- Islamic Biography / The biography of the companions / The 4 Rightly-Guided Caliphs
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- Abu Bakr Assiddiq
The noble nature of As-Siddiq was elevated after he embraced Islam:
Dear brother, we are discussing the second lesson of the biography of our Master As-Siddiq, may Allah be pleased with him. This honorable Companion was the very first companion who embraced Islam. While you are reading his biography, take him as a model for believers to keep on the Right Path. Before he embraced Islam, he used to have questions about the truth and guidance. Thus, after he embraced Islam, this honorable Companion was the friend of the Prophet, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him. This means that he was very close to him. In fact when a man rises to the level of his peer, he becomes his friend. The Prophet, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him, said:
((The best of you in Jahiliyyah is the best of you in Islam when you have understanding (from Allah).))
Good morals in Al-Jahiliyyah:
This Arab nation which Allah has chosen to be a moderate nation, used to have good morals in Al-Jahiliyyah (the pre-Islamic time of ignorance). For example, Hatem At-Ta'i (a man who was well known for his generosity in Al-Jahiliyyah) said once to his servant:
Lit the fire, as the night is dark, and the wind is cold
May a wayfarer pass by and see the fire
I'll set you free if someone sees this fire and becomes our guest
He told his servant that if the fire he lit guided someone to their place and made him their guest, and if he welcomed him warmly, Hatim At-Ta'i would set his servant free. Some of the Arabs in Al-Jahiliyyah used to put on fire at the night so that it would guide wayfarers to noble and generous people who would be hospital to them. Furthermore, Arabs in Al-Jahiliyyah used to be hospital to the guests, support the oppressed and help people to overcome disasters and hardships. They really had true morals.
Dear brother, in addition to the good morals Arabs had in Al-Jahiliyyah, they had sacred months. Hence, in spite of all the backward beliefs and their ignorance, they had good morals:
((The best of you in Jahiliyyah is the best of you in Islam when you have understanding (from Allah).))
In the sacred months the swords of Arabs had to remain in their sheathes, wars had to be ceased and the bloodshed had to be stopped. Respecting rules in these sacred months is one of the good things the Arabs used to have. Unlike them, Arabs (at present) had wars that lasted for 13 years, and they had civil wars that destroyed and demolished everything (they did not abide by the rules of the sacred months).
The scholars' opinions of the dream that As-Siddiq had:
As-Siddiq, may Allah be pleased with him, was one of the leading models in Al-Jahiliyyah who used to have the good morals which were part of their Fitrah (an inborn natural predisposition which cannot change, and which exists at birth in all human beings. It is inclined towards right action and submission to Allah, the One Deity), and were ordained on them after Islam. I told you previously that this noble Companion, never drank intoxicants, nor worshiped an idol. He used to have a big question about the truth, which is considered the souls' healer.
He was once in the Levant on business, and before he left Damascus to Makkah, he had a dream. He saw a moon that left its place in the sky and turned into pieces that got into the houses of Makkah. After that those pieces were combined again and the moon settled down in Abu Bakr's lap. After he woke up, he went to one of the pious priests whom he know and had good relationship with in Damascus. When he told him about the dream, the righteous priest rejoiced and said, "His days are approaching." As-Siddiq asked, "Who do you mean?" The priest answered, "The awaited Prophet, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him. You will believe in him and will be one of the happiest people about him."
Scholars of the biography called such a dream and other things which are related to Prophets, may Allah have peace and blessings upon them, signs. There must be certain signs which foreshadow the coming of the great and noble men. For example, our Master Isa (Jesus), may Allah have peace and blessings upon him and upon our Prophet, talked to his people when he was a little baby in the cradle. He said:
((I am the slave of Allah.))
When he grew up and Allah sent him to his people as a Messenger, they remembered that it was he who talked to them when he was a baby in the cradle.
The miracles that happen by Prophets, May Allah have peace and blessings upon them, earlier before they were sent to their peoples, are not precisely miracles, but rather, they are, according to scholars of biography, signs. These sings reminded people of the peculiarity of this person before he was sent to them, so they would make a connection between the special things that happened to him many years before he was sent to them and the man who was sent to them as a Prophet. The connection they made confirmed that Allah has chosen this man to be a Prophet. This is the meaning of Allah's following Ayah:
((in order that you may be brought up under My Eye,))
These signs assure the truthfulness of the Prophets' Mission.
As-Siddiq occupied the rank of righteousness. When you read his biography, you will find amazing incidents in which the great love of this dignified Companion for the Prophet and his matchless selflessness, sacrifice, loyalty, comprehension and understanding are manifested. All peerless capacities that Allah has bestowed upon believers are a reward for their honesty in seeking the truth. The more honest you are while seeking the truth the many extraordinary capacities Allah will grant you to support you in achieving your goal in life. Hence, the dream of As-Siddiq was one of the signs which foreshadowed the beginning of the Prophet's Mission.
The news that buzzed in Makkah and As-Siddiq's reaction to it:
As-Siddiq got back to Makkah, but this time there was a momentous event, a great matter and rumbling news there. What was that all about? When As-Siddiq approached Makkah, he had a feeling that there was something going on was not which was not there when he left. When he entered Makkah, he met his companions on top of them was Abu Jahl. They hugged and Abu Jahl, said, "Have they told you about your companion, O Atiq (old)?" As-Siddiq used to be called Atiq in Al-Jahiliyyah. Abu Bakr answered, "What do you mean?" Abu Jahl said, "I mean the orphan of Hashems". Abu Bakr said, "Do you mean the trustworthy Muhammad?" They had a quick chat. Abu Bakr said, "Have you heard what he said. O Amr bin Hashem?" He replied, "Yes I have, and so have all the people." Then As-Siddiq asked, "What did he said?" Amr answered, "He said that there is one God in the heaven, Who has sent him to us to worship Him Alone and leave what our ancestors have been worshiping." As-Siddiq asked, "Did he say that Allah had revealed that to him?" Abu Jahl said, "Yes, he did." As-Siddiq said, "Did he say how Allah had talked to him?" Abu Jahel said, "Jibrael was sent to him in Ghar (cave) Hera'."Abu Bakr's face radiates like the sun, and he quietly and peacefully said, "If he said so, then he is telling the truth."
What made As-Siddiq believe the Divine Revelation:
1- His doubts about Jahiliyyah beliefs while he was seeking the truth:
The noble characteristics of As-Siddiq appeared obviously in his words when he said, I"If he said so, then he is telling the truth." This is why he was called As-Siddiq (the believing). His certainty of the truthfulness of Muhammad, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him, was beyond any doubt. A man who had been honest for forty years, and who never betrayed anyone for forty years, must be honest. Of course, Abu Jahl didn't expect that Abu Bakr would receive such news calmly and would believe it. He thought that he would be shocked upon hearing the news and that it would break up with the Prophet, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him. However, As-Siddiq believed this Prophet, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him, saying, "If he said so, then he is telling the truth."
Abu Bakr went home to see his family and get some rest, then Allah might accomplish a matter already ordained (in His Knowledge). As-Siddiq wanted to have a direct contact with the Prophet, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him, as he knew him well. When the Prophet, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him, was a child, his friends used to call him to play with them, but he, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him, would say, "I was not created for that." Since he was a very young child, he was aware of the great Mission awaiting him.
Man's actions are the outcome of his beliefs:
I would like to tell you this fact: the straightforward, honest, pure and trustworthy man will be believed when he says something. On the other hand, the man whose behavior is deviated, his beliefs must be corrupted. This is axiomatic.. Allah the Almighty says:
((Have you seen him who denies the Recompense?))
((But if they answer you not (i.e. do not believe in your doctrine of Islamic Monotheism, nor follow you), then know that they only follow their own lusts. And who is more astray than one who follows his own lusts, without guidance from Allah? Verily! Allah guides not the people who are Zalimun (wrong-doers, disobedient to Allah, and polytheists).))
There is inevitable connection between having sound religious beliefs and having good morals. If you meet someone who is intellectually enlightened, who is wise, who is prudent and who has a sound vision, then most likely this person is a straightforward man. Also, if you meet a straightforward, pious, pure, honest and trustworthy man, then most likely this person of high morals is a man whose principles are sound. I would like you to believe that there is an inevitable connection between the good behavior and the sound intellect on one hand and the sound Aqeedah and the principles one have on the other.
2- Knowing this Prophet (PBUH):
As-Siddiq had known the Prophet, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him, for a long time. The Revelation was sent down to the Prophet, may Allah have peace and blessings, when he was 40 years old, and As-Siddiq was 38, so they were close in age to one another. Knowing the Prophet, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him, for a long period of time, and being aware of his honesty and truthfulness, made As-Siddiq believe him, so he said, "If he said so, then he is telling the truth." There are some indications in the Quran, about the nature of some people. Allah says:
((Have you (O Muhammad, peace be upon him) seen him (i.e. Abu Jahl) who prevents, A slave (Muhammad, peace be upon him) when he prays?))
The Ayah is finished, but how can this Ayah be finished without giving us the answer? The implied answer is to see how immoral, despicable, sinful and deviated this man is. Allah the Almighty says:
((Tell me, if he (Muhammad, peace be upon him) is on the guidance (of Allah)? Or enjoins piety?))
In this Ayah we are asked to pay attention to his straightforwardness. This connection (between man's good manners and sound Aqeedah) is essential in order to understand As-Siddiq's reaction. When As-Siddiq said, "then he is telling the truth", he did not made a haste judgment, but rather it was the result of knowing our Master Muhammad, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him. Hence, dear brother, I would like you to believe deeply, and this belief is part of the Muslim's Aqeedah, that the Prophets, may Allah have peace and blessings upon them, are infallible. Had they not been infallible before they were sent to their people as Prophets, people would have doubted their Da'wah (calling people to Allah). They were brought up under the Eye of Allah the exalted, and they were prepared by Allah for this great Mission.
What the Prophet learned from As-Siddiq's stance towards his Mission:
Having got some rest at his home after a tiresome travel, As-Siddiq headed to the house of the Prophet, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him. They had a quick and calm conversation. Abu Baker asked, "O brother of Arabs (he, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him, was not a Prophet yet), is the news I was told true?" The Prophet, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him, said, "What did they tell you?" Abu Bakr answered, "They said that Allah has sent you to us to worship Him Alone, associating no partners with Him in worship." Then, the Prophet, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him, said, "What did you say to them, O Atiq?" Abu Bakr replied, "I said to them, 'If he said so, then he is telling the truth'." It was narrated in the books of biography that the eyes of the Prophet, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him, overflowed with tears out of joy and gratefulness to Allah. He thought that this person would be the first one to believe him, and his thought came true. After that, he, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him, hugged his Companion, kissed his forehead and walked with him telling him how the Revelation came to him when he was in Ghar Hira'. Allah says:
((Read! In the Name of your Lord, Who has created (all that exists),*Has created man from a clot (a piece of thick coagulated blood).*Read! And your Lord is the Most Generous,*Who has taught (the writing) by the pen [the first person to write was Prophet Idrees (Enoch)],*Has taught man that which he knew not.))
After the Prophet, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him, kissed As-Siddiq's forehead and shed tears, this dignified Companion took his friend's hand strongly, shook them and said, "I bear witness that you are honest and trustworthy, so I bear witness that there is no Deity worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and that you are the Messenger of Allah.". That is why the Prophet, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him, said:
((Whenever I called on somebody to embrace Islam, he seemed to be greatly hesitant to embrace it at first except my brother Abu Bakr.))
The believer supports his fellow believing brother in spreading the truth:
O noble brother, when you believe the truth, help other people spread it and make your abilities at the service of spreading this truth, then this is a great deed. Ad-Da'iyah (Islamic missioner) is weak without the support of those who help him guide people to Allah and to His Messenger, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him. If Ad-Da'iyah is surrounded by true men who are strong, pious, motivated, scarifying and ready to sacrifice the precious and the cheap, themselves and the valuables things they own for the sake of this tolerant Aqeedah, his heart will be warmed.
The Prophet, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him, is the Master of creation and the beloved of Al-Haqq (Allah the Truth), so if you can't be a Da'iayh, you can assist and support Ad-Du'aat (the plural of Da'iyah). Do not be an enemy to the truth, but be one of the supporters of it. The believing group is always granted mercy, and everyone has a role. Similarly, each member of the family has his role. Does the husband have any value if he has wealth, but he does not have a wife who gives birth to children, raises them, cooks and helps the members of the family accomplish with their jobs? Hence, the son has a role and the husband has a role too, because they are a family. Likewise, the group of believers is a family, so there are no preferences among them. They are a family in every sense of the word, and they all cooperate with one another to achieve the greater goal of this mission.
The reaction of the Prophet's wife Khadijah to the Message:
There is another proof that confirms the link between the authenticity of Da'wah and the high-standard morals, and this proof indicates Al-Fitrah. Who taught Lady Khadijah, may Allah be pleased with her, to react in the way she did to when the Prophet, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him, about the Revelation? She never studied at a university, nor did she graduate from a Faculty of Shari'ah in any Islamic country. What did she say when the Prophet, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him, told her the Revelation was sent to him? She, may Allah be pleased with her, said:
((Never! By Allah, Allah will never disgrace you. You keep good relations with your kith and kin, help the poor and the destitute, serve your guests generously and assist the deserving calamity-afflicted ones.))
She made a connection between his honesty and morals on one hand what he just told her on the other, and this indicates the intact Fitrah (man's Fitrah is in accord with the Divine Orders and Prohibitions). Accordingly, the honest, pious, trustworthy and humble man most likely tells the truth, and whoever addresses the mind of people when he talks to them is most likely a straightforward man. Hence, there is a concomitance between the two things.
The Prophet's noble manners while treating As-Siddiq:
Dear brother, I would like to mention some of the As7adeth in which the Prophet, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him, praised this Companion:
((There is no favor due upon us from anyone, except that we have repaid him, with the exception of Abu Bakr. Verily upon us, there is a favor due to him, which Allah will repay him on the Day of Judgement.))
In another Hadith, the Prophet, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him, said:
((No one's wealth has benefited me as Abu Bakr's wealth has.))
He, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him, also said in another Hadith:
((Whenever I called on somebody to embrace Islam, he seemed to be greatly hesitant to embrace it at first except Abu Bakr, who never stammered (in uttering the two testimonies).))
Ibn Abbas narrated:((Allah's Apostle in his fatal illness came out with a piece of cloth tied round his head and sat on the pulpit. After thanking and praising Allah he said, "There is no one who had done more favor to me with life and property than Abu Bakr bin Abi Quhafa. If I were to take a Khalil, I would certainly have taken Abu Bakr, but the Islamic brotherhood is superior. Close all the small doors in this mosque except that of Abu Bakr."))
The Prophet, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him, said:
((He never offended me, so keep that in your mind))
These are all sound As7adeth of the Prophet, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him, about As-Siddiq, and there are many other ones.
The stand of the Prophet towards Al-Ansar after Hunain Battle:
After Hunain Battle, the Prophet, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him, was at the peak of his power. He was told that some of Al-Ansar were upset with him. Nowadays, being the strongest man means that you can kill or humiliate whoever criticizes you. Had the Prophet, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him, considered those Ansar hypocrites, they would have been doomed. He could have ignored or blamed them, but he did not. Do you know what he, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him, did although he was at the peak of his power?
Abu Sa'eed Al-Khudri, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that:
((When Allah's Apostle, Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him, distributed some grants to [the people of] Quraish and [among some] other Arab tribes, Al-Ansar did not receive anything from it, so they [were disappointed] and felt saddened [because of this]. Some words started to go around about that, till one of them said, "By Allah, the Messenger of Allah, Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him, has met his people (i.e. he has reconciled with them and forgotten about us)." Saad ibn 'Ubada, may Allah be pleased with him, came to the Messenger of Allah and said, "O Allah's Apostle, this group from among Al-Ansar are [feeling] sad within themselves about what you have done with the spoils which you have acquired, where you divided for your people (i.e. the tribe of Quraish) and gave great grants to numerous Arab tribes, but did not give anything for this group of Al-Ansar. The Prophet said, "And how do you feel about this, O Saad?" He said, "O Allah's Apostle, I am just one of them." The Prophet, Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him, said, "So gather for me your people in this place."
Saad left, and gathered Al-Ansar in that place. Some of the Muhajirun came and he allowed them to enter, and sh3er came after them but he didn't allow them. When they were assembled, Saad went to the Messenger of Allah and said, "Those people of Al-Ansar have assembled for you." Allah's Apostle came to them. He praised Allah and glorified Him duly, then he said, "O people of Al-Ansar, what have I heard about you, and about the sadness you felt among yourselves [for not receiving a share of the spoils]? Didn't I come to you and you were astray then Allah guided you, and you were poor and Allah enriched you, and you were enemies to one another but Allah joined your hearts together?" They said, "Yes, and Allah and His Messenger are more in their favours and better." Then he said, "Do you not reply back to me, O people of Al-Ansar?" They said, "And by what can we answer you, O Allah's Apostle, and truly Allah and His Messenger and more in their bounties and better?" He, Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him, said, "By Allah, if you wished you could have said, and you would have been truthful in it and would have been believed, that: You came to us accused of being a liar but we believed you, and you came to us forsaken and we supported you, and you came to us as a refugee and we sheltered you, and you came to us poor and we aided you. Did you feel saddened, O Ansar, for a trifle of this worldly life that I used to reconcile the hearts of some people [to Islam] and entrusted you to your faith? Would it not please you, O Ansar, that the people return back to their homes with sheep and camel, and you go back to your homes with the Messenger of Allah? By He whom Muhammad's soul is in His Hand, had it not been for the Hijra I would have been one of Al-Ansar, and if the people [altogether] take a way and Al-Ansar take another, I would take the way of Al-Ansar. O Allah have mercy on Al-Ansar, and sons of Al-Ansar, and the sons of the sons of Al-Ansar!" [Upon hearing this] the people wept bitterly till they wet their beards, and they said, "We are pleased with the Messenger of Allah as our share and fortune", then Allah's Apostle went back and we left".))
He, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him, reminded them of the favor they did him.
Justice is one of the characteristics of Prophethood:
The Prophet, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him, once said to Mu'az, "By Allah, I love you, O Mu'az." One of our scholars is preparing a nice booklet in which the Prophet's words and statements about his Companions are collected. These statements are all taken from the books of biography. The Prophet, may Allah have peace and blessings, called Abu Ubaidah "Amin Al-Ummah (Custodian of the Islamic nation)", he called Khaled bin Al-Walid "Saifullah Al-Maslul (Sword of Allah)", he said to Saad bin Abi Waqqas, "Throw (arrows), O Saad, let my father and mother be scarified for you" and he said about Umar, "Had there been a Prophet after me, he would have been Umar." He, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him, used to say the truth whenever he talked about or praised his Companions, may Allah be pleased with them all, and this indicates who great used to be. The Prophet, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him, was the greatest, the most Exalted in Allah's Sight and the most courageous, but he never neglected his Companions and those who were around him, and he praised their bravery and heroic behavior. Although their heroism was not as worthwhile as his, he, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him, used to mention it, and doing this manifests his justice.
The Muslim should be grateful to his brother for his favor:
Dear dignified brother, if a brother does you a favor, honors you, gives you something you need, guides you to Allah, helps you get married or gives you a valuable thing, you should never forget his favor. If you are not grateful to him for his favor, then you are mean. On the other hand, when you do someone a favor, you should not remind him of it. Keep in mind that the good word is Sadaqah, so if someone does you a favor, and you meet him after a week, say to him, "May Allah reward you. I will never forget your favor." These words will encourage him to keep helping people. Some people say no words of gratitude to the man who does them a favor making him feel that he is obliged to do them such a favor.
Dear brother, it is very rude to say, "No one has done me any favor but Allah." Well as Ali, may Allah ennoble his face, said this is "A word of truth by which is intended falsehood." Of course our gratefulness should be to Allah for all His Favors and Blessings, but remember that the Prophet, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him, said:
((The one who is ungrateful to the people is ungrateful to Allah.))
Hence, meanness, denial of other's favor and ingratitude are some of the characteristics of the mean. The poet says:
I am a man who refuses oppression, deviation and extremism
Doing harm to people is the nature of the scorpion
I can retaliate to whoever does harm to me
But my good conduct stops me
And if I do, then I would be like
the thunder which is not accompanied with rain
My noble reaction to whoever does me harm
Would be enough punishment for his mistreatment
He would even regret doing me any harm
If a man forgets about the favors of his parents, his friends who supported him at times of adversity, whoever the person who guided him to Allah, whoever honored him or whoever helped him get married, he is a denier of the favors. Some people would have the audacity to insult their father-in-law. How do you dare to do that to the man who raised your wife? He is not as young as you are, so you should have some respect to him. He is as close to you as your father. There are three kinds of fathers; your biological father, the man who helps you get married and the one who guides you to Allah., You should take into consideration the age gap between you and them.
The Prophet's manners versus those of the so-called great people:
Whatever the Prophet, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him, said about his Companions, with no exceptions, is the truth about them. This is how the grandeur of the Prophet, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him, was manifested. In fact his good conduct, noble character and heroism were as clear as the sun at noon-day. Unlike the Prophets, may Allah have peace and blessings upon them, and the believers, "great" people in life never allow anyone to be as successful and famous as them. The Prophet, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him, used to make his Companions well known.
The marvelous endearment As-Siddiq had for the Prophet PBUH:
The Prophet, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him, said:
((No one's wealth has benefited me as Abu Bakr's wealth has.))
As-Siddiq gave all his money to the Prophet (to be given as Sadaqah for Allah's Sake after he told his Companions that giving Sadaqah was ordained on them), and the Prophet, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him, accepted it although he never accepted anyone's money. He only accepted half of Umar's money.
Dear brother, when two people have a friendship for the Sake of Allah (this relation is the result of having strong faith in Allah), all differences between them disappear, and they will have common concerns, happiness and sadness. Such relationship between believers becomes very solid to the point that they their properties will be for both of them; they will say, for instance, "Your money is mine and mine is yours."
The Prophet, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him, was so endeared to As-Siddiq to such an extent that As-Siddiq stopped considering that the money he used to have was his (he gave it as Sadaqah). The Prophet, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him, said, "What have you left for your family, O Aba Bakr?" He replied, "I have left them Allah and His Messenger." This is the deep and strong faith. The stronger your faith is the more compassionate to one another you are. Envy, throwing charges against each other and wishing that your brother loses a blessing he isgranted are outcomes of having weak faith.
The believers' slogan is one for all and all for one:
I would like to give you a precise standard of mutual kindness among the believers. There is always a close brother to the believers who never compete with anyone of them. If you are Islamic knowledge seeker, a merchant will not compete with you, because your domain is different from his. However, there is a competition between the two merchants who work in the same field, as well as the two students who study at the same school. If two persons work in the same domain or study at the same school, you will notice that they compete with one another. If your fellow brother has been granted a blessing, and you are happy about that as if it were granted to you, then by Allah, you are a true believer, but if you envy him and wish that he loses this blessing, then be sure that you are a hypocrite. Allah the Exalted says:
((If good befalls you (O Muhammad, peace be upon him), it grieves them, but if a calamity overtakes you, they say: "We took our precaution beforehand," and they turn away rejoicing.))
You should be happy for your brother if he occupies a high-ranked position, gets a high degree, gets married, buys a house or buys a small vehicle. If he becomes more powerful than you, you should be happy about that, because he is your believing brother whose power will be at the service of all believers. The slogan of the believers is "one for all and all for one"; we are all for the one, and you my brother with all your capabilities, abilities, strength and wealth are for the group as a whole.
As-Siddiq never offended the prophet not even with a word:
During the years of their companionship, As-Siddiq never uttered a word that would offend the Prophet, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him, whereas the people of Makkah kept denying his Message, underestimating it and accusing him of being a liar, insane, a priest and a poet. In that period of time, Allah the Almighty took him for a night journey (Al-Isra') from Al-Masjid Al-Haram (in Makkah) to Bait Al-Maqdis ( Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa in Al-Quds (Jerusalem)), then he was ascended (Al-Mi'raj) to the upper heavens. I think if the Prophet, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him, had had the choice, he would not have told them about this journey since those people had been already denying his Da'wah, so how would they react when he told them about ascending to the upper heavens?
As-Siddiq stance of Al-Isra' and Al-Mi'raj journey:
Pay attention to this story; while Abu Jahl was going to do something, he passed by Al-Ka'bah and saw the Prophet, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him, sitting alone in Al-Masjid Al-Haram and thinking silently. Abu Jahl wanted to hurt the Prophet, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him, with his cynical comments. He came nearer to him and asked, "Did anything new happen to you last night?" The Prophet, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him, raised his head and seriously answered, "Yes, there was something new. I was taken for a night journey to Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa in the Levant." Abu Jahel said criticizing, "And you are here among us this morning." Nowadays, such a distance can be travelled in an hour. For instance, it is very easy to depart Jeddah at 9 and arrive in Damascus at 10, but in the era the Prophet, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him, people used to ride camels from Makkah to Al-Quds for a month or two. Abu Jahel hysterically called out saying, "O people of Ka'b gather up." Quraish gathered up calling one another. Can you imagine the situation of the Prophet, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him, at that moment? He was ordered to tell his people about his journey, and those people had already accused him of lying and denied his Message, so how could he tell them about his night journey? The Prophet, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him, had not told any of his Companions about this journey yet.
People gathered by Al-Ka'bah and Abu Jahl started telling them sarcastically of what he had heard, thinking that it was the best opportunity to make people break away from about the Prophet, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him, and so the Prophet's Mission would be over for ever, but ironically enough, the ones who ended up on the scrap heap of history were Abu Jahl, Abu Lahab and the like. Allah the Almighty says:
(Perish the two hands of Abu Lahab (an uncle of the Prophet), and perish he!)
How was the end of those who opposed the Prophet, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him? Where are they now? One of the Muslims asked the Prophet, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him:
(("O Allah's Messenger, it is true that you were taken for journey last night?" The Prophet, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him, said, "Yes, it is true. I was the Imam of prayer with my Prophet brother, may Allah have peace and blessings upon them, there..."))
This fact is even harder to Quraish to believe:
((The crowd had contradictory agitated feelings. The disbelievers welcomed this news (because it made some people return to Kufr after they had embraced Islam.) This crowd of people reached Abu Bakr's house, and they told him cynically, "Your companion whom you call the honest and faithful and of whom you hold onto good thought, came up with a new piece of news. Come and listen to what he is saying, O Atiq." Abu Bakr came out of his house amazed, but he kept calm and prudent. He asked them, "What do you have to tell me?" They said, "Your companion." He interrupted them asking, "Owe to you, was any harm done to him?" [notice how much he cared about him, because the Prophet, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him, was so dear to him]. People said, "No, he is there by Al-Ka'bah. He is telling people that His Lord took him for a night journey to Al-Quds." Someone else carried on sarcastically, "He claimed that in one night he went and got back, and in the morning he was here with us." Abu Bakr said (with his face rejoicing), "What is wrong with that?" I believe whatever he says. I believe that the Divine Revelation came to him and went. If he said that, then he is truthful."))
As-Siddiq thoroughly realized that He Who has created the heavens and the earth and Who sent Jibrael down to him from the seventh heavens, would easily take the Prophet, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him, to Al-Quds and bring him back in one night. How deep their certainty is! This is the certainty of those who have strong faith. Our Master Ali, may Allah ennoble his face, said, "By Allah, Even if the veils were raised (the unseen was disclosed to him), nothing would be added to my certitude in faith." The deeper your belief is, the more exalted your faith. Such a belief makes his certainty of the Truth he believes in stronger than his own existence.
As-Siddiq had no doubts about this news. He did not ask how the Prophet, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him, went to Bait Al-Maqdis and got back, because he was prudent and knew the Prophet, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him, very well. Moreover, he believed that the Creator of this great universe is capable of taking the Prophet, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him, and bringing him back in one night. Abu Bakr hurried to Al-Ka'bah to see the Prophet, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him. When he got there, he saw a group of gloating and doubtful people gathering in a circle, and he saw the light of Allah sitting submissively facing Al-Ka'bah, turning a deaf ear to all the hustle around him. Abu Bakr approached the Prophet, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him, and hugged him saying, "I will sacrifice my father and my mother for your sake, O Prophet of Allah. By Allah, you are truthful... by Allah, you are truthful." Allah dignified the Prophet, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him, by making him surrounded by righteous Companions. If your friends are highly honest, trustworthy, pious, loyal generous and scarifying, this means that your rank is high in Allah's Sight. On the hand, if those who are around you are negligent, doubtful and defeatist, then this indicates that your faith is weak.
As-Siddiq had many stands at times of hardships and crises:
This dignified Companion had many stands towards certain events in Islam. Allah the Almighty afflicts believers, and sometimes the afflictions are unbearable so that only those whose faith is strong can bear them. Ad-Da'wah went through afflictions and crises which no one of the Companions bore patiently but -asSiddiq. For example, our Master Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, considered the Treaty of Hudaibiyah to be humiliating to Muslims. It included:
- Both parties have agreed to lay down the burden of war for ten years. During this time, each party shall be safe, and neither shall injure the other; no secret damage shall be inflicted, but uprightness and honor shall prevail between them.
- The Muslims shall return this year without performing Umrah (so the Prophet, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him, asked Suhail bin Amr not to perform Umrah that year). In the coming year, you may enter it with your companions, staying therein for three days, bearing no arms except the arms of the traveler, with swords remaining in their sheaths.
- If a Quraish person comes to Muhammad (i.e., after accepting Islam) without the permission of his guardian, Muhammad shall return him to them, but if one of the Muhammad's people come to the Quraish, he shall not be returned.
- Whoever wishes to enter into covenant with Muhammad can do so, and whoever wishes to enter into covenant with the Quraish can do so.
Umar regarded this treaty to be humiliating to them, so he went to the Prophet, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him:
((Umar bin Al-Khattab said, "I went to the Prophet, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him, and said, 'Aren't you truly the Apostle of Allah?' The Prophet said, 'Yes, indeed.' I said, 'Isn't our Cause just and the cause of the enemy unjust?' He said, 'Yes.' I said, 'Then why should we be humble in our religion?' He said, 'I am Allah's Apostle and I do not disobey Him, and He will make me victorious.' I said, 'Didn't you tell us that we would go to Al-Ka'bah and perform Tawaf around it?' He said, 'Yes, but did I tell you that we would visit Al-Ka'bah this year?' I said, 'No.' He said, 'So you will visit it and perform Tawaf around it?' " Umar further said, "I went to Abu Bakr and said, 'O Abu Bakr! Isn't he truly Allah's Prophet?' He replied, 'Yes.' I said, 'Then why should we be humble in our religion?' He said, 'Indeed, he is Allah's Apostle and he does not disobey his Lord, and He will make him victorious. Adhere to him as, by Allah, he is on the right.' I said, 'Was he not telling us that we would go to Al-Ka'bah and perform Tawaf around it?' He said, 'Yes, but did he tell you that you would go to Al-Ka'bah this year?' I said, 'No.' He said, "You will go to Al-Ka'bah and perform Tawaf around it." (Az-Zuhri said, " 'Umar said, 'I performed many good deeds as expiation for the improper questions I asked them.' ").))
Whenever the Giant of Islam (Umar bin Al-Khattab) was distressed, he used to ask Abu Bakr for his advice. Hence, the Companions were put to difficult tests some of which shook their faith, but As-Siddiq's faith remained strong in that incident. However, As-Siddiq were put once to a very difficult test, so his faith shook too, while the faith of the Prophet, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him, remained strong. Do you know where such a test took place? It took place in Ghar Thawr. The Prophet, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him, is the leader of the Islamic society, and one of the characteristics of the leadership was manifested when he was in that Ghar:
(("O Messenger of Allah, if they look down towards their feet they will see us!" Prophet Muhammad replied, "O Abu Bakr, what do you think of two people with whom Allah is the third?...Be not sad (or afraid), surely Allah is with us.))
The Prophet's trust in Allah's Support and Victory was unbelievable although he was about to be killed by the unbelievers. Such trust was even stronger when he migrated. The Prophet, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him, was wanted dead, and he was chased. Suraqah could reach him, and he was about to catch him, but the Prophet, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him, said to him:
((O Suraqah, I wonder how you will feel like when you put on the bracelets of the Kisra on your wrists his belt around your waist and his throne on your head?))
Those words meant that the Prophet, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him, would reach Al-Madinah safely, would establish a nation which would fight the Persians and win over them, would get the belongings of Kisra and those bracelets would be given to to Suraqah to wear. This is how the Prophet, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him, used to be sure of Allah's Victory that would be bestowed upon him.
His greatest stand was when the Prophet PBUH passed away:
The memorable incident in which Allah protected Muslims from separation was the day when the Prophet, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him, passed away. I believe that no one on earth loved the Prophet, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him, as much as As-Siddiq did. None of the Companions could believe the news about the death of the Prophet, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him. Umar did not believe it, and As-Siddiq had something to do on the outskirts of the city. When Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, was informed of the news of the Prophet's death, he became imbalanced. He said, "Some hypocrites have claimed that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him, is dead. By Allah, he is not dead, but he just has gone to meet Allah, as Musa, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him, bin 'Imran did. By Allah, he will come back and cut off the hands of those who have claimed that he died. Whoever says he is dead, I will crack his head with my sword." That was how Umar reacted to the news of the Prophet's death. It was shocking, so he could not believe that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him, died.
As-Siddiq heard that piece of news while he was on his way back to Al-Masjid An-Nabawi. Narrated Aiyshah:
((Abu Bakr came riding his horse from his dwelling place in As-Sunh. He got down from it, entered the Mosque and did not speak with anybody till he came to me and went direct to the Prophet, who was covered with a marked blanket. Abu Bakr uncovered his face. He knelt down and kissed him and then started weeping and said, "My father and my mother be sacrificed for you, O Allah's Prophet! Allah will not combine two deaths on you. You have died the death which was written for you."))
When he went out, Umar was talking to people. He asked him to be quiet, but he refused, then As-Siddiq started his speech saying, "O people," and the people listened to him. He started his speech with praising Allah and thanking Him. Let me tell you this fact, having a deep compassion to someone, and keep your belief in the Oneness of Allah strong is difficult. It is not easy to do so, as most people associate partners (their lovers) with Allah in worship when they fall in love, while those who devote themselves sincerely to Allah their heart become hardened towards people. In some cases, the students of an ordinary Islamic missioner admire him to such an extent that they unintentionally forget about Allah the Exalted, which is Shirk (polytheism). In other cases, those who have been taught to believe in the Oneness of Allah in a wrong way become rude to people. There is something unacceptable in both cases. As-Siddiq's love for the Prophet, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him, was at its highest level. Yet, his belief in the Oneness of Allah remained strong. He said, "O people, whoever amongst you worshipping Muhammad, then Muhammad is dead" He was realistic and reasonable, and the faith in his heart and soul was strong. He went on saying, "but whoever worshipped Allah, Allah is Ever Living." Then he reauthord the following Ayah:
((Muhammad, peace be upon him, is no more than a Messenger, and indeed (many) Messengers have passed away before him. If he dies or is killed, will you then turn back on your heels (as disbelievers)? And he who turns back on his heels, not the least harm will he do to Allah, and Allah will give reward to those who are grateful.))
It was narrated that:
((The narrator added, "By Allah, it was as if the people never knew that Allah had revealed this verse before till Abu Bakr reauthord it and then whoever heard it, started reciting it"))(Ibn Ishaq and Al-Bukhari)
This is an unforgettable stand that Abu Bakr took when he tried to stay a strong monotheist and a loyal Companion to the Prophet, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him. Therefore, you should believe in the Oneness of Allah and remain loyal to people at the same time. If the Oneness you believe in makes you rude to people, then this is not the true Oneness you are ordered to believe in, and if your compassion and faithfulness to those who are close to you make you associate them with Allah in worship, then this is not the compassion Allah wants us to have for other people. Let this dignified honest and great Companion be a good example to follow. His compassion and love for the Prophet, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him, was at its highest degree as well as his great belief in the Oneness of Allah. Abu Bakr did not worship the Prophet, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him, nor did he associate him with Allah in worship. He endeared him in a way no one else did. Bear in mind that Allah should be everything in our life.
When Aeyshah was confirmed to be innocent of committing adultery (which she was accused of),As—Siddiq said to her, "Go to the Messenger of Allah for that". She said, ""By Allah, I will not go to him and will not thank (anyone) but Allah." The Prophet, may Allah have peace and blessings upon him, smiled and said, "She knows whom she should thank." He was not upset at all about what she said. Let me repeat what I said earlier, you should have loyalty and monotheism together, so that your loyalty to your friends and those who are close to you will not make you commit Shirk, and your belief in the Oneness of Allah will not make you deny the favor which people do you.
