Abu Bakr
Abū Bakr () (c. 573–
August 23 634) ruled as the first of the
Muslim caliphs (632–634).
Abu Bakr was born in
Mecca, a
Quraishi of the
Banu Taim clan. According to early Muslim historians, he was a
merchant, and highly esteemed as a
judge, as an interpreter of
dreams, and as one learned in Meccan traditions. He was one of the last people anyone would have expected to convert to the faith preached by his kinsman
Muhammad. Yet he was one of the
first converts to
Islam, and instrumental in converting many of the Quraish and the residents of Mecca.
Originally called
‘Abdu'l-Ka‘bah ("servant of the
Kaaba"), on his conversion he assumed the name of
‘Abdu'llah (servant of God). However, he is usually styled
Abu Bakr (from the Arabic word
bakr, meaning a young
camel) due to his interest in raising camels.
Sunni Muslims also honor him as
Al-Siddiq ("the truthful"). His full name was
‘Abdu'llah ibn Abi Quhafah.
Abu Bakr, as one of the early converts, endured to the full the persecution of the Meccans who still followed the traditional religion. This persecution fell hardest upon the slaves who had converted to Islam. Their owners could torment them at will, whereas the free Muslims were often protected by their kinsfolk. Abu Bakr is said to have impoverished himself buying the freedom of several Muslim slaves, including:
*
Bilal *
Abu Fakih*
Ammar*
Abu Fuhayra*
Lubaynah*
Al-Nahdiah*
Umm Ubays*
Zinnira.
When Muhammad migrated from Mecca in the
migration to Medina of
622, Abu Bakr alone accompanied him. Abu Bakr was also linked to Muhammad by marriage: Abu Bakr's daughter
Aisha married Muhammad soon after the migration to
Medina. He was a trusted lieutenant, high in Muhammad's councils.
During the prophet's last illness, it is said by some traditions that Muhammad allowed Abu Bakr to lead prayers in his absence, and that many took this as an indication that Abu Bakr would succeed Muhammad. Soon after the prophet's death (on
8 June 632), a gathering of prominent
Ansar and some of the
Muhajirun, in Medina, acclaimed Abu Bakr as the new Muslim leader or
caliph. What happened at this meeting, called
Saqifah, is much disputed.
Abu Bakr's assumption of power is an extremely controversial matter, and the source of the first
schism in Islam, between
Sunni and
Shia Islam. Shi'a believe that Muhammad's cousin and son-in-law,
Ali ibn Abu Talib, was his designated successor, while Sunnis believe that Muhammad deliberately declined to designate a successor. They argue that Muhammad endorsed the traditional Arabian method of
shura or
consultation, as the way for the community to choose leaders. Designating one's successor was the sign of kingship, or
mulk, which the independence-minded tribesmen disliked. Whatever the truth of the matter, Ali gave his formal
bay'ah, or submission, to Abu Bakr and to Abu Bakr's two successors. (The Sunni depict this
bay'ah as enthusiastic, and Ali as a supporter of Abu Bakr and
Umar; the Shi'a argue that Ali's support was only
pro forma, and that he effectively withdrew from public life in protest). The Sunni/Shi'a schism did not erupt into open warfare until much later. Many volumes have been written on the affair of the succession. A detailed treatment can be found at
Succession to Muhammad.
Troubles emerged soon after Abu Bakr's succession, threatening the unity and stability of the new community and state. Various Arab tribes of
Hejaz and
Nejd rebelled against the
caliph and the new system. Some withheld the
zakat, the alms tax, though they did not otherwise challenge the religion of Muhammad. Others
apostasised outright and returned to their pre-Islamic religion and traditions, classified by Muslims as
idolatry. The tribes claimed that they had submitted to Muhammad and that with Muhammad's death, their allegiance was ended. Abu Bakr insisted that they had not just submitted to a leader but joined the Muslim religious community, of which he was the new head. Apostasy is a capital offense under traditional interpretations of
Islamic law, and Abu Bakr declared war on the rebels. This was the start of the
Ridda wars,
Arabic for the Wars of
Apostasy. The severest struggle was the war with
Ibn Habib al-Hanefi, known as "Musailimah the Liar", who claimed to be a prophet and Muhammad's true successor. The Muslim general
Khalid bin Walid finally defeated al-Hanefi at the
Battle of Akraba.
After suppressing internal dissension and completely subduing
Arabia, Abu Bakr directed his generals towards the
Byzantine and
Sassanid empires. Khalid bin Walid conquered
Iraq in a single campaign, and a successful expedition into
Syria also took place.
Fred Donner, in his book
The Early Islamic Conquests, argues that Abu Bakr's "foreign" expeditions were merely an extension of the Ridda Wars, in that he sent his troops against Arab tribes living on the borders of the
Fertile Crescent. Given that the
steppes and
deserts over which
Arabic-speaking tribes roamed extended without break from southern Syria down to
Yemen, any polity that controlled only the southern part of the steppe was inherently insecure.
Some traditions about the origin of the
Qur'an say that Abu Bakr was instrumental in preserving it in written form. It is said that after the hard-won victory over Musailimah,
Umar ibn al-Khattab (the later
Caliph Umar), saw that many of the Muslims who had memorized the
Qur'an from the lips of Muhammad had died in battle. Abu Bakr asked Umar to oversee the collection of the revelations. The record, when completed, was deposited with
Hafsa bint Umar, daughter of Umar, and one of the wives of Muhammad. Later it became the basis of
Uthman ibn Affan's definitive text of the
Qur'an. However, other historians give Uthman the principal credit for collecting and preserving the
Qur'an. Shi'as strongly refute the idea that Abu Bakr or Umar had anything to do with the collection or preservation of the
Qur'an.
Abu Bakr died on
August 23 634 in
Medina. Shortly before his death, likely of natural causes (one tradition ascribes it to
poison), he urged the Muslim community to accept
Umar ibn al-Khattab as his successor. The community did so, without serious incident. However, this succession is also a matter of controversy. Shi'a Muslims believe that the leadership should have been assumed by Ali ibn Abu Talib, without any recourse to shura (consultation).
Abu Bakr initially served without pay. His followers insisted that he take an official stipend. At his death, his will returned all these payments to the treasury (
Age of Faith, Durant, p. 187).
Abu Bakr lies buried in the
Masjid al Nabawi mosque in Medina, alongside Muhammad and Umar ibn al-Khattab.
Muslim scholars agree that the first woman to adopt Islam was
Khadijah, Muhammad's first wife. However, there is some disagreement over the identity of the first male to convert. Some Muslim historians have claimed that it was Abu Bakr, or perhaps Muhammad's adopted son Zayd ibn Harithah. Shi'a Muslims, as well as some other Muslim historians, believe that the first male convert (after Muhammad) was Ali ibn Abi Talib. This matter is discussed at greater length in
Identity of first male Muslim.
:''
Shi'as believe that Abu Bakr, far from being a devout Muslim and wise and humble man, was a schemer who seized the Islamic state for himself, displacing the proper heir, Ali. They believe that Abu Bakr and Umar persecuted Ali, his family, and his followers, and in so doing, caused the death of Ali's wife and Muhammad's daughter,
Fatima Zahra, and her unborn child,
Al Muhsin. For a fuller discussion, see
Succession to Muhammad.
The family name
Siddiqui (alternative spellings,
Siddiqi,
Siddique, etc.) is used by families to signify descent (purported or otherwise) from Abu Bakr.
*
Family tree of Abu Bakr ibn abu Qahafa*
Succession to Muhammad*
Sahaba* Fred Donner.
The Early Islamic Conquests. Princeton University Press, 1981.
* W. Montgomery Watt.
Muhammad at Mecca. Oxford University Press, 1953.
*
quotes*
Abu Bakr*
Abu Bakr from Islamonline*
Sirah of Abu Bakr (Radia'Allahuanhu) Part 1 by Shaykh Sayyed Muhammad bin Yahya Al-Husayni Al-Ninowy.
*
Sirah of Abu Bakr (Radia'Allahuanhu) Part 2 by Shaykh Sayyed Muhammad bin Yahya Al-Husayni Al-Ninowy.
*
Abu Bakr's life
