From the Praise of the Prophet For Abu Bakr
Taken from the book
‘The Life of the Greatest Man After the Prophets & Messengers:
Abu Bakr as-Siddeeq’
Compiled By
Muhammad Uthmaan al-Anjaaree
Translated by
Abbas Abu Yahya
1 – From Sahl Ibn Saad who said the Messenger of Allaah –sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam– consulted Abu Bakr and Umar, and they advised the Messenger –sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam–, and Abu Bakr was correct in his advice. The Messenger of Allaah –sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam– said: ‘Indeed Allaah dislikes for Abu Bakr to be wrong.’[1]
2 – It is narrated from Jundub –RadhiAllaah anhu- that he heard the Messenger of Allaah –sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam– five days before he passed away saying: ‘Indeed I free myself from you before Allaah that I took a close friend from amongst you, indeed Allaah took me as a close friend, as He took Ibraheem as a close friend. If I was to take someone from my Ummah as a close friend, I would have taken Abu Bakr as my close friend.’[2]
3 – From Abu Huraira –RadhiAllaah anhu- who said that the Messenger of Allaah –sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam– said: ‘No wealth ever benefitted me as did the wealth of Abu Bakr.’ When Abu Bakr heard this he began to cry and said: ‘O Messenger of Allaah am I and my wealth not for you?’[3]
4 – From Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri –RadhiAllaah anhu- who said the Messenger of Allaah -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam- delivered a Khutbah to the people and said: ‘Indeed Allaah gave a slave of His a choice between the Duniya and between what is with Him, so the slave of Allaah chose that which is with Allaah.’
Abu Sa’eed mentions: Abu Bakr began crying, we were surprised at him crying, because the Messenger of Allaah -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam- had mentioned a slave of Allaah being given a choice. Abu Bakr understood that the Messenger of Allaah -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam- was the one who had been given that choice and Abu Bakr was the most knowledgeable from amongst us.
The Messenger of Allaah -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam- said: ‘Indeed from the one who sacrificed for me the most from amongst the people, with his companionship and his wealth was Abu Bakr. If I were to take a close friend, I would have taken Abu Bakr as a close friend, but what occurs is the brotherhood of Islaam and its affection. There is no doorway to the Masjid except that it should be closed off, except the door of Abu Bakr.’[4]
5 – From Abu Bakr -Radi Allaahu anhu- who said: ‘I was with the Prophet –sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam– whilst he was in the cave, when I raised my head I was suddenly at the feet of the people, so I said: ‘O Prophet of Allaah if some of them look down they will see us.’ He –sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam– replied: ‘Be quiet Abu Bakr (we are) two and the third is Allaah.’[5]
6 – From Anas -Radi Allaahu anhu- said that Abu Bakr -Radi Allaahu anhu- narrated to him saying: ‘I said to the Prophet –sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam– while he was in the cave: ‘If one of them looks at his feet he will see us underneath his feet. The Messenger of Allaah said: ‘O Abu Bakr what would you think about two and Allaah is the third of them.’[6]
7 – From Hudhayfah –Radi Allaahu anhu– who said that the Messenger of Allaah –sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam– said: ‘Follow the example of those after me Abu Bakr and Umar.’[7]
8 – From Hudhayfah –Radi Allaahu anhu– who said that the Messenger of Allaah –sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam– said: ‘Indeed I do not know how long I will be amongst you so follow those after me and he indicated towards Abu Bakr and Umar.’[8]
9 – From Jaabir bin Abdullaah –Radi Allaahu anhu– who said that the Messenger of Allaah said: ‘Abu Bakr and Umar in relation to this Deen are like the hearing and sight are to the head.’[9]
10 – From Ayesha –Radi Allaahu anha– who said that the Messenger of Allaah –sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam– told me whilst he was ill: ‘Call Abu Bakr your father and your brother to me so I can write a piece of writing, because I fear that a person will have the desire [to lead after me] and someone will say I am foremost for the Khalafah but Allaah and the believers refused that the Khalafah should go to anyone other than Abu Bakr.’[10]
11 – From Abu Huraira –Radi Allaahu anhu– who narrated that the Messenger of Allaah –sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam–said: ‘What a blessed man is Abu Bakr, what a blessed man is Umar, what a blessed man is Abu Ubaidah bin Jarrah.’[11]
12 – From Abu al-Darda –Radi Allaahu anhu– who said: ‘I was sitting with the Prophet –sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam– when Abu Bakr came to him holding up the end of his garment so much so that his knee became uncovered.
The Prophet –sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam– said: ‘As for your companion he has just been engaged in an adventure and has been saved.’
Then (Abu Bakr) –Radi Allaahu anhu– said: ‘O Messenger of Allaah something occurred (disagreement) between Ibn Khattab and I, and I regretted my action and hurried to him and asked him to forgive me but he refused so I came to you.’
The Messenger of Allaah –sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam– said: ‘May Allaah forgive you Abu Bakr’ three times. Then Umar –Radi Allaahu anhu– felt regret and went to Abu Bakr’s house and asked: ‘Is Abu Bakr here?’ they replied ‘no.’
So Umar –Radi Allaahu anhu– went to the Prophet –sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam– and gave him sallams, upon which the Prophet’s face became angry, so much so that Abu Bakr was overcome with sympathy for Umar and fell on his knees and said: ‘O Messenger of Allaah I swear by Allaah I was the one who oppressed,’ and he said this twice.
The Prophet –sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam– said: ‘Indeed Allaah sent me to you [the people] but you said that I lied, but, Abu Bakr said I was truthful and he supported me with his own self and with his wealth. ‘Will you not then give up harming my Companion?’ he asked this two times.
Abu Bakr was not harmed again after that.’[12]
[Taken from the book: ‘The Life of the Greatest Man After the Prophets & Messengers: Abu Bakr as-Siddeeq’ Page 164]
[1] Narrated by at-Tabraani from the hadeeth of Sahl bin Sa’ad in ‘al-Awasat’ as in al-Mujma’ (9:46), and al-Haythami said: the narrators are trustworthy.
[2] Narrated by Muslim (5:13 Nawawi).
[3] Narrated by Ibn Majah no.94 and authenticated by Albaani in Saheeh Sunnan Ibn Majah no. 77.
[4] Narrated by Bukhari & Muslim.
[5] Narrated by Bukhari & Muslim.
[6] Narrated by Imam Ahmad in ‘al-Musnad’ (1:4), shaykh Ahmad Shakir commented: its Isnaad is Saheeh.
[7] Narrated by Tirmidhi (5:609) no.3662 and said it was Hasan & Albaani authenticated it as in Saheeh Tirmidhi no. 2895.
[8] Narrated by Tirmidhi (5:610) no. 3663, Ibn Majah (1:37) no.97, Ibn Abee ‘Aasim in as-Sunnah no. 1148 & authenticated by Albaani authenticated it as in Saheeh Tirmidhi no. 2896.
[9] Narrated by at-Tabraani & al-Khatteeb, Albaani declared it Hasan in Silsilah Saheehah no. 815.
[10] Narrated by Muslim & Ahmad.
[11] Narrated by Tirmidhi & declared Hasan by Albaani.
[12] Narrated by Bukhari