بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
ثانى اثنين
ONE OF TWO PEOPLE
Merciful unto each other is how Allah Ta’aala described the Believers. The most merciful individual in my ummah towards my ummah is how Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wasallam described his closest companion, Abu Bakr radiallahu anhu. Do these quotations not tell you something very significant about Abu Bakr radiallahu anhu? Certainly, they tell me that he was a Believer and a true member of the ummah of Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wasallam. Moreover, the hadith also shows me the extent of his relationship with Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wasallam.
Did Allah Ta’aala not describe Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wasallam as a mercy unto the worlds? Of course, I should not have asked. You heard and read it innumerable times before. Okay, let us now consider the hadith man follows the ways of his friend. Does this not indicate that the cause of Abu Bakr radiallahu anhu’s mercy was his relationship with Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wasallam? He was so close to Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wasallam that he inculcated Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wasallam’s merciful disposition more than anybody else in the ummah.
An Interesting Observation
Allah Ta’aala is The Most Merciful, Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wasallam is a mercy unto the worlds and Abu Bakr radiallahu anhu is the most merciful person in the ummah. Is that not interesting?
Suggestions and Judgments
The merciful temperament of Abu Bakr radiallahu anhu surfaced in his suggestions and judgments too. For example, when Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wasallam consulted the Sahaabah radiallahu anhum regarding the prisoners of Badr, Umar radiallahu anhu suggested that they be executed by their muhaajir relatives. On the contrary, Abu Bakr radiallahu anhu said, “O Nabi of Allah! These people are (our) cousins, family members and brothers. Hence, I suggest that we take a ransom from them. This ransom would strengthen us and perhaps, Allah will guide them and thus, they will be a support for us.”
Another Observation
The stance adopted by Abu Bakr radiallahu anhu on this occasion resembles the stance of Ibrahim alaihi salaam when the angels informed him that they were en route to destroy the people of Sodom. “They said: We are going to destroy the inhabitants of this city; surely its inhabitants are wrongdoers. He said: (But) Loot is there. They said: We are fully aware of who is there . . .” We therefore observe a relationship between Abu Bakr radiallahu anhu and Ibrahim alaihi salaam. While Ibrahim alaihi salaam is the khaleel (friend) of Allah, Abu Bakr radiallahu anhu is the khaleel of Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wasallam. “If I were to take a friend, I would have taken Abu Bakr as my friend.” Alternatively, if we consider that Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wasallam was also the khaleel of Allah, Abu Bakr radiallahu anhu is the khaleel of the khaleel of Allah.
In the Cave
One of Abu Bakr radiallahu anhu’s merits is that he was chosen by Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wasallam to accompany him in his migration to Madinah. During this journey, they hid for three days in the cave of Thaur. There was a crevice in the roof of the cave due to which, if somebody outside looked down, he would see the inside of the cave. Thus, when a search party from Makkah reached the top of the cave, Abu Bakr radiallahu anhu said to Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wasallam, “If any of them looks under his feet, he will see us!” Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wasallam replied, “What do you think about two people, the third of whom is Allah?”
إِذْ أَخْرَجَهُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ ثَانِيَ اثْنَيْنِ إِذْ هُمَا فِي الْغَارِ
إِذْ يَقُولُ لِصَاحِبِهِ لاَ تَحْزَنْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ مَعَنَا
“. . . When those who disbelieved expelled him – while he was one of (only) two people – when they were in the cave, when he said to his companion: Do not fear! Allah is with us.”
Years later, ‘Umar radiallahu anhu would swear in the name of Allah that Abu Bakr radiallahu anhu’s actions on that night excel all the actions of ‘Umar and his entire family. In fact, ‘Umar radiallahu anhu would wish that all his actions were similar to Abu Bakr radiallahu anhu’s actions on that night. He would also say that: “Abu Bakr radiallahu anhu’s imaan is weightier than the imaan of all the inhabitants of the earth put together.” He once said, “I wish I were a strand of hair on Abu Bakr’s chest.”
Between Abu Bakr radiallahu anhu and the Bani Isra-eel
As the Bani Isra-eel followed Moosa alaihi salaam out of Egypt and they saw the Red Sea in front of them and Fir’aun’s army behind them, they exclaimed, “We are caught!” Moosa alaihi salaam replied, “Never! My Rabb is with me.” Compare this to “Do not fear! Allah is with us.” The vast difference between the two speaks volumes of the lofty status of Abu Bakr radiallahu anhu.
Some ‘ulamaa have noted that due to this difference, the Bani Isra-eel reneged when Moosa alaihi salaam went to Mount Toor for forty days. On the contrary, Abu Bakr radiallahu anhu remained steadfast even after the demise of Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wasallam. (‘My Rabb is with me’ meant that Allah’s help was only with Moosa alaihi salaam and not with the rest of the Bani Isra-eel. Thus, they went astray when Moosa alaihi salaam left them. However, ‘Allah is with us’ meant that Allah’s assistance was with Abu Bakr radiallahu anhu also. Hence, he remained steadfast after the Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wasallam left the world.)
Verbal Togetherness
As-Suhaili writes that ‘Allah is with us’ does not only refer to a figurative togetherness (assistance). It also refers to a verbal togetherness. What this means is that:
Allah’s name is mentioned whenever we mention the Rasul sallallahu alaihi wasallam. Thus, we say ‘Rasulullah’ sallallahu alaihi wasallam.
Similarly, Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wasallam’s name is mentioned whenever we mention his khaleefah, Abu Bakr radiallahu anhu. Hence, we say ‘khaleefatu-Rasulillah’ sallallahu alaihi wasallam.
This privilege was enjoyed by nobody else besides Abu Bakr radiallahu anhu. None of the other khulafaa enjoyed the title khaleefatu-Rasulillah. They were called Ameer-ul-Mu’mineen.
One of (Only) Two People
There were only people in the cave of Thaur, Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wasallam and Abu Bakr radiallahu anhu. Amazingly, there are a few other occasions wherein ‘one of (only) two people’ aptly describes their unique relationship.
1. Abu Bakr radiallahu anhu was the first baaligh male to accept Islam. Thus, there were only two baaligh male Muslims at that time, Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wasallam and Abu Bakr radiallahu anhu. Put differently, Abu Bakr radiallahu anhu was once again the second of only two people.
2. Immediately upon accepting Islam, Abu Bakr radiallahu anhu went to invite others to Islam. Hence, ‘Uthman bin ‘Affaan, Talha bin ‘Ubaidullah, Zubair bin ‘Awwaam and other prominent Sahaabah radiallahu anhum brought Islam at his hands. Thus, Abu Bakr radiallahu anhu was the second of only two people to invite people to Islam.
3. In Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wasallam’s final illness, he commanded Abu Bakr radiallahu anhu to lead the ummah in salaah. Once again, he was the second of only two people to lead the salaah.
4. After Abu Bakr radiallahu anhu’s demise, he was buried alongside Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wasallam. Now he became the second of only two people to be buried in the room of ‘Aa-isha radiallahu anha.
The Rightful Khaleefah
When Abu Bakr radiallahu anhu was unanimously elected by the Sahaabah as the khaleefah, he once more deserved the title one of only two people. This time he became the second of only two people to lead the entire ummah. Hence, the phrase one of only two people is viewed as an indication that Abu Bakr radiallahu anhu was the rightful khaleefah after Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wasallam. In comparison to Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wasallam, Abu Bakr radiallahu anhu was second and ‘the khaleefah is always second’.
A Man of Excellence
In the sixth year after the hijrah, the hypocrites spread a rumour that ‘Aa-isha radiallahu anha had committed adultery with a Sahaabi named Safwaan bin Mu’attal radiallahu anhu. Eventually Allah defended her innocence in Surah an-Noor, the twenty-forth chapter in the Qur’aan. Unfortunately, a small group of sincere Muslims also fell into this snare of the hypocrites and aided the spread of this horrible rumour. One of them was Mistah, a poor cousin of Abu Bakr radiallahu anhu who ‘possessed nothing but the charity that Abu Bakr radiallahu anhu would give him’.
When Abu Bakr radiallahu anhu learnt of Mistah radiallahu anhu’s role in this whole episode, he swore in the name of Allah that he would never aid him again. This led to the revelation of the aayah:
وَلا يَأْتَلِ أُولُو الْفَضْلِ مِنْكُمْ وَالسَّعَةِ أَنْ يُؤْتُوا أُولِي الْقُرْبَى وَالْمَسَاكِينَ وَالْمُهَاجِرِينَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَلْيَعْفُوا وَلْيَصْفَحُوا أَلَا تُحِبُّونَ أَنْ يَغْفِرَ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ وَاللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ
Men of excellence and financial means should not swear that they would not give to their relatives, the destitute and those who migrated in the path of Allah. They should forgive and overlook. Do they not desire that Allah forgive them? Certainly, Allah is All-Forgiving, Most-Merciful.
When Abu Bakr radiallahu anhu heard this aayah for the first time, he said, “Definitely! By Allah, we love that our sins would be forgiven”. He thereafter resumed his assistance to Mistah and vowed that he never put an end to it. In the context of our present discussion, the point that we wish to emphasis is that in this aayah, Allah described Abu Bakr radiallahu anhu as a Man of Excellence.
The Most Pious, the Noblest
When Bilaal radiallahu anhu accepted Islam, he was mercilessly persecuted by Umayyah bin Khalaf and other members of the Quraysh. After a few days, Abu Bakr radiallahu anhu decided to put an end to Bilaal radiallahu anhu’s suffering. Thus, he purchased and then set him free. Abu Bakr is just repaying an old favour taunted the idolaters when they learnt of this. In response, Allah Ta’aala revealed the following aayaat:
وَسَيُجَنَّبُهَا الأَتْقَى الَّذِي يُؤْتِي مَالَهُ يَتَزَكَّى
وَمَا لأَحَدٍ عِندَهُ مِن نِّعْمَةٍ تُجْزَى إِلاَّ ابْتِغَاء وَجْهِ رَبِّهِ الأَعْلَى
The most Allah-fearing person who gives his wealth seeking purity
will be protected from it (the fire of Jahannam).
Nobody had shown him a favour that is being repaid.
However, (he emancipates the slaves) seeking the pleasure of his Rabb, the Most High.
Considering the reason for the revelation of this aayah, ‘the most Allah-fearing person’ is a clear reference to Abu Bakr radiallahu anhu. This alone is a great merit. However, if we consider the aayah “the noblest among you is the one who fears Allah the most” , this is an even greater merit of Abu Bakr radiallahu anhu. It means that he is the noblest and hence, the best person in the ummah.
Who Can Count His Merits . . .
Apart from what we have discussed thus far, there is a huge amount of ahaadith that extol the merits and lofty status of Abu Bakr radiallahu anhu. The truth, as noted by Imam Nawawi rahimahullah is that nobody but Allah can count all his merits. Imam Nawawi rahimahullah writes:
كم للصديق من مواقف و أثر
As-Siddeeq’s role and contribution is tremendous.
و من يحصى مناقبه و يحيط بفضائله الا الله
Who can encompass his merits and count his virtues
other than Allah?
Nevertheless, we terminate this article with the hadith:
ما لأحد عندنا يد إلا وقد كافيناه ما خلا أبا بكر فإن له عندنا يدا يكافئه الله به يوم القيامة
وما نفعني مال أحد قط ما نفعني مال أبي بكر
“Besides Abu Bakr, I have repaid everybody else who did me a favour. Abu Bakr did me such a favour for which Allah will repay him on the Day of Qiyaamah. Nobody’s wealth benefitted me as much as the wealth of Abu Bakr.”
May Allah Ta’aala fill our hearts with love for Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wasallam and his noble Sahaabah radiallahu anhum. May He resurrect us in their noble companionship on the Day of Qiyaamah.
Aameen
Abu Hudhaifa Muhammed Karolia
5th Rabee’-ul-Awwal 1433 / 29 January 2012
Al-Jaami’ah Al-Mahmoodiah
Persida, Springs