The Prophet, sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam, mentioned about Abu Bakr as-Sidiq where he said that If you put the iman of all the Muslim ummah on one scale and the iman of Abu Bakr as-Sidiq on the other scale, the iman of Abu Bakr as-Sidiq would outweigh the iman of the whole ummah. The Prophet, sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam, also said that there is something in the heart of Abu Bakr as-Sidiq that distinguished it from others, and as it is known he was called as-Sidiq. The Prophet, sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam, once said about Abu Bakr: “When I call someone to Islam, he will have some hesitation…except Abu Bakr as-Sidiq. The minute I talked to him about Islam, straight away he believed in me, he believed in Allah and that I am the Messenger of Allah.” So it has to do with the heart that distinguished Abu Bakr as-Sidiq to be al-Khalifatul-Awal, and to be the first Sahabi (Companion). From this, it can be said that every Muslim should care about his/her heart, purify it and activate iman in the heart, and practise the great principles of Tawhid, such as to love Allah, to fear Him, to rely on Him, to have hope in Him, to seek help fro Him and to seek refuge in Him so that the heart is alive, activated and full of iman. And at the same time we have to make sure that there should be no diseases or anything bad within our hearts, e.g. greediness, envy, arrogance, etc. Only then will the heart be sound.
ABU BAKR’S FIRST ADDRESS:
“I have been given the authority over you, and I am not the best of you. If I do well, help me; and if I do wrong, set me right. Sincere regard for truth is loyalty and disregard for truth is treachery. The weak amongst you shall be strong with me until I have secured his rights, if God will; and the strong amongst you shall be weak with me until I have wrested from him the rights of others, if God will. Obey me so long as I obey God and His Messenger (Muhammad, pbuh). But if I disobey God and His Messenger, ye owe me no obedience. Arise for your prayer, God have mercy upon you.”
Author : Abu Bakr (r.a.)
Abû Bakr al-Siddîq
His name was ‘Abdullah bin ‘Uthman bin ‘Aamir bin Ka’b bin Sa’d bin Taym bin Murrah bin Ka’b bin Lu’ay
His mothers name: Umm al-Khayr Salma bint Sakhr bin ‘Aamir. She died as a Muslimah
In regards to his being called ‘Ateeq there are 3 sayings:
(1) It has been narrated that ‘Aaishah radiyallahu ‘anhaa was asked ‘Why was Abû Bakr named ‘Ateeq?’ She replied that the Prophet (Peace be Upon Him) looked towards him and said ‘He is saved (al-Ateeq) from the fire’
(2) Mûsa ibn Talha said he was named so by his mother
(3) al-Layth ibn Sa’d said that it was due to his beauty
Ibn Abbâs narrates the first to accept Islâm and perform Salâh was Abû Bakr,
He then read the following couplets of Hassân:
When you speak of the distress of my trustworthy brother
Abu Bakr, Remember your brother by his actions!
The greatest of creation; most God Fearing and Just
After the Prophet, He who was Most Faithful to his duties,
He was the Second…the Successor – Praiseworthy was his sight,
Indeed he was the first of people to believe in the Messengers
Abu Bakr:
The Strongest of the Companions in Eemaan
1- On the authority of Abu Huraira -Radi Allaahu anhu – who said the Messenger of Allaah prayed the morning prayer, then he faced the people and said: ‘While a man was leading a cow, he began to ride it and beat it. So the cow said to him: ‘we were not created for this, rather we were created for ploughing.’
So the people said: ‘Subhana Allaah a cow spoke!’
The Messenger of Allaah said: ‘Indeed I believe this, me and Abu Bakr and Umar.’ Even though they were not present.
The Messenger continued: ‘While a man was with some sheep, suddenly a wolf attacked them and took away one sheep from amongst them. The shepherd called the sheep as if trying to rescue it from the wolf.
The wolf said to him: ‘You want to rescue it from me, so who will protect it on the day when the predatory animal comes, the day when it has no shepherd other than me.’
So the people said: ‘Subhana Allaah, a wolf spoke.’
The Messenger of Allaah said: ‘Indeed I believe this, me and Abu Bakr and Umar.’ Even though they were not present. [1]
* Hafidh Ibn Hajr said: ‘It is possible that the Prophet – sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam – said that due to what he knew of their overwhelming Eemaan and the strength of their certainty. [2]
2- On the authority of Abu Huraira – Radi Allaahu anhu – who said the Messenger of Allaah said: There was a man walking wearing a garment whose appearance impressed his own self. Allaah made the ground swallow him up and he kept tumbling down into it until the Day of Judgement.’ Abu Bakr and Umar testified to it, while Abu Bakr and Umar were not present. [3]
3- On the authority of Ayyoob who said: that AbdurRahmaan bin Abu Bakr said to his father (Abu Bakr): I saw you on the day of Uhud but I avoided you. So Abu Bakr said: ‘if I had seen you I would not have avoided you.’ [4]
4- On the authority of Umar: ‘If the Eemaan of Abu Bakr was weighed against the Eemaan of the people of the earth, the Eemaan of Abu Bakr would outweigh the others.’ [5]
5- On the authority of Aa’ishah who said: ‘I swear by Allaah that Abu Bakr left drinking alcohol in pre-Islaamic times and he did not doubt in Allaah after having accepted Islaam.’ [6]
6- On the authority of Ibn Shihaab who said: ‘From the excellence of Abu Bakr is that he never ever doubted in Allaah – Azza wa Jal – even for an hour.’ [7]
7- On the authority of Bakr bin Abdullaah who said: ‘Indeed the people did not prefer Abu Bakr because he would pray and fast more than them, rather they preferred him due to something in his heart.’ [8]
‘Aboo Bakr did not have excellence over the people ( lam yafdulin-naasa) on account of praying and fasting more than them, but rather he had excellence over them on account of something which was in his heart.’
Taken from the book: ‘The Life of the Greatest Man After the Prophets & Messengers: Abu Bakr as-Siddeeq’ P.190-191
Compiled by: Muhammad Uthmaan al-Anjaaree
Translated by: Abbas Abu Yahya
[1] Narrated by Bukhari no.3285 and Muslim (15/156 Nawawee).
[2] Fath al-Bari 7/18
[3]Narrated by Imam Ahmad in ‘Fadail as-Sahabah’ with this wording (1:112) no. 92. Its researcher WaseeAllaah bin Muhammad Abbas said: Its Isnaad is Saheeh.
Narrated by Bukhari no.5453 & Muslim (14/63 Nawawee). By AbdurRazzaq (11:82) no. 19983 but they did not mention ‘Abu Bakr and Umar testified to it.’ This extra wording was mentioned by Musadad as in ‘al-Mutalib al-‘Aaleeyah’ (4:35)
[4] Narrated by Ibn Abee Shaybah (14:408) no. 18642 and Ibn Hajr said in ‘Talkhees al-Habeer’ (4:101): its narrators are trustworthy along with Irsaal.
[5] Narrated by al-Bayhaqi in ‘al-Jamia’ lashu’ab al-Eemaan’ (1:18) and its narrators are trustworthy.
[6] Narrated by Abu Na’eem in ‘al-Ma’arifah’ 91;179) no. 108
[7] Narrated by Abdullaah in his Zawaid of al-Fadail (1:126) no. 96. Its researcher WaseeAllaah bin Muhammad Abbas said: Its Isnaad is Saheeh till az-Zuhri.
[8] Narrated by Imam Ahmad in ‘Fadail as-Sahabah’ with this wording (1:114) no. 118 Its researcher WaseeAllaah bin Muhammad Abbas said: Its Isnaad is Saheeh.