Abu Bakr was the first caliph, or successor of Mohammed as ruler of the Arab state.
Background
Abu Bakr was born in Mecca some time in 573 CE, to a rich family in the Banu Taym clan of the Quraysh tribe. Abu Bakr's father's name was Uthman Abu Quhafa (nicknamed Abu Quhafa) and his mother was Salma bint Sakhar (nicknamed Umm-ul-Khair).
He spent his early childhood like other Arab children of the time among the Bedouins who called themselves Ahl-i-Ba'eer- the people of the camel, and developed a particular fondness for camels. In his early years he played with the camel calves and goats, and his love for camels earned him the nickname "Abu Bakr", the father of the camel's calf.
Career
Friend of Mohammed and three years younger, Abu Bakr became a merchant. He was possibly the first mature man to accept Mohammed as the Prophet and to become a Moslem. After conversion he spent much of his wealth in buying and setting free Moslem slaves. However, his clan gave him little protection, and he suffered indignities from Mohammed's opponents. As Mohammed's closest friend and adviser, he alone accompanied him on his Hijra, the migration from Mecca to Medina in 622.
In Medina, Abu Bakr helped Mohammed in many unobtrusive ways, and his knowledge of the genealogies and intrigues of the numerous Arab tribes was a great asset. The two men were further bound together by Mohammed's marriage to Abu Bakr's daughter Aisha in 623 or 624. Abu Bakr did not command any important military expedition for Mohammed, but he was the leader of the pilgrimage to Mecca in 630 and was appointed to lead the public prayers during Mohammed's last illness. By signs as slight as these, he was marked out as caliph.
On Mohammed's death in June 632, the future of the state was uncertain, but the oratory of Omar (later the second caliph) persuaded the men of Medina to accept Abu Bakr as caliph. Much of his reign was occupied with quelling revolts. One had already broken out in Yemen, and soon there were about five others in different parts of Arabia. The leaders mostly claimed to be prophets, and the revolts are known as "the wars of the apostasy, " though the underlying reasons were mainly political. The chief battle was that of Yamama in May 633, when Musaylima, the strongest insurgent leader, was defeated and killed by a Moslem army under Khalid ibn al-Walid.
Mohammed had foreseen the need for expeditions outside Arabia to absorb the energies of his Arab allies and prevent their fighting one another; and Abu Bakr, despite the threatening situation after Mohammed's death, sent an expedition from Medina toward Syria. As Arabia was pacified after the revolts, other expeditions were sent to Iraq, then a part of the Persian Empire, and to Syria. Shortly before Abu Bakr's death in August 634, his general Khalid, following a celebrated desert march from Iraq to Damascus, defeated a large Byzantine army at Ajnadain in Palestine and gave the Arabs a foothold in that country. Thus, in the short reign of Abu Bakr the embryonic Islamic state was not only preserved intact but was launched on the movement of expansion which produced the Arab and the Islamic empires.
On 23 August 634, Abu Bakr fell sick and did not recover due to his old age.
Abu Bakr developed high fever and was confined to bed. His illness was prolonged, and when his condition worsened, he felt that his end was near. Realizing his death was near, he sent for Ali and requested him to perform his ghusl since Ali had also done it for Muhammad.
Abu Bakr felt that he should nominate his successor so that the issue should not be a cause of dissension among the Muslims after his death, though there was already controversy over Ali not having been appointed.
On Monday 23 August 634 Abu Bakr died.
Achievements
He is considered by sunnis as the greatest of all the companions of Muhammad.
This particular hadith is used by Sunnis and scholars of hadith to demonstrate the superiority of Abu Bakr over all other companions of Muhammad and his rightful succession to Muhammad.
Though the period of his caliphate covers only two years, two months and fifteen days, it included successful invasions of the two most powerful empires of the time: the Sassanid Empire and Byzantine Empire.
Abu Bakr had the distinction of being the first Caliph in the history of Islam and also the first Caliph to nominate a successor. He was the only Caliph in the history of Islam who refunded to the state treasury at the time of his death the entire amount of the allowance that he had drawn during the period of his caliphate.
He is revered for being the first Muslim ruler to establish: Bayt al-mal, The Crown Pasture.
He has the distinction of purchasing the land for Al-Masjid al-Nabawi.
Abu Bakr had given up drinking wine even in the time before Islam. He was the foremost genealogist of the Quraysh and was well accomplished at interpreting dreams according to Ibn Sirin.
Religion
His conversion brought many people to Islam. He persuaded his intimate friends to convert to Islam and presented Islam to others in such a way that many of his friends accepted Islam.
Abu Bakr's acceptance proved to be a milestone in Muhammad's mission. Slavery was common in Mecca, and many slaves accepted Islam. When an ordinary free man accepted Islam, despite opposition, he would enjoy the protection of his tribe. For slaves however, there was no such protection and they commonly experienced persecution. Abu Bakr felt compassion for slaves, so he purchased eight slaves (four men and four women) and then freed them, paying 40, 000 dinar for their freedom.
Personality
Abu Bakr was a thin man with white skin. Tabari relates (Suyuti also relates the same through Ibn Sa'd al-Baghdadi's report) from Aisha her description of Abu Bakr:
"He was a man with fair skin, thin, emaciated, with a sparse beard, a slightly hunched frame, sunken eyes and protruding forehead, and the bases of his fingers were hairless. "
Quotes from others about the person
Jubayr ibn Mut'im reported that a woman came and spoke to Muhammad about a matter. He asked her to come back later some time. She said, "Tell me if I come later and do not find you?" Jubayr ibn Mut'im said that it seemed that she meant he may not be alive when she came back. He said, "If you do not find me then go to Abu Bakr. "
Connections
His wife Qutaylah bint Abd-al-Uzza did not accept Islam and he divorced her. His other wife, Um Ruman, became a Muslim. All his children except Abdu'l-Rahman ibn Abu Bakr accepted Islam, and Abu Bakr separated from his son Abdu'l-Rahman.
Then Bakr married Habiba, a daughter of Khaarijah.
Today there are many families which are the descendants of Abu Bakr. Most of them are known by the name Siddiqui and al-Bakri Or al-Sideeqi (Al-Bakri) ((In Arabic)). But they are also known by some other names in different localities. For example, in East Ethiopia, Siddiqis are usually called Qallu, which means people of the religion, as they were the first to bring Islam to this area. In Somalia, they are commonly known as Sheekhaal and they are well respected by other Somali clans. In Bangladesh, they are known by the name of Qureshi. There are also Al-Sedeki or Sedeki families in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Syria, Yemen, Iraq and other places in the Arabia Peninsula. All the descendants of Abu Bakr, their ancestors are: Abdurahman Ibn Abu Bakr and Muhammad Ibn Abu Bakr. The Al-Bakri Family in Egypt are the descendants of Muhammad ibn Abu Bakr while the sheekhaal or Fiqi Umar Family found in Somalia, Ethiopia and Kenya and the Aala bakeri Families found in the Arabia Peninsula are the descendants of Abdurahman Ibn Abu Bakr.
Father:
'Uthman ibn 'Amir, also known as Abu Quhafa
(540–635 CE)
Mother:
Salmā bint Sakhar
Salmā was the daughter of Sakhar ibn Amr, from the Taym clan of the Quraysh, and the wife of her cousin ʻUthmān ibn-Amīr (later known as Abū Qahafa).
Spouse:
Umm Rumān Zaynab bint ‘Āmir' ibn Uwaymir ibn Abd Shams ibn Attab Al-Kinaniyah
(death 628)
Spouse:
Qutaylah bint ʻAbdu l-ʻUzzá
She was the first wife of Abu Bakr.
Spouse:
Asma bint Umais
She was a companion of the Islamic prophet, Muhammad.
Spouse:
Habibah bint Kharijah
Daughter:
Umm Kulthum bint Abi Bakr
(born c.634 (13 AH))
Daughter:
Asmā' bint Abu Bakr
( c. 595 – 692 CE)
Daughter:
‘Ā’ishah bint Abī Bakr
(613/614 – 678 CE )
Son:
Abdul-Rahman ibn Abi Bakr
(died 666)
Son:
‘Abdullah ibn Abi Bakr
(c.610–633)
Son:
Muhammad ibn Abu Bakr
He was the son of Abu Bakr and a companion of the Islamic prophet Muhammad.
