Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was the closest friend of the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ). He was among the very first to believe and stood by the Prophet (ﷺ) through every hardship. After the Prophet's (ﷺ) death he became the first caliph, the leader of the Muslims after him.
This guide is not about power or wars. It is about his faith, and what his journey can teach us today.
At a glance
- A gentle, generous merchant of Mecca, and the Prophet's (ﷺ) friend before Islam.
- Among the very first to believe, and he believed at once.
- Called al-Siddiq: the one who always confirms the truth.
- He freed believers who were enslaved and tortured for their faith.
- The Prophet's (ﷺ) only companion in the cave during the Hijra, the emigration to Medina.
- He led the prayer in the Prophet's (ﷺ) last illness, and had the Qur'an gathered into one volume.
- c. 573
Born in Mecca, into the tribe of Quraysh. He becomes a respected merchant. Encyclopaedia Britannica
- c. 610
The Prophet (ﷺ) begins to call people to Allah (﷾). Abu Bakr believes him at once. Sahih al-Bukhari 3661
- Early years
He frees persecuted believers, among them Bilal. Sahih al-Bukhari 3754
- Before 622
He believes the Night Journey at once, and is called al-Siddiq. Ibn Ishaq, The Life of Muhammad
- 622
The Hijra to Medina. He is the Prophet's (ﷺ) companion in the cave. Qur’an 9:40Sahih al-Bukhari 3905
- 632
He leads the prayer in the Prophet's (ﷺ) last illness, and steadies the believers when the Prophet (ﷺ) dies. Sahih al-Bukhari 664Sahih al-Bukhari 3667
- 632–634
The first caliph. He has the Qur'an written out in one volume. Sahih al-Bukhari 4986
- 634
He dies in Medina and is buried beside the Prophet (ﷺ). Sahih al-Bukhari 1387Sahih al-Bukhari 1392Encyclopaedia Britannica
Dates are in the Common Era. Early dates are approximate.
A friend before Islam
Long before Islam, Abu Bakr was known in Mecca as a kind man. A chief of another tribe described him with the very words Khadijah had once used of the Prophet (ﷺ). He helped the poor, kept ties with his relatives, supported the weak, welcomed guests and stood by people in hard times. He and the Prophet (ﷺ) were close friends. His daughter Aisha remembered the Prophet (ﷺ) visiting their house every morning and every evening. Sahih al-Bukhari 3905Sahih al-Bukhari 3
He believed at once
When the Prophet (ﷺ) began to call people to worship Allah (﷾) alone, many in Mecca called him a liar. Abu Bakr did not hesitate. The early historians count him as the first grown man outside the Prophet's (ﷺ) own household to accept Islam. Ibn Ishaq, The Life of MuhammadEncyclopaedia Britannica
Years later the Prophet (ﷺ) recalled those days. When Allah (﷾) sent him, the people told him he was lying. But Abu Bakr said that he had spoken the truth, and supported him with his own self and his wealth. Sahih al-Bukhari 3661Sahih al-Bukhari 3654
He used that wealth for Allah (﷾). Believers who were enslaved were being tortured for their faith, and Abu Bakr bought their freedom. One of them was Bilal, who became the Prophet's (ﷺ) caller to prayer. Umar used to call Abu Bakr their chief, the man who had freed their chief Bilal. The early biography says he freed others who were persecuted too. Sahih al-Bukhari 3754Ibn Ishaq, The Life of Muhammad
He loved the Qur'an. He built a small place of prayer in front of his house, and he wept as he recited there. Women and children gathered to listen. The leaders of Mecca told him to stop, or lose the protection a friendly chief had given him. He gave up that protection, content with the protection of Allah (﷾). Sahih al-Bukhari 3905
Al-Siddiq: he confirmed the truth
One night Allah (﷾) took the Prophet (ﷺ) from Mecca to the Farthest Mosque in Jerusalem and back. This is the Night Journey. When he told people, some mocked him and ran to Abu Bakr, sure this would shake his faith. Qur’an 17:1
The early biography of the Prophet (ﷺ) tells what he answered: if the Prophet (ﷺ) said it, it was true. He already believed him about news from heaven, so why doubt this? From then on he was known as al-Siddiq, the one who always confirms the truth. The Prophet (ﷺ) himself called him a siddiq. Ibn Ishaq, The Life of MuhammadSahih al-Bukhari 3675
Two in the cave, and Allah (﷾) with them
When the Muslims began to leave Mecca for Medina, the Prophet (ﷺ) asked Abu Bakr to wait, hoping Allah (﷾) would let him leave too. Abu Bakr waited and fed two camels for months. When permission came, he asked only one thing: could he go with him? The answer was yes. Sahih al-Bukhari 3905Encyclopaedia Britannica
They hid for three nights in a cave on Mount Thawr while their enemies searched for them. Abu Bakr whispered that if anyone looked down at his feet, he would see them. The Prophet (ﷺ) calmed him: what did he think of two people whose third was Allah (﷾)? The Qur'an tells this moment: Sahih al-Bukhari 3653
he had no more than one companion; they two were in the cave, and he said to his companion, “Have no fear, for Allah is with us”: then Allah sent down His peace upon him
The Prophet's (ﷺ) last days
Near the end of his life, the Prophet (ﷺ) spoke to the people. He said that Allah (﷾) had given a servant the choice between this world and what is with Him. The servant had chosen what is with Allah (﷾). Abu Bakr wept. He understood that the Prophet (ﷺ) was speaking of himself. The Prophet (ﷺ) then spoke of how much Abu Bakr had given him, in company and in wealth. Sahih al-Bukhari 3654
In his last illness, the Prophet (ﷺ) asked for Abu Bakr to lead the prayer. On the last morning, a Monday, he lifted the curtain of his room, looked at the believers praying in rows behind Abu Bakr, and smiled. He died later that day. Sahih al-Bukhari 664Sahih al-Bukhari 680
The believers were overwhelmed with grief. Abu Bakr went in, uncovered the Prophet's (ﷺ) face and kissed him. Then he told the people: whoever worshipped Muhammad (ﷺ) should know that Muhammad (ﷺ) had died. Whoever worshipped Allah (﷾) should know that Allah (﷾) is alive and never dies. He recited the verse that says Muhammad (ﷺ) is only a messenger, like the messengers before him. If he died, would they turn back on their heels? He also recited: Sahih al-Bukhari 3667Qur’an 3:144
Truly thou wilt die (one day), and truly they (too) will die (one day).
A companion who was there said it was as if the people had never known that verse about the messengers until Abu Bakr recited it. Their faith had always been in Allah (﷾), and he reminded them of it. Sahih al-Bukhari 4454
Keeping the Qur'an safe
After the Prophet's (ﷺ) death, Abu Bakr became the first khalifah (caliph), which means successor. He was not a new prophet, but a leader who follows the Prophet's (ﷺ) way. Encyclopaedia Britannica
Soon after the Prophet's (ﷺ) death, many who knew the Qur'an by heart were killed in a battle. The Qur'an was still safe: it was written down, and many others knew it by heart. But Abu Bakr wanted to make sure it could never be lost. At Umar's suggestion, and after careful thought, he asked Zayd ibn Thabit to write it all out in one volume. Zayd had written down the revelation for the Prophet (ﷺ). He copied it, changing nothing, from the pieces written down in the Prophet's (ﷺ) lifetime and from what people knew by heart. Sahih al-Bukhari 4986What is the Qur'an?
He stayed humble to the end. In his last illness he asked to be wrapped for burial in the worn garment he had on. He said the living need new clothes more than the dead. He died in 634, and was buried beside his friend, the Prophet (ﷺ). Sahih al-Bukhari 1387Sahih al-Bukhari 1392Encyclopaedia Britannica
What we can learn
Abu Bakr held on to the truth, gave for Allah (﷾), and trusted Him when he was afraid.
- Hold on to the truth. He did not wait for the crowd, and nothing could shake him.
- Give for Allah (﷾). He spent his wealth to free the oppressed, and asked nothing in return.
- Trust Allah (﷾) when you are afraid. In the cave the danger was real, but Allah (﷾) was with them.
- Let the Qur'an move you. His tears as he recited drew others to listen.
- Worship Allah (﷾) alone. On the hardest day he reminded the believers that only Allah (﷾) lives forever.