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Friendships and the company we keep (part 3)

Friendships and the company we keep (part 3)
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October 02, 2023
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A beautiful friendship: Abu Bakr Siddique (may Allah be pleased with him) and the Prophet (peace be upon him)

The image that comes to mind when I think of a friendship based on love, loyalty and goodness, where love of Allah Almighty is the core and source that binds it, is the story of Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), the saintly companion, and the Prophet (peace be upon him).

Loyalty and Support to the Prophet (peace be upon him)

Abu Bakr Siddique, (may Allah be pleased with him) is one of the most exemplary characters from the companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him). His life can be written as a book of goodness in itself. His sense of loyalty and support to the Prophet (peace be upon him) throughout the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) mission especially in the early years of revelation is distinct and worthy of praise.

First Convert and As Siddique

From the time when the first revelation came, Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), who was already a friend of the Prophet (peace be upon him), was the first to accept the message of Islam having full faith in his friend and the message he brought. Soon after, he earned his title of As Siddiq, the truthful one, when the Prophet (peace be upon him) returned from his night journey, Isra wal Miraj, and the Quraysh vehemently denied him, Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) wholeheartedly accepted the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) narrative and believed in him.

Financial Support

During the early years of revelation, when there were just a handful of muslims and they were frequently tortured and persecuted, it was Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), who excelled in his financial support to the Prophet (peace be upon him).

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 and Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) would keep saying,

“Myself and my money at your service, Oh Messenger of Allah”. (Ibn Majah)

Love and Concern for the Prophet (peace be upon him)

There was one time when the Quraysh had tortured the Prophet (peace be upon him) and Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him so much) to the point that he became unconscious. When he gained consciousness, the first thing he asked was about the well-being of the Prophet (peace be upon). He didn’t care if he was ok or not, but he was most concerned about his friend.

His love and concern for the Prophet (peace be upon him) can also be seen when the two of them had been given the Divine permission to migrate to Madinah.

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, and 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. He loved the Prophet (peace be upon him) a lot and 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).

Another famous incident showing Abu Bakr’s (may Allah be pleased with him) intense concern and loyalty to the Prophet (peace be upon him) was the incident during the migration was when the Quraysh were chasing them. When the Prophet (peace be upon him) and Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) approached the cave, it is Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) who entered  the cave first to make sure it was safe. When he entered, he closed all the holes but there were two holes left and he thrust his feet and asked the Messenger to come in. However, he was bitten by a snake and when the pain was unbearable, and tears fell down his face, the Prophet (peace be upon him) asked what is the matter. He said, “May my mother and father be sacrificed on you, I have been stung.” The Prophet (peace be upon him) rubbed his saliva to heal him from the poison.

Abu Bakr’s (may Allah be pleased with him) was very close to the Prophet (peace be upon him). His salah was like the Prophet (peace be upon him) and when the Prophet (peace be upon him) became ill later on in his life, he asked Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) to lead the prayer. Whether it was Abu Bakr’s (may Allah be pleased with him) recitation of the Quran which would move him to tears, his charity or his humility, Abu Bakr’s companionship with the Prophet (peace be upon him) had a huge impact on his good character. It shows to us the effect of good company.

Abu Bakr – his lasting friendship

Friendships and the company we keep (part 1)

Friendships and the company we seek (part 2)

Friendships and the company we seek (part 3)

Growing up as a Muslim (part 1)

Growing up as a Muslim (part 2)

Young Muslims – Friendships

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Sabeen completed her studies in the United States graduating with a Bachelor’s in Psychology and a Master’s in Public Health. She worked in project management in UNICEF and in education at The Cancer Institute of New Jersey. With a passion in Islamic history, and Quranic Arabic, always yearning to seek the truth, she started her Islamic journey professionally with Nurul Ilm Academy in Dubai in 2007, studying the Darse-Nizami curriculum and qualified as an Alimah. In 2014, she expanded her knowledge of Islam by participating in retreats and taking short courses at Utrujj with Shaykh Haytham Tamim. She continues to learn from Shaykh Haytham. She also studied Tafseer and Aqeedah at the Cambridge Islamic College under Shaykh Akram Nadwi. She continues her Arabic journey at Arabica Institute. Sabeen has been actively running Islamic circles for teenage girls to discuss contemporary issues and the Islamic narrative. She lives in London with her family and four children.

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