The Supreme Personality after Ambiya Sayyiduna Abu Bakr رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ
At
the time of Ghazwah Tabook, the Beloved Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ commanded the wealthy people of his Ummah to make financial
donations generously in the way of Allah, so that arrangements could be made
for Muslim warriors’ food and conveyance. Obeying this commandment of
Rasoolullah صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی
عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ,
the blessed personality who brought his entire wealth in the court of the
Beloved Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی
عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ
to give it in the way of Allah, was Sahabi [companion], son of a Sahabi, great
devotee of Rasool, Sayyiduna Siddeeq-e-Akbar رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ. He placed all his wealth and family possessions at the feet of
the Beloved Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ
تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ. Seeing this great sacrifice made by his closest companion, the
Beloved Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی
عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ
inquired: ‘Have you left anything for your family as well?’ Sayyiduna Abu Bakr رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ humbly replied with utmost respect: ‘اَبْقَيْتُ لَهُمُ اللهَ
وَرَسُوْلَهُ’ i.e. I have left
Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ and His Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ
تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ for them.’
(Subul-ul-Huda,
vol. 5, pp. 435)
His
statement can simply be interpreted as: Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ and the Beloved Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ are sufficient for me and my family. Who was he? As we have
just read that it was Sayyiduna Abu Bakr رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ who is the most highly ranked person after the Ambiya عَـلَـيْـهِمُ الـصَّلٰوةُ وَالـسَّـلَام and the first to embrace Islam. He spent his entire life in
devotion to the Beloved Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ
تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ. The love of the Beloved Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ was his special attribute. Many Muslims converted to Islam by
the virtue of his calling towards Islam. He رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ was very rich, well-mannered, considerate and a highly
honourable person. Let’s have some glimpses of his blessed life and
excellences.
Name,
Kunyah and Titles
The
blessed name of the first caliph, leader of the believers, Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddeeq
رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَنْهُ is ‘Abdullah and his father’s name is (Abu Qahaafah) ‘Usman.
(Sahih
Ibn Habbaan, vol. 9, pp. 6, Hadees 6825)
His
patronymic appellation (Kunyah) ‘Abu Bakr’ is so famous that people consider it
his real name, though his blessed name is ‘Abdullah’.
(Seerat
Halbiyyah, vol. 1, pp. 390)
Two
titles are very famous for Sayyiduna Siddeeq-e-Akbar رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ, ‘Ateeq’ and ‘Siddeeq’. The first title he obtained in Islam
was the title of ‘Ateeq’.
(Riyad-un-Nadarah,
vol. 1, pp. 77)
Blessed
Birth
He
رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ was born in Makka-tul-Mukarramah approximately two and half
years after ‘Aam-ul-Feel (the year of the elephant) and 2 years and few months
after the blessed birth of the Beloved and Blessed Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ.
(Al-Isaabah,
vol. 4, pp. 145; Tareekh-ul-Khulafa, pp. 24; Noor-ul-‘Irfan, part 26, Al-Ahqaaf,
Ayah 15)
Companion of the
Beloved Nabi in this World and the Hereafter
Sayyiduna
Ibn ‘Umar رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ
تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُمَا
has narrated that the Beloved and Blessed Nabi صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ said to Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddeeq رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ: ‘اَنْتَ صَاحِبِیْ عَلَی الْحَوْضِ وَ صَاحِبِی فِی
الْغَارِ’, i.e. you are my
companion by the pond of Kawsar and the cave of Saur.
Most Pious
Quran’s testimony to the piety of Siddeeq-e-Akbar: Sayyiduna
Abu Bakr Siddeeq رَضِىَ اللهُ
تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ
is
that pious person whose piety is testified by the Blessed Quran itself:
وَ سَیُجَنَّبُهَا الْاَتْقَىۙ(۱۷)
Translation from
Kanz-ul-Iman: It will be far away from the most pious.
The
‘most pious’ mentioned in this blessed Ayah refers to Sayyiduna Abu Bakr
Siddeeq رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ.
(Khaza`in-ul-‘Irfan,
part 30, Surah Al-Layl, Taht-al-Ayah 17)
Recitation
of Quran
In
the early days of Islam, Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddeeq رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ had constructed a Masjid in the courtyard of his house where he
would recite the Holy Quran and would offer Salah. Seeing him deeply engrossed
in the acts of worship, people would gather around him. His heartfelt
recitation of the Holy Quran, his worship, and the act of shedding tears out of
the fear of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ, would have a profound impact on the hearts of people; and many
people also entered the folds of Islam because of this very act of Sayyiduna
Abu Bakr رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی
عَـنْهُ.
(Ar-Riyad-un-Nadarah,
vol. 1, pp. 92)
Sayyidatuna
‘Aaishah Siddiqah رَضِیَ اللهُ
تَعَالٰی عَنْهَا
has said: When my respectable father, Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddeeq رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ would recite the Holy Quran, he would not have any control over
his tears, that is, he would weep bitterly.
(Shu’ab-ul-Iman,
vol. 1, pp. 493, Hadees 806)
Love of Beloved
Rasool
On
one occasion, the Beloved Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ
تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ said: ‘مَا نَفَعَنِیْ مَالٌ قَـطُّ مَا نَفَعَنِیْ مَالُ اَبِیْ
بَکْرٍ’, i.e. No one’s
wealth benefited me as much as the wealth of Abu Bakr. ‘فَبَـكىٰ
اَبُو بَكْرٍ وَقَالَ هَلْ اَنَا وَمَالِي اِلَّا لَكَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ’ (upon hearing this), Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddeeq رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ started weeping and humbly said: You are the owner of my life
and my wealth.
(Sunan
Ibn Majah, vol. 1, pp. 72, Hadees 94)
The
relatives of the Beloved Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ
تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ were so dear to him. He رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ says:
وَالَّذِى
نَفْسِى بِيَدِہٖ ، لَقَرَابَةُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی
عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ اَحَبُّ اِ لَىَّ اَنْ اَصِلَ مِنْ قَرَابَتِى
By Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ! Regarding having kind relationship with relatives, the
relatives of the Beloved Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ are more favourite and beloved to me than my own relatives.
(Sahih
Bukhari, vol. 2, pp. 538, Hadees 3712)
Who is the Most
Highly Ranked?
It
is the Ijma’ [consensus] of the Ahl-us-Sunnah that, leaving the Ambiya عَـلَـيْـهِمُ الـصَّلٰوةُ وَالـسَّـلَام, Sayyiduna Abu Bakr is the most highly-ranked and supreme
personality of the entire universe, followed by Sayyiduna ‘Umar, Sayyiduna ‘Usman,
Sayyiduna ‘Ali and then the rest of the ‘Asharah Mubashsharah رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُم [the ten companions who were heralded for entry into Paradise].
Siddeeq-e-Akbar
led the Salah [Prayer]
Bukhari and Muslim both report from
Sayyiduna Abu Musa Ash’ari رَضِىَ اللهُ
تَعَالٰی عَنْهُ
that the Holy Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی
عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ
was ill and the illness was affecting him strongly. So he صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ said, ‘Order Abu Bakr to lead the Salah.’ Sayyidatuna
‘Aaishah رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی
عَنْهَا said, ‘Ya Rasoolallah
صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ
وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ!
He is soft-hearted. He will not be able to stand in your place to lead the Salah.’
The Holy Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی
عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ
said, ‘Order Abu Bakr to lead the Salah.’ She رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَنْهَا again offered the same concern. The Holy Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ made the same order again with emphasis.
So
Sayyiduna Abu Bakr رَضِىَ اللهُ
تَعَالٰی عَنْهُ
led the Salah during the [apparent] lifetime of the Holy Nabi صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ. This Hadees is Mutawaatir [mass transmitted] because it has
been narrated by Sayyidatuna ‘Aaishah, Ibn Mas’ood, Ibn ‘Abbas, Ibn ‘Umar,
‘Abdullah Ibn Zam’ah, Abu Sa’eed, ‘Ali Ibn Abi Taalib, Hafsah and others رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُم. Scholars say that this Hadees is clear evidence that Sayyiduna
Abu Bakr رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی
عَنْهُ is
conclusively more highly ranked than all of the companions, and the most worthy
and capable of Khilafah [caliphate] and leadership.
(Tareekh-ul-Khulafa,
pp. 47-48)
After
the apparent demise of the Beloved Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ, many problems arose but with the wisdom of Sayyiduna
Abu Bakr Siddeeq رَضِىَ اللهُ
تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ,
Allah
عَزَّوَجَلَّ saved Muslims from all these problems. He رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ fought against the apostate tribes, eradicated the false
prophets and compiled the Quran in one book.
After
a splendid reign of caliphate that lasted for two years and seven months, he رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ passed away on 22 Jumadal Ukhra, in the 13th year
after Hijrah (migration to Madinah Munawwarah). The leader of the believers,
Sayyiduna ‘Umar رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی
عَنْهُ led the
funeral Salah and Sayyiduna Siddeeq-e-Akbar رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَنْهُ was buried inside the blessed tomb beside the Beloved and
Blessed Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی
عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ.
(Tareekh-ul-Khulafa,
pp. 29)
