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Abu Bakr – his lasting friendship

Abu Bakr - his lasting friendship
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July 21, 2023
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The Best Companion of the Prophet (peace be upon him). The Best of this Ummah after the Prophet (peace be upon him)

Regarded as the closest confidant and the foremost companion of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), the life of Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) deserves our attention and reverence.

No less than the best companion of the Prophet (peace be upon him and the best man in the Ummah after (peace be upon him), he is a role model for us and an inspiration and it is very hard to do justice to him in just a brief examination. Nevertheless we will take a look at what we know of him through the biography (seerah) of the Prophet (peace be upon him) from authentic sources, such as Imam Dhahabi’s beautiful Siyar A’lam al-Nubala, and Imam Suyyuti’s Tareekh ul Khulafa, The History of the Khulafa of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and from Imam an-Nawawi. Apart from these authentic sources, we also have Tareekh ul Islam by Imam Adh- Dhahabi and writing by Ibn Kathir.

It was a common practice, among the first generation of our Ummah to teach children and the community about the life of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and his companions. Based on the hadith of the Prophet (peace be upon him) that you are with those whom you love, if you love the Prophet (peace be upon him), inshallah you will be with him, and if you love his companions as well, you will be with them too. Thus by developing a love for Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman and Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) and the rest, inshallah you will have their honourable company in Jannatul Firdaus. Therefore we should learn about them throughout the year rather than focusing on them only during Rabbi’ al Awwal, especially as there is so much to learn from them.

What made Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) so special? Undoubtedly it was his sincerity. We will look at the main stations in his life we can see that the thread which connects them all together is the purity of his heart. We will explore this more later.  

The name Abu Bakr – Father of a Young Camel

While we commonly refer to him as Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), meaning ‘father of a young camel’ due to his love for them. This is not the name given to him at birth; it is his kunya (nickname) – the name which is commonly conferred by Arabs to address individuals with the phrase ‘father of X,’ or ‘mother of Y’ even if they do not have biological children. For instance, the kunya of Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her), who though childless was Umm Abdillah, meaning Mother of Abdullah (her nephew?) Abu Bakr’s true kunya was Abdullah bin Abi Quhafa, and his birth name is based on his lineage as the son of Usman, hence his actual name was Abdullah bin Usman.

Depending on different historical sources, Abdullah bin Usman (may Allah be pleased with him) was born about two and a half years after the Prophet (peace be upon him) who was born memorably in the Year of the Elephant (570 BC).

He and the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) shared a common ancestor as their sixth forefather, Murrah bin Ka’ab. Beyond their shared lineage they would forge an unbreakable bond of companionship and devotion.

Honourable character pre-Islam

Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was born in the honoured tribe of Bany Taym to an honourable family. They were not from the lower classes, but wealthy businessmen and traders. From early in his life, the wisdom of Abu Bakr was apparent. Indeed, even in pre-Islamic times, we see that Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), and also Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) did not drink alcohol, even though it had not been prohibited. When Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) asked her father why he had not drunk alcohol during the time of Jahiliya, he said wisely, “I wanted to keep my honour and dignity.” He valued integrity and as a result he was much respected in the community.

Even more noteworthy is the fact that he never prostrated before an idol pre-Islam. Once his father took him to a location where idols were being worshipped but Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) did not bow down to them, as their abject powerlessness was evident to him. He said “I stood before these idols, and I said, ‘I am hungry, can you feed me?’ But they didn’t. And then I said, ‘I want some clothes, can you clothe me?’ And they didn’t.” And he said, “Can you benefit me in anything?” No response. Then he said, “I took a stone and threw it at them, and I left.” And since that time, he never returned to that place.

Friendship with the Prophet (peace be upon him) and immediate acceptance of Islam

Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was very close to the Prophet (peace be upon him) even before his prophethood. They would often visit each other. After the commencement of his prophethood, the Prophet (peace be upon him) mentioned that everyone he invited to Islam was reluctant except for Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him). The moment the Prophet (peace be upon him) told Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) about the revelation and Islam, Abu Bakr accepted Islam without any hesitation. Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) was overjoyed when Abu Bakr embraced Islam.

Abu Bakr’s father and mother were alive during his lifetime and his father accepted Islam after some time, whereas his mother accepted Islam earlier on, in Makkah. His father outlived him and inherited from him, though he passed these shares in the inheritance back to Abu Bakr’s (may Allah be pleased with him) children.

Knowledge of genealogy and poems and excellent memory

As a businessman, Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) would go on trips for trade and would meet many people on his travels, including the People of the Book – mainly Christians and some Jews. He would listen to them and retain what they said as he was blessed with a very sound memory. In Arabia, knowledge was preserved through the memory and oral tradition, as only a few people could read and write. Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was one of the literate, and his ability to memorise and the environment which placed emphasis on memorisation aided this. Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) had the best recollection of the lineage of the Arab tribes. He was an encyclopaedia on this subject. And he was consulted about this and also taught this science to many companions. He also memorised a lot of poems, but did not write them. In the seerah of the Prophet (peace be upon him), he used to ask Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) to regale them with poems and he would do so.

Leadership

Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was among the ten leaders of Quraysh. They were the council and carried responsibility for governing Makkah. Each one had a role and responsibility such as the supply and distribution of water. Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), accordingly had responsibility.

Love and loyalty

When he accepted Islam, Abu Bakr’s tribe protected him. We also saw this system when the Prophet (peace be upon him) began dawah (inviting people to Islam) and mentioned that he received the revelation, his uncle protected him. Those who had no protection, were tortured. As Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was among the very early callers to Islam in Makkah, he once stood inside the Haram but though he was a very respected and eloquent speaker, the Quryash had no appetite for what he was delivering to the extent that they began to attack him physically. Severely beaten, he was about to die, when his tribe, Banu Taym, came and rescued him from the hands of the enemies of the Prophet (peace be upon him). They thought that Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was dead and declared that if Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) died, they would kill the attackers. But alhamdulillah Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) did not die and was treated with various medicines until he recovered.

When Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was beaten by Quraysh and passed out, the first thing he said when he was revived was, “Tell me what happened to the Prophet (peace be upon him).” Despite the fact he was so bruised and deformed by the beatings and the torture of the Quraysh, that he was unrecognisable, his first thought was not for himself, but for the Prophet (peace be upon him).” It is a reflection of his deep love and care for the Prophet (peace be upon him) that event though he was nearly dying, he was not concerned for himself. The only thing he was continuously repeating was, “Tell me what happened to the Prophet (peace be upon him).” This is why Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) is Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) and no one can compete with him in his loyalty and love for the Prophet (peace be upon him).

Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) he said, “The companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him) they have been chosen by Allah Almighty to serve the Prophet (peace be upon him), to carry the message of this Ummah.” So as Allah Almighty has chosen Muhammad (peace be upon him), He has chosen his companions. And as Allah Almighty stated in the Quran that Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah and those who are with him, very tough against their enemies and very kind towards one another.

مُّحَمَّدٌ رَّسُولُ اللَّهِ ۚ وَالَّذِينَ مَعَهُ أَشِدَّاءُ عَلَى الْكُفَّارِ رُحَمَاءُ بَيْنَهُمْ ۖ تَرَاهُمْ رُكَّعًا سُجَّدًا يَبْتَغُونَ فَضْلًا مِّنَ اللَّهِ وَرِضْوَانًا ۖ سِيمَاهُمْ فِي وُجُوهِهِم مِّنْ أَثَرِ السُّجُودِ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ مَثَلُهُمْ فِي التَّوْرَاةِ ۚ وَمَثَلُهُمْ فِي الْإِنجِيلِ كَزَرْعٍ أَخْرَجَ شَطْأَهُ فَآزَرَهُ فَاسْتَغْلَظَ فَاسْتَوَىٰ عَلَىٰ سُوقِهِ يُعْجِبُ الزُّرَّاعَ لِيَغِيظَ بِهِمُ الْكُفَّارَ ۗ وَعَدَ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ مِنْهُم مَّغْفِرَةً وَأَجْرًا عَظِيمًا

Muhammad is the Messenger of God. Those with him are stern against the disbelievers, yet compassionate amongst themselves. You see them kneeling, prostrating, seeking blessings from God and approval. Their marks are on their faces from the effects of prostration. Such is their description in the Torah, and their description in the Gospel: like a plant that sprouts, becomes strong, grows thick, and rests on its stem, impressing the farmers. Through them He enrages the disbelievers. God has promised those among them who believe and do good deeds forgiveness and a great reward. (48:29)

Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was the cream of the cream, the best of the companions, whom Allah Almighty specifically chose to carry His message. The Prophet (peace be upon him) mentioned:

 “ خَيْرُ النَّاسِ قَرْنِي، ثُمَّ الَّذِينَ يَلُونَهُمْ، ثُمَّ الَّذِينَ يَلُونَهُمْ”

“The best people are my century, and those who come after them, and those who come after them.” So this is a testimony from the Prophet (peace be upon him) that the best of generations is his generation. And Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was among the top in his generation. (Bukhari and Muslim)

The virtues of Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him)

There are numerous virtues of Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), and once when the Prophet (peace be upon him) was standing on Uhud, the mountain started shaking and the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:

“‏ اثْبُتْ أُحُدُ فَإِنَّمَا عَلَيْكَ نَبِيٌّ وَصِدِّيقٌ وَشَهِيدَانِ ‏”

“Stay firm oh Uhud! You have on you siddiq and two martyrs.” (Bukhari)

Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was with the Prophet (peace be upon him) and Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) and Ali (may Allah be pleased with him).

Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was very special to the Prophet (peace be upon him) because of his pure heart, his softness, and his kindness. We don’t have many details of how Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was in his house and to his household, but we surmise can see from his general characteristics that he was a man of very good character – a very generous person, a very kind person, pious, highly educated. Indeed he was among the most highly educated people in Quraysh and he educated his children. This influenced Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) who emulated him and was the most beloved wife, after Khadija (may Allah be pleased with him), to the Prophet (peace be upon him). Her character reflected her father’s and the Prophet (peace be upon him) did appreciate this a lot.

Childhood and homelife

We do not have many details about his childhood or homelife as it was not customary at that time to document anything unless it was a major event. They used to document only big events. Thus we have limited knowledge about even the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) childhood as no one knew he would become the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) or that Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) would become the Calipha of the Prophet (peace be upon him).

It is from Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) that we know of his generosity and piety, his salah and ibadah (worship). For instance, when he recited the Quran, he could not hold back his tears, he was as Allah Almighty describes as those who fear and revere Him and turn to Him at all times:

ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَتَطْمَئِنُّ قُلُوبُهُم بِذِكْرِ ٱللَّهِ ۗ أَلَا بِذِكْرِ ٱللَّهِ تَطْمَئِنُّ ٱلْقُلُوبُ

“Those who believe, and their hearts find tranquillity in the remembrance of Allah, indeed in Allah’s remembrance hearts find tranquillity.” (13:28)

Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) would cry much whenever he recited the Quran. The people of Makkah would come and listen to his recitation, but it was so moving, they feared they would become Muslims if they listened to him again, so they stopped listening to his recitation. This shows us that his heart was full of imaan and full of love towards Allah Almighty and this is why he could feel the sweetness of the Quran in his heart and the tranquillity descending on him and why he couldn’t hold back his tears. Sometimes we feel this in Ramadan or during qiyam ul layl (night prayers) when our hearts are more attentive, but not always. However the heart of Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was in that state almost all the time.

When you talk about Abu Bakr’s (may Allah be pleased with him) generosity in the community, it pre-dates his acceptance of Islam. After accepting Islam, it increased manifold; he started buying slaves to free them. His daughter, Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) mentioned that on one occasion, Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) bought seven slaves and freed them for Allah’s sake. This would have cost a small fortune. They say he collected 40,000 Dirhams from his business and trade and spent it entirely on the Prophet (peace be upon him). Dunya wasn’t a concern for Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him). He said, “Oh Messenger of Allah, my money is your money.”

The extent of the support he gave the Prophet (peace be upon him) was so much that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said,

“Everyone who has a favour on us, we return his favour except Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him). I cannot return his favour. Allah Almighty is the only one who will return this favour to Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him). No money benefitted me as much as Abu Bakr’s (may Allah be pleased with him) money.” (Tirmidhi)

The Prophet (peace be upon him) would use Abu Bakr’s (may Allah be pleased with him) money as his own. Just as we hold joint bank accounts from which we spend without asking the other what they spent or why the Prophet (peace be upon him) felt able to spend from Abu Bakr’s (may Allah be pleased with him) wealth freely and Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) kept repeating and meaning it when he said, “Myself and my money at your service, Oh Messenger of Allah”. (Ibn Majah)

The story everyone is familiar with is when Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) gave all his money to the Prophet (peace be upon him). However not everyone knows the background of this famous occurrence. It took place when the Prophet (peace be upon him) was fundraising for a military expedition, known as Jaysh ul Usra – the Army of Hardship. He was preparing to march to Tabuk, with 30,000 men, the largest army the Muslims had ever gathered to fight the Byzantines. It was the 9th year after migration – the last battle that the Prophet (peace be upon him) would lead before he passed away. He asked everybody to contribute as much as they could, as they had to raise a huge amount. The response varied, just as we experience when we fundraise. It was a test of the strength of their imaan. Some were very generous, like Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) who gave a massive amount of wealth, and Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) who gave half of what he owned; however it was the magnanimity of Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) that trumped everyone’s donations, as he gave away all of his wealth. What counts is not the amount, but the percentage of his wealth that he gave. One might give a million pounds but it is only a tiny fraction of their wealth, while another may give £1,000 and it is all of their savings. On this occasion left nothing for himself or his family. When the Prophet (peace be upon him) asked him what he had left he said, “I left Allah and His Messenger for my family.” Showing the depth of his imaan and trust in Allah. Al Ghazali in his book, Ihya Ulum ud Din, wrote a special chapter on tawakkul (reliance) on Allah Almighty, in which the example of Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was the highest level one could achieve. Not everyone can reach that station.

Abu Bakr’s (may Allah be pleased with him) tawakkul was second to none. We also saw it when he was longing to migrate from Makkah to Madinah. The Prophet (peace be upon him) had finally been given the permission to instruct his companions to migrate to Madinah, 13 years after the first revelation. Only about a hundred people had accepted Islam though we have no accurate or precise statistics. Research papers say that there were approximately 3000 to 5000 inhabitants of Makkah, yet the vast majority had rejected Islam. In those 13 years Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was at the forefront of dawah and brought Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) into the fold. In those years he was spending on the Prophet (peace be upon him), on da’wah, on buying and freeing salves and protecting the Prophet (peace be upon him). After years of intense struggle as they nurtured the fledging shoots of Islam in a toxic environment, it was time to uproot and allow believers the chance to practice their faith in freedom and Islam to flourish. It was time for the Migration. When Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) came to the Prophet (peace be upon him) and said he wanted to migrate to Madinah, the Prophet (peace be upon him) told him to wait. Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) had a very sharp intellect, and realised from this sign that the Prophet (peace be upon him) wanted him to accompany him. He himself was awaiting permission from Allah Almighty to leave. Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was overjoyed at being chosen for this salient journey. He went and bought two camels and prepared them for it.

Imagine, Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was ready to leave his family – his wife, children, parents as well as his business and property to accompany the Prophet (peace be upon him)! He left everything behind!

When the permission came, the Prophet (peace be upon him) asked him to buy a camel and he replied that he had already bought it for him. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said he would pay for it and Abu Bakr replied, “No, I will pay you the capital, don’t pay profit from me, I just pay you the capital.” Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “Ok of course, whatever you want, just let’s go!” And you know his generosity towards the Prophet (peace be upon him). The dunya was not in his heart, his concern was the akhirah, and his connection with Allah Almighty. He did not neglect his duties and responsibilities towards his family, but he had deep trust in Allah Almighty.

When they migrated to Madinah, he continued to be the one who spared nothing in his service to Islam and the Prophet (peace be upon him). During the migration, the seerah book tells us that Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was once walking in front of the Prophet (peace be upon him), and then moved to his right side, and then to his left side, ad then behind him. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “What are you doing?” He said, “I think the enemy might come from the front, so I go to the front. I think they might come from behind, so I go behind. And I think they might come to the right side…” The Prophet (peace be upon him) told him to relax. This was how much he loved the Prophet (peace be upon him) – he was ready to sacrifice his life to protect him. We saw this many times, during battles, such as Badr and Uhud, where Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was in the very front next to the Prophet (peace be upon him).

Close companionship is magnetic

Undoubtedly from being in the companionship of the Prophet (peace be upon him) Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) learned a great deal and his qiyam ul layl and his salah was very close to the salah of the Prophet (peace be upon him). Those who witnessed the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) salah said Abu Bakr’s (may Allah be pleased with him) salah was closest.

Among the virtues of Abu Bakr is that he was among the people who memorised the Quran. It is agreed upon by the scholars of the Sciences of the Quran, that Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was among those who memorised the Quran.

As Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was very close the Prophet (peace be upon him) he became magnetised by being in the company of the strongest magnet. Good companionship has this positive effect. Stick to good companions – this will elevate your status, boost your imaan, improve your character, and increase your closeness to Allah Almighty. Therefore stick with the right crowd, don’t mingle with the wrong people. Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was so close to the Prophet (peace be upon him), his salah, recitation, humility and generosity were augmented.

The Prophet’s (peace be upon him) testimony about Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) captured his greatness:

أَرْحَمُ أُمَّتِي بِأُمَّتِي أَبُو بَكْرٍ

“The most merciful people towards my ummah is Abu Bakr.” (Ibn Majah)

Moreover once when Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) and Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) argued over something, Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) and exchanged some heated words. Though it is not written about much, Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was somewhat hot-tempered. So when he lost his temper with Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) and Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) retorted. As their argument escalated and Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) realised that he had gone beyond the limits, he went to Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) and apologised. However Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) was angry and did not immediately forgive him. So Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) went to the Prophet (peace be upon him) and said, “Look what happened, I asked for forgiveness, but he did not forgive me.” Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) arrived and the Prophet (peace be upon him) was angry with him. He told Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) off. At this Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) felt bad and said, “Oh Messenger of Allah, I was in the wrong. I was in the wrong. Believe me, I was in the wrong!” However the Prophet (peace be upon him) said to Umar, “Why don’t you leave my companion alone? No one should come near Abu Bakr! By Allah, when I told you about the message, you said I am a liar. Except Abu Bakr, he said ‘You are telling the truth.’ So leave my companion alone, no one should come near him.” And after that day, no one came near Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him).

The Prophet (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “Allah sent me (as a Prophet) to you (people) but you said (to me), ‘You are telling a lie,’ while Abu Bakr said, ‘He has said the truth,’ and consoled me with himself and his money.” He then said twice, “Won’t you then give up harming my companion?” After that nobody harmed Abu Bakr. (Bukhari)

We see from this how much the Prophet (peace be upon him) did appreciate the position of Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), and this is why Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was called ‘As-Siddiq’, the truthful one. As-Siddiq because he said to the Prophet (peace be upon him) “You are telling the truth” on many different occasions. One of them was the very first time he invited him to Islam, he accepted straightaway. The second event was after Al Isra took place, 18 months before migration, according to the most agreed upon narration. The Prophet (peace be upon him) was transported to Bait al Maqdis and from there ascended the seven heavens (Isra wal Mi’raj), however when he returned, the Quraysh had a field day ridiculing him for what seemed an outrageous claim to them. It gave them ammunition to dismiss his claims as nonsense. They went to Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) and said, “Have you heard what your companion is saying?” He asked them, “What did he say?” And then backed him without a shred of doubt, saying “If he said so, he is telling the truth.” Without needing any clarification from the Prophet (peace be upon him) that whatever the Prophet (peace be upon him) had spoken was the truth. He trusted him a hundred percent because he was the one who entrusted by Allah to convey the divine revelation.

Abu Bakr would spend on his immediate family, extended family and on the poor, giving with continuous support, as we set up standing orders.

Allah Almighty revealed some verses about those who are pious, for instance that the one who will be protected from hellfire is ‘al atqa’ – the most pious:

وَسَيُجَنَّبُهَا الْأَتْقَى

But the devout will avoid it. (92:17)

The scholars of tafsir, like Tabari and others, say this was revealed because of Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) and that this is the description of Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him).

Allah is with us – the cave

There are many other verses similar to this, which Allah Almighty revealed to elaborate on the status of Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him). The very famous verse is the verse of migration,

لا تحزن ان الله معنا

When the Prophet (peace be upon him) said to Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), “Do not be sad, Allah is with us,” “us” is a big deal, as Allah Almighty has mentioned Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) specifically through that pronoun, as it is very clear that the one who was with the Prophet (peace be upon him) in the cave was Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him). He was close to the Prophet (peace be upon him) and Allah Almighty was close to him. Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was the most honoured and closest person to the Prophet (peace be upon him) and we have seen the reflection of this after the death of the Prophet (peace be upon him) when he was appointed as calipha.

We can learn so much from him that Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) is a school. He excelled and reached the highest level among the companions because of the purity of his heart. Therefore on a practical note, if you want to excel then you need to look after your heart. You need to divorce the dunya, (in a positive sense) by connecting with Allah Almighty more than the dunya. Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was a very successful businessman; he made a fortune from his business, but his dealing with the dunya was not his main concern and did not preoccupy his heart. Rather he used the dunya as a bridge to the akhirah. He used his money to support the da’wah, to support the Prophet (peace be upon him) and of course, he did support his family. However whenever the call came, he never hesitated. He was the first to respond, because of his level of certainty (yaqeen). He was sure that Allah Almighty would look after him and take care of his family. If you have this yaqeen and tawakkul (certainty in and reliance on) Allah Almighty, then you can tread that path. How far are we from level of Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him)

The highest level of dealing with others – siddiqeen

Al Ghazali called the level of the siddiqeen the ones who connect those who disconnect them, and give to those who prevent them and forgive those who wronged them. He gives the example of Abu Bakr as typifying this during the affair of al ifk when Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) was maligned by false rumours that she had been unfaithful to the Prophet (peace be on him) is mentioned in Surat al Nur. Allah cleared her name and her reputation. In the midst of this painful episode, Abu Bakr had a poor relative called Mistah, who was receiving regular charity from Abu Bakr. Like all people, he was weak and was not immune to passing on gossip and fanning its flames. When Abu Bakr learned of Mistah’s involvement in spreading the rumours, he stopped giving him charity. He was harming him, his daughter and the Prophet (peace be on him), so he no longer wanted to support him. Then Allah Almighty revealed a very beautiful ayah:

And let not those among you who are blessed with graces and wealth swear not to give to their kinsmen, al-Masaakeen [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 Al-Ghafur (the Most-Forgiving), Ar-Raheem (the Most Merciful). [Surah Noor, verse 22]

This ayah was revealed, and Abu Bakr realised that Allah was addressing him and interceding on behalf of Mistah. We know that people will intercede for others and appeal to Allah to forgive them, but we never heard of Allah interceding on behalf of another person to be forgiven. Allah Almighty asked Abu Bakr to forgive Mistah for His sake. And Allah said, ‘Do you not love that Allah should forgive you?’ And Abu Bakr replied ‘bala ya Rabb’ Yes My Lord. No hesitation, not hard feelings. This was his level.

It is not easy, but look at the level. Allah is addressed Abu Bakr because of his level of goodness. In essence He is saying, Abu Bakr, you are not like ordinary people. You are better than that. So respond in a better way that a normal person would. And Abu Bakr said yes, if this is what you think of me then yes I will do it. Wow!

We are a very long way off from the high level of Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him). We need much training to strengthen our imaan. Change does not come overnight – it is not a pill which you can get over the counter. However the prescription to reach his level is the special pill of ikhlas which we need to keep taking to strengthen us over time. We have to monitor our Ikhlas. It is like a seed in the garden which needs to be watered, and may be attacked by birds or killed by frost, while its shoots are assailed by weeds. Unless we look after it, it will die. If we don’t prune it, it will grow in the wrong direction.

The character of Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) teaches us many lessons. Lessons of ikhlas, and also lessons of humility. Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), even after he became the calipha remained humble. According to authentic narrations he would go to the elderly ladies in the community in the night to help them with their chores, so he would not be seen by others. He would milk their cows and goats, or collect rubbish.  

Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) was always trying to compete with Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), so one night he followed Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) to see where he went in the night. People had assumed that he would not continue to this was after he became calipha but he was so down to earth, he did not let that stop him. That night when Umar followed him, after Abu Bakr had become calipha he discovered what Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was doing. He berated himself, saying, “Oh Umar, woe to you. You shouldn’t have doubted Abu Bakr. You shouldn’t have followed him. But I cannot beat Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) in anything. I try my best to compete with him but he’s always ahead of me, always ahead of me!” He did not see himself as above people, he saw himself as the one who served them.  

Though there is no comparison, theoretically speaking, there is a big difference between the leaders of today’s world and Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him). Leaders today humiliate people rather than show humility. We ask Allah Almighty to enable us to follow the footsteps of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and his companions (may Allah be pleased with them).

Abu Bakr’s understanding of the Quran

Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) had deep knowledge and understanding of the Qur’an. His reflections on and understanding of some verses are unique and interesting. For instance, one of the famous interpretations of Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) is about the ayah in Surat al Isra, Qul kulluny ya’malu ‘alaa shaakilatihee fa rabbukum a’lamu biman huwa ahdaa sabeelaa

قُلۡ كُلّٞ يَعۡمَلُ عَلَىٰ شَاكِلَتِهِۦ فَرَبُّكُمۡ أَعۡلَمُ بِمَنۡ هُوَ أَهۡدَىٰ سَبِيلٗا

Say, “Each works according to his manner, but your Lord is most knowing of who is best guided in way.” (17:83)

Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) when he said, “I read the whole Qur’an, I did not find in the Qur’an more hopeful ayah than this very ayah.” He explained why he thought this ayah is full of hope because it is in our nature to makes mistakes and sin.

As Anas ibn Malik reported the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:

عَنْ أَنَسٍ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ كُلُّ ابْنِ آدَمَ خَطَّاءٌ وَخَيْرُ الْخَطَّائِينَ التَّوَّابُونَ

“All of the children of Adam are sinners, and the best sinners are those who repent.” (Tirmidhi)

While our nature is to commit mistakes and sins the attribute of the Lord is to forgive. Though we may have read this ayah many times, it would not have occurred to us that to extract this meaning from it, which is very deep. Therefore this is a very hopeful ayah. Whenever we sin, we ask Allah for forgiveness as He is Al Ghafur the One who forgives. So we hope that He will forgive us.

There are many other reflections as well, Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) made on different verses. One of these verses for example,

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا عَلَيْكُمْ أَنفُسَكُمْ ۖ لَا يَضُرُّكُم مَّن ضَلَّ إِذَا اهْتَدَيْتُمْ ۚ إِلَى اللَّهِ مَرْجِعُكُمْ جَمِيعًا فَيُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ

O you who believe! You are responsible for your own souls. He who has strayed cannot harm you if you are guided. To God is you return, all of you, and He will inform you of what you used to do. (5:105)

The explanation you provided centers around a Quranic verse and how it is often misunderstood by some people. The verse appears to be related to the concept of enjoining good and forbidding evil, which is a fundamental aspect of Islamic ethics and community responsibility. Let’s break down the explanation:

There are individuals who, when reminded about Allah or encouraged to engage in acts of righteousness, respond dismissively with statements like, “Please mind your own business.” They may reject or resist such reminders.

The verse suggests that believers should not be concerned or harmed by the negative reactions or rejection they may face when reminding others about Allah or encouraging them to do good deeds. In other words, the verse is telling the believers not to take it personally or be discouraged by such reactions.

However, Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) is said to have provided a more accurate interpretation of the verse. He reportedly explained that the verse should not be understood as a license to neglect one’s duty of reminding others about doing good and preventing evil. In other words, it is not an excuse to stop encouraging positive behavior and discouraging negative actions in the community.

The hadith of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is mentioned to support this understanding. The hadith likely emphasises the importance of continuing to remind and encourage others in a gentle and kind manner, even if they initially reject or resist such reminders.

In essence, the explanation clarifies that the Quranic verse in question does not mean that believers should avoid their responsibility to promote good and discourage evil. Instead, it suggests that believers should not be disheartened or deterred by the negative responses they may encounter when fulfilling this duty. They should continue to remind and encourage others in a gentle and compassionate way, following the example of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and maintaining their commitment to promoting virtuous behavior within their community.

Great achievements

When we talk about Abu Bakr’s (may Allah be pleased with him) achievements, one of his greatest achievements is that after the death of the Prophet (peace be upon him) many tribes objected to the obligation of zakat, they resented it and wanted to return to their pagan customs. They did not want pay zakat. Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) decided to fight them. Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) opposed this idea. This appeared out of character for both of them, Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was known for his gentleness, while Umar was the one who was seen as firm and ready to fight. However Abu Bakr said “I will fight them” while Umar said, “How can you fight them, when they say La ilaha illa Allah, Muhammadur-Rasullullah?” So Abu Bakr said, “I will fight anyone who makes a distinction between salah and zakat.” After a few days, Umar’s heart (may Allah be pleased with him) opened to Abu Bakr’s suggestion and Khalid bin Walid led a series of military campaigns in the War against Apostasy – Hurub ildaf.  Abu Bakr declared war on those who rejected to pay zakat. Scholars comment on this event by saying this is the greatest achievement of Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him). Had he not fought those who rejected the zakat, then the Muslim world was set to fragment and collapse. Every tribe would have rebelled, some might have rejected salah, others fasting and others Hajj. They could have knocked down the pillars of Islam. So Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) made it very clear no one could pick and mix the pillars. No one could negotiate. He succeeded in bringing them back to Islam – fortifying it and bringing in more Muslims. This was his greatest achievement of Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him).

The second achievement is that he instructed the compilation of the Qur’an. The third great achievement was that under him, Islam grew and expanded. He sent the army of Usamah to fight the enemies and he sent Khalid ibn Walid as a leader on the front, the Persian front, and Abu Ubayd ibn Jarrah on the Roman front. Allah opened for this ummah the Roman land and conquered it. Then they conquered a large part of Sham and Iraq. When you read about this you think Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) must have been khalifa for many years, but in fact it was just two and a half years.

Death of Abu Bakr

How did Abu Bakr die? We have several different narrations. Some narrations are not that authentic, but you might come across them – they say Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was poisoned. This is not accurate. Another narration, which is not very authentic is that he passed away because of his love for the Prophet (peace be upon him), and he couldn’t survive without him, and that his body  was shrinking because of his longing to be with the Prophet (peace be upon him). This is not one of the most authentic narrations but it’s saying he died out of his love.  

The most common, authentic narration is that Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) took a cold shower in the cold weather, and caught a cold. He had fever for 15 days and then he passed away. This is the most common narration. On his death bed, when people visited him and said, “Shall we not ask the doctor to come and see you?” Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him)’s reply was, “He already saw me.” And they asked, “What did they say?” Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) replied, “I do whatever I want.” They were talking about the tabeeb – the doctor; but he was talking about the Tabeeb – Allah, the One who cures you. They were talking about dunya but Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was talking about Allah. “Should we call the doctor to see you?” He said, “He already saw me.” Thus he passed away at the same age as the Prophet (peace be upon him) – 63 years old.

Abu Bakr left behind a huge legacy. Before his death, he asked his family and his ministers that whatever he took from Bayt-al-Mal, from the treasury, as a salary should be returned to it. On the first day of his khilaafa, he went to the market and Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “Where are you going, Oh Khalifa of the Prophet?” He said, “I am going to work.” He said, “No, you are now khalifa, we will give you a salary to look after the ummah.” He took the salary. But before his death, he said, “Everything I took, from the treasury, return it to the treasury.” When Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) received this from Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), he said, “Oh Abu Bakr, you’ve made it so difficult for those who will come after you.”

We see in the Qur’an, Allah says, “On the day on which neither wealth nor children will avail, except one who comes to Allah with a sound heart.” (26:89) Abu Bakr’s (may Allah be pleased with him) heart was a sound heart. He was under the leadership of the Prophet (peace be upon him), and he was the most knowledgeable person in the Ummah after the Prophet (peace be upon him).

A woman came to the Prophet (peace be upon him) in his lifetime, and she asked him about certain questions and certain issues, and he replied. And then when she left, or before she left, she said, “What if I have other questions, I want to ask you and I did comet to you and I did not find you?” And she meant what if you did die before I did return? Who I should ask? He said, “Go to Abu Bakr. Go to Abu Bakr.” He was not just knowledgeable but he was wise. Though he was soft-hearted he wasn’t a weak person. Don’t mix the two. He was a strong person. He took tough decisions, and he had the courage to do that. So Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was a unique person in the ummah.

How do we reach the level of Abu Bakr?

Of course you can’t get to the level of Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him). No one can. Firstly because no one can match the companions’ position, they met the Prophet (peace be upon him), sat with the Prophet (peace be upon him), learnt under his guidance. We cannot do this. But we can  work on our heart, our commitment, our tawakkul (reliance on Allah). We should create distance between our heart and the dunya. Deal with the dunya, but don’t let the dunya occupy your heart. One way to do this is by increasing our generosity. Usually Shaytan comes and says, “You can’t give because your wealth will diminish and your bank account will be reduced, and so on and so forth.” But Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) did not hesitate, because his connection with Allah was very strong.

In his actions, we can see the reflection of his intention. Your heart is the mirror of your actions and your actions are the mirror of your heart. If you are a person of piety (taqwa), you will see your actions are full of piety. If your heart is full of dunya, your actions are the reflection of what’s in your heart. So check your heart. Is your priority Allah?

Value every second that Allah has given you in this dunya and work towards meeting Him. You never know when this meeting will be. Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was prepared. And when it was his time, he asked to be buried next to the Prophet (peace be upon him), and took the permission of his daughter, A’isha, because he was buried in her room. He was the companion of the Prophet (peace be upon him) in the dunya and his companion in the grave. And he will be his companion in Jannah insha’Allah. And insha’Allah we will be the companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and his companions, ameen.

We ask Allah Almighty to make us able to mirror these characteristics and these good attributes in our actions, ameen.

Delivered by Shaykh Haytham Tamim 23rd June 2023

Transcribed by Zayna Sheikh

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Shaykh Haytham Tamim is the founder and main teacher of the Utrujj Foundation. He has provided a leading vision for Islamic learning in the UK, which has influenced the way Islamic knowledge is disseminated. He has orchestrated the design and delivery of over 200 unique courses since Utrujj started in 2001. His extensive expertise spans over 30 years across the main Islamic jurisprudence schools of thought. He has studied with some of the foremost scholars in their expertise; he holds some of the highest Ijazahs (certificates) in Quran, Hadith (the Prophetic traditions) and Fiqh (Islamic rulings). His own gift for teaching was evident when he gave his first sermon to a large audience at the age of 17 and went on to serve as a senior lecturer of Islamic transactions and comparative jurisprudence at the Islamic University of Beirut (Shariah College). He has continued to teach; travelling around the UK, Europe and wider afield, and won the 2015 BISCA award (British Imams & Scholars Contributions & Achievements Awards) for Outstanding Contribution to Education and Teaching.

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