SAYIDINA ABU BAKAR AS SIDDIQ r.a.

Sayidina Abu Bakar As Siddiq, after being appointed as Caliph 1. Once Sayidina Abu Bakar approached Usamah, who was then the war commander. Usamah, then riding a horse, was bashful and intended to dismount and offer the Caliph to ride his horse. With a hand gesture, Sayidina Abu Bakar declined and said,

“By Allah, you cannot dismount and I will not mount up. And what is wrong with my feet gathering a little dust for the sake of jihad in the way of Allah.”

2. On the first occasion that Sayidina Abu Bakar ascended the pulpit after becoming the Caliph, he climbed up only 2 steps, and he did not allow himself to sit where the Prophet usually sat. He said,

”My fellow Muslims, I am elected as your leader, but that does not mean that I am the best amongst you. So, if I am right, help me and if I am wrong, correct me. Remember, the weak among you become strong at my side till I take what is not rightly his from me. Obey me as long as I obey Allah and His Prophet. And if I am disobedient, then there is no reason for you to obey me.”

3. Sayidina Abu Bakar never aspired for the post of Caliph. When alone, he once said:

“By Allah, I have never dreamed of being a leader to the believers, even for a day or a night! And I have never asked of it from Allah, whether openly or in secrecy. And if not by leaving the post would entail me leaving my responsibilities to the religion and faith, surely I would run away wherever my feet takes me.”

4. Once, Sayidina Umar entered the house of Sayidina Abu Bakar and found him crying. When he saw Sayidina Umar, Sayidina Abu Bakar immediately hugged him and said:

“Oh Umar, I do not need the Caliph’s post.” Sayidina Umar immediately cut short Sayidina Abu Bakar and responded: “Where else are you going to run? Because by Allah, we will not topple you nor will we ask you to descend.”

5. Sayidina Abu Bakar only received an allowance of half a lamb a day and 250 dinars a year. This was later increased to one lamb a day and 300 dinars a year. 6. Sayidina Abu Bakar bequeathed Aishah to return his excess wealth accumulated since he became the Caliph to the muslim community. After he passed away, Aishah brought the wealth left by her father to Sayidina Umar. Seeing this, Sayidina Umar cried profusely while saying:

“May Allah bless Abu Bakar. Verily he set a precedence that is difficult for those after him to follow.”

What was left of Sayidina Abu Bakar‘s wealth was a donkey used to carry water, a large container, a milking utensil, and a pair of clothes worn when receiving envoys. 7. He never felt that he was better than anyone else. He always uttered the Prophet’s prayers while putting his right hand to his heart:

“O God, who toss and turn the hearts of man, hold steadfast my heart to Your religion.”

8. He was always worried of his fate and destiny. He said crying:

“Whatever be my destiny, why didn’t I become a tree that is only cut and felled.”

9. Before he was appointed as the Caliph, Sayidina Abu Bakar used to help old women, poor widows and orphans who lived in the alleys. He frequently visited them, milked their goats and cooked for them. One day, after becoming the Caliph, he knocked on the door of one of the houses. A little girl opened the door and said to her mother,

“Mother, it’s the person who milks our goat.”

When she saw Sayidina Abu Bakar, the mother shyly said to her daughter,

“Idiot, why didn’t you say it is the Prophet’s Caliph.”

Sayidina Abu Bakar smiled and said,

“Let it be, it is alright. She has called me by my work for Allah that I love most.”

10. Sayidina Abu Bakar was very bashful when praised or adulated, and he would repeat the following prayer:

“O Allah, make me a better person than what they perceive. And bestow upon me forgiveness for what they do not know. And please do not act upon me as a result of what they say.”