and so he hid himself. Abu Bakr found him and said,
"O wicked one,”
- after which he spoke even more harsh words at his son. He could not believe that his guests still had not eaten anything. He was angry not only at his son, but at himself and at his guests well. He asked them to eat, and he was so frustrated that he said,
"By Allah, I will never eat (this food)."
In response to Abu Bakr’s oath, one of the guests swore that he would not eat the food that was presented to him until Abu Bakr ate first.
At that point, Abu Bakr came back to his senses, realising that he should not have spoken so rashly. Regarding his oath, he then said,
“It was from the Devil”;
- or in other words, I was wrong to have taken such an ill-advised oath. He then proceeded to eat, as did his guests, all of whom were amazed to witness the miracle that then occurred. ‘Abdur-Rahmaan later described that miracle that then occurred,
“By Allah, whenever we took a morsel of food (from the tray or dish), a quantity of food greater than what we took appeared beneath it. In the end, everyone was full, and yet there was more food left (on the tray) than there had been to begin with.”
Abu Bakr turned in astonishment to his wife and said,
“O sister of Banu Faraas, what is this!”
She said,
“No (I do not know myself), but what I am seeing is indeed the delight of my eye! There is three times more food now than there was to begin with.”
Abu Bakr carried the remaining food towards the Prophet. The food was then distributed among twelve groups of men – it appears from the narration that each group consisted of many men – and they all ate from the blessed food.
(Muslim, 2057).
In the course of the events that took place in this story, Abu Bakr was forced – for the very first time in his life – to break his oath. ‘Aaishah said,
“Verily, Abu Bakr never broke an oath until Allah revealed the decree that there is an atonement that one can make when one breaks one’s oath.”
Abu Bakr later said,
“If I ever took an oath (to do something or to avoid doing something) and later saw that another course of action was better, I would take that better course of action was better, I would take that better course of action, and I would make atonement for my broken oath.”
(Sunan al-Baihaqee, 10/34 and Mausoo’ah Fiqh Abu Bakr, pg. 240).
Regarding the case in question, Abu Bakr took an oath not to eat the food that had been offered to his guests. After he took this oath, he realised that it would be better to honour his guests by eating with them. He proceeded to eat with them, and he later made atonement for his broken oath.
This story illustrates Abu Bakr’s generosity; we should remember, after all, that Abu Bakr was also a Muhaajir and that he too had left the bulk of his wealth back in Makkah. Therefore, he was not really in a position to feed others; and yet no sooner did the Prophet make an appeal on behalf of the people of As-Suffah than Abu Bakr invited three of them to his home. It should not come as a surprise, then, that such a wonderful miracle, occurred in his house – a miracle that confirms Abu Bakr’s lofty status, for such miracles (known as Karaamaat) are bestowed, by the permission of Allah, upon the obedient and pious slaves of Allah.
This is not the first blessing that has occurred at your hands O family of Abu Bakr
On a journey during which she accompanied the Messenger of Allah. Aaishah became the centre of everyone’s attention when, at a place called Al-Baidaa (or Dhaatal-Jaish), her necklace broke off. Not being able to find it, she informed the Messenger of Allah about it, and he started to look for it. And everyone else joined in the search. Meanwhile, another problem arose interrupted in their journey, the travel party had no water with them, and were struck in a place that was void of any water source. As a result, no one was able to perform ablution. Some of them who were deeply upset about the situation, went to Abu Bakr and said,
“Do you not see what Aaishah has done? She has forced the Messenger of Allah and everyone else along with him, to stop (here and search for her necklace); meanwhile, there is no water source here, and we do not have any water with us.”
Abu Bakr betook himself in the direction of his daughter; when he reached her, he saw that the Messenger of Allah was sleeping, with his head resting on the thigh of Aaishah. Abu Bakr said to Aaishah,
“You have held back the Messenger of Allah and everyone else at a place that is bereft of any water source; to make matters worse, we do not have any water with us.”
Abu Bakr continued to reproach her, and he even began to poke her on her waist. Aaishah later recounted,
“The only thing that prevented me from moving (at all while he was poking me) was the fact that the Messenger of Allah was sleeping with his head on my thigh (i.e., I did not want to wake him up).”
The Messenger of Allah continued to sleep until the morning, at which time he needed to perform ablution for the morning prayer – but there was no water with which he could perform ablution. That is when Allah revealed the verse of ‘At-Tayammum,’ At-Tayammum being an alternate form of purification that one may resort to – using dirt – in the absence of water.
Allah said:
“Perform Tayammum with clean earth.”
(Qur’aan, 4: 43).
The revelation of this verse was a great blessing from Allah, for it guided Muslims to an easy alternative to the standard ablution in situations wherein water is not available. Recognising this great blessing, Usaid ibn Hudair said to Abu Bakr,
“This is not the first blessing that has occurred at your hands, O family of Abu Bakr.”
Aaishah later said,
“We then sent forth the camel upon which I was seated, and when it got up, we found the necklace underneath it.”
The Prophet Defends Abu Bakr
It is established through authentic ahaadeeth that the Messenger of Allah would forbid his Companions from arguing with Abu Bakr and from harming him in any way whatsoever. According to one such hadeeth, Abu ad-Dardaa described how, one day, he was sitting with the Messenger of Allah when he saw Abu Bakr approaching in the distance. Clearly upset about some matter, Abu Bakr was holding up the sides of his garment, so that he could walk faster as he approached the Prophet. Knowing his close friend and companion so well and for such a long time, the Prophet was certain that something was wrong. As Abu Bakr drew nearer, the Prophet said to those that were with him,
As for your companion (i.e., Abu Bakr) he has just returned from a heated argument.”
Abu Bakr extended greetings of peace, after which he said,
“O Messenger of Allah, (‘Umar) ibn al-Khattaab and I disagreed about something, and I was quick to say something to him that I then immediately regretted. I asked him to forgive me, but he refused. And so that is why I have come to you.”
The Prophet then said to him three times,
“May Allah forgive you, O Abu Bakr.”
Umar soon regretted his role in the argument, and so he went to Abu Bakr’s house, hoping to make peace with him. Having been told that Abu Bakr was not home, ‘Umar knew where he could find him. Umar certain that Abu Bakr was with the Prophet was probably afraid that Abu Bakr had informed the Prophet about what had happened. And he certainly had every reason to be afraid, for he had just offended the most eminent of all of the Prophet’s Companions and the most beloved of them to the Messenger of Allah. As he approached the Prophet’s gathering, Umar could not have been unaware of the fact that the Messenger of Allah’s was dark with anger.
Looking back and forth between the Prophet and Umar, Abu Bakr felt sorry for Umar. His pity towards Umar, as well as his regret for having been the first to speak harsh words prompted him to bend down on his knees and say,
“O Messenger of Allah, by Allah, I was more in the wrong than he was,”
- after which he repeated this phrase for a second time. The Prophet then said the following not to Umar in particular but to all of his Companions:
“Verily, when Allah sent me to you, you said (to me),
‘You are lying; meanwhile, Abu Bakr said (about me), ‘He has spoken the truth. In addition to that, he comforted me (and helped me) with his self and his wealth. So, for my sake, will you not leave my companion alone?”
To add emphasis to his point, the Prophet then repeated these words for a second time. Thereafter the narration of this story affirmed, Abu Bakr was never again harmed by any of the Prophet’s Companions.
(Bukhaaree, 3661).
This story highlights a key difference between our generation and that of the Prophet’s Companions: Whereas most of us will carry on a dispute for days, months, or even years, the Prophet’s Companions, even though they did get into arguments with one another, were quick to resolve their differences. It was only a matter of seconds before Abu Bakr regretted the harsh words he used when arguing with Umar – which is why he immediately asked for forgiveness. And it was only a matter of minutes before Umar regretted his role in the dispute – which is why he went to make peace with Abu Bakr.
Say: “May Allah forgive you, O Abu Bakr.”
One day the Messenger of Allah gave Rabee’ah al-Aslamee a plot of land, and he gave an adjacent plot of land to Abu Bakr. After some time passed, Rabee’ah and Abu Bakr disagreed about a date-palm tree that was on boundary of their two respective properties.
Rabee’ah said,
“It is on my side of the property line,”
- and Abu Bakr said,
“It is on my side of the property line.”
In the heat of the argument that ensued, Abu Bakr said something negative that he quickly regretted. He then said,
“O Rabee’ah, say the same to me, and that way we will be even.”
Rabee’ah said,
“I will not do so,”
- to which Abu Bakr responded,
“Either you will say (what I ask you to say) or I will ask the Messenger of Allah to help me against you.”
Not wanting to say anything negative about Abu Bakr, Rabee’ah refused, saying,
“No, I will not do so.”
Abu Bakr declared that he was giving up his right to the disputed piece of land, after which he headed in the direction of the Prophet ; and Rabee’ah followed close behind.
Rabee’ah’s fellow clansmen from Aslam tribe soon got wind of what had happened, and so they went to Rabee’ah and said,
“May Allah have mercy on Abu Bakr! He was the one who said something inappropriate to you, so why is he asking the Messenger of Allah for help against you?”
Rabee’ah replied,
“Do you know who he is? He is Abu Bakr AS-Siddeeq, the second of two (in the cave of Thaur) and the most eminent of all Muslims. So beware: Do not let Abu Bakr see you taking my side against him, for he might become angry as a result. Then he will go to the Messenger of Allah, who will become angry because of Abu Bakr’s anger; and then Allah – the Possessor of Might and Majesty – will become angry because of their anger. And as a result of that, Rabee’ah will become destroyed.”
His fellow clansmen asked,
“So what do you command us to do?”
Rabee’ah replied,
“Go back.”
Rabee’ah then followed Abu Bakr all by himself. When the two of them reached the Prophet, Abu Bakr gave an account of what had happened. When Abu Bakr stopped talking, the Prophet raised his head towards Rabee’ah and said,
“O Rabee’ah, what has happened between you and As-Siddeeq?”
Rabee’ah gave a similar account, after which he said,
“Abu Bakr said something to me that he quickly regretted, and he then said to me,
‘Say to me what I said to you, so that we will then be even.’
But I refused to fulfil that request.”
The Messenger of Allah said,
“Yes, indeed. And do not say similar words to him, but instead say:
‘May Allah forgive you, O Abu Bakr.’”
Rabee’ah then said,
“May Allah forgive you, O Abu Bakr.”
The narrator of this story said that Abu Bakr then turned around and left, and he was crying as he walked away.
(Musnad Ahmad, 4/58, 59).
What did Abu Bakr say that made him feel so much regret? To be sure, he did not curse or utter any vile words; after all, his manners were too lofty for him to have resorted to foul language. In fact, even during the pre-Islamic days of ignorance, he never spoke in a profane manner. We can be certain, therefore, that, when he was arguing with Rabee’ah, he said something that, at the very worst, was borderline harsh. Yet even that bothered him, for he feared Allah a great deal; it bothered him so much that he asked Rabee’ah to say the same to him. When Rabee’ah refused, he went to the Prophet . And when Rabee’ah asked Allah to forgive Abu Bakr, and when the matter was thus concluded, Abu Bakr was still not satisfied and continued to feel remorse for what he did, to the point that he cried as he walked away from the Prophet and Rabee’ah. Most people quickly forget their major sins; Abu Bakr could not forgive himself for his minor ones. So preoccupied was Abu Bakr with his mistake that he forgot about his disputed property and cared only about being forgiven by Rabee’ah. Abu Bakr understood all too well that the only way in which one can undo the wrong one does to another person is to seek out his forgiveness.
This story attests to the superior faith not just of Abu Bakr but of Rabee’ah, as well. Rabee’ah refused Abu Bakr’s request only because he honoured him, respected him and abhorred the idea of speaking harsh words to him. Furthermore, he forbade his people from taking his side, knowing full well that Abu Bakr was the better person and that he deserved nothing but respect and love.
Yes, the Companions got into arguments at times, but they didn’t use profane language against one another; they didn’t harbour ill feelings towards one another; and they quickly and politely resolved their personal differences. May Allah be pleased with Abu Bakr, Rabee’ah and all of the Prophet’s Comapnions.
This life is truly short, and one’s greatest asset is one’s time. The things one can do today, one might not be able to accomplish tomorrow. These might seem like self-evident truths, but most people take time for granted, saying that they will perform better deeds tomorrow, next week, or when they grow older. But what guarantee do they have that they will be able to perform better deeds later on in their lives. Abu Bakr lived in the moment, using every second of his time to better himself as a Muslim. That he used his time well in this life, without letting a minute go by without performing a good deed, is clearly established in the following hadeeth. Abu Huaryrah reported that, one day, the Messenger of Allah said to his Comapnions,
“Who among you has woken up this morning with the intention of fasting?”
Abu Bakr said,
“Me.”
The Prophet then asked, “And who among you has accompanied a funeral procession?” Abu Bakr said,
“Me.”
The Prophet asked,
“Then who among you has fed a poor person (today)?”
Abu Bakr said,
“Me.”
The Prophet said,
“And who among you has visited a sick person today?”
Abu Bakr said,
“Me.”
The Messenger of Allah finally said,
“Whenever these (the performance of these deeds) are combined in a person, then it means that that person will enter Paradise.”
(Muslim, 1028)
How He (radiyAllaahu anh) would hold back his anger
Abu Hurairah related that a man cursed Abu Bakr in a gathering in which the Messenger of Allah was present. As the man continued to curse, the Prophet began to smile and to show an expression of happy surprise on his face. When the man had gone too far, Abu Bakr responded by repeating to the man some of what he had said to him. At that point, the Prophet became angry, stood up, and walked away. Abu Bakr caught up to him and said,
“O Messenger of Allah, when he was curing me, you remained seated. Butwhen he went too far, and when I said to him some of the things that he was saying to me, you became angry, and you stood up.”
The Prophet said,
“Verily, there was an angel with you who was answering (him) on your behalf. But when you repeated some of the things that he said, the Shaytaan (the Devil) came down, and it was not befitting for me to sit down with the Shaytaan.”
The Prophet continued,
“O Abu Bakr, I will tell you about three matters, all of which are true: If any slave (of Allah) is wronged, and if he then overlooks (and forgives) the wrong that was done to him, Allah will honour him and help him because of that. If someone opens the doors of giving (gifts and charity), seeking thereby the joining of family ties, Allah will increase for him his sustenance. And if someone opens the doors of asking (and begging for help from other people), seeking thereby an increase (in sustenance), Allah will increase him (in his suffering) by giving him less.” (Ad-Dur al-Manthoor by as-Suyootee, 2/74 and Majma’ az-Zawaaid, 8/190. This hadeeth is mursal).
Abu Bakr was both patient and forbearing, qualities he displayed when he refrained from answering the insults of the man who was cursing him. It was only when the man had gone way beyond the bounds of common decency that Abu Bakr responded, and he did so only because he hoped to silence the man. The Prophet then explained to him that it would have been better for him to have continued to remain patient, since patience and restraining one’s anger are qualities that raise one’s status with Allah.
Throughout his life, Abu Bakr was known for his gentleness, patience and affability. This does not mean, however, that Abu Bakr did not become angry at times. But when he did become angry, he did so not on account of himself, but for the sake of Allah. So for instance, if he saw someone blatantly violating the commands of Allah he would become very angry as a result. In regard to anger and his overall character, Abu Bakr understood and applied the teachings and commands of the following verses of the Noble Qur’aan:
“And march forth in the way (which leads to) forgiveness from your Lord, and for Paradise as wide as are the heavens and the earth, prepared for Al-Muttaqun (the pious).
Those who spend (in Allah’s Cause – deeds of charity, alms, etc) in prosperity and in adversity, who repress anger, and who pardon men; verily, Allah loves al-Muhsinun (the good-doers).”
(Qur’aan, 3: 133-134)
“Indeed by Allah, I do love that Allah should forgive me”
Abu Bakr was generous towards everyone, but particularly so towards his relatives. One of his relatives, Mistah ibn Uthaathah had no means of earning a living, and so Abu Bakr would routinely provide him with spending money. Their relationship changed, briefly, when the chief of al-Madeenah’s hypocrites, ‘Abdullah ibn Ubai accused ‘Aaishah of wrongdoing. The other hypocrites of al-Madeenah sided with Abdullah ibn Ubai; sadly, even some sincere Muslims gave credence to his accusation – one such Muslim being Mistah. Soon thereafter, Allah exonerated Aaishah declaring her innocence in the Noble Qur’aan. Although Aaishah’s ordeal had come to an end, Abu Bakr had ill-feelings towards Mistah – for obvious reasons, of course – and he consequently swore by Allah that he would never again provide Mistah with financial assistance. It was then that Allah revealed this verse:
“And let not those among you are blessed with graces and wealth swear not to give (any sort of help) to their kinsmen, al-Masakin (the poor), and those who left their homes for Allah’s Cause. Let them pardon and forgive. Do you not love that Allah should forgive you? And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”
(Qur’aan, 24: 22)
Upon hearing this verse for the first time, Abu Bakr said,
“Indeed by Allah, I do love that Allah should forgive me.”
He not only forgave Mistah, but continued to spend on him as he had done before. He even said,
“By Allah, I will never stop spending on him.”
(Bukhaaree, 4750)
The implications of the verse were clear to Abu Bakr: If he forgave others for their misdeeds in this life, Allah would forgive him in the Hereafter.
Doing business in Ash-Sham (Syria and Surrounding Areas)
During the lifetime of the Prophet, Abu Bakr went on a business trip to Basrah, which is from the lands of Ash-Sham (Syria and surrounding areas). He loved the Prophet a great deal, desiring nothing more than to spend time in his company, and yet his profound love did not stop him from going out on a business trip to Ash-Sham. The Prophet also loved Abu Bakr a great deal, loving his company more so than the company of any other companion, and yet he did not prevent Abu Bakr from leaving.
(Fathul-Baaree, 3/357 and al-Khilaafah ar-Raashidah wad-Daulatul-Amawiyyah pg. 163).
That they were both resigned to the necessity Abu Bakr’s journey establishes the importance of earning a living, of not having to depend on charity or help from others, and of having enough money to be able to provide help and assistance to poor and needy people.
Abu Bakr’s Sense of Decency and Modesty
Even before the legislations of Hijaab and of segregation between the sexes were revealed, Abu Bakr had a profound sense of decency and modesty, not just for himself but for his wives as well. Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-‘Aas said,
“A number of people from the Banu Haashim clan visited Asmaa bint ‘Umais, who was, at the time, married to Abu Bakr as-Siddeeq. When Abu Bakr entered and saw them, he hated the fact that they were there (with Asmaa).”
A short while later Abu Bakr informed the Prophet about what had happened, and the Prophet declared Asmaa’s innocence in the matter. The Prophet then went to his pulpit and delivered a sermon, during the course of which he said:
“After this day let no man enter upon a woman whose husband is absent, unless he has with him another or two other men.” (Ar-Riyaadh an-Nadhrah fee manaaqib al-‘Ashrah, by Abu Ja’far Ahmad at-Tabaree, pg. 237).
His Fear of Allah
When one truly and sincerely fears Allah, one will carefully avoid perpetrating sins, and one will act based on his knowledge that Allah sees him both when he is out in public and when he is alone in private. Allah ordered believers to fear Him when He said:
O Children of Israel! Remember My Favour which I bestowed upon you, and fulfil (your obligations to) My Covenant (with you) so that I fulfil (My Obligations to) your covenant (with Me), and fear none but Me.
(Qur’aan, 2: 40)
In another verse, Allah said:
So stand (ask Allah to make) you (Muhammad ) firm and straight (on the religion of Islamic Monotheism) as you are commanded and those (your companions) who turn in repentance (unto Allah) with you, and transgress not (Allah's legal limits). Verily, He is All-Seer of what you do.
(Qur’aan, 11: 112)
And Allah promised a tremendous reward for those who fear Him:
But for him who [the true believer of Islamic Monotheism who performs all the duties ordained by Allah and His Messenger Muhammad , and keeps away (abstain) from all kinds of sin and evil deeds prohibited in Islam and] fears the standing before his Lord, there will be two Gardens (i.e. in Paradise).
(Qur’aan, 55: 46)
Without a doubt, Abu Bakr feared Allah a great deal. Muhammad ibn Seereen said,
“With the exception of the Prophet , no individual was more fearful (of Allah)...than Abu Bakr.”
Qais said,
“I once saw Abu Bakr holding on to the edge of his tongue, and all the while he was saying,
“This is what has placed me in so many difficult situations.’”
(Sifatus-Safwah, 2/253)
Abu Bakr once summarised the importance of fearing Allah when he said,
“Cry, and if you are not able to cry, then at least feign to cry.”
(Az-Zuhd, by Imam Ahmad, chapter, “The Zuhd of Abu Bakr”, pg. 108).
During the pre-Islamic days of ignorance, Abu Bakr shined as a person, displaying all of the qualities of a modest, decent, honest and upright person. With the advent of Islam, he kept his previous good qualities, and added to them a score of other. And he continued to improve as a Muslim as time went on and as more and more responsibilities were heaped upon his shoulders.
If we were to dedicate an entire section to Abu Bakr’s qualities and characteristics, we would have to go on for many hundreds of pages before we treated the topic exhaustively. Correct beliefs, strong faith, deep knowledge of Islam, trust in Allah, truthfulness, bravery, modesty, generosity, a love for making sacrifices, asceticism in the true Islamic sense of the word, wonderful leadership skills, humility, forbearance, patience, determination, uprightness, a sense of justice, the ability to solve difficult problems – these are just some of Abu Bakr’s many outstanding traits. But since the scope of this work does not allow us to discuss in detail all of his qualities, we will concentrate on three of them that, I feel, truly distinguished him from all other Muslim (since he possessed them in a greater degree than did others): His unshakeable faith in Allah, the Almighty; his profoundly deep knowledge; and his dependence upon Allah, which is to say the frequency with which he supplicated to Allah for guidance and help.
His Faith in Allah
Suppose one was to ask a classroom full of Muslims, what was it that made Abu Bakr superior to all other Muslims? I would venture to guess that the students would respond with a variety of answers. Some would say that he was better than others because he was among the first few people to embrace Islam. That, however, is not necessarily true, for many Muslims embraced much before ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab, and yet Umar was, among the Prophet’s Companions, secondly only to Abu Bakr in ranking and status. Others would say that he prayed and fasted more frequently than did others, and though this might be true (and Allah knows best), other lesser Companions also prayed and fasted a great deal. We can go on and on, but the fact is that Abu Bakr was better than all other Companions because of his Faith. For as Abu Bakr ibn ‘Iyaash said,
“Abu Bakr was not better than them (i.e., than all other Muslims) because of his many prayers, or because of his fasting, but because of something that firmly took root in his heart.”
(Fadaail as-Sahaabah, by Imam Ahmad, 1/173).
It is for this reason that it has been said,
“If one was to weigh the Faith (Eemaan) of Abu Bakr against the Faith of all of the earth’s inhabitants, his would outweigh theirs.”
In a Hadeeth that is related in as-Sunan, Abu Bakrah reported that the Prophet once said to his Companions,
“Has anyone among you seen a dream?”
One of the men present said,
“Yes, I saw a dream. It was as if a scale descended from the sky, and then you and Abu Bakr were weighed (alongside one another), and you outweighed him. Next, Abu Bakr and ‘Umar were weighed (alongside one another), and Abu Bakr out-weighed him. Then Umar and Uthmaan were weighed (alongside one another), and Umar outweighed him. Then the scale was raised.”
The Prophet did not like what he heard and he explained why:
“That is the prophetic caliphate (according to the understanding of some scholars, this means that the prophetic caliphate began with the caliphate of Abu Bakr and ended with the caliphate of Umar; and that, after Umar, disagreements arose among Muslims over the issue of the caliphate). After that, Allah will give the kingdom (i.e., the reins of leadership) to whomsoever he wishes.”
(Abu Daawood, 4634 and at-Tirmidhee, 2288).
Abu Hurairah related that, one morning, after he performed the morning prayer, the Messenger of Allah approached the people and told them about “a man who was steering a cow, when he suddenly mounted it (with the intention of riding it) and struck it (in order to spur it into movement).”
The Prophet mentioned that the cow then said,
“Verily, we were not created for this. Indeed we were created only to plow (the land).”
The people in attendance exclaimed,
“How perfect Allah is indeed, is there a cow that speaks?”
The Prophet said,
“Verily, I believe in this (i.e., in the story I have related to you), as do Abu Bakr and Umar, even though both of them were not present when the incident occurred.”
He then told them about a man who was among his sheep when a wolf attacked the flock and then took away with it a single sheep. The shepherd pursued the wolf and just as he was rescuing his sheep, the wolf said,
“You have saved this one from me, but who will protect it on the day of As-Saba’ (i.e., the day on which shepherds will abandon their flocks of sheep), the day on which there will be no shepherd for it other than me?”
The Prophet’s Companions asked in astonishment,
“How perfect Allah is, and is there a wolf that speaks?”
The Prophet said,
“Verily, I believe in this (story) as do Abu Bakr and Umar, even though both of them were not present when it occurred.”
(Muslim, 2388).
It was because of Abu Bakr’s strong and unwavering Faith that the Messenger of Allah loved him so much – loved him, in fact, more than any other companion. ‘Amr ibn al-‘Aas reported that he once asked the Messenger of Allah,
“Who among people is most beloved to you?”
He said,
“Aaishah.”
Amr asked,
“And among men?”
The Prophet responded,
“Her father.”
“And who is nest?”
‘Amr asked.
The Prophet said,
“Umar ibn al-Khattaab,”
- after which he went on to enumerate a number of other companions.
(Bukhaaree, 3662).
And it was because of Abu Bakr’s strong faith that deserved Paradise and the honour of being invited to enter it from all of its gates – as opposed to others, most of whom will be invited from specific gates only. Abu Moosa al-‘Asharee related that, one day, he performed ablution in his house, after which he went out and said to himself,
“This day, I will remain with and adhere closely to the company of the Messenger of Allah.”
When he went to the Masjid and saw that the Prophet was not there, he was told that the Prophet had left a short while ago. Having been informed about which direction the Prophet was heading towards, Abu Moosa went out to look for him, and caught up with him just as he was about to enter an enclosed area, inside of which the Arees well was situated.
Abu Moosa sat at the gate and waited until the Prophet had finished both relieving himself and performing ablution. He then went inside and extended greetings of peace to the Prophet who was seated along the edge of the structure, with his legs hanging dow inside of the well. Returning to the gate, Abu Moosa said,
“Today I will be the gatekeeper of the Messenger of Allah.”
When, after a short while, Abu Bakr came and pushed open the gate, Abu Moosa asked,
“Who is it it?”
After Abu Bakr identified himself, Abu Moosa said,
“Hold on (a minute),”
- after which he went inside and said,
“O Messenger of Allah, here is Abu Bakr, asking permission to enter.”
The Prophet replied,
“Grant him permission and give him glad tidings of Paradise.”
Abu Moosa returned to the gate and said,
“Enter and the Messenger of Allah gives you glad tidings of Paradise.”
Having entered inside of the enclosed area, Abu Bakr sat down to the right of the Messenger of Allah, and he too extended his legs, so that they were hanging down inside of the well. The narration then goes on to mention how Umar ibn al-Khattaab and Uthmaan ibn Affaan also visited the Prophet a short while thereafter.
(Bukhaaree, 3674).
In another hadeeth, Abu Hurairah reported that the Messenger of Allah said,
“Whoever spends two of the same thing in the path of Allah will be invited from the gates of Paradise as follows:
‘O slave of Allah, this is good.’
Whoever is from the people of prayer will be invited from the gate of prayer. Whoever is from the people of Jihaad will be invited from the gate of Jihaad. Whoever is from the people of fasting will be invited from the gate of Ar-Rayyaan. And whoever is from the people of charity will be invited from the gate of charity.”
Abu Bakr asked,
“And is there anyone who will be invited from all of those gates?”
The Prophet ,
“Yes, and I hope that you will be one of them, O Abu Bakr.”
That Abu Bakr was the most superior of the Prophet’s Companions is a fact that is well known to every Muslim – to the scholar and layman alike, as well as to the old and young alike. But the average Muslim might be surprised to learn that he was also the most knowledgeable of them as well, a distinction that, although relatively unknown among the common masses of Muslims, is a point of agreement among the scholars of Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jamaa’ah.
(Al-Fataawah, 13/127)
That he excelled so much in knowledge is clearly attributable to the fact that he spent more time with the Prophet than did anyone else from among the Prophet’s Companions. Whether it was day or night, in al-Madeenah or away on a journey, Abu Bakr was likely – other than when he had personal business to take care of – in company of the Messenger of Allah. Even after ‘Eesha prayer, it was often Abu Bakr alone who remained in the company of the Prophet and discussed important affairs that pertained to the welfare of the Muslim masses. The Prophet was the source of divine knowledge on earth and Abu Bakr was almost always there to learn directly from him.
As a result of his profound knowledge, Abu Bakr was the most trusted of the Prophet’s advisors. When the Prophet would consult his Companions about a matter, very often it was Abu Bakr who spoke first, and it was not uncommon for him to be the sole companion to offer a suggestion. Whenever Abu Bakr suggested a course of action, the Prophet agreed and followed his wise counsel. And if someone offered a suggestion that was contrary to the offered by Abu Bakr and the Prophet was left with a difficult choice to make, he invariably followed Abu Bakr’s advice.
When the Prophet had to appoint a leader of the pilgrims who performed Hajj in the year 9H – which was the first Hajj that was ever performed from al-Madeenah – he chose Abu Bakr for the job, a job that was especially difficult since Hajj is composed of a detailed set of rites. The Prophet was confident that Abu Bakr was an expert scholar in regard to those rites and that he would properly lead the pilgrims to perform them. Simialarly, when the Prophet fell ill during the latter weeks of his life, he appointed Abu Bakr to lead his Companions in prayer. As for the declaration of charity, which contains in it detailed rulings about Zakaat (obligatory charity), Anas’s narration from Abu Bakr regarding it is the most reliable of all narrations that deal with the topic.
(Bukhaaree, 1448)
Throughout the centuries, Islamic jurists have relied on that narration to learn not just about the basic rulings of Zakaat but also about its more detailed rulings that have to do with the important topic of abrogation.
Abu Bakr issued a number of legal rulings, and not a single one of them ran contrary to the implications of a revealed text’ what this means is that, as far as we know, it is not recorded anywhere that he made a mistake regarding a legal ruling. This was not true for other Companions, for whom it was not out of the ordinary to issue a mistaken ruling.
(Abu Bakr as-Siddeeq: Afdalus-Sahaabah wa-Ahaqqihim bil-khilaafah, pg.60).
What was truly amazing about Abu Bakr’s knowledge and the Prophet’s implicit trust in his capability as a jurist was that Abu Bakr issued legal rulings even in the presence of the Prophet. When he would issue such rulings, the Prophet would confirm the correct of them – which, as we have already seen, is what occurred regarding Abu Qataadah’s share of the booty on the Day of Hunain.
It was after the death of the Prophet, more so than at any time else, that Abu Bakr established himself as the pre-eminent scholar of the Muslim nation. For every crucial issue that arose, Abu Bakr was the only one who had a clear and correct answer. When the Prophet died, for example, only Abu Bakr was cognisant of the reality of what was happening and it was him alone who guided the rest of the Prophet’s Companions to the same level of awareness. He achieved this end by quoting for them verses which clearly indicated the inevitability of the Prophet’s death. Then, during the early days of his caliphate, he was face with at least two crucial decisions: Whether or not to fight the apostates, and whether or not to send out Usaamah’s army, an army that had been mobilised a short while earlier by none other than the Prophet . Others, ‘Umar included, faltered, offering reasons for why the Muslims should not fight the apostates and for why Usaamah’s army should not be dispatched for the mission for which the Prophet mobilised it in the first place. But Abu Bakr knew better, and he neither faltered nor wavered, but instead followed a clear course of action. Furthermore, it was Abu Bakr who told the Companions where the Prophet should be buried, and he clarified for them important rulings that pertained to the caliphate and to the estate of the Prophet.
The Messenger of Allah once saw a dream that attested to the profound knowledge of Abu Bakr. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar reported that the Messenger of Allah said,
“It was as if I was being given a large, filled glass of milk. I drank from it until I became full. I then saw that milk flowing through my veins, between my skin and my flesh. Some milk was still left (in the container) and I gave it to Abu Bakr.”
The Companions said,
“O Messenger of Allah, this is knowledge that Allah has given to you, and when you were filled with it, and some amount was still left over, you gave it to Abu Bakr.”
The Prophet said,
“You are correct (i.e., you have correctly interpreted my dream).”
(Al-Aihsaan fee Taqreeq Saheeh ibn Hibbaan, 15/269).
One area of particular interest to Abu Bakr was the interpretation of dreams. In the morning, he would say to his companions,
“If someone among you has seen a good dream, then let him relate it to us.”
The dreams of righteous people, Abu Bakr believed, frequently imparted good and true meanings. It is related that he once said,
“For a Muslim, particularly one who performs ablution well to see a good dream is more beloved to me than such and such.”
(Khutab Abu Bakr as-Siddeeq, pg. 155).
Ibn ‘Abbaas reported that a man went to the Messenger of Allah and said,
“Verily, last night I saw a dream. In it, a cloud was raining down (cooking) fat and honey, and I watched as people gathered what was raining down with their hands. Some took a lot, while others took only a little. Then a rope appeared – one that reached from the ground all the way up until the sky. I saw you take hold of it and climb up. Next, another man took hold of it, and it then broke, but it was then rejoined again.”
Abu Bakr said,
“O Messenger of Allah, may my father sacrificed for you. By Allah, you will grant me permission and I will interpret it.”
The Prophet said,
“Go ahead and interpret.”
Abu Bakr said,
“As for the cloud, it is Islam; and that which was raining, in terms of (cooking) fat and honey, represented the Qur’aan and its sweetness pouring down. Some were taking a lot from the Qur’aan, whereas others were taking only a little. As for the rope that was connected from the sky to the earth, it is the truth that you are upon. You take hold of it, and Allah raises you (in ranking). Then after you (i.e., after your death), another man will take it and climb it. Then yet another man will take it and climb it. O Messenger of Allah, may my father be sacrificed for you, inform me: Am I correct, or am I mistaken (in my interpretation of this dream)?”
The Prophet said,
“You are correct regarding part of it, and you are mistaken regarding part of it.”
Abu Bakr said,
“Then by Allah, you will inform me about the part which I was mistaken.”
The Prophet said,
“Do not swear (i.e., do not swear that I will inform you, for I will not do so).”
(Bukhaaree, 7046).
According to another narration, ‘Aaishah saw a dream in which it was as if three moons had fallen into her home. She gave an account of her dream to Abu Bakr who said,
“If your dream will come true, three of the best inhabitants of earth will be buried in your home.”
Later on, when the Prophet died, Abu Bakr reminded Aaishah of her dream by saying,
“O ‘Aa’ishah, here (i.e., the Prophet) is the best of your moons.”
(Taareekh al-Khulafaa, by as-Suyootee, pg. 139).
Her dream became completely fulfilled when Abu Bakr and then ‘Umar were buried in her house. After the Prophet, Abu Bakr was the best interpreter of dreams from the entire Muslim Ummah (nation).
Despite his profound knowledge, or perhaps more correctly because of his profound knowledge, Abu Bakr carefully avoiding speaking when he did not know the answer to a question. Ibraaheem an-Nakha’ee reported that, on one particular occasion, Abu Bakr recited the following verse:
“And fruits and Abba (herbage, etc).”
(Qur’aan, 80: 31)
Someone asked,
“What does Abba mean?”
Others attempted to interpret the word, but not so Abu Bakr, who instead said,
“Verily, this (i.e., speaking without knowledge) is posturing. What earth will carry me and what sky will give me shade if I say about the Book of Allah that which I do not know?”
(Fath-ul-Baaree, 13/285. It should be noted, however, that, between Ibraaheem an-Nakha’ee and Abu Bakr, the chain of the narration is disconnected).
Supplication is a door that leads to much goodness. If a believer enters the door of supplication, he will be showered with a great many blessings both in this life and in the Hereafter. It is for this reason that Abu Bakr strove to invoke Allah more often and to thus establish a firm connection with Him. Allah said:
And your Lord said: "Invoke Me, [i.e. believe in My Oneness (Islamic Monotheism)] (and ask Me for anything) I will respond to your (invocation). Verily! Those who scorn My worship [i.e. do not invoke Me, and do not believe in My Oneness, (Islamic Monotheism)] they will surely enter Hell in humiliation!"
(Qur’aan, 40: 60)
And in another verse, Allah said:
And when My slaves ask you (O Muhammad ) concerning Me, then (answer them), I am indeed near (to them by My Knowledge). I respond to the invocations of the supplicant when he calls on Me (without any mediator or intercessor). So let them obey Me and believe in Me, so that they may be led aright.
(Qur’aan, 2: 186)
The Prophet invoked Allah both day and night, even though he had been forgive for his past and future mistakes. This impressed upon Abu Bakr who was frequently in the company of the Prophet, the importance of supplication, Abu Bakr strove not just to invoke Allah frequently, but also to invoke Allah with the same beautiful invocations that he heard from the Prophet. It is true that one may supplication to Allah extemporaneously and with one’s own wording, so long as the meaning of what one says is correct. And yet it is equally true that the best wordings of invocations were those that were by uttered by the Prophet; no one can invent wordings that are better than those used by the Prophet who knew best what to ask from Allah and how to ask for it. Especially, during prayer one should try to limit oneself, as much as possible, to the Prophet’s invocations, which is why Abu Bakr once asked the Prophet,
“O Messenger of Allah, teach me a supplication with which I can invoke Allah during my prayer.”
The Prophet responded:
“Say: ‘O Allah, verily, I have wronged myself very frequently and no one can forgive sins except for You; so forgive me with a forgiveness from Yourself, and have mercy on me. Verily, You are Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”
(Muslim, 2705 and Bukhaaree, 843).
On another occasion, Abu Bakr said,
“O Messenger of Allah, teach me a supplication that I can use to invoke Allah in the morning and evening.”
The Prophet said:
“Say: ‘O Allah, Knower of the unseen and the seen, Creator of the heavens and the earth, Lord and Sovereign of all things, I bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped except You. I take refuge in You from the evil of my soul and from the evil and Shirk (To associate others with Allah in those things which are specific to Him) of the devil, and from committing wrong against my soul or bringing such upon another Muslim.’ Say this in the morning, in the evening, and when you lie down on your bed.”
(Abu Daawood, 5067 and At-Tirmidhee, 3529).
Abu Bakr learned from the Prophet that no one is exempt from the needs to constantly repent and ask for forgiveness from Allah.
Allah said:
Truly, We did offer Al-Amanah (the trust or moral responsibility or honesty and all the duties which Allah has ordained) to the heavens and the earth, and the mountains, but they declined to bear it and were afraid of it (i.e. afraid of Allah's Torment). But man bore it. Verily, he was unjust (to himself) and ignorant (of its results).
So that Allah will punish the hypocrites, men and women, and the men and women who are Al-Mushrikun (the polytheists, idolaters, pagans, disbelievers in the Oneness of Allah, and in His Messenger Muhammad ). And Allah will pardon (accept the repentance of) the true believers of the Islamic Monotheism, men and women. And Allah is Ever Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
(Qur’aan, 33: 72-73)
Man is in constant need of Allah’s mercy, which is why one should frequently invoke Allah for guidance, help, mercy and forgiveness. In a hadeeth that is related both in Bukhaaree and Muslim, the Messenger of Allah said:
“No one will enter Paradise by dint of his deeds.”
The Companions asked,
“Not even you, O Messenger of Allah?”
The Prophet replied:
“Not even me, unless Allah covers me with His mercy.”
(Bukhaaree, 6463)
This hadeeth does not contradict the saying of Allah:
“Eat and drink at ease for that which you have sent on before you in days past!”
(Qur’aan, 69: 24)
In this verse, Allah established a cause and effect link between performing good deeds and entering Paradise. And in the above-mentioned hadeeth, the Prophet made it clear that Paradise is greater than what is deserved through the performance of goods deeds and that it is therefore through Allah’s mercy alone that one will enter Paradise and enjoy its blissful existence.
Incidentally, the statement “If Allah loves a slave, sins will do him no harm” simply means that, if Allah loves one of His slaves, He will inspire him to repent and to ask for forgiveness for his sins. Regarding such a person, he will not persist in perpetrating sins. Therefore, one is truly misguided if one thinks that a person who persists in perpetrating sins will not be harmed as a result of them. In short, we should all be clear on the following: Whoever performs an atom’s weight of good will see it (on the Day of Resurrection). And whoever performs an atom’s weight of evil will see it (on the Day of Resurrection).
Abu Bakr placed his complete trust on Allah, supplicating to Him and asking for His help and guidance throughout his entire life. Following are a few of the invocations that have been ascribed to Abu Bakr:
1)“(O Allah) I ask You for complete blessings in all things, as I ask You to make me thankful for those blessings until You are pleased with me, and even after You become pleased with me...”
(Ash-Shukr, by ibn Abee ad-Dunyaa, 109 and to Khutab Abu Bakr, pg. 39).
2)“O Allah, I ask You for that which is best for me in the end...O Allah, make the last thing You give me from goodness be Your Pleasure and the highest of stations in the gardens of bliss.”
(Khutab Abu Bakr as-Siddeeq, pg. 139)
3)“O Allah, make the best of my life be the end of my life; the best of my deeds the last of them; and the best of my days the day upon which I will meet You.”
(Kanzul-‘Amaal, 5030 and Khutab Abu Bakr, pg. 39).
4) If he heard anyone praise him, he would say,
“O Allah, You are more knowledgeable regarding me than I am myself, and I am more knowledgeable regarding myself than other people are. O Allah, make me better than what they think (about me), forgive me for that which they do not know (about me), and do not hold me accountable for that which they say (about me).”
(Asadul-Ghaabah, 3/324)
These, in brief, are some of Abu Bakr’s noble qualities. It was these qualities, along with his other honourable characteristics, that enabled him, after the death of the Prophet, to steer the ship of Islam through violent winds, turbulent waves, and dark trials to the shores of safety.
The Death of the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam)
Through the grace and permission of Allah, people who have pure souls are sometimes able to see glimpses of things on the other side of the curtain the separates the seen world from the unseen world. People with pure hearts sometimes have the prescience to make educated guesses about the future. And people who have minds that radiate with the light of faith sometimes are so tuned in to what happens around them and to the universal laws by which Allah governs this universe that every day events of life reveal to them things that others are blind to. These were all qualities that the Prophet possessed in ample degree.
(As-Seerah an-Nabawiyyah, by Abu Shohbah, 2/587)
Certain verses of the Qur’aan confirm the humanness of the Prophet making clear that, like all other human beings, previous Prophets included, he would taste death and experience its painful pangs. The Prophet sensed from certain verses of the Qur’aan that were revealed late in his life that the time of his death was approaching. And in certain authentically related ahaadeeth, the Prophet referred to his death, sometimes explicitly and other times only implicitly. When he implicitly referred to his death, only a few Companions such as Abu Bakr, Al-‘Abbaas and Mu’aadh, understood that he was alluding to his death.
The Final Illness of the Messenger of Allah
Upon returning from his Hajj in the month of Dhil-Hijjah, the Messenger of Allah remained in al-Madeenah for the rest of the month and for the months of Al-Muharram and Safar of the year 10H. He quickly began to mobilise a huge army, and he appointed Usaamah ibn Zaid ibn Haarithah to be its leader, ordering him to lead his army to the lands of Al-Balqaa and Palestine.
Many prominent Companions from both the Muhaajiroon and the Ansaar were a part of Usaamah’s army. Some people in the army took issue with Prophet’s appointment of Usaamah as their leader; at the time, Usaamah was only eighteen years old. They were not content that such a young and inexperienced person – not to mention the fact that he was the son of a freed slave, which was still an issue for some who had only recently embraced Islam – was leading them, when more prominent members of the Muhaajiroon and the Ansaar would be common troops under his command. In regard to their complaining, it should be noted that the likes of Abu Bakr and Umar were also members of the army.
The Prophet did not accept their arguments, explaining to them that their complaints were unfounded. He said,
“If they call into question his leadership, then they had previously called into question the leadership of his father: And by Allah, he was most worthy and deserving of assuming his role as leader; and he was among the most beloved of people to me. And verily, with him gone (for Zaid died in the Battle of Mo’tah), his son is now among the most beloved of people to me.”
(Bukhaaree, Hadeeth no. 3730)
As the members of Usaamah’s army were preparing for the upcoming expedition, the Prophet became sick with an ailment that was to be his last in this world.
From the time the Prophet fell ill until the time he died, a number of events occurred. For instance, the Prophet visited the graves of Uhud’s martyrs and prayed over them; he decreed that all polytheists should be expelled from the Arabian Peninsula, at the same time making it clear that their delegations could still come for a visit; and he forbade Muslims from turning graves into Masjids. When his condition worsened, he asked to be taken care of in ‘Aaishah’s house. In the speeches he gave during his final days, he advised people to have good thoughts about Allah; to perform prayer properly, consistently, and on time; and to treat the people of the Ansaar with the respect they deserved; furthermore, he informed them that the only thing that remained from the glad tidings of prophethood was the true dream. The Prophet was referring to how there are various aspects of Prophethood – revelation being the most prominent one; and to how, of all of those aspects, all that remained was the true dream. What this meant was that, with his death, revelation would cease to descend; nonetheless, righteous people could still see true dreams – i.e., dreams in which one sees something that later on occurs in real life.
Abu Sa’eed al-Khudree gave an account of a sermon that the Prophet delivered during the illness that ended with his death. In that sermon, the Prophet said,
“Verily, Allah gave a servant of His a choice between this world and what He was with him (in terms of rewards) and that servant chose what is with Allah.”
Almost nobody in the audience recognised the fact that the Prophet was referring to himself: he was the servant in the story. I say almost nobody because there was one person who did understand the implications of the story, and that was Abu Bakr. When the Prophet said that the servant chose what is with Allah, Abu Bakr began to cry. And everyone around him couldn’t understand why he had suddenly become so melancholy. Abu Sa’eed later mused,
“The Messenger of Allah was the one who was being given the choice, and Abu Bakr was the most knowledgeable person among us.”
(Bukhaaree, Hadeeth no, 3654 and Muslim, Hadeeth no. 2382)
On one of the days of his final illness, the Prophet became so sick that, when it was time for prayer, and when Bilaal made the call to prayer, the Prophet said,
“Order Abu Bakr to lead the prayer.”
It was said,
“Verily, Abu Bakr is a soft-hearted person, he will not be able to lead the people in prayer.”
The Prophet repeated the command, and they repeated the same answer; and then for a third time, the Prophet repeated the command, and they still gave him the same response. The people who gave him the above-mentioned response were all women; he said to them,
“Verily, you are like the female companions of Yusuf! Order Abu Bakr to lead the people in prayer.”
After Abu Bakr went out to lead the prayer, the Prophet regained a feeling of liveliness and so he went out to attend the congregational prayer; and he walked to the prayer with the help of two men, one to his right and the other to his left. The narrator of this story said,
“It was as if I saw his legs dragging along on the ground as a result of the extreme weakness he was feeling.”
Abu Bakr wanted to step back, so that the Prophet could lead the people in prayer; but the Prophet signalled to him that he should remain where he was. The Prophet was still being helped along until he sat down beside Abu Bakr. Al-‘Amash, one of the narrators of this story, was asked,
“So the Prophet was praying, Abu Bakr was following his prayer, and the people were following the prayer of the Abu Bakr?”
Al-‘Amash nodded his head, indicating that, yes: that is exactly how it happened.
Abu Bakr continued to lead the people in prayer until Monday, when the Prophet removed the screen of his apartment just as the Muslims were busy lining up for prayer. While they were praying, he lay there, watching them and appreciating how far they had come in recent years. Just as a carpenter gives his work a final look of appraisal, the Prophet was looking at the finished products of his many years of toil and sacrifice. And what he saw pleased him a great deal, for he was looking at people who devotedly performed congregational prayer, regardless of whether he was there to supervise them or not. The Prophet’s heart was content, for he achieved with his people that which no other Prophet had achieved before him.
Thus the Prophet became reassured that, once he died, his Companions would continue where he left off. Such thoughts filled the Prophet with joy, made his face radiate with happiness, and gave him the strength he needed to stand up. Meanwhile, the Companions said,
“The Prophet has removed the screen of ‘Aaishah’s apartment and is looking at us while he is standing up.”
Furthermore, they saw that the Prophet was smiling and laughing. Out of love for the Prophet, some people mistook that as a sign of his recovery. They thought that he was coming out to lead them in prayer, but he signalled to them that they should complete their prayer. He then entered the apartment and lowered the screen.
(Bukhaaree, hadeeth no. 4448).
After the prayer was completed, some Companions returned to their daily work and responsibilities. As for Abu Bakr he entered upon his daughter ‘Aaishah and said,
“I feel for certain that the Messenger of Allah’s sickness has now gone.”
(as-Seerah an-Nabawiyyah, by Abu Shohah, 2/593).
Inspired by love for the Prophet, Abu Bakr spoke these words, but he was of course mistaken. The Prophet was fatally ill and would soon begin to experience the pangs of death, after which he would embark upon his journey to his Lord, the Sublime.
The intensity with which the Prophet felt the pangs of death was great indeed. As the Prophet was experiencing some of that pain, Usaamah ibn Zaid entered upon him. Not able to talk, the Prophet began to raise his hands towards the sky and then placed them on Usaamah who understood that the Prophet was supplicating for him.
‘Aaishah took hold of the Prophet and made him rest his head below her neck. ‘Abdur-Rahmaan ibn Abu Bakr then entered with a siwaak stick in his hand. Noticing that the Prophet was looking at the siwaak, ‘Aaishah asked,
“Shall I take it for you,”
- and the Prophet nodded, indicating that, yes, he wanted it. Aaishah took it from her brother and began to chew on it in order to soften it, and she then gave it to the Prophet, who began to clean his teeth with it in very complete and beautiful manner. And he continued to repeat the words,
“The most exalted companionship on high.”
(Bukhaaree, 4437 and Muslim)
While he lay there, with his head resting on Aaishah, he would insert his head in a container of water and then wipe his wet hand over his face, all the while saying,
“None has the right to be worshipped but Allah. Verily, death has its agonies.”
Then raising and extending his hands to supplicate, he would say,
“The most exalted companionship on high,”
- until his soul was taken.
(Bukhaaree, 4437 and Muslim).
According to one account, the Prophet would say,
“O Allah, help me (patiently) endure the agonies of death.”
(At-Tirmidhee, Hadeeth no. 978).
And according to another account, ‘Aaishah listened carefully, trying to catch the final words of the Prophet as he died; and she heard him say,
“O Allah, forgive me, have mercy on me, and admit me into the company of the most exalted companionship of high.”
(Bukhaaree, 4440 and Muslim).
It is also related that Faatimah said,
“Oh! The distress of my father!”
And he said to her,
“Your father will experience no distress after this day.” And when the Prophet was being buried, Faatimah said to Anas,
“How can you all be content to pour dirt over the Messenger of Allah!”
(Bukhaaree, 4462)
When the Messenger of Allah parted from this world, he ruled over entire Arabian Peninsula, and the kings and rulers of foreign lands feared him. His Companions, who numbered in the high thousands, were willing to sacrifice themselves, their children and their wealth for his cause – the cause of Islam. One might suppose then that he left behind many assets that had to be distributed among his inheritors, but nothing could be further from the truth. The Prophet parted from this world, without leaving behind even a single Deenar or Dirham, or a male or female servant. In fact, the complete list of his assets was short indeed: his white mule, his weapons, and a piece of land that he had given away as charity.
(Bukhaaree, 4461)
And his armour was left as collateral with a Jewish man from whom he was forced to borrow thirty Sa’as (a single Sa’a is equal to eight handfuls of something) of barley in order to feed his family.
(As-Seerah an-Nabawiyyah by an-Nadwee, pg. 403)
That was how the Prophet died, even though he could have, had he wanted, ordered for castles to be built for him and for huge quantities of wealth to be given to him from Muslim treasury. Had he asked for any of those things, his Companions would have been more than happy to give them to him. But the Prophet was not seeking this world or its trifling things; no, he longed only for the Hereafter.
The Prophet died after midday on Monday, the twelfth of Rabee’ul Awwal, in the year 11H.
(Al-Bidaayah wan-Nihaayah, 4/223)
He died at the age of sixty-three.
(Bukhaaree, 2348 and 2349)
The day of his death was the darkest and saddest day that the Muslims had ever witnessed, just as the day of his birth was the happiest day since the first time the sun had shined on earth.
(As-Seerah an-Nabawiyyah, pg. 404)
Anas said,
“On the day the Messenger of Allah arrived in Al-Madeenah, all things in it became illuminated. And on the day he died, all things in it became dark.”
After the Prophet died, Umm Aiman (radiyAllaahu anha) cried and was asked why she was crying. She said,
“Verily, I knew that the Messenger of Allah was going to die (one day); the only reason why I am not crying is that revelation (which would descend upon the Prophet) has been lifted from us.”
“When the Messenger of Allah died, the Muslims became shocked, bewildered, and confuised. Some of them were stunned and became perplexed; others sat down and were not even able to stand; others lost their ability to speak; and yet others were in complete denial, refusing to believe that the Prophet had really died (and among this last group was ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab).”
(Lataaif al-Ma’aarif, pg. 114)
Imam al-Qurtubee said,
“One of the greatest afflictions a person can suffer is an affliction in matters that pertain to religion.
The Messenger of Allah said,
“When one of you is afflicted with my death, for indeed, that is the greatest of all calamities.’
Indeed the Prophet spoke the truth. Until the Day of Resurrection, no Muslim can be afflicted with a calamity that is greater than that of the Prophet’s death: a revelation ceased to descend to earth, and Prophethood became a thing of the past (i.e., no other Prophet would be sent to mankind). After the Prophet’s death, the first appearance of evil was the apostasy of many Arabs – an even that signified... the first to decline (of the Muslim nation (a decline that Umar referred to when he said,
‘Whenever something reaches completion, it has nowhere to go but down.’))”
(Tafseer al-Qurtubee, 2/176)
Perhaps no one was in more denial than was Umar ibn al-Khattaab. He began to threaten anyone who claimed that the Prophet had died. He said,
“He has not died, but rather he has gone to his Lord, just as Moosa ibn Umraan went, remaining absent from his people for forty nights, after which he returned to them. By Allah, the Messenger of Allah will indeed return (to us), just as Moosa returned (to his people), and he will cut off the hands and legs of those men who claimed that he had died.”
(As-Seerah an-Nabawiyyah, by Abu Shohbah, 2/594)
When Abu Bakr heard about the news of the Prophet’s death, he mounted his horse and rode from his house until the Masjid. And without saying a single word to anyone, Abu Bakr entered the Masjid, and then entered upon ‘Aa’ishah in her apartment. He then headed straight for the Messenger of Allah who was covered in a garment. Removing the part of the garment that covered the Prophet’s face, Abu Bakr leaned down, kissed the Prophet, and began to cry. He then said,
“May my father and mother be sacrificed for you. By Allah, Allah will not combine two deaths upon you. As for the death that was decreed for you, you have just died it.”
(Bukhaaree, 4452)
When Abu Bakr said,
“Allah will not combine two deaths upon you,”
- he was refuting Umar, who was claiming that the Prophet would come back to life. Abu Bakr knew that, even if that was the case, the Prophet would still have to die again, which meant that he would have to die a total of two deaths; and Abu Bakr understood that the Prophet enjoyed too high of a ranking with Allah for that to happen to him.
As Abu Bakr came out of the masjid, Umar was speaking to the people, and was still in a fit of rage. Abu Bakr said,
“O Umar, sit down,”
- after which he stood up to deliver a sermon to the people. He praised Allah, glorified Him, and then said,
“To proceed: Whosoever used to worship Muhammad, then indeed Muhammad has died. And whosoever worships Allah, then Allah is alive and does not die.”
He then recited this verse of the Noble Qur’aan:
“Muhammad is no more than 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 (as disbelievers)? 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.”
(Qur’aan, 3/144)
Umar later said,
“By Allah, no sooner did I hear Abu Bakr recite that verse, then I fell down to the ground, for my two legs could no longer carry me. And I came to know that the Messenger of Allah had indeed died.”
(Bukhaaree, 4454)
Imam al-Qurtubee said,
“This verse (as well as this incident) is the strongest proof of Abu Bakr’s bravery, if bravery is defined as having a firm and steadfast heart during times of hardships and calamities. And there was no calamity that was greater than the death of the Prophet...
The people said,
“The Messenger of Allah has not died,"
- and among them was Umar. Uthmaan lost the ability to speak, and Ali went into seclusion. Utter chaos was on the verge of breaking out, but Abu Bakr brought calm to the situation with this verse.”
(Tafseer al-Qurtubee, 4/222)
May Allah have mercy on Abu Bakr as-Siddeeq, who helped save this nation from many hardships, who solved many of the problems that afflicted Muslims, and who understood the truth on occasions when no one else did – not even Umar. As Muslims, we should know the status that Abu Bakr deserves, and we should love him dearly, for loving him is a characteristic of faith and hating him is a characteristic of hypocrisy.
(Maradun-Nabee wa-Wafaatihi, pg. 24)
(Next, Insha'Allaah, 'The Courtyard of Banu Saa'idah)
When the Companions knew for certain that the Messenger of Allah had indeed died, the Ansaar gathered in the courtyard of Banu Saa’idah on the very same day, which was Monday, the 12th of Rabbee’ul Awwal, the year 11H. The purpose of their meeting was to choose someone among them to be the first caliph of the Muslim nation.
(At-Tareekh al-Islaamee, 9/21)
The people of the Ansaar gathered around the leader of Khazraj tribe, Sa’ad ibn Ubaadah. Meanwhile, the people of the Muhaajiroon were gathered elsewhere with Abu Bakr and the purpose of their meeting was the same: they wanted to appoint a caliph from among themselves. But before they arrived at a decision, they remembered their brothers from the Ansaar, and they said to one another,
“Let us go to our brothers from the Ansaar, for they have the right to help us arrive at a decision regarding this matter.”
(‘Asrul-Khilaafah ar-Raashidah, by al-‘Umaree, pg. 40)
Umar said,
“So we left, intending to go and meet with them. As we drew near to their place of meeting, we were met by twp of their righteous men, who informed us about what their people had agreed upon doing. The two men said to us,
‘O people of the Muhaajiroon, where are you going?’
We said,
‘We are heading towards our brothers from the Ansaar.’
They said,
‘You will not be doing wrong if you do not approach them (now that you know what they have agreed to do). Decide then what you will do.’
I said,
‘By Allah, we will indeed go to them.’
When we reached them in the courtyard of Banu Saa’idah, I saw in their midst a man who was wrapped up in clothing, and I asked,
‘Who is that?’
They said,
‘That is Sa’ad ibn Ubaadah.’
I said,
‘What is the matter with him (i.e., why is he wrapped up thus)?’
They said,
‘He has a fever and is experiencing a great deal of pain.’
A short while after we had sat down (in their midst), their speaker (stood up and) proclaimed the Testimony of Faith and praised Allah as He deserves to be praised. He then said,
‘To proceed: We are the helpers of Allah and the army of Islam; meanwhile you – O men of the Muhaajiroon – are a small group of people. A part among your people has come here, wanting to deprive us of the right to take over the reins of leadership.’
When he fell silent, I wanted to speak, for I had thought up beautiful words to say..., but when I was about to speak, Abu Bakr said,
‘Take it easy,’
- and so I remained silent, not wanting to arouse his anger. Abu Bakr then spoke. He was more forbearing than I was, and he had a more dignified comportment. By Allah, as for all of the wonderful things that I had thought of saying, he said them in a similar or better manner, until he was finished speaking and fell silent. He said,
‘You (O people of the Ansaar) are worthy of all of the good things you have said about yourselves. Nonetheless, only the people of the Quraish have a right to the caliphate: they are the best among all Arabs in terms of both their lineage and their homeland. (As a leader) for you all I am pleased with either of these two men, so pledge allegiance to whichever of them you want.’
He then took the hand of Abu ‘Ubaadah ibn al-Jarraah, who was also seated among us... Abu Ubaadah said,
‘By Allah, for me to have my neck struck (with a sword), so long as that does not make me sinful, is more beloved to me than for me to become leader over a people who have in their midst Abu Bakr – unless my soul, at the moment of death, whispers evil thoughts to me (thoughts of my life being spared, so that I can remain alive and become the first caliph of the Muslim nation), thoughts that I do not have right now.’
Someone from the Ansaar said,
‘I am a person who is recognised for my sound views, and I am well respected among my people (so listen to what I have to say): let us choose a leader from among us, and a leader from among you, O people of the Quraish.’
People began to argue and voices were raised. In order to quell their disagreement, I said,
‘Extend your hand, O Abu Bakr.’
He extended his hand, and I pledged allegiance to him. The Muhaajiroon also pledged to follow him, after which the Ansaar did the same.”
(Bukhaaree, 6830)
According to the narration of Ahmad, Abu Bakr said,
“And you indeed know that the Messenger of Allah said,
‘Were the people to travel through one valley, and were the Ansaar to travel through another valley, I would travel through the valley of the Ansaar.’
And you indeed know, O Sa’ad that the Messenger of Allah said while you were sitting down (and listening to him),
“The people of the Quraish are in charge of this matter (i.e., of the caliphate): all the righteous people are followers of their righteous people, and all evildoers are followers of their evildoers.’”
Sa’ad said,
“You have spoken the truth. We are your ministers, and you are our leaders.”
(Musnad Ahmad, 1/5 and al-Khilaafah wal-Khulafaa, pg. 50)
The Lessons and Morals of this Story
1) Abu Bakr’s People Skills
When the representative of the Ansaar made the position of his people clear – that they wanted the first caliph of Islam to be one of them – ‘Umar wanted to speak. He had thought out very clearly what he wanted to say, and he later admitted that he was somewhat impressed with the speech he wanted to give. But before he could utter even a single word, Abu Bakr asked him to remain silent, making it clear that he himself wanted to speak on behalf of the Muhaajiroon. Why was this so significant? Abu Bakr knew Umar very well and perhaps felt that Umar lacked the gentleness and leniency that was called for considering the tense situation. Yes, the Muhajiroon were in the right – for the Prophet made it very clear that the leaders of the Muslim nation should be from the Quraish – but at the same time the Ansaar, despite the fact that they were wrong to want a leader from among themselves, were sincere Muslims. Their feelings and emotions had to be taken into consideration, and so it was only right that they should not only be informed that the caliph had to be a man from the Muhaajiroon, but also that they should be praised and appeased and reminded about their good qualities, so as to win over their hearts and make them feel good about themselves.
Certainly the best man to achieve those goals was not Umar, Abu Bakr. In fact, Umar later acknowledged that point, saying,
“Abu Bakr then spoke. He was forbearing than I was, and he had a more dignified comportment. By Allah, as for all of the wonderful things that I had thought of saying, he said them in a similar or better manner, until he was finished speaking and fell silent.”
What was so wonderful about Abu Bakr’s approach was that he at once won over the hearts of the Ansaar – making them feel good about themselves – and convinced them that they were in the wrong. He learned from the Qur’aan and from the Sunnah of the Prophet that it was the duty of a Muslim to at least attempt to win over the heart of an opponent, of someone who disagreed with one’s views. He further knew that a Muslim goes about achieving that aim by praising his opponent for his good qualities, by dealing justly with him by being patient with him, and by presenting clear and logical arguments that can help convince him of the truth. There are many examples of this methodology being applied in action in the Sunnah of the Prophet.
Abu Bakr knew how to appeal to the hearts of the Ansaar. Before saying anything else, he acknowledged their superior qualities; but he made it perfectly clear to them that their superior qualities did not make them deserving of the caliphate, for in clear and unequivocal terms the Prophet informed his Companions that the Muslim nation should be led by a man from the Quraish.
Having made his point clear to them, Abu Bakr went on to mention a number of proofs to voncince the members of the Ansaar that they should not view with the Muhaajiroon for the caliphate. Among the proofs Abu Bakr mentioned was the following verse, in which Allah said:
(And there is also a share in this booty) for the poor emigrants, who were expelled from their homes and their property, seeking Bounties from Allah and to please Him. And helping Allah (i.e. helping His religion) and His Messenger (Muhammad SAW). Such are indeed the truthful (to what they say);
And those who, before them, had homes (in Al-Madinah) and had adopted the Faith, love those who emigrate to them, and have no jealousy in their breasts for that which they have been given (from the booty of Bani An-Nadir), and give them (emigrants) preference over themselves, even though they were in need of that. And whosoever is saved from his own covetousness, such are they who will be the successful.
(Qur’aan, 58: 8-9)
Abu Bakr then cited this verse:
“O you who believe! Be afraid of Allah, and be with those who are true (in words and deeds).”
(Qur’aan, 9: 119)
In the former verse, Abu Bakr explained, the Ansaar were called the ‘successful ones,’ and the Muhaajiroon were called the ‘truthful ones’. Abu Bakr told the Ansaar that, in the latter verse, Allah ordered Muslims to be with, or to follow, the ‘truthful ones,’ or in other words, the Muhaajiroon. By citing the two above-mentioned verses, Abu Bakr illustrated his superior and highly nuanced understanding of the Noble Qur’aan.
Abu Bakr reminded them of yet another reason why the first caliph of Islam should be a member of the Muhaajiroon: One of the qualifications of a potential candidate for the caliphate, he explained, should be that the nominee be someone behind whom all Arabs could unite. And it was universally agreed upon by all Arabs that the one that most deserved to lead all other tribes was the Quraish. It was the Quraish that resided in the inviolable city of Makkah; it was the members of the Quraish that possessed, above all other Arabs, the most superior lineages; and it was the Quraish that, over the past number of decades or even centuries, held a distinct and superior status among all Arabs. If one of the native inhabitants of Al-Madeenah were to be appointed as the first caliph of the Muslim nation, it was quite possible that members of other tribes in Arabia would object to his appointment. Similarly, if a member of any other tribe were to be nominated to the position of the caliphate, members of other tribes would vehemently object to his nomination. Everyone felt that their tribe was superior to other tribes in the region, but the one thing they could all agree upon was that Allah blessed the Quraish in ways that no other tribe in Arabia was blessed: They were the descendents of Ibraaheem (aalayhis-salaam); they resided in the inviolable city of Makkah; and Allah chose one of their own to be the seal of all Prophets.
After Abu Bakr presented these cogent arguments to them, the people of the Ansaar yielded to Abu Bakr’s better judgement in the matter. One of their chiefs, Sa’ad magnanimously proclaimed that the Muhaajiroon should be the leaders of the Muslim nation and that, as during the lifetime of the Prophet, the Ansaar would be more than happy to act as their sincere advisors, ministers and helpers. And thus with the clarity and justness that resonated from Abu Bakr’s words on the one hand, and the magnanimity and humbleness of the Ansaar on the other hand, unity was achieved in a matter of minutes, and shortly thereafter the caliph was both nominated and agreed upon by everyone that was present in the gathering.
2) Both Abu Bakr and Umar shy away from being nominated
As a general rule, those that aspire for positions of leadership are the least deserving of candidates. Such people usually want to become a leader for personal gain, prestige or power. The best candidates for leadership positions are those who do not want to become leaders. They are loath to becoming leaders of other Muslims because they understand that leadership is not a privilege, but a responsibility and a burden, for which one will be held accountable on the Day of Resurrection. The average individual, for the most part, is responsible for his own well-being; true, he has duties that he must fulfil towards his family, the community, and the Muslim nation as a whole, but those duties are limited in scope. A leader, on the other hand, is completely responsible for the well-being of his people: He must rule justly over them and redress grievances, and he must make sure that they all have the necessities of life. While others rest, a leader must work and plan for their benefit. It is for these reasons that neither Abu Bakr nor Umar wanted to take over the reins of leadership after the Prophet’s death – even though they were more deserving of the job than anyone else. In the courtyard of Banu Saa’idah, Abu Bakr nominated two candidates that he felt were most deserving of the job: Umar and Abu Ubaidah. Expressing his disagreement with Abu Bakr’s nominations, Umar said,
“By Allah, for me to have my neck struck (with a sword), so long as that does not make me sinful, is more beloved to me than for me to become leader over a people who have in their midst Abu Bakr.”
Knowing for certain Abu Bakr was the only deserving candidate, Umar said to him,
“Extend you hand,”
- immediately after which Umar pledged to follow him. According to one narration, Umar said,
“O people of the Ansaar, do you know that the Messenger of Allah ordered Abu Bakr to lead the people (in prayer), so (with that knowledge) which one of you would be content in his soul to be placed ahead of Abu Bakr?”
The people of the Ansaar replied,
“We seek refuge with Allah from any one of us being placed ahead of Abu Bakr.”
(Musnad Ahmad, 1/21. Ahmad Shaakir ruled that the chain of this narration is authentic, 1/213).
Of everyone that was present in the courtyard of Banu Saa’idah, Umar seemed to be the only one who initially picked up on the point that, although the Prophet did not explicitly name the first caliph of the Muslim nation, he did imply on various occasions that Abu Bakr was the right for the job.
For example, during his final illness, the Prophet appointed Abu Bakr to lead the people in prayer. And when certain people suggested that – because of his soft heart and because he could not hold back his tears - Abu Bakr was not a good choice to lead the people in prayer, the Prophet became angry and insisted that no one should lead in prayer in his place other than Abu Bakr.
As soon as Umar pointed out the reality of the situation, everyone realised that, yees, Abu Bakr was the most deserving candidate for the caliphate. Everything then happened so quickly that Abu Bakr never got a chance to turn down his nomination. Even though that was the case, he did, in subsequent speeches, make it clear that he never wanted to become a leader in the first place; in fact, on a few occasions he even tried to step down, so that someone else could take his place – but to no avail, since by then everyone became certain that, with the Prophet dead, Abu Bakr alone deserved to take his place.
In one particular sermon, Abu Bakr said,
“By Allah, on no day or evening of my life did I ever aspire to become a ruler (over a group of people), I never desired any such position, and I never invoked Allah, either out in the open or secretly, to make me a leader (over a group of people). I accepted your appointment only because I feared the onset of strife and discord (had you continued to disagree with one another over who should be appointed to the caliphate). As a leader, I know neither peace nor comfort, for I have been charged with a tremendous duty, which I will never be able to fulfil unless Allah, the Possessor of Might and Majesty, strengthens me. And I would love it if the strongest of people (i.e., Umar or Abu Ubaidah) were to take my place.”
(Al-Mustadrak, 3/66. Al-Haakim said, “This hadeeth is authentic,” and adh-Dhahabee concurred).
It is authentically stabled that Abu Bakr also said,
“As for the day we met in the Banu Saa’idah courtyard, I hoped to hand over the reins of leadership to either of these two men: Abu Ubaidah or Umar. I had hoped for one of them to become the leader of the believers and for me to become his minister.”
(Al-Ansaar fil-‘Asr ar-Raashidee, by Haamid Muhammad al-Khaleefah, pg. 108, Taareekh al-Khulafaa, by as-Suyootee, pg. 91)
On at least one other occasion, he openly tried to resign from his position, saying,
“O people, this is your matter to decide upon so appoint anyone you want to be your leader; and then I will be like one of you.”
But everyone gave the same reply in chorus:
“We are indeed pleased to have you (as our leader), for indeed you were the second of two with the Messenger of Allah (while he was in the cave).”
(Al-Khilaafah Ar-Raashidah, by Al-‘Umaree, pg. 13),
And when he pleaded with the people, asking them to step forward if they regretted their decision to appoint him as their leader, only one person stepped forward. And that person was ‘Ali ibn Abee Taalib, who stepped forward not to express his dissatisfaction with Abu Bakr’s appointment, but to clarify that no one else was deserving of the job and that he was vehemently opposed to the idea of Abu Bakr resigning from his post as leader of the Muslim nation. With his sword unsheathed, ‘Ali made his way to the foot of the pulpit, placing one foot on the first step and the other on the ground. He then said,
“By Allah, we do not ask for your resignation, nor will we accept your resignation. The Messenger of Allah placed you ahead of everyone else, so who is it that will make you go back (or down in ranking)?”
It is important to note that Abu Bakr was not the only one who felt aversion towards the idea of assuming the role of leader; instead, it was a sentiment that pervaded the ranks of the Prophet’s Companions.
Willing to go any length to distort history, the enemies of Islam try to insinuate the Muhaajiroon and the Ansaar became divided on the day they met in the courtyard of Banu Saa’idah. Of course, they have no proofs to support their insinuation, but that does not stop them from spreading their lies. The fact is that people of the Ansaar cared only about the future prosperity of the Muslim nation and about what contributions they could make to ensure a bright future for all Muslims. That is why they did not hesitate to pledge allegiance to Abu Bakr once Umar announced his candidacy. If, as the enemies of Islam like to claim, the Ansaar were not pleased with Abu Bakr’s appointment, and if a rift occurred between the Ansaar and the Muhaajiroon, why didn’t the Ansaar prevent his appointment from taking place?
They outnumbered the Muhaajiroon, and they had more weapons; they could have simply forced the Muhaajiroon to accept one of them as the overall leader of all believers. But none of these things happened because there was an air not of resentment but of mutual love and cooperation in the courtyard of Banu Saa’idah. The Ansaar were one-hundred percent behind Abu Bakr’s nomination, and they proved their sincerity towards him by backing all of his intial policies: sending out the army of Usaamah and waging war against the apostates. The bonds of brotherhood between the Muhaajiroon and the Ansaar remained as strong as ever. And finally, one of the most telling aspects of Abu Bakr’s caliphate is that not a single member of the Ansaar refused to pledge allegiance to him once he was appointed the first Khaleefah of Islam.
Certain fabricated and weak narrations indicate that there was a serious crisis and power struggle that occurred in the courtyard of Banu Saa’idah. Based on authentic narrations, however, we know that no crisis or power struggle took place; rather, in a very short span of time everyone came to a unanimous agreement that Abu Bakr should become Leader of the Believers.
So in spite of what is claimed in certain false narrations, Sa’ad ibn Ubaadah was among the first to pledge allegiance to Abu Bakr. Yes, it is true that, prior the arrival of Abu Bakr and Umar to the courtyard of Banu Saa’idah, Sa’ad did indicate that he should be appointed ruler of the Muslim nation. But no sooner did Abu Bakr remind him of what the Prophet had said about the matter then Sa’ad yielded and said,
“You are the leaders, and we are your ministers.”
Also, I should point out that Abu Bakr, Umar and Abu Ubaidah did not conspire among themselves to make sure that one of them would be appointed Khaleefah of the Muslim nation. I mention such lies only because they are mentioned in false accounts that are related in certain history books.
Some historians paint an unfair and dark picture of Sa’aad ibn Ubaadah, claiming that he plotted against the Muhaajiroon, so as to prevent them from taking away his right to the caliphate. The claims such historians make are founded upon accounts that are not only fabricated, but that also contradict Sa’ad’s past and lifelong dedication to the cause of Islam. To be sure, Sa’ad was among the best of the Prophet’s Companions: he participated in the second pledge of Al-‘Aqabah; he was perhaps the sole native inhabitant of Al-Madeenah that was tortured in Makkah because of his beliefs; he took part in the Battle of Badr; and he was a paragon of generosity and righteousness. The Prophet depended on his counsel, as well as the counsel of Sa’ad ibn Mu’aadh, during the battle of Al-Khandaq, and with the counsel they gave the Prophet, they both proved their willingness to make sacrifices for the cause of Islam. It is inconceivable that a man with such a past could have had rekindled feelings of xenophobic tribalism, resenting the fact that the leader of all believers was chosen from a different tribe.
The false narrations I am referring to state that, after Abu Bakr became Khaleefah of the Muslim nation, Sa’ad refused to pray behind Abu Bakr, acting as if he was completely withdrawing himself from Muslim society. This is categorically false. It is clearly mentioned in authentic narrations that Sa’ad pledged allegiance to Abu Bakr and that, when Abu Bakr said to Sa’ad,
“And you indeed know, O Sa’ad, that the Messenger of Allah said while you were sitting down (and listening to him),
“The people of the Quraish are in charge of this matter (i.e., of the caliphate): all righteous people are followers of their righteous people, and all evildoers are followers of their evildoers.’”
Sa’ad replied,
“You have spoken the truth. We are your ministers, and you are our leaders.”
(Musnad Imam Ahmad, 18. This narration is authentic by dint of other narrations that strengthen it).
One cannot rely on a false narration that smears the reputation of Sa’ad and ignore many authentic narrations that remind us of the many sacrifices that Sa’ad made for the cause of Islam. As for the aforementioned false narration, we know that it is false for two main reasons: First, its narrator was one of the people of desires, and his narrations were universally rejected by the scholars of hadeeth.
(Meezaan Al-‘Aitidaal fee Naqd Ar-Rijaal, by Adh-Dhahabee, 3/2992).
As Imam adh-Dhahabee said about this narration,
“As you can clearly see, its chain is utterly weak.”
(Siyyar ‘Alaam an-Nubalaa, 1/277)
And second, the actual text of the narration contradicts every piece of information we know about Sa’ad ibn Ubaadah regarding his upright character and his lifelong dedication to promoting the cause of Islam.
4) An Alleged Disagreement between Umar ibn al-Khattaab and al-Hubaab ibn al-Mundhir
It is related that, during the course of the meeting that took place in the courtyard of Banu Saa’idah, Umar got into a heated argument with Al-Hubaab ibn al-Mundhir as-Sullamee al-Ansaaree; the facts, however, indicate otherwise. In fact, it is safe to say that no such argument occurred, for Umar had previously made a vow to never say a disrespectful word to Al-Hubaab. It is true that Al-Hubaab suggested appointing two leaders: one from the Muhaajiroon, and the other from the Ansaar; it is equally true that this was a misguided proposition, but Umar did not argue with or scold Al-Hubaab. We know this because Umar himself later said,
“When it was Al-Hubaab ibn al-Mundhir who answered me, I realised that I had no right to say anything in response to him. This is because we had a disagreement with one another during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah, and the Messenger of Allah forbade me from arguing with him. When that occurred, I swore never to speak an unkindly word to him, nor one that would cause him the least bit of grief.
(Al-Ansaar fil-‘Asr ar-Raashidee, pg. 100)
In regard to the alleged dispute between Al-Hubaab and Umar some strange sayings have been falsely ascribed to Al-Hubaab. I say ‘falsely’ because they are contrary to everything that we know about Al-Hubaab , who was both wise and intelligent, and who chose his words very carefully. It was, after all, al-Hubaab’s wise counsel that the Prophet acted upon both at Badr and Khaibar.
(Ibid)
Yes, during the course of the meeting, Al-Hubaab did say,
“There should be a leader from among us (the Ansaar), and a leader from among you (the Muhaajiroon),”
, but he said this for an understandable reason: he was concerned that the wrong kind of people would vie for positions of leadership and that those people would act unjustly towards the Ansaar. He himself explained his position when he said:
“By Allah, we are not competing with you (the people of the Muhaajiroon) over this matter (i.e., the caliphate); rather, we simply fear that the people who will assume power will be the very same people whose fathers and brothers we fought against (in previous wars that were waged between the Muslims and the people of Makkah).”
(Ibid)
The Muhaajiroon knew that Al-Hubaab was wrong, but they understood his point of view, and they found no fault with him as a result, for they too had fought against the polytheists of Makkah during previous wars; nonetheless, the Prophet’s command was clear and had to be followed: the Khaleefah of the Muslim nation should always be from the Quraish.
5 – The Hadeeth: “The Leaders (of the Muslim Nation) are (or should always be) from the Quraish”
The Hadeeth which states that the overall leader of the Muslim nation should always be from the Quraish is not only related in Bukhaaree, Muslim, and various other hadeeth compilations; it is, moreover, expressed in various ways, thus leaving no room for ambiguity or false interpretations. For example, in Saheeh Bukhaaree, Mu’aawiyah reported that the Messenger of Allah said:
“Verily, this affair (i.e., caliphate) is restricted to the Quraish. As for anyperson who shows enmity towards them, Allah will cast him onto his face in the Hellfire – that is, so long as they (i.e., the leaders of the Quraish) establish and apply (laws of the) religion.”
(Bukhaaree, 7139)
And according to a narration that is related in Saheeh Muslim:
“Islam will continue to remain honoured (and stable and powerful) through Khaleefahs, and all of them are from the Quraish.”
(Muslim, 1821)
The Messenger of Allah also said:
“People are followers of the Quraish in this regard: The Muslim from the former category is a follower of the Muslim from the latter category, and the disbeliever of the former category is a follower of the disbeliever from the latter category.”
(Muslim, 7140)
Bukair ibn Wahb al-Juzaree reported that Anas ibn Maalik al-Ansaaree once said to him,
“I will relate to you a hadeeth that I do not relate to just anybody. We were in one of the homes of the Ansaar, when the Prophet came, stood (in front of the house), and took hold of the two rings of the door. He then said:
“The Imams (rulers of the Muslim nation) are from the Quraish. They have a right over you, and you similarly have a right over them: If they are asked to show mercy , they should show it; if they make a covenant, they should fulfil it; and if they render judgement (regarding any given matter), they should be just.”
(Al-Musannaf, by Abu Shaibah, 5/544)
In Fathul-Baaree, Ibn Hajar related many ahaadeeth under the chapter title, “The Rulers (of this nation) are from the Quraish”; he took those narrations from various kinds of hadeeth compilations – what are known as “As-Sunan,” “Al-Masaaneed,” and “Al-Musannafaat.”
(Al-Ansaare fil-‘Asr ar-Raashidee, pg. 111)
Rare, in fact, is the hadeeth compilation that contains no mention of a narration that refers to Quraish’s right to the caliphate. The wordings of such narrations might differ, but they all convey the same clear and emphatic message: In any given era, the Khaleefah of the Muslim nation should be a man from the Quraish. This ruling applies to the caliphate only, and not to other lesser positions of leadership – positions that may be held by any qualified candidate.
Even though many ahaadeeth make it clear that the leaders of this nation are from the Quraish, the same ahaadeeth clearly forbid Muslims from blindly following Quraish’s leaders. The people of the Quraish have the right to lead this nation only if they establish Allah’s divinely revealed laws, a ruling that we have come across in the hadeeth of Mu’aadh, and that is corroborated by Anas’s narration as well:
“If they are asked to show mercy, they should show it; if they make a covenant, they should fulfil it; and if they render judgement (regarding any given matter), they should rule justly. Whoever among them does not do all of that, then upon him is the curse of Allah, of the angels, and of all of mankind.”
(Musannaf ibn Abee Shaibah, 5/544).
So the same ahaadeeth that instruct us to follow Quraish’s leaders warn us against obeying them when they do not rule by that which Allah has revealed to the Prophet. When a man from the Quraish becomes a leader of this nation, and when he rules in a merciful and just manner, he becomes a blessing for his people. But when he does otherwise, when he rules in an unjust manner, he becomes a clear and present danger to the nation – he becomes a man that must be avoided like the plague. The Prophet said:
“Verily, the root of destruction, or the corruption, of this nation will be the leaders of foolish youths from the Quraish.”
(Bukhaaree, 7058)
When he was then asked,
“Then what do you command us to do (when they appear)?”
He replied:
“Only if the people would then stay away from them (by not participating alongside them in their evil activities, and by not fighting their wars).”
(Dalaail an-Nubuwwah, by al-Baihaqee, 6/464 and al-Aihsaan fee Taqreeb Saheeh ibn Hibbaan, 6713)
Based on the above-mentioned narrations, the people of the Ansaar submitted to their counterparts from the Quraish. At first, they thought that they were justified in choosing a leader from among themselves. But then no sooner were they reminded of Quraish’s of right to the caliphate than they forgot their claim and pledged allegiance to Abu Bakr.
Thus the process of choosing a Khaleefah was not one that was characterised by haphazardness or an arbitrary set of rules; instead, it was based on divinely revealed texts and mutual consultation. Because such a process was followed, everyone was satisfied in the end, and not a single person from the Ansaar was left with any doubt in his mind about Quraish’s – and in the case, Abu Bakr’s – right to the caliphate.
The clear facts of the situation notwithstanding, some of Islam’s enemies try to paint an altogether different picture of what happened, claiming that the hadeeth about the Imams – about their being from the Quraish – was a saying not of the Prophet , but of Abu Bakr. They claim that he used the saying as a slogan to ensure that the caliphate would remain in the hands of the Quraish. But, of course, nothing could be further from the truth. For, as we have seen, a number of authentic ahaadeeth establish the right of the Quraish to the caliphate. Both the people of the Muhaajiroon and the Ansaar were pleased with that ruling, and they left the courtyard of Banu Saa’idah with contented and united hearts.
6) Qur’aanic Verses that alluded to Abu Bakr’s Caliphate
There is not a single verse in the Qur’aan which explicitly states that Abu Bakr was to be the first Khaleefah of the Muslim nation; nonetheless, there are a number of verses that implicitly point to his caliphate – and to the fact that, all of the Prophet’s Companions, he was the most deserving candidate to rule the Muslim nation after the Prophet’s death. Those verses are as follows:
a) Allah said:
“Guide us to the Straight Way. The Way of those on whom You have bestowed Your Grace, not (the way) of those who earned Your Anger (such as the Jews), nor of those who went astray (such as the Christians).”
(Qur’aan, 1: 6-7)
These are verses that every Muslim reads at least 17 times a day, and in them Allah orders Muslims to ask for the following: To be guided to the path of “those on whom You have bestowed Your Grave.” Who are “those on whom You have bestowed Your Grace”? Allah answered this question in Chapter “An-Nisaa” when He said:
And whoso obeys Allah and the Messenger (Muhammad ), then they will be in the company of those on whom Allah has bestowed His Grace, of the Prophets, the Siddiqun (those followers of the Prophets who were first and foremost to believe in them, like Abu Bakr As-Siddeeq), the martyrs, and the righteous. And how excellent these companions are!
(Qur’aan 4: 69)
One of the categories of those “on whom You have bestowed Your Grace” consists of Siddiqun, or the truthful ones; and the Prophet informed us that Abu Bakr is one of the Siddiqun; in fact, he is the best of them.
Since all Muslims – from the time of the Prophet onwards – ask Allah to guide them to the way of Abu Bakr and others like him, it should come as no surprise that, with the death of the Prophet, Abu Bakr was more deserving than anyone else to assume the reins of leadership over the Muslim nation.
As Muhammad al-Ameen ash-Shinqeetee aptly put it,
“We should take away from this verse a clear understanding that Abu Bakr was deserving of the caliphate, for he is alluded to in Chapter ‘Al-Faatihah.’
In ‘Al-Faatihah,’ we ask Allah to guide us to the way of a certain group of people, and so it is established that that group of people is upon the Straight Path.
Allah said:
“Guide us to the Straight Way. The Way of those on whom You have bestowed Your Grace, not (the way) of those who earned Your Anger (such as the Jews), nor of those who went astray (such as the Christians).”
Elsewhere, Allah made clear the identities of ‘those on whom You have bestowed Your Grace,’ informing us that among them are the ‘Truthful Ones.’ It is clear, therefore, that Abu Bakr was one of those ‘on whom You have bestowed Your Grace,’ one of those whose example we must follow if we are to be saved in the Hereafter. So yes, Abu Bakr was on the Straight Path; and yes, he was deserving of the caliphate.”
(Adwaa al-Bayaan, 1/36)
b) Allah said:
O you who believe! Whoever from among you turns back from his religion (Islam), Allah will bring a people whom He will love and they will love Him; humble towards the believers, stern towards the disbelievers, fighting in the Way of Allah, and never afraid of the blame of the blamers. That is the Grace of Allah which He bestows on whom He wills. And Allah is All-Sufficient for His creatures' needs, All-Knower.
(Qur’aan, 5: 54)
This verse was, of course, revealed during the lifetime of the Prophet , and yet it alluded to something that was to occur after the Prophet’s death. Immediately after the Prophet died, many people apostatised, rejecting faith after having believed. Allah had previously warned them that, if they were ever to turn away from their religion, He would “bring a people whom He will love and they will love him – humble towards the believers, stern towards the disbelievers, fighting in the Way of Allah, and never afraid of the blame of the blamers.”
Those people, it turned out, consisted of Abu Bakr and the members of his army who fought against the apostates. That Allah lavished such praise upon Abu Bakr and those under his command confirms Abu Bakr as the rightful Khaleefah after the Prophet’s death. Allah’s promise in the above-mentioned verse came true; Abu Bakr and those under his command fought against the apostates, doing so for the sake of Allah, and fearing no human being that stood in their way. Abu Bakr’s army defeated the apostates, an event that, when juxtaposed with the aforementioned verse, leaves us with a clear message: No one deserved to be the first Khaleefah of the Muslim nation more so than Abu Bakr as-Siddeeq did – may Allah be pleased with him and with all of the Prophet’s Comapnions.
c) Allah said:
If you help him (Muhammad ) not (it does not matter), for Allah did indeed help him when the disbelievers drove him out, the second of two, when they (Muhammad and Abu Bakr) were in the cave, and he saw said to his companion (Abu Bakr): "Be not sad (or afraid), surely Allah is with us." Then Allah sent down His Sakinah (calmness, tranquillity, peace, etc.) upon him, and strengthened him with forces (angels) which you saw not, and made the word of those who disbelieved the lowermost, while it was the Word of Allah that became the uppermost, and Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise.
(Qur’aan, 9: 40)
The logical connection between this verse and Abu Bakr’s rightful place as the first Khaleefah of the Muslim nation is more subtle than it was in the aforementioned verses. Here, Abu Bakr is referred to as being “the second of two.” Imam al-Qurtubee wrote that certain scholars said that Abu Bakrwas not only “the second of two” in the cave, but also “the second of two” in the ranking of this nation’s members. Abu Bakr was the “second of two” in another sense as well: The Prophet was the first to invite people to embrace Islam and to fight those who attempted to hinder the progress of Islam’s propagation, and – in the capacity of the new overall leader of the Muslim nation after the Prophet’s death - Abu Bakr was the second to do those very same things.
d) Allah said:
Allah has promised those among you who believe, and do righteous good deeds, that He will certainly grant them succession to (the present rulers) in the earth, as He granted it to those before them, and that He will grant them the authority to practise their religion, that which He has chosen for them (i.e. Islam). And He will surely give them in exchange a safe security after their fear (provided) they (believers) worship Me and do not associate anything (in worship) with Me. But whoever disbelieved after this, they are the Fasiqun (rebellious, disobedient to Allah).
(Qur’aan, 24: 55)
Based on the events that occurred during the thirty or so years after the Prophet’s death, this verse from Chapter “An-Noor” clearly applies to the caliphates of Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, ‘Uthmaan and ‘Ali. Al-Haafidh ibn Katheer related that one of the eminent scholars from the early generations of Islam said that the caliphates of Abu Bakr and ‘Umar are referred to in the book of Allah, after which he proceeded to recite the above-mentioned verse.
e)Allah said:
(And there is also a share in this booty) for the poor emigrants, who were expelled from their homes and their property, seeking Bounties from Allah and to please Him. And helping Allah (i.e. helping His religion) and His Messenger (Muhammad ). Such are indeed the truthful (to what they say);
(Qur’aan, 59: 8)
In this verse, Allah said that those who migrated from Makkah to Al-Madeenah – and at their forefront was Abu Bakr, who had the solo honour among them of making that journey in the blessed company of the Prophet – were “indeed the truthful (ones).” As such, Allah bore witness to the truthfulness of Abu Bakr; therefore, neither Abu Bakr nor the other ‘poor emigrants’ who pledged allegiance to him could have been false or untrue to themselves or to others when they appointed Abu Bakr to lead them, and when Abu Bakr accepted their nomination and pledges of allegiance.
returned to his command post, a makeshift structure which was located on a hill that overlooked the battleground. Accompanying the Prophet was Abu Bakr, as well as a number of young men from the Ansaar; under the authority of Sa’ad ibn Mu’aadh, those brave young men stood guard outside of the Prophet’s command post.
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