Sayyidina Abu Bakr as-Siddiq

Alhamdulillah! I did not expect my last entry to draw so many replies. I wish to thank all for your prayers and your well-wishes. And as mentioned in my response, it is indeed important for us to keep each other deep in our prayers always, insya-Allah.

As Allah's creations, making doa is our responsibility and by doing so, we acknowledge our absolute dependence on The Almighty. The fulfilment of those prayers is the job of The One Who Creates - and it is not the place of the created to question the Creator. Through Faith however, the Creator never disappoints His lovers. He alone decides to bestow in time, in manner and in degree.

For He said in the Qur'an: "We are your protectors in this life and in the Hereafter: therein shall ye have all that your souls shall desire; therein shall ye have all that ye ask for! - A hospitable gift from one Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful!" ... Fussilat 41:31-32

You may also noticed that I do not have the usual acompanying pictures since my last entry. My computer's operating system kinda crashed (with all my pictures along with it) and that further explains why of late I have been slow in my entries. But again, Allah knows best, Masya-Allah! When I bought this laptop, I mistakenly installed 2 operating systems without knowing and that has been the butt of jokes amongst my IT-savvy friends. But, Alhamdulillah for that foolish act, I am now still able to use this laptop with the alternative operating system.

I wish to share the beauty of the friendship of the Prophet's companions and shall kickstart with my beloved Sayyidina Abu Bakr (ra). While many do remember him as the first Caliph, I prefer to remember of this great man first and foremost as the passionate, dedicated and loyal best friend of the beloved Prophet (saw). For the Prophet said: "I have two heavenly vicegerents and two earthly vicegerents: Jibril and Mikail, and Abu Bakr and Umar."

Jundub (ra) narrates: “I heard the Prophet (saw) five days before his death saying: "I declare my innocence before Allah that I should have any intimate friend amongst you for Allah Most High has taken me as His friend just as He took Ibrahim as His friend. If I were to take any intimate friend from my nation, I would take Abu Bakr.” [Muslim]

The Prophet (saw) made no "official" appointment of a successor, but left plenty of signs that Abu Bakr was to succeed him as his Khalifa. A woman came to the Prophet (saw) and he ordered her to come back later. When she said: “What if I come back and I don't find you? (indicating his death).” He (saw) said: "If you don't find me, then go to Abu Bakr.” [Bukhari]

Abu Bakr (ra) was the quickest of the Companions to rush to do any good deed. Umar ibn Khattab said: “The Prophet (saw) ordered us to give sadaqah. It happened to coincide with some wealth I had just acquired and I said to myself: 'If I will ever surpass Abu Bakr, this is the day I will surpass him.' And so I came to the Prophet (saw) with half of my wealth and he (saw) said to me: "What have you left for your family?" I said: The same amount. Then, Abu Bakr came with all of his wealth. The Prophet (saw) said to him: "What have you left for your family?" He said: “I have left them Allah and His Messenger.” I said: I will never surpass you (Abu Bakr) in anything.” [Abu Dawood]

He (ra) was the first person to accept Islam amongst men. He was always present for the Prophet (saw) and was the quickest to come to his defense and to affirm and believe everything which came from the Prophet (saw). Narrated Urwa ibn Az-Zubair: 'I asked Amr ibn Al-Aas (ra): What was the most severe thing the mushrikeen ever did to Allah's Messenger? He answered: “Once, when the Prophet was praying in the court of the Ka'abah, Uqba ibn Abi Mu'eet came and put a piece of cloth around his neck and began choking him severely. Abu Bakr came along, grabbed his shoulders and pushed him away from the Prophet saying: “Do you kill a man just for saying my Lord is Allah?” [Bukhari]

He was named ‘As-Siddiq’ - 'the truth verifier’, because he hastened to believe the Prophet (saw). He was so named after the Prophet's journey to Jerusalem, when the Qura'ish refused to believe Prophet Muhammad's journey to Jerusalem within a night. Abu Bakr (ra) when he heard of it, he said: “I have always believed in his words about heavenly revelations; how can I disbelieve him in a secondary worldly matter?”

The Prophet (saw) said: "...Whoever is among the people of prayer will be called (to paradise) from the door of prayer. Whoever is among the people of jihad will be called from the door of jihad. Whoever is among the people of sadaqah will be called from the door of sadaqah. Whoever is among the people of fasting is called from the door of fasting and the door of Ar-Rayaan." Abu Bakr asked "...Is anyone called from all of those doors, O Messenger of Allah (saw)?" He said: “Yes, and I hope that you will be amongst them, Abu Bakr.” [Bukhari]

Once the Prophet (saw) asked the congregation right after the fajr prayers: “Who began this day fasting?” Abu Bakr said: “I did.” The Prophet (saw) said: “Who participated in a funeral procession today?” Abu Bakr said: “I did”. The Prophet (saw) said: “Who fed a needy person today?” Abu Bakr said: “I did”. He (saw) said: “Who visited a sick person today?” Abu Bakr said: “I did”. "Then", the Prophet said: “These things cannot all meet in a single person but that he will enter Paradise.” [Muslim]

Being the closest Companion to the Prophet, Abu Bakr was also the most knowledgeable in both belief and understanding of his teachings as shown in this hadith. He at once knew of the Prophet's impending demise which made him sad, but not understood by those around him. Narrated Abu Sa'id al-Khudri (ra): “Allah's Messenger sat on the pulpit and said: “Allah has given one of his slave, the choice of receiving the splendor and luxury of the worldly life (whatever he likes) or to accept the good (of the Hereafter) which is with Him (Allah). So he has chosen that good which is with Allah.” On that Abu Bakr (ra) wept and said: “May our fathers and mothers be sacrificed for you". We became astonished at this. The people said: “Look at this old man! Allah's Messenger talks about the slave of Allah to whom He has given the option to choose either the splendor of this worldly life or good which is with Him, while he says, “May our fathers and mothers be sacrificed for you.” But it was Allah's Messenger (saw) who had been given the option, and Abu Bakr (ra) knew it better than us.” [Bukhari]

Narrated Anas ibn Malik (ra): “The Prophet (saw) was on Mount Uhud with Abu Bakr, Umar and Uthman when the mountain trembled with awe. He (saw) said: “Stay still, O Mount Uhud: for upon you are a Prophet, a siddique and two martyrs.” [Bukhari]

So, let us take the opportunity of this blessed month to be an "Abu Bakr" to ourselves, and to our friends. Look at the noble examples and the high esteem that the Prophet himself has placed upon this blessed man. We would similarly wish to attain the status that our beloved Prophet (saw) has put on his best friend. Amin.

The Prophet (saw) said: "Do not slander my Companions, for if one of you were to spend even an amount of gold equivalent to the size of Mount Uhud, you would not even come halfway up to their level.” [Bukhari]