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The closest companion of the prophet By Manzoor Ahmad Today is the death anniversary of Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiq (R.A.). Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiq (R.A.), the first pious caliph of the nascent state of Madina, was the lifelong associate, closest disciple and the most trustworthy companion of Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). When ordained for Hijrat, the Holy Prophet took Hazrat Abu Bakr in confidence and asked him to make necessary preparations for the journey to Yathrib (re-named Madina) and also to accompany him. Hence he earned the honorific title of ‘Companion of the Cave’. Personally Hazrat Abu Bakr was a man of unalloyed purity, remarkable simplicity and peerless affability. He was born and brought up in Mecca. He flourished as an honest businessman. In the pre-Islamic administrative set-up of Mecca he, as the chief magistrate, was a man of consequence and by virtue of this post he wielded much authority and enjoyed great respect in the society. He was also a genealogist par excellence. He happened to be a neighbour of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him). When the Holy Prophet launched the preaching of Islam, Hazrat Abu Bakr was the first free male adult to have embraced the new faith without the least hesitation and became one of the first four who accepted Islam. Since then he followed the Holy Prophet resolutely and steadily throughout his life. On spreading of Islam, the disgruntled pagans of Mecca inflicted all sorts of tyranny and oppression on the newly converted Muslims. He being an elite was not victimised so severely, but so many others were relentlessly persecuted; among them downtrodden and helpless slaves were the main target who at the hands of their pagan masters were suffering unabated atrocities. He purchased the liberty of several such oppressed devotees including Hazrat Bilal, the renowned Muazzin of the grand mosque of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him). It was on his preaching that several prominent Companions embraced Islam; the majority of the Ashrah Mubashsharah accepted Islam at his instance. The hallmark of his unswerving faith in the Holy Prophet was manifested at the time of Meraj. When the news of this event was brought to him by some pagans, he simply ascertaining from them if the Holy Prophet himself has said so, vouched it instantly without vacillation and earned the proud title of ‘as-Siddiq’ which became an integral part of his name. In consequence of the safe arrival of the Holy Prophet in Madina, a series of wars ensued. He participated in all the battles. In the battle of Ohad he himself was wounded, even then he was one of those devotees who shielded the Holy Prophet. At the time of preparations of an expedition to Tabuk, when it was a hard time for Madinites, the devoted Muslims contributed towards sinews of war whatsoever they could but he set a unique instance by volunteering all whatever he possessed. When Haj was made obligatory, he was sent as Amir-i-Haj. On this occasion it was proclaimed that no pagan henceforth will enter the Kaba. This proclamation vetoed all nefarious activities committed in the sacred house and purified it of all sorts of abominations. In his last days when the Holy Prophet being seriously ill and feeble found it impossible to lead the public prayers in the grand mosque of Madina, he deputed Hazrat Abu Bakr to lead the prayers in his place. On the sad demise of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) no one, even Hazrat Umar (R.A.), believed that Holy Prophet Muhammad had expired. As a result of which a sort of commotion spread there. It was he who appeased the people and made them believe that he has died. He addressed the deeply grieved and mournful gathering thus: ‘O people! the man who adored Muhammad (peace be upon him) must know that he is dead, but if he adores Allah he must know that HE liveth and HE never dies.’ He further quoted a verse (III: 144) from the Holy Quran. ‘Muhammad (peace be upon him) is only a Prophet: many were the Prophets that passed away before him. If he dies or is martyred, will you then turn back on your heels? If any did turn back on his heels, not the least harm will he do to Allah, but Allah will reward those who are grateful.’ After the death of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) there naturally arose the question who to succeed him to continue his mission and administer the state affairs. He, by virtue of his very close association with the Holy Prophet, was unanimously elected through general consciousness of the people and installed as Caliph. Receiving the oath of allegiance he in unequivocal words declared the policy of his governance: ‘O people! I have been made your Amir but I am not the best among you. If I do right, help me, if I err, correct me’. Further ‘that truthfulness is a sort of trust and falsehood is defalcation.’ he emphasised that ‘the weak among you will be strong before me, I will get his right restored and the strong in my eyes is weak and I will get from him the others’ dues and restore to the weak’. In the end of his address he emphatically uttered, ‘Obey me till I obey Allah and His Prophet and if I disobey Allah and His Prophet I shall have no right to claim your obedience.’ This was his manifesto and in implementing it he proved to be sincere, steadfast and sagacious. After consolidating the state internally he focused towards external enemies to deter the imminent threats of aggressions from the then two big powers, the Persians and the Byzantines. The wars, fought against these formidable enemies in Iraq and Syria, which ultimately expanded the Islamic State, were launched during his caliphate. He led a very simple life and earned his livelihood through business but when he had to devote full time to run the state affairs, he for a certain period took a sort of stipend from the Bait-ul-Maal for his subsistence for which he willed to get it replenished. During his caliphate spread over only two years and three months he strictly followed the path set by the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him). He discharged his responsibilities with honesty, integrity and sagacity till he breathed his last on 22nd of Jamadi-us-Sani 13th A.H.
