The Closest Confidants with Shaykh Abdullah Waheed | Session 2

The Closest Confidants — Session 2: Abu Bakr As-Siddiq

Assalamu alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh. Brothers and sisters, ahlan wa sahlan, marhaban bikum. Ahlan wa sahlan, assalamu alaykum — tahiyyatan minna tazuffu ilaykum ahbabuna. Ma ajmal al-dunya bikum, la taqbah al-dunya wa feeha antum.

Welcome, brothers and sisters. I hope everyone is doing well. Ramadan is going well and everyone is enjoying the Ramadan Miftah Immersion Program. We have people that are excited for this class.

I'm glad you're excited to learn the life of the great giant Abu Bakr as-Siddiq. Honestly, I'm very excited, and every time I study Abu Bakr and come across his life, it's just so inspiring. Inshallah, hopefully our class is able to inspire you and your family and the millions of people that will be inspired by you also, inshallah.

Abu Bakr and Umar — The Two Confidants of the Prophet

I want to make sure you all know why I've chosen Abu Bakr and Umar together. As I was doing some research, I wanted to share some things about Abu Bakr and Umar that were exclusive to them alongside the Prophet ﷺ.

I said this last class: when the Prophet ﷺ would walk into the masjid, lam yarfa' ahadun ra'sahu ghayra Abi Bakr wa Umar — no one would raise their eyes to look at the Prophet ﷺ except Abu Bakr and Umar. That was exclusive. And kana yatabassamu ilayhima wa yatabassamani ilayhi — the Prophet would smile at them and they would smile back at him. So there was a very special, interesting relationship between the two.

There is a beautiful incident in al-Tirmidhi and al-Hakim: anna Rasulallah ﷺ kharaja min baytihi fa dakhal al-masjid wa al-sahabatu julus wa Abu Bakr wa Umar ahaduhuma 'an yaminihi wal akharu 'an shimalihi — the Prophet ﷺ left his house, came into the masjid, and Abu Bakr and Umar were with him, one on the right side and one on the left. The Prophet ﷺ grabbed both their hands and said:

"This is how we will be raised on the Day of Judgment." (al-Tirmidhi; al-Hakim, al-Mustadrak)

He raised his hands and held their hands. And the Prophet ﷺ said: Ana awwalu man tanshaqqul anhu al-ardu — I will be the first one to come out of the ground on the Day of Judgment, and the first person to stand up with me will be Abu Bakr, and the next will be Umar. That is also very special to these two people.

The Prophet ﷺ said in a narration in Musnad Ahmad:

"O Abu Bakr and Umar, if you both agree on one opinion, I will never disagree with you." (Musnad Ahmad)

And the Prophet ﷺ once looked at Abu Bakr and Umar and said:

"All praise be to Allah who supported me through you two." (al-Bazzar)

And the Prophet ﷺ said: I have two advisors in the skies — Jibril and Mika'il — and as for my two advisors on earth:

"My two ministers on earth are Abu Bakr and Umar." (al-Tirmidhi; Ibn Majah)

This is why we have this selection — the sahiba, the confidants of the Prophet ﷺ. And this could go on all day and all night, brothers and sisters.

How Abu Bakr Accepted Islam

Let's move into the journey of how Abu Bakr accepted Islam, because that is something we want to cover in this discussion of Abu Bakr as-Siddiq, radiyallahu anhu.

We know that Abu Bakr as-Siddiq was a very good friend of the Prophet ﷺ prior to Islam. There are multiple versions and opinions on who was the first person to accept Islam. People will say Khadija, radiyallahu anha — which is correct. The first person to accept Islam is Khadija radiyallahu anha, because the Prophet ﷺ came from the cave, came home, and the first person he met was his beloved wife Khadija. So we have to give full appreciation to her.

I have said: if we had one man like Abu Bakr and one woman like Khadija, the trajectory of the world would change. We should all aspire to be like them. But Islam was built on the backs of these two people — Abu Bakr and Khadija — in early Islam. Then of course, Khadija radiyallahu anha did not see the later days of the Prophet ﷺ and the glory days of Islam. She never lived to see the conquest of Makkah, or Badr. But inshallah, in Jannah, she will enjoy the company of the Prophet ﷺ. I personally have a very soft spot for Khadija radiyallahu anha, but tonight is not the moment to indulge in her beauty and accolades. Inshallah, some other moment.

So: Khadija is the first. The second, in one opinion, would be Waraqa bin Nawfal, who Khadija took the Prophet ﷺ to, and he also testified to the message being revealed to the Prophet ﷺ. Then we have Zaid, the Prophet ﷺ's adopted son — he was also in the house and he accepted Islam. Then we have Ali, who accepted Islam.

So where is Abu Bakr in all of this? Imam Suyuti writes in his study Tarikh al-Khulafa that Abu Bakr as-Siddiq radiyallahu anhu understood and knew about the Prophet ﷺ's prophethood before he even became a prophet. When Abu Bakr was young and he traveled with the Prophet ﷺ to Sham, they met a monk who said this person is going to be the final prophet. From that moment, Abu Bakr had already calculated that this person is going to be special.

So the scholars say: the first woman to accept Islam was Khadija, the first man was Waraqa, the first slave was Zaid, the first young boy was Ali. Why is Abu Bakr always spoken about as the first Muslim to accept Islam? Let me clear those doubts.

The first man to accept Islam may have been Waraqa, or Zaid, or Ali. But the first major supporter of the Prophet ﷺ — Waraqa did not support the Prophet ﷺ. Zaid was a servant; he couldn't support the Prophet ﷺ. Neither could Ali, because he was a child. He gave whatever help he could, but the monumental, figurative, and realistic support — that was Abu Bakr as-Siddiq. So he gets the title and the crown as one of the earliest and most significant supporters of the Prophet ﷺ.

The Moment Abu Bakr Accepted Islam

The Prophet ﷺ had disappeared from the gatherings he would normally attend in Makkah. One day Abu Bakr meets his best friend and says: "Ya Abal Qasim, I miss you. Where have you been? And I've heard people saying you are speaking against our forefathers. What's going on? There's not a positive impression of you in the circles of Makkah."

The Prophet ﷺ said to Abu Bakr: Inni Rasulullah. Ud'uka ila Allah. — "I am the Prophet of Allah. I invite you towards Allah." And the Prophet ﷺ had just finished his invitation. And then — aslama Abu Bakr — Abu Bakr became Muslim. It is said that there was no one happier in the entire city of Makkah than the Prophet ﷺ on the day Abu Bakr accepted Islam.

This was the first person outside the house of the Prophet ﷺ to accept Islam. Ali was a cousin, Khadija was a wife, Zaid was an adopted son. And unlike others, Abu Bakr did not keep it private — he went public right away.

The Eight Who Accepted Islam Through Abu Bakr

In the first few hours of his Islam, Abu Bakr invited the following people — and they accepted Islam:

1. Uthman bin Affan
2. Talha bin Ubaydullah
3. Zubayr bin al-Awwam
4. Sa'd bin Abi Waqqas
5. Abdurrahman bin Awf
6. Abu Ubayda bin al-Jarrah
7. Uthman bin Maz'un
8. Arkam bin Abi al-Arkam

Eight people accepted Islam through the message of Abu Bakr as-Siddiq, radiyallahu anhu. And if you think about those names — six of them are from the Ashara al-Mubashara, the ten who were given glad tidings of Jannah. Abu Bakr himself is the seventh. SubhanAllah — what an extraordinary person he was.

The Prophet ﷺ said — and this comes in Sahih al-Bukhari narrated by Abu al-Darda' — after concluding a small argument between himself and Abu Bakr, he said to the people: "Allah sent me to you and you denied me, and Abu Bakr said: you are telling the truth." And then he said:

"Will you not leave my companion alone? Will you not leave my companion alone?" (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 3661)

After that, Abu Bakr as-Siddiq was never troubled again.

Abu Bakr's Courage in Defending the Prophet ﷺ in Makkah

Story One: The Strangling at the Ka'bah

This narration is from Musnad al-Bazzar, and the version I like most is the one narrated by Ali bin Abi Talib, radiyallahu anhu. I like this particular version because Ali is someone that people might say should have been preferred over Abu Bakr — yet listen to what Ali himself has to say about his own leader.

One day Ali radiyallahu anhu gave a lecture and said: "Ya ayyuhan-nas, man ashja' al-nas?" — "O people, who is the most brave amongst us?" The people said: "Anta" — "You are." And Ali radiyallahu anhu said: "I'm going to tell you the truth. Never has anyone come up to challenge me in battle except I took care of business — Badr, Uhud, Khandaq, Khaybar. You call me out, I'm coming out."

But then he says: "Let me tell you who the most brave among us was — Abu Bakr as-Siddiq."

He recounts: one day the Quraysh of Makkah gathered and agreed to kill the Prophet ﷺ. Amr bin al-As — who at that time was still a non-Muslim and was present — later narrated: ma ra'aytu Qurayshan aradat qatlan-Nabiyyi ﷺ illa yawman wahidan — "I never saw the Quraysh all unanimously agree on killing the Prophet ﷺ except on that one day."

They were sitting in the shade of the Ka'bah. The Prophet ﷺ was praying next to the Maqam Ibrahim. Uqba bin Abi Mu'ayt got up, took a cloth, wrapped it around the Prophet ﷺ's neck, and began to strangle him. The Prophet ﷺ lost his oxygen, went pale, his legs gave way, and he fell to the ground. The people around the Ka'bah began yelling, screaming: "Muhammad has died!"

That was when Abu Bakr came running. Nobody had the audacity to protect Muhammad ﷺ when the entire Quraysh was ready to kill him. Abu Bakr came and said: "What are you doing? Are you trying to kill the man who is calling you to Allah? What is your issue?" The Prophet ﷺ got up and addressed the people. Abu Jahl was shocked. And it was at that moment that the Prophet ﷺ said to that man: "You are the one who is ignorant" — and that became his famous name and title, Abu Jahl.

Story Two: The Beating at Masjid al-Haram

Another incident — one of my favorites — was when the Prophet ﷺ was in the Masjid al-Haram giving da'wah to the people of Makkah. It was one of the first times the Prophet ﷺ was publicly giving a talk. All of a sudden the people of Makkah began pouncing on him. Abu Bakr radiyallahu anhu came to defend the Prophet ﷺ, and when he was defending him, the people started beating Abu Bakr.

Duriba darban shadidan — they beat him severely. Utba bin Rabi'a was the one leading the beating, striking him with his sandals, sticks, and everything they had in their hands. Abu Bakr radiyallahu anhu was beaten so badly that you could not see his eyes — they were swollen. His nose and his face were so puffed up you could not tell the difference between his nose and the rest of his face. Finally he became unconscious. They carried him to his house, and he eventually regained consciousness after some time.

The first thing he said when he woke up was: "Mafala Rasulullah ﷺ?" — "What has happened to the Prophet ﷺ?"

His mother, Umm al-Khayr, screamed at him: "You were almost killed because of him, and now you're thinking about your friend?!" She said: faslashaya 'alaykum — don't worry about him, he is fine. And Abu Bakr said: "Ayna huwa?" — "Where is he? Where is he?" His mother told him: "He is at Dar al-Arqam — the place where he teaches Islam."

Abu Bakr then said one of the most beautiful lines:

"Wallahi, fa inna lillahi 'alayya an la adhruqa ta'aman wa la ashraba sharaban hatta ara Rasulallah ﷺ." — "I swear by Allah, I will not taste any food, I will not drink anything, until I am taken to the Prophet ﷺ."

They were pressured by Abu Bakr's insistence, and they carried him — he was leaning on two people — to the house where the Prophet ﷺ was. Fa aqbala 'alayhi Rasulallah ﷺ — the Prophet ﷺ saw him and was overjoyed. Fa qabbalahu wa raqqa lahu Rasulallah ﷺ riqqatan shadida — the Prophet ﷺ kissed him and wept deeply, so moved was he by the state of Abu Bakr.

Abu Bakr radiyallahu anhu, at that very moment, took advantage of the opportunity and said:

"Bi abi wa ummi ya Rasulallah, laysa bi ba'sun. Amma ana fa qad kafani. Hadhihi ummī, wa anta mubarakun, fa ad'u Allaha laha, wa da'uhu laha asallahu an yastanqidhaha bika min al-nar."

"May my father and mother be your ransom, O Prophet of Allah. I don't care what happened to me from these people. But this is my mother — she has been great to her children. You are a blessed man, so please make du'a for her, invite her to Islam. Perhaps Allah can save her from the fire of hell."

The Prophet ﷺ invited Abu Bakr's mother to Islam. That day, two people accepted Islam: one was Abu Bakr's mother, and the second was Hamza, radiyallahu anhu.

And I will say: sometimes when bad things happen, there is a hidden good behind it. Abu Bakr gets beaten and abused — and Abu Bakr's mother accepts Islam, which is the greatest gift for Abu Bakr. You go through hard times, but something beautiful is hidden within them.

Abu Bakr and the Freeing of Bilal

One of the greatest investments of Abu Bakr as-Siddiq is his contribution to Bilal, radiyallahu anhu. Let me first mention the other Muslims who were being tortured in early Islam — names you should write down.

Ammar and his parents — his mother Sumayya and his father Yasir — went through extreme torture. The Prophet ﷺ said to them:

"Be patient, O family of Yasir, for indeed your appointment is Jannah." (Musnad Ahmad; al-Hakim)

Ammar was tortured so much that they forced him to say he didn't believe in Allah. He said it, then came to the Prophet ﷺ weeping. He said: "Kafartu" — "I became a disbeliever, I left Islam." The Prophet ﷺ said: "What happened?" He said they tortured and abused him and forced him to say something contrary to his belief. The Prophet ﷺ said: "O Ammar, if they come again and torture you — say what you said. Don't worry." Ammar was still not satisfied; he still felt guilty. Then Allah revealed this verse from the Quran to comfort him:

"Whoever disbelieves in Allah after his belief — except for one who is coerced while his heart is at rest in faith — but those who willingly open their breasts to disbelief, upon them is wrath from Allah, and for them is a great punishment." That is how sensitive Ammar was, that Allah had to comfort him from the seven heavens. SubhanAllah.

Then there was Bilal, radiyallahu anhu. He was from Abyssinia (al-Habesha) — an African man, a slave of Umayya bin Khalaf, who would take him into the valley of Makkah and beat and torture him. All Bilal would say was: "Ahad, Ahad, Ahad" — "One, One, One [God]." They would put heavy rocks on him, take turns torturing him, cover him in iron armor and throw him into the sun to sweat and burn in the heat, then beat him physically. They would tie his neck, put a collar on it, tie his legs. And still he said: Ahad, Ahad.

The Prophet ﷺ said: "Is there someone who can help our brother Bilal?" Islam does not discriminate. As Malcolm X said so beautifully: if there is any solution to racism, it is Islam. And that is what he experienced. Abu Bakr had a very pure heart when it came to this, and Islam teaches that concept.

Abu Bakr went to Umayya and said: "Come on, will you allow me to buy him from you?" Umayya said: "You are the one who corrupted him — if you want to save him, go ahead." Abu Bakr paid a few awqiyya — different narrations mention three or five awqiyya of gold and silver — to Umayya bin Khalaf. And Umayya said something very insulting: "Had you haggled with me and asked for a cheaper price, I would have sold him cheaper — he has no value, he is useless."

Abu Bakr radiyallahu anhu responded: "Wallahi, if you had asked me for a hundred gold coins, I would have paid a hundred gold coins. I am not buying him based on any bias or hidden reason. The only thing I am looking at is his iman and his heart. We do not look at complexion, we do not look at status, we do not look at finances."

And who did Bilal radiyallahu anhu eventually become? Bilal became the mu'adhdhin of the Prophet ﷺ — the one who called the world to prayer.

Abu Bakr and the Night of Isra' and Mi'raj

When the Prophet ﷺ went on al-Isra' wal-Mi'raj — the night journey and ascension — he came back and conveyed the message. All the non-Muslims denied it, and even some Muslims had difficulty accepting it. Abu Jahl went to Abu Bakr and said: "There is a person who claims he went from Makkah all the way to Bayt al-Maqdis in one night — do you think that is possible?"

Abu Bakr said: "Who is this?" Abu Jahl said: "Your friend — sahibuk." Abu Bakr said: "Of course I believe it. I believe in things which are harder to believe than this journey. Makkah exists; Bayt al-Maqdis exists — and I believe he went there and came back in one night. That is even possible today in the 21st century. But I believe in things which are even harder to believe — things no one has seen: Jannah, the Day of Judgment, resurrection. Those are even more difficult to believe, and I believe them. So this is easy."

From that day, Abu Bakr as-Siddiq became known by the title as-Siddiq — the most honest, most truthful person in his faith in the Prophet ﷺ. The Prophet ﷺ complained to Jibril: "Ya Jibril, my people are denying my story of Isra' and Mi'raj." Jibril said: "As-Siddiq — the most honest person in Makkah — he believes you. Do not worry." And that comforted the Prophet ﷺ.

Abu Bakr's Emigration and the Protection of Ibn Dughunna

Around the time of Isra' and Mi'raj, Abu Bakr as-Siddiq radiyallahu anhu was forced to leave Makkah because of the torture he was receiving. He was leaving — faraj Abu Bakr muhajiran nahwa ardil Habesha — heading towards Ethiopia, where a Muslim community was already established. Ja'far, Abu Salama, and Umm Salama radiyallahu anha were already there.

When Ibn Dughunna saw Abu Bakr leaving, he stopped him and said: "Ayn turid, ya Aba Bakr?" — "Where are you going?" Abu Bakr said: "Akhrajani qawmi. Ureedu an asiha fil-ardi wa a'buda Rabbi." — "My people have expelled me. I want to go somewhere in the world where I can just worship Allah and please Him. I am tired of this torture."

Ibn Dughunna — a non-Muslim — said:

"Fa inna mithlakal ya Aba Bakr la yakhruju wa la yukhraju." — "A person like you does not have the right to leave, and neither can he ever be forced to leave."

This is how Muslims should be — that our moving from a community or city should impact the community so much that they say: "No, you cannot leave." Ibn Dughunna said the same qualities that Khadija said about the Prophet ﷺ when he received revelation: "You help those who are in need, you join ties of kinship, you carry the burden of others." And so Ibn Dughunna gave him amnesty and protection.

Eventually, the people of Makkah said to Ibn Dughunna: "We are afraid that Abu Bakr recites Quran — our women and our children are being drawn to him; they might accept Islam." So Abu Bakr was not allowed to pray in the Masjid al-Haram publicly.

Abu Bakr said: "Fine. I will isolate myself at home." He built a small courtyard and would recite Quran there — but even then, the people of Makkah flocked to his house from behind the fence to listen. He could not stop crying when he would recite the Quran — la yamliku nafsahu — and even the non-Muslims would cry when they heard him recite.

Ibn Dughunna came and said: "We made a deal. You cannot recite Quran publicly." Abu Bakr radiyallahu anhu said: "I don't need your amnesty. I don't need your protection. Take it back." And he said:

"Raditu bi jiwarillah. Wa la ureedu jiwarakal yaum." — "I am pleased with the protection of Allah. I no longer want your protection today."

The Hijrah — The Migration to Madinah

The Bowl of Milk

One of the most beautiful highlights of the hijrah: a bowl of milk was brought to the Prophet ﷺ. The Prophet ﷺ offered it to Abu Bakr — they were both very thirsty. Abu Bakr said: "No, you drink first, Ya Rasulallah." The Prophet ﷺ drank. Then Abu Bakr said: "Drink more." He drank more. He said: "Drink more." And then he offered Abu Bakr his share. Abu Bakr radiyallahu anhu said:

"Ya Rasulallah, ana shabaan min nazarika." — "O Prophet of Allah, I am satisfied just by seeing you drinking. I have no thirst left."

The Permission to Migrate

Aisha radiyallahu anha narrates: "Ma marra bina yawmun illa ata Rasulallah ﷺ — la yukhti Rasulallah ﷺ an ye'ti bayt Abi Bakr ahad al-tarafayn, imma bukratan wa imma ashiyyan." — "There was not a day that passed except that the Prophet ﷺ would visit us — he never failed to come to the house of Abu Bakr, either in the early morning or in the evening."

The day the Prophet ﷺ was given permission to migrate, he came to Abu Bakr's house. Aisha and Asma radiyallahu anhuma were both there. The Prophet ﷺ said: "Ya Aba Bakr, inna Allaha adhana li bil-khuruj wal-hijrah." — "O Abu Bakr, Allah has given me permission to leave and migrate."

Abu Bakr radiyallahu anhu said: "As-suhba, ya Rasulallah? As-suhba?" — "Would you allow me to be your companion in this journey? Please allow me to accompany you."

The Prophet ﷺ said: As-suhba — "Yes, you are my companion."

Aisha radiyallahu anha said: "I did not know that a man could cry out of happiness — until I saw Abu Bakr radiyallahu anhu cry out of happiness."

Umar's Testimony About That Night

One day someone said to Umar bin Khattab radiyallahu anhu: "Anta khayrun min Abi Bakr" — "You are better than Abu Bakr." Umar got deeply offended and said:

"One day of Abu Bakr's life and one evening of Abu Bakr's life is better than Umar and his entire family." (Narrated by various scholars of seerah)

And the night he referred to was the night of the hijrah.

Climbing Mount Thawr

It comes in narrations that during the climb to Mount Thawr, the Prophet ﷺ's feet were bleeding — they were chapped and raw. Abu Bakr gave him his shoulder and carried the Prophet ﷺ up to the mouth of the cave. When they arrived, Abu Bakr said: "Ya Rasulallah, allow me to enter the cave first." He took off his garments, ripped them into pieces, and used them to block the holes of the cave — all at night, feeling through the darkness. He cleaned the cave completely and then said: "Welcome, Ya Rasulallah. Welcome."

In the Cave: The Quranic Verse

Inside the cave, Abu Bakr began to cry. He said: "Ya Rasulallah, law nazara taht qadam ayhi al-absar — do you not see, if the non-Muslims were to just look down at their feet from above, they would see us?"

The Prophet ﷺ said:

"What do you think, O Abu Bakr, of two people whose third is Allah?" (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 3653)

Allah immortalized this moment in the Quran:

"If you do not aid him — Allah has already aided him when those who disbelieved had driven him out, as one of two, when they were in the cave and he said to his companion: 'Do not grieve; indeed Allah is with us.'"

Allah is reminding the Sahaba: if you do not support the Prophet ﷺ, I will tell you how this deen began — it was Muhammad ﷺ and Abu Bakr. Allah identifies that moment, and Allah says: la tahzan, inna Allaha ma'ana — do not grieve, indeed Allah is with us.

The Creature in the Cave

There was a creature in the cave — a venomous scorpion or snake. It bit Abu Bakr. Abu Bakr reacted, but the Prophet ﷺ was resting in his lap. It bit him again. He reacted again. It bit him a third time. The pain was intense. The tears of Abu Bakr radiyallahu anhu fell onto the blessed face of Rasulallah ﷺ. Abu Bakr did not want to disturb the Prophet ﷺ's rest — he was so deeply respectful that he bore the pain in silence.

When the Prophet ﷺ awoke, he said: "What happened?" Abu Bakr told him he had been bitten. The Prophet ﷺ said: "Move your leg." He applied his blessed saliva on the area where Abu Bakr had been bitten — and Allah gave shifa through it.

As I read in different scholarly sources, one said: that creature knew that this was Abu Bakr as-Siddiq in the cave with the Prophet ﷺ. So why did it still sting him? The scholars say: that creature had an opportunity to see the Prophet ﷺ, but Abu Bakr's leg was in the way — a barrier between the creature and the blessed face of Rasulallah ﷺ. The creature wanted to see that face. Once, twice, three times — it nudged him. And knowing the Prophet ﷺ would make du'a and Allah would give shifa, it did not want to be deprived of seeing that blessed face.

The Tree That Came to See the Prophet ﷺ

And it is not only creatures — even trees. There is the authentic narration of Jabir bin Abdullah radiyallahu anhu: the Prophet ﷺ was resting under some shade, and Jabir was in charge of security. All of a sudden, a tree from far away ripped through the earth and came all the way to where the Prophet ﷺ was resting. Jabir was alarmed. Then the tree went back. When the Prophet ﷺ woke up and saw the dust still settling, Jabir explained what happened. The Prophet ﷺ smiled and said: "This tree knew I was in the vicinity. It asked Allah — three times it asked: 'O Allah, please allow me to see the blessed face of Your Prophet ﷺ.' And Allah said: Go."

SubhanAllah. May Allah grant us the sight of the Prophet ﷺ in Jannah. May we also witness him in our dreams in this dunya. And most importantly, may we embody his character and his way of life.

The Arrival in Madinah

During the journey, Abu Bakr radiyallahu anhu would walk in front of the Prophet ﷺ, then behind him. The Prophet ﷺ asked: "Ya Aba Bakr, ma laka tamshi amami wa tamshi wara'i?" — "What is it with you — you walk in front of me, then behind me?"

Abu Bakr said: "Ya Rasulallah, adhhuru min waraka khashyatan an yu'taka min khalfik, wa adhhuru amamaka khashyatan an yu'taka min amamik." — "I go behind you fearing someone might ambush you from behind. Then I remember someone might come from the front — so I walk in front so I can take the arrow. I am ready to get hit for you."

The Prophet ﷺ smiled and said: Inshallah, you will be with me in Jannah.

They entered Madinah on a Monday, the 12th of Rabi al-Awwal — the same day the Prophet ﷺ was born, and the same day he would later leave this world. They stopped first at Quba, then performed Jumu'ah, and then on Monday entered Madinah proper.

The Cloak That Revealed the Prophet ﷺ

The Prophet ﷺ and Abu Bakr were both wearing white garments — new clothes gifted by Zubayr radiyallahu anhu, who was returning from Sham. They looked similar. A Jewish man watching from atop a tree announced to the people:

"Ya ma'shar al-Arab, hadha jaddukum alladhi tantadhirun!" — "O Arabs, this is the grandfather of yours that you have been waiting for! He has arrived!"

The Ansar of Madinah who had never seen the Prophet ﷺ came rushing. Since both men were dressed alike, they began greeting Abu Bakr, thinking he was the Prophet ﷺ. Some were greeting the Prophet ﷺ as well, but the majority surrounded Abu Bakr. Abu Bakr was standing; the Prophet ﷺ was sitting quietly.

Hatta asabat al-shamsu — finally, the scorching sun began to beat down on the Prophet ﷺ's head and face. Abu Bakr radiyallahu anhu moved and took off his cloak, extending it to shade the Prophet ﷺ.

Fa'arafa al-nasu Rasulallah ﷺ 'inda dhalik. — Only then did the people recognize who was the teacher and who was the student. Who was the master and who was the servant. Abu Bakr standing there, shading his beloved ﷺ.

Abu Bakr at the Battle of Badr

In the Battle of Badr, the first battle of Islam, the Prophet ﷺ was making du'a — crying, weeping, raising his hands. He said:

"O Allah, if this group is destroyed, there will be no one to worship You on this earth. O Allah, You promised me victory — I am asking for that promise to come true tonight."

The Prophet ﷺ kept raising his hands, his sheet kept slipping, and Abu Bakr would put it back each time. Finally, Abu Bakr came to the Prophet ﷺ and said:

"Ya Rasulallah, kafaka munajatak." — "O Prophet of Allah, it is enough now. The conversation between you and Allah has been prolonged — your du'a has been accepted. Stop crying, Ya Rasulallah. Your request is granted."

There were times Abu Bakr would cry simply because he saw the Prophet ﷺ cry. He comforted the Prophet ﷺ in so many of those moments.

The Battle of Tabuk — Abu Bakr Gives Everything

In the Battle of Tabuk — the ninth year of Hijrah, one of the largest Muslim armies ever assembled, 30,000 men, on a month-long journey to face the Byzantines — the Prophet ﷺ called on the Muslims to give of their wealth.

Umar bin Khattab radiyallahu anhu said to himself: "Today I am going to beat Abu Bakr. Today, there is no way he is going to outdo me."

Uthman bin Affan radiyallahu anhu presented one-third of his wealth. Umar brought half of his wealth. Then the Prophet ﷺ asked Umar: "Did you leave anything for your family?" Umar said: "Nisf — I left half, I brought half."

Then Abu Bakr came — carrying everything he owned. The Prophet ﷺ said: "O Abu Bakr, what did you leave for your family?"

Abu Bakr radiyallahu anhu said:

"Taraktu lahum Allaha wa Rasulahu." — "I left them Allah and His Prophet ﷺ. That is all they have."

Umar radiyallahu anhu, when he found out Abu Bakr had given everything — reportedly 40,000 dinars — said: "Every time I tried to compete with him, he always beat me."

Abu Bakr as Khalifa — His Service to the Weak

The Old Blind Woman and the Orphans

After Abu Bakr radiyallahu anhu became Khalifa, Umar radiyallahu anhu noticed that every morning, after Fajr prayers and dhikr, Abu Bakr would walk far out of the city — miles away — to a small hut. He would stay there for a few hours and come back. Umar was curious and followed him one day to investigate.

He found an old blind woman, weak and dependent, surrounded by young orphaned children — most likely her grandchildren, whose parents had passed away. Umar asked who this man was that came every day. The old woman said: "I don't know who he is. He comes every single day. He cleans our house, he washes me, he cooks food for us, he feeds us, he cleans all the dishes — and then he leaves. We don't know who he is."

Umar wept. This was the Khalifa — the leader of the world — walking to a stranger's house every day, cooking for them, cleaning for them, washing their children, taking care of the old woman — and walking away without anyone knowing his name. This was Abu Bakr as-Siddiq radiyallahu anhu.

The Goat Milker

Abu Bakr also had a habit of going to the houses of families whose fathers had passed away and milking their animals. That milk would sustain them and their children. After he became Khalifa, some of those families thought: he is going to be too busy for us now.

The next day after he became Khalifa, there was a knock on one of those doors. A young girl came out, looked back at her mother and said: "The goat milker is here." Not "Abu Bakr." Not "as-Siddiq." Not "Atiq." Just — the goat milker. The man who milks the animals.

The mother came out and saw the Khalifa of the Muslims standing at her door. She was embarrassed and said: "Shame on you — this is Abu Bakr, the Khalifa!" Abu Bakr said: "You think that because I served you when the Prophet ﷺ was alive, now that I am Khalifa I will stop? I will continue to serve you."

Abu Bakr at the Death of the Prophet ﷺ

When the Prophet ﷺ passed away and the world was shaken, Umar bin Khattab radiyallahu anhu stood up and said: "If anyone says that the Prophet has died, I will fight them." The world was on its knees. Ali was speechless. Umar was in denial.

Abu Bakr as-Siddiq walked into that room. He removed the sheet from the blessed face of the Prophet ﷺ and said:

"You were beautiful when you were alive, and you are equally beautiful now that you have left us, O Messenger of Allah."

Then he stood up, turned to the people, praised Allah, and said:

"O people! Whoever worshipped Muhammad, let them know that Muhammad has passed away. And whoever worships Allah, let them know that Allah is here forever and will never leave — Ever-Living and Everlasting."

Then he recited the verse that literally broke Umar's back — Umar could not stand anymore and had to sit down:

"Muhammad is not but a messenger. Other messengers have passed on before him. So if he were to die or be killed, would you turn back on your heels?" The message was clear: none of us are going to give up.

Abu Bakr's Resolve as Khalifa — The Army of Usama bin Zayd

After the Prophet ﷺ passed away, the army of Usama bin Zayd radiyallahu anhu was being prepared to march toward Sham. The Muslims were in turmoil — Romans were advancing, some people had left Islam, and some were refusing to pay zakah. Umar bin Khattab came to Abu Bakr with two requests from the people:

First: Can you delay this campaign? The Prophet ﷺ just passed away; Muslims are emotionally and militarily weak. Second: Can you appoint a different leader — someone older? Usama bin Zayd is only about 18 years old.

To the first request — changing the leadership — Abu Bakr as-Siddiq radiyallahu anhu said:

"Even if the dogs and wolves of Madinah were to drag my body through the city, I would not change a decision the Prophet ﷺ has made — to appoint Usama bin Zayd as the leader of this army." (Musnad Ahmad; various seerah sources)

When Umar then relayed the second request — that the Ansar were asking for a more senior leader — Abu Bakr radiyallahu anhu stood up, fa akhadha bi lihyati Umar — he grabbed the beard of Umar — and said:

"Woe to you, O son of al-Khattab! The Messenger of Allah ﷺ appointed him as leader — and you are telling me to remove him?!" (Sahih al-Bukhari; Musnad Ahmad)

Umar radiyallahu anhu left, red-faced and embarrassed. He turned to the Sahaba who had sent him and said: "Thaklatakum ummahatkum — may your mothers weep over you. Today I was extremely embarrassed in front of the Khalifa because of you."

And that shows you: not even Umar could intimidate Abu Bakr. This is why Abu Bakr's golden line will always ring true:

"Is the deen of Allah going to diminish while I am still alive? Never." (Various seerah and historical sources)

Closing — The Love of the Righteous

Brothers and sisters, may Allah give us the love of Abu Bakr as-Siddiq and raise him in the highest stations. Imam al-Shafi'i said a poem that I live with and want to die with:

"I love the righteous, though I am not among them — perhaps I can attain their intercession. And I dislike those whose trade is in sins — even if they and I were equal in that trade."

We ask Allah to make us amongst those who learn the lives of these great people, who live inspired by them, who appreciate those who gave everything they had, and who also become selfless, generous, and kind. May we correct our intentions — that we are here to serve Allah's cause, to live in this world for the next world, and to please Allah.

Q&A — The Eight Who Accepted Islam Through Abu Bakr

Someone asked: can you list the eight companions who accepted Islam through Abu Bakr? Here they are:

1. Zubayr bin al-Awwam
2. Uthman bin Affan
3. Talha bin Ubaydullah
4. Sa'd bin Abi Waqqas
5. Abdurrahman bin Awf
6. Abu Ubayda bin al-Jarrah
7. Uthman bin Maz'un
8. Arkam bin Abi al-Arkam

The Verse That Comforted Ammar bin Yasir

Someone asked: can you mention the ayah that comforted Ammar bin Yasir? This is Surah al-Nahl, verse 106:

"Whoever disbelieves in Allah after his belief — except for one who is coerced while his heart is secure in faith — but those who willingly open their chests to disbelief: upon them is wrath from Allah and for them is a great punishment."

And for the record: Abu Bakr's real name was Abdullah — his kunya was Abu Bakr. And yes, Abu Bakr was very well-educated and knew how to read and write.

Brothers and sisters, Abu Bakr is so beautiful. It would take so much more time to do him justice. May Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala bless his Ummah. May Allah help those who are suffering in the world, Ya Rabb al-Alamin. May Allah remove difficulty from the Muslims who are suffering in Syria, Burma, Kashmir, Gaza, and everywhere in the world. May Allah forgive them and help them. Alhamdulillah.

I hope you can share these stories with your families. Inshallah we make higher goals and ambitions in our lives — to become like the great giants, and Abu Bakr as-Siddiq above all.

Jazakumullah Khayran everyone. Barakallah feekum. Assalamu alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh.