Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, was a well-respected and wealthy merchant of Makkah belonging to the Quraysh tribe. When Muhammad, Sallallahu `Alayhi wa Sallam (may Allah exalt his mention) was bestowed prophethood, Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, was away in Yemen on business. When he returned, people gave him the great news that Muhammad, Sallallahu `Alayhi wa Sallam ( may Allah exalt his mention ), claimed to receive revelation from Allah.
He went to see the Prophet, Sallallahu `Alayhi wa Sallam ( may Allah exalt his mention ) and asked him about the religion he was preaching. Having been the Prophet’s friend since early youth (born in Makkah in 573 C.E., he was just three years younger), Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, was all too aware of his sincerity and truthfulness to have any misgivings. He accepted Islam without second thoughts. This is why he was called “As-Siddeeq (the upright)” by the Prophet, Sallallahu `Alayhi wa Sallam ( may Allah exalt his mention ). He was the first male who embraced Islam.
Abu Bakr’s father, ‘Uthmaan (better known as Abu Qahaafah) and his mother, Salma, had named him Abdul Kaaba, meaning “the servant of the Kaaba”. The Prophet, Sallallahu `Alayhi wa Sallam (may Allah exalt his mention), changed this pagan name to ‘Abdullaah and gave him Abu Bakr.
Having accepted Islam, he spread the message in his social circle. Some prominent people accepted Islam, such as; Uthmaan ibn ‘Affaan, Zubayr ibn Al-Awwaam, Abdur Rahmaan ibn ‘Auf, Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqaas, Abu ‘Ubaydah ibn Al-Jarraah, Khaalid ibn Sa’eed (may Allah be pleased with them).
The Prophet, Sallallahu `Alayhi wa Sallam (may Allah exalt his mention), chose him to accompany him when he migrated from Makkah to Madeenah due to his self-sacrificing friendship. His name was immortalized in the Quran as (The second of the two). [Quran 9:40]
After the Muslims migrated to Madeenah, the Quraysh waged many battles to uproot the Muslims from the city. Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, accompanied the Prophet, Sallallahu `Alayhi wa Sallam (may Allah exalt his mention) and participated in all the battles on all his campaigns.
Tabook was the last expedition of the Prophet, Sallallahu `Alayhi wa Sallam (may Allah exalt his mention), and he asked people to give generously to aid it. Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, was the only person to give all he had to the cause of Islam. The Prophet, Sallallahu `Alayhi wa Sallam (may Allah exalt his mention), asked him whether he had anything left for his family. He replied that Allah and His Apostle were enough for them.
After the Prophet conquered Makkah, Sallallahu `Alayhi wa Sallam (may Allah exalt his mention) sent Abu Bakr in 631 C.E. to lead the Hajj.
The Prophet, Sallallahu `Alayhi wa Sallam (may Allah exalt his mention), used to lead the prayer in Madeenah himself. However, he became so weak during his last illness that he could not come to the mosque. Instead, he asked Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, to lead the Muslims in prayer.
Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her), the daughter of Abu Bakr’s and the wife of the Prophet Sallallahu `Alayhi wa Sallam (may Allah exalt his mention), requested that him to assign this responsibility to someone else fearing for her tender-hearted father. However, the Prophet, Sallallahu `Alayhi wa Sallam (may Allah exalt his mention), did not change his mind.
Thus, Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, came to fill the highest office in the Prophet’s lifetime. After the Prophet died in 632 C.E., ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him. The other Companions nominated him as the head of the community, and he was appointed Caliph (the successor of the Prophet) by the people’s consent.
In the early days of his caliphate, many Arab tribes revolted. Most of them had embraced Islam after the conquest of Makkah in 8 A.H. and refused to comply with Islamic injunctions such as Zakat (obligatory charity) and Jihad.
Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, appointed Khalid ibn al Walid, may Allah be pleased with him, to suppress all revolts. He brought all the Arab tribes under the control of Islam in less than a year. Later, he sent Khalid and other able generals on a campaign against Persia and Byzantine.
Thus, Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, successfully united the Muslim community. During his short rule, the Muslim army saw several victories and Al-Hira in Persia was conquered in 633 C.E.
Soon after, Abu Bakr took ill in 13 A.H. On his deathbed, he nominated Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, as his successor, with the approval of the senior Companions.
Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, was buried beside the Prophet, Sallallahu `Alayhi wa Sallam (may Allah exalt his mention) and was shrouded in the same old clothes he had died.
Although his rule lasted only for two years, three months and ten days, he made many significant contributions, the most important of which is the collection and collation of the Quran in written form.
