Abu Bakr

Abu Bakr (Arabic: أبو بكر, romanised: ʾAbū Bakr; 27 October 573 CE – 23 August 634 CE), was a senior companion, closest friend, and father-in-law of the Islamic prophet Muhammad who served as the first Rashidun caliph, ruling from 632 until his death in 634. Abu Bakr was granted the honorific title al-Ṣiddīq (lit. the Veracious or Truthful) by Muhammad, a designation that continues to be used by Sunni Muslims to this day. Born to Abu Quhafa and Umm al-Khayr of the Banu Taym, Abu Bakr was among the earliest converts to Islam and preached dawah to the polytheists.^[1]

Early life

Abu Bakr was born in Mecca sometime in 573 to a rich family in the Banu Taym tribe of the Quraysh tribal confederacy. His father was Abu Quhafa and his mother was Umm al-Khayr. Through his patrilineal descent, his ancestry meets that of Muhammad at their common ancestor, Murrah ibn Ka'b.^[1]

Companionship of Muhammad

While some Sunni scholars and all Shi'a traditions maintain that Ali ibn Abi Talib was the second person to embrace Islam after Khadija, the historian Ibn Kathir, in Al-Bidaya wa'l-Nihaya, disregards this view and classifies the earliest converts by social group: Khadija as the first woman, Zayd ibn Harithah as the first freed slave, Ali ibn Abi Talib as the first child, and Abu Bakr as the first free adult man to embrace Islam.^[1]

Subsequent life in Mecca

His wife Qutaylah bint Abd al-Uzza did not accept Islam and he divorced her. His other wife, Umm Ruman, became a Muslim. His conversion also brought many people to Islam.^[1]

Persecution by the Quraysh, 613

For three years after the birth of Islam, Muslims kept their faith private. In 613, according to Islamic tradition, Muhammad was commanded by God to call people to Islam openly. The first public address inviting people to offer allegiance to Muhammad was delivered by Abu Bakr.^[1]

Last years in Mecca

In 617, the Quraysh enforced a boycott against the Banu Hashim. Muhammad, along with his supporters from Banu Hashim, were cut off in a pass away from Mecca. All social relations with the Banu Hashim were cut off and their state was that of imprisonment.^[1]

Migration to Medina

In 622, on the invitation of the Muslims of Yathrib (later Medina), Muhammad ordered his followers to migrate there. The migration began in batches. Ali was the last to remain in Mecca, entrusted with responsibility for settling any loans the Muslims had taken out, and famously slept in the bed of Muhammad when the Quraysh, led by Ikrima, attempted to murder Muhammad as he slept.^[1]

Life in Medina

Kharijah ibn Zaid al-Ansari lived at Sunh, a suburb of Medina, and Abu Bakr also settled there. After Abu Bakr's family arrived in Medina, he bought another house near Muhammad's. While the climate of Mecca was dry, the climate of Medina was damp, and because of this, most of the migrants fell sick on arrival.^[1]

Abu Bakr as Amir al-Hajj

In 630–631 (AH 9), Muhammad assigned Abu Bakr as the amir al-hajj to lead around 300 pilgrims from Medina to Mecca. In 631 AD, Muhammad sent from Medina a delegation of three hundred Muslims to perform the Hajj according to the new Islamic way and appointed Abu Bakr as the leader of the delegation. The day after Abu Bakr and his party left for the Hajj, Muhammad received a new revelation: Surah Tawbah, the ninth chapter of the Quran.^[1]

Expedition of Abu Bakr As-Siddiq

Abu Bakr led one military expedition, the Expedition of Abu Bakr As-Siddiq, which took place in Najd, in July 628 (third month 7AH in the Islamic calendar). Abu Bakr led a company in Nejd on the order of Muhammad. Many were killed and taken prisoner.^[1]