Hazrat Abu Bakr
Siddiq رَضِیَ
اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ, whose real name was Abdullaah. He was the son of Abu Qahafah, whose real name was
Usman. His lineage was therefore Abdullaah bin Usman bin Aamir and he
belonged to the Quraysh tribe of Makkah. He was amongst the vanguards of
Islam, was one of the Khulafaa-e-Rashideen as well as amongst the Asharah
Mubashara. He was the first man to accept Islam and gave everything he had for
the sake of Islam. Allah عزوجل blessed him to Protect Rasulullaah صَلَّی اللہُ
تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ, to propagate the Islam and also
blessed him with an exceptional level of Imaan and love for Allah عزوجل. He was
the sword of the Muslims in the struggle against the Munafiqen and enemies
of Islam.
Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiq رَضِیَ
اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ was born two and a half years after the Year of the Elephants. From
his youth, he was far distanced from the oppression and filth that is
associated with the period of Ignorance, while being imbued with all the
praiseworthy traits of the Arabs of the time. His character and behaviour
was always exemplary and even before Islam, he forbade liquor for himself. He
was an authority on Arab lineages and knew all the Arab families and tribes.
He was always assisting the poor and the weak and earned the respect of the
rich and powerful as well.
The Arabs referred
their disputes to him and accepted all the judgments he passed. He therefore
enjoyed much acclaim and respect and occupied a high position in
society. He was an experienced and astute businessman and also an
expert in the interpretation of dreams. His untainted reputation and honour
together with his unquestionable intelligence and farsightedness all complemented
his handsome appearance and fair complexion. His build was lean, his eyes deep
and his face and beard thin. He was a bosom friend of Rasulullaah صَلَّی اللہُ
تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ and one who accepted Islam
without hesitation or question.
He spent his wealth to
alleviate the suffering of the poor Muslims. He believed Rasulullaah صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی
عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ about the incident of Mi’raaj without hesitation
and it was because of this that Rasulullaah صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ
وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ gave him the title of Siddiq. He privileged enough to accompany
Rasulullaah صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ on the
historic journey of Hijrah. This earned him the title of “ثانی الثنین” (the second of the two),
which has been immemorially recorded in the Qur’aan. After the Hijrah, he
participated in all the expeditions that Rasulullaah صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی
عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ was part of and endured the trials in the struggle of Islam by the side
of Rasulullaah صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ.
He spent the
days in fasting and the nights in worship and was detached from the luxuries
of this world. He behaved humbly towards people and practiced thoroughly on
the knowledge of Islam that he possessed. He left no stone unturned to engage
in good and was renowned for the softness of his heart which caused
him to cry very easily. Rasulullaahصَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ
وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ assured him safety from Jahannam and admission into Jannah. When
he was appointed Khalifah, he dispatched the army of Hazrat Usaama bin
Zaid رضی
اللہ عنھما, ordered the armies to march against those who refused to
pay zakaah. He was responsible for the conquests of many territories, gave the
instruction for the Qur’an to be compiled into a single volume and ensured that
Islam spread too many parts of the world.
He showed tremendous
respect to the elders, compassion to the youngsters and assisted the
weak to secure their rights from the powerful. He would walk while the
commanders of his armies rode and he would even milk goats for the little
children. He had six children from four marriages. He was the companion of Rasulullaah
صَلَّی
اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ in his lifetime as well as in his grave and at the
pond of Kawsar. He passed away in the year 13 A.H. and was buried beside Rasulullaah
صَلَّی
اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ.


