Greatness of Siddeeq e Akbar

In relation to Jumadal Ukhra, the month of the demise of Ameer-ul-Mu`mineen Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddeeq رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ, a Madani bouquet of 12 blessed sayings of the Beloved Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ regarding the blessed personality of Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddeeq رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُis presented below:

1. O Abu Bakr (رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ)! Undoubtedly! You are the first person amongst my Ummah, who will enter Jannah. (Abu Dawood, vol. 4, pp. 280, Hadees 4652)

2. It is not appropriate for a nation to be led by anyone else if Abu Bakr (رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ) is present among them. (Sunan-ut-Tirmizi, vol. 5, pp. 379, Hadees 3693)

3. (O Abu Bakr!) You have been freed by Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ from fire. (Sunan-ut-Tirmizi, vol. 5, pp. 382, Hadees 3699)

4. No wealth has benefited me as Abu Bakr’s wealth has benefited me. (Ibn Majah, vol. 1, pp. 72, Hadees 94)

5. (O Abu Bakr!) You are my companion of Hawd-e-Kawsar and (blessed) cave. (Sunan-ut-Tirmizi, vol. 5, pp. 378, Hadees 3690)

6. If I were to make a Khaleel[1], I would make Abu Bakr (رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ) but he is my brother and friend. (Sahih Muslim, pp. 998, Hadees 6172)

7. We have returned the favours of everyone except Abu Bakr (رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ), however, Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ will return his (Abu Bakr’s) favours on the Day of Judgement. (Sunan-ut-Tirmizi, vol. 5, pp. 374, Hadees 3681)

8. Undoubtedly Abu Bakr (رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ) has behaved gracefully towards me with his soul and wealth more than all the people. (Sunan-ut-Tirmizi, vol. 5, pp. 373, Hadees 3680)

9. Whoever wants to see the man free from Hell should see Abu Bakr (رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ). (Al-Mu’jam-ul-Awsat, vol. 6, pp. 456, Hadees 9384)

10. Sayyidatuna ‘Aaishah Siddiqah رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہَا humbly asked the Beloved Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ, ‘Has anyone as many good deeds equal to the stars in the sky?’ The Beloved Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ said, ‘Yes! ‘Umar (Umar’s good deeds are equal to the stars of the sky).’ She humbly asked again, ‘What about the good deeds of Sayyiduna Abu Bakr رَضِىَ اللّٰہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْهُ?’ The Beloved Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ said, ‘Umar’s all good deeds are equivalent to one of Abu Bakr’s good deeds.’ (Mishkat, vol. 2, pp. 423, Hadees 6068)

11. Someone humbly asked the Beloved Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ, ‘Who is most beloved to you amongst people?’ The Beloved Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ said, ‘’Aaishah’. The Beloved Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ was asked again, ‘Who is the most beloved to you amongst men?’ The Beloved Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ said, ‘Her father’ (i.e., Abu Bakr Siddeeq رَضِىَ اللّٰہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْهُ). (Sahih Bukhari, vol. 2, pp. 519, Hadees 3662)

12. Once the Beloved Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ asked attendees questions about Sawm, funeral Salah, feeding any poor person and visiting a sick person as to who has performed these acts today. Each time Sayyiduna Siddeeq-e-Akbar رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ humbly said, ‘I haveperformed this act’. The Beloved Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ said, ‘All these virtues will be gathered only in that person who will be Jannah-dweller.’ (Sahih Muslim, pp. 398, Hadees 2374)

Rusul aur Ambiya kay ba’d jo afzal ho ‘aalam say

The Noor of Iman had spread everywhere in Makkah زَادَھَا اللہُ شَرَفاً وَّ تَعْظِیْماً after the conquest of Makkah in 8^th AH (in the month of Ramadan). A large number of people started embracing Islam in front of the Beloved Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ. According to different narrations, the Beloved Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ spent 17, 18 or 19 days in Makkah Mu’azzamah and then went to Maqaam-e-Hunayn. At that time, he صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ needed such a reliable person and devoted companion who could manage governance and administrative matters here (Makkah Mu’azzamah). The Beloved Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ chose the blessed companion who not only had the above-mentioned attributes but he رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ was also pious, righteous, helpful for Muslims and the inhabitant of Makkah Mukarramah زَادَھَا اللہُ شَرَفاً وَّ تَعْظِیْماً. (Tabqat Ibn Sa’d, vol. 2, pp. 102 to 104; Zurqaani ‘alal Mawahib, vol. 3, pp. 485)

So appointing this blessed personality as the Ameer (chief) of Makkah Mukarramah the Beloved Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ said this three times, ‘I have made you Ameer for the people of Makkah.’ Having seen this, the people of Makkah humbly said, ‘Ya Rasoolallah صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ! You have appointed a strict villager as Ameer for us?’ The Beloved Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ replied, ‘Last night, I had a dream that he came near the door of Paradise and held its hook, then he shook it with force, so the door was opened for him. He then entered in. Allah Almighty has blessed Islam with the honour due to him. If someone will want to oppress Muslims, he will support Muslims.’

Dear Islamic brothers! After the conquest of Makkah, Sayyiduna ‘Attaab Bin Aseed Umavi Qarashi رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ was the person who was privileged to become the first Ameer of Makkah Mukarramah زَادَھَا اللہُ شَرَفاً وَّ تَعْظِیْماً. At that time, he رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ was 18 or 21 years of age according to different narrations. (Seerat Halbiyah, vol. 3, pp. 149 to 150)

Embracing Islam

Before embracing Islam he رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ would strongly dislike Islam. After the conquest of Makkah, when the time of Zuhr Salah came, Sayyiduna Bilal رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ by the command of the Beloved Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ went to the roof of Ka’bah and called out Azan. The faith-refreshing voice, ‘اللّٰہُ اَکْبَرُ اللّٰہُ اَکْبَرُ’ rose and the Iman [faith] prevailed in the premises of Haram and around Ka’bah. He became emotional and uttered these words, ‘Allah Almighty has preserved my father’s honour that he had died before he heard this voice.’ (Seerat Halbiyah, vol. 3, pp. 145) But the blessing of the company of the Beloved Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ created the Noor of Iman [faith] in his heart and he رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ became a true Muslim.

Tribe and Kunyah

He رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ is Qarashi and Umavi, whereas his Kunyah was ‘Abu ‘Abdur Rahman’ or ‘Abu Muhammad’. (Asad-ul-Ghaabah, vol. 3, pp. 575)

First Imam of Makkah

The Beloved Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ chose him for leading Salah of people with Jama’at in Makkah Mu’azzamah زَادَھَا اللہُ شَرَفاً وَّ تَعْظِیْماً. In this way, he رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ became the first Imam who led Salah with Jama’at in Makkah Mukarramah. During this, the responsibility of teaching Islamic rulings rested with Sayyiduna Mu’aaz Bin Jabal رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ.

Used to offer Salah with Jama’at

He رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ would be strict with hypocrites and soft with believers and would say, ‘The one who misses congregational Salah is a hypocrite.’ (Seerat Halbiyah, vol. 3, pp. 149)

He رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ has said this because no Muslim used to miss Salah in the blessed age of the Beloved Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ, whereas only hypocrites used to hesitate to go to offer Salah.

Virtues and attributes

One night before the conquest of Makkah, the Beloved Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ said this, ‘There are four such people of Quraysh in Makkah who, I think, do not commit Shirk and I have found a liking for Islam in them. One of them is ‘Attaab Bin Aseed.’ (Tareekh Ibn ‘Asakir, vol. 15, pp. 106)

Once he صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ said, ‘I keep two young men separate from fire; ‘Attaab Bin Aseed and Abaan Bin Sa’eed.’ Here the narrator has a doubt; he feels that the second one may be Jubayr Bin Mut’im.

(Musannaf ‘Abdur Razzaq, vol. 10, pp. 231, Raqm 20599)

First Hajj after the conquest of Makkah

In 8^th AH, under his supervision, Muslims were privileged to perform Hajj. Until that time, polytheists would also perform Hajj in their own way. Then in 9^th AH, Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddeeq رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ was sent after being made Ameer-ul-Hajj and polytheists were stopped from performing Hajj. (Al-Istee’aab, vol. 3, pp. 144)

Accountability of two clothes [dresses]

Once, while leaning his back against blessed Ka’bah, Sayyiduna ‘Attaab Bin Aseed رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ said, ‘By Allah Almighty! I have done the task in a correct way for which the Beloved Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ has appointed me, except two clothes [dresses] which I made my slave Kaysaan wear. (Tareekh Ibn ‘Asakir, vol. 16, pp. 176) So no one should claim that ‘Attaab has snatched such and such a thing from me.

Daily income

He رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ then said, ‘The Beloved Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ has fixed two dirhams daily for me and Allah Almighty does not fill the stomach for which even [the amount of] two dirhams daily becomes less.’ (Asad-ul-Ghaabah, vol. 3, pp. 576)

Blessed demise

After the apparent demise of the Beloved Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ, Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddeeq رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ continued to let him hold the same post until his demise. He رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ passed away approximately at the age of 25. Remember, both first Ameer-ul-Mu’mineen Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddeeq رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ and Ameer of Makkah [i.e. Sayyiduna ‘Attaab Bin Aseed رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ] passed away on the same day, on 22^nd Jumadal Ukhra 13^th AH. (Al-Waafi bil-Wafyaat, vol. 19, pp. 289)