Starting
Life
"No one has been a better companion to
me than Abu Bakr," said the holy Prophet in his last sermon.
A great reward
indeed! Abu Bakr had earned it. All his life he stood by the side of the
Prophet. He did not care for his life. He did not care for his riches. He did
not care for what others said about him. His only ambition was to serve the
Prophet more than anyone else. The cost did not matter. The ambition was
fulfilled. And Abu Bakr got his reward in full. The Messenger of Allah was well
pleased with him. He gave him the first place among the Companions. Abu Bakr was
to be the first man to fill the place of the Prophet. He was also to lie in
eternal rest by the prophet's side.
Abu Bakr was two years younger than the
Prophet. His parents named him Abdul Kaaba, which means the servant of the
Kaaba. When he became a Muslim, the Prophet changed his pagan name to Abdullah.
Howevr, in early youth he had adopted the surname of Abu Bakr. He had come to be
known by this name among people. Even to this day, the world generally knows him
as Abu Bakr.
The name of Abu Bakr's father was Uthman,
but he was known as Abu Qahafa. Salma was Abu Bakr's mother. She was also known
as Umm-ul-Khair. Abu Bakr belonged to a branch of the Quraish.
From early years, Abu Bakr was known for
good and upright nature. He was honest and truthful. He came of a noble family.
These things won him respect among the people. His goodness also won him the
friendship of young Muhammad (Peace be Upon him). The two became fast friends in
early boyhood. The friendship was to prove lifelong and history-making.
When he grew up, Abu Bakr became a rich
merchang. But he used to be very kind-hearted. When he saw someone in trouble,
his heart melted. He did his best to help him. If his money could remove
suffering, he did not care home much he had to spend. Once he gave away
thirty-five dirhams out of his total fortune of forty thousand. He was so honest
in his dealings that people kept their money with him. Above all, Abu Bakr had a
sincere heart and a firm will. Nothing could stop him from doing what he thought
was the right thing to do.
These great qualities were soon to serve the
noblest cause known to the world. Abu Bakr was to become the strongest supporter
of the Redeemer of mankind. He was to become the first among the Companions. He
was to make Arabia and thereby the world safe for Islam after the Prophet has
passed away.
Service to
the Prophet First among Men
Abu Bakr was always very close
to the holy Prophet. He knew him better than any other man. He knew how honest
and upright his friend had always been. So he was the first among men to believe
in the Prophet's mission. He was the first adult male to accept Islam. After the
first revalation, the holy Prophet told him what had happened at Mount Hira. He
told him that Allah had made him His Messenger. Abu Bakr did not stop to think.
He at once became a Muslim. Once the holy Prphet himself remarked, "I called
people to Islam. Everybody thought over it, at least for a while. But this was
not the case with Abu Bakr. The moment I put Islam before him, he accepted it
without any hesitation."
Abu Bakr did more than that. As soon as he
became a Muslim, he began to preach Islam to others. He had many friends. The
friends knew that Abu Bakr was sincere and truthful. They knew he would never
support a wrong cause. He called them to Islam and they became Muslims. Among
them were men like Uthman, Zubair, Talha, Abdur Rahman bin Auf and Saad bin
Waqqas. These men later became the pillars of Islam.
The holy Prophet called at Abu Bakr's house
every day. The two sad down and thought out ways of spreading Islam. Together
they went to people and places and delivered the message of Allah. Wherever the
holy Prophet went, Abu Bakr went with him.
Risks His Life
The messge of Islam made the people of Mecca
very angry. The idols were their gods. The holy Prophet openly mocked at these
gods. He declared they could do neither any good nore harm. Among the chiefs of
Mecca was one Abu Jahl. He became the greatest enemy of the holy Prophet. He was
always on the lookout to hurt him or even kill him, if he could. Abu Bakr kept
an eye on this man, lest he should do a grave harm to Islam.
One day the holy Prophet was saying his
prayers in the Kaaba. He was totally lost in the thoughts of Allah. Abu Jahl and
some other chiefs of Mecca were sitting in the courtyard of the Kaaba. "I must
finish with Muhammad today," said Abu Jahl. So saying, he took a long piece of
cloth. He put it around the holy Prophet's neck. Then he twisted it hard. He was
going to strangle the Messenger of Allah to death. The other chiefs looked on
and laughed.
Abu Bakr happened to see this from a
distance. He at once ran to the help of the Prophet. He pushed Abu Jahl aside
and took off the cloth from around the holy Prophet's neck. Thereupon Abu Jahl
and other enemies of Islam came down upon Abu Bakr. They beat him very much.
Indeed, the beating was so severe that Abu Bakr fell down senseless. He was
carried home. He could not regain his senses till after several hours. And when
he did come to himself, the first question he asked was, "Is the Prophet
un-hurt?" Abu Bakr did not care for his own suffering. He was glad that he was
able to save the Prophet's life. Abu Bakr knew full well that if any harm came
to the Prophet, the only hope of mankind would be gone. This made him risk
everything he held dear, for the safety of the Prophet and for the spread of his
message.
Liberation of
Slaves
As years went by, the people of
Mecca became more and more hard upon the Muslims. They made life difficult for
them. Muslim slaves who had non-Muslim masters were the worst sufferers. They
could not run away from their cruel masters, nor would they give up their faith.
The heartless masters tried all kinds of torture to make them give up Islam.
They made them lie, all naked, on burning sand. Then they put big stones on
their chests. The poor slaves silently bore this all. They had no way of escape.
Some of them found escape only in death.
Abu Bakr's wealth came to the rescue of many
helpless Muslim slaves. He bought them from their inhuman masters and set them
free. Bilal, the negro, was one of such slaves. He was the slave of Omayya bin
Khalaf. Omayya was a heartless man. He would strip Bilal of all clothes, make
him lie on the burning sand at mid-day and then lash him mercilessly. Despite
this torture Bilal would go on saying, "Allah is one! Allah is one!" One day Abu
Bakf happened to pass by. He was greatly moved by the sight. "Why are you so
cruel to this helpless man?" he asked Omayya. "If you feel for him, why don't
you buy him?" retored Omayya. So Abu Bakr at once bought Bilal at a heavy price
and set him free. Bilal afterwards became the well-known "Muazzin" [ one who
gives the call for prayer ] at the Prophet's Mosque.
Migration to
Abyssinia
When Muslims found life
difficult at Mecca, they thought of going to some other land. With the
permission of the holy Prophet, a part of them went to Abyssinia. here they
lived in peace. So many more Muslims followed them.
Being the first man to go over to Islam, Abu
Bakr had brought upon himself the special anger and hatred of the Meccan chiefs.
Soon he felt hard pressed and asked permission of the Holy Prophet to go to
Abyssinia. The permission was granted and Abu Bakr set off on his journey.
On the way he met the chief of Qara,
Ibn-ud-Daghna. "What place are you bound for, Abu Bakr?" he asked.
"The people of Mecca have cast me out,"
replied Abu Bakr. "I am going to Abyssinia. There I will be able to worship the
Lord the way I want to."
"A man like you should not be cast out,"
said Ibn-ud-Daghna. "You help the poor. You are kind to those in trouble. You
are so nice to your guests. I will take you back to Mecca on my own
responsibility."
So Abu Bakr ws back at Mecca. Ibn-ud-Daghna
declared to the people that Abu Bakr was under his protection, so no one was to
harm him. The Meccans said that they would let Abu Bakr alone, only if he did
not preach his faith publicly.
Abu Bakr could not act on this condition
very long. Soon he was preaching Islam as openly as ever. The Meccans complained
to Ibn-ud-Daghna. He requested Abu Bakr not to make his position difficult. To
this Abu Bakr replied, "I do not need your protection. Allah is enough for me."
The Title of "Siddiq"
I n the tenth yer of his mission, the
holy Prophet had the Miraj of Ascension. One night the angel Gabriel came with
the word that Allah the Almighty wanted the holy Prophet to come all the way up
to the highest heaven. The holy Prophet undertook the journey.
In the morning, after the ascension had
taken place, the holy Prophet talked to people about the Miraj. This drew the
jeers of his enemies.
"Look!" the howled out, "what nonsense he
talks! Surely, now his followers too will laugh at him. Who is going to believe
in such a midsummer night dream?"
The talk was going on when Abu Bakr came up.
"Do you know, Abu Bakr, what news your friend has for you in the morning?" said
one of the mean. "He says he was on the highest heaven last night, having a talk
with Allah, the Almighty. Would you believe it?"
"I would believe anything that the Messenger
of Allah says," replied Abu Bakr
When the holy Prophet learnt of this, he at
once said, "Abu Bakr is the `Siddiq'." `Siddiq' is a person so sincere of heart
that doubts never mar his love. Abu Bakr earned this title because of his faith
was too strong to be shaken by anything.
Migration to Medina
W hen the Meccans were intent on putting
out, once and for all, the light of Islam, Allah commanded the holy Prophet to
move to Medina. In the burning heat of the midday sun, there was a knock at Abu
Bakr's door. He ran to the door and found the Messenger of Allah standing
outside. "I must leave for Medina tonight," said he.
"Will I also have the honor of going with
you?" asked Abu Bakr eagerly.
"Of course," came the reply. "Set about
getting things ready."
Abu Bakr was beside himself with joy. "I
have been looking forward to this day for months," he exlaimed. "I have
specifically kept two camels to carry us to Medina."
It was Abu Bakr who made all the
arrangements for the historic journey. for three days he and the Prophet lay
hidden in the Thaur cave. Abu Bakr's slave tended the flocks of goats near the
cave all day and supplied them fresh milk for food. His son, Abdullah, brought
news about what the Meccans were doing.
The Meccans were searching for the holy
Prophet like mad hounds. Once they came right to the mouth of the cave. Abu Bakr
grew pale with fright. He feared, not for himself, but for the Prophet. However,
the holy Prophet remained perfectly calm. "Do not fear," he said to Abu Bakr,
"certainly Allah is with us."
Of all the companions, Abu Bakr had the
honor of being with the Prophet during the most critical days of his life. Abu
Bakr knew full well what this honor meant. And he did full justice to the trust
put in him.
Participation in Battles
A bu Bakr took part in all the battles
that the holy Prohpet had to fight. All his life, he fought bravely under the
banner of the Prophet. At Ohud and Hunain, some of the men showed weakness. They
forgot to do their duty. But Abu Bakr's faith never wavered. He always stood
like a rock by the side of the Prophet.
At Badr, one of Abu Bakr's sons, who had not
yet embraced Islam, was fighting on the side of the Meccan. Afterwards, when he
became a Muslim, he one day said, "Father! at Badr you were twice under my
sword. But my love for you held back my hand."
"Son!" remarked Abu Bakr, "if I had got that
chance only once, you must have been no more."
When peace talks at Hudaibiya were going on,
Abu Bakr sat by the side of the Prophet. During conversation, the spokesman of
the Quraish ever now and then gave a jerk to the beard of the Prophet, after the
Arab fashion. This was too much for Abu Bakr. He took out his sword and looked
angrily at the man. "If that hand touches the beard of the Prophet again," he
warned, "it will not be allowed to go back."
This amazed the Meccan agents. "What a
change in Abu Bakr!" they whispered to one another. "He was known for
soft-heartedness. How strong and firm he is now become! He is no longer the
self-same Abu Bakr."
Tabuk was the last expedition of the holy
Prophet. He was keen to make it a great success. He asked people to help the
expedition with whatever they could. This time Abu Bakr beat all past records.
He took all his money and household articles and heaped them at the Prophet's
feet.
"Have you left back anything for your wife
and children?" asked the holy Prophet.
"Allah and His Apostle are enough for them,"
replied Abu Bakr calmly. Those standing around were stunned. It was impossible
to outdo Abu Bakr in the field of service to Islam.
The holy Prophet felt much pleased at this
answer. He made Abu Bakr the standard-bearer of the expedition.
Abu Bakr's closeness to the Prophet and his
boundless devotion to Islam won him universal respect. Not only was he the first
man to accept Islam, he was also the foremost among Muslims to uphold the cause
of Islam.
Agent to the
Prophet
Mecca fell in the eight year of
Hijra. Kaaba was, for the first time, in the hands of Muslims. It had to be
cleaned of the traces of idol-worship and the silly practices of pagan days.
Hitherto pagan Arabs had done absurd things at the time of Hajj. They went
around the House of Allah naked. They did many other foolish and unclean things.
All this had to be stopped.
The first Hajj under Islam fell in the ninth
year of Hijra. The holy Prophet was too busy at Medina to lead the Hajj himself.
So he sent Abu Bakr as his agent. He was to lead the Hajj in place of the
Prophet. Ali was also sent with Abu Bakr. Abu Bakr read the Khutba (Sermon) of
Hajj. Then Ali stood up and read out to the people the commandments of Allah
concerning the idolworshippers. From that year on, they were forbidden to enter
the Kaaba.
Ever since he came to Medina, the holy
Prophet himself led prayers in the Prophet's Mosque. It was an unusually high
office which the Messenger of Allah himself filled. During his last illness, the
holy Prophet could no longer lead prayers. He grew too weak to go to the mosque.
He had to appoint someone to act in his place. This honor also fell to the lot
of Abu Bakr. Aisha, who was Abu Bakr's daughter and a wife of the holy Prophet,
thought that the burden was too much for her tender-hearted father. She pleaded
with the holy Prophet to excuse here father from this duty. But the holy Prophet
did not change his mind.
Thus in the lifetime of the holy Prophet Abu
Bakr came to fill the highest office under Islam. One day Abu Bakr was away on
some business and Omar led the prayer in his absence. "This is not Abu Bakr's
voice," remarked the ailing Messenger of Allah. "No one but he should lead
prayers. He is the fittest person for this high office."
On the last day of his life, the condition
of the holy Prophet became suddenly better for a while. It was early morning.
Abu Bakr was leading the prayer in the mosque. The holy Prophet lifted the
curtain of his door and fixed his gaze on the worshippers. They were busy in
prayer under Abu Bakr's leadership. A smile lite up on the pale face of the holy
Prophet. He let go of the curtain, as his weak hand could no longer hold it. But
he was happy at the thought that he had chosen the best man to fill his place.
Abu Bakr Elected Caliph A Critical
Moment
The holy Prophet occupied a unique place among his
people. He was everything to them. From warring ignorant pagans, he had made
them a nation of peaceful, God-fearing people. They were "dead" as the Quran
puts it and the holy Prophet had "raised them to life." So they rightly came to
look upon him as the giver of life. Life without him seemed to be an empty
thing.
The news of the Prophet's death came as a
stunning shock to everyone. How could it be? He had been ill for some days, they
all knew. But death was unbelievable. That simply could not be. A huge crows
gathered in the mosque. No one knew what to do. There was utter confusion. Omar
was so overcome with emotion that he drew his sword and declared, "If anyone
says that the Messenger of Allah is dead. I will cut off his head!"
Things were in this state when Abu Bakr
entered the mosque. Finding the holy Prophet better that morning, he had gone a
few miles outside of Medina, earlier in the day, but had come back on hearing
the sad news. He took his stand in a corner of the courtyard and called out to
the people. All eyes were turned towards him. Then he began his famous address:
"O people! If anyone among you worshipped
Muhammad, let him know that Muhammad is dead. But those who worship Allah, let
him know that He lives and will never die. Let all of us recall the words of the
Qur'an. It says, `Muhammad is only a Messenger of Allah There have been
Messengers before him. What then, will you turn back from Islam, if he dies or
is killed?"
These words of Abu Bakr worked magic. In no
time the confusion was gone. The words of the Qur'an swept of all doubts from
people's minds. They got ready to face facts.
Election of Abu Bakr
The first problem before the people was the
election of a new leader. There had to be a head of the State of things could
not work. The need was too urgent to allow delay. Delay might have meant
disorder and the undoing of all that the Messenger of Allah had done. The
prophet of Allah had died but the head of the state had to live on.
The two big groups among Muslims were the
Muhajirin (refugees from Mecca ) and the Ansar (helpers or the people of
Medina). The Ansar gathered together at Thaqifa Bani Saida, their meeting place,
near the house of Saad bin Abada. The talk naturally centered around the
election of a Caliph. Saad, the Ansar leader, stood up and said that the Caliph
must be from among them. Many voices seconded him. One man, however, stood up
and said, "But how about the Muhajirin? They have perhaps a better claim." "Then
let there be two caliphs," suggested someone, "one from among the Ansar and the
other from among the Muhajirin."
Someone told Abu Bakr what was going on at
this gathering. He saw the need to act quickly or confusion might set in again.
So taking with him a part of Muhajirin he went to Thaqif Bani Saida. He
addressed the gathering and said, "Both the Muhajirin and the Ansar have done
great services to Islam. But the former were the first to accept Islam. They
were always very close to the Messenger of Allah. So, O Ansar, let the Caliph be
from among them."
To this a man from the Khazraj tribe
replied, "If you don't want a Caliph from among us, let there be two Caliphs,
one an Ansari and the other a Muhajif."
"That won't work," said Abu Obaida bin
Jarrah. "O Ansar, you are the people who made Islam strong now, don't do
anything that may undo your work."
Hearing this, another man said, "O Ansar, if
we did anything for Islam, we did it to please Allah and His Apostle. We did not
thereby oblige anybody. This should not be made a plea to win office. Listen,
the holy Prophet belonged to the Quraish tribe. The Quraish have a greater right
to fill his place. By Allah, I do not think it right to quarrel with them over
this matter. Fear Allah, and do not oppose them."
This speach of a man from among them
silenced the Ansar. They agreed to have a Muhajif as the Caliph. So Abu Bakr
said, "Friends, I think either Omar or AbuObaida should be the Caliph. Chose one
of these two gentleman."
Hearing this both Omar and Abu Obaida jumped
to their feet, and exlaimed, "O Siddiq, how can that be? How can anyone else
fill this office as long as you are among us? You are the top man among the
Muhajirin. You were the companion of the holy Prophet in the Thaur Cave. You led
prayers in his place, during his last illness. Prayer is the foremost thing in
Islam. With all these qualifications, you are the fittest person to be the
successor of the holy Prophet. Hold out your hand that we many pledge loyatly to
you."
But Abu Bakr did not stretch out his hand.
Omar saw that delay might lead to the reopening of the whole question. That
could easily create difficulties. So he himself took Abu Bakr's hand and pledged
loyalty to him. Others followed his example. Men from all sides rushed to pledge
loyalty to the successor of the Prophet. Abu Bakr became Caliph by the general
consent of the people.
The First Address
On the following day, Abu Bakr went to
the Prophet's mosque Here people took the general oath of loyalty. When this was
over, Abu Bakr mounted the pulpit as the Caliph of Islam. Then he spoke to the
gathering as follows:
"O people, I have been elected your leader,
although I am not better than anyone from among you. If I do any good, give me
your support. If I go wrong, set me right. Listen, truth is honesty and untruth
is dishonesty. The weak among you are powerful in my eyes, as long as I do not
get them their due, Allah willing. The powerful among you are weak in my eyes,
as long as I do not take away from them what is due to others, Allah willing."
"Listen, if people give up striving for the
cause of Allah, Allah sends down disgrace on them. If a people become evil
doers, Allah sends down calamities on them."
"Listen, you must obey me as long as I obey
Allah and His Messenger. If I disobey Allah and His Messenger, you are free to
disobey me."
Such was the Magna Carta granted by the
first Caliph of Islam to his people, on the first day of his rule, without their
asking. Abu Bakr showed by his example that in Islam government means government
of the people, by the people and for the people.
Ali's Delay
Four or six months Ali and some of his
relatives did not pledge loyalty to Abu Bakr. That was because of a difference
of opinion with the Caliph. The holy Prophet had some land at Medina and
Khaibar. His daughter, Fatima, and his uncle, Abbas, laid claim to this land.
But Abu Bakr set aside the claim, in the light of what the holy Prophet himself
had said. "We Prophets cannot be inherited," was his saying; "whatever we leave
behind is public property."
Fatima new nothing of this saying of her
father. She thought she was perfectly right in her claim. This created a little
bitterness in her mind, and the mind of her husband, Ali. The hypocrites were
quick to add to the misunderstanding.
But Abu Bakr and Ali were equally unselfish.
During Fatima's illness, Abu Bakr himself went to see her and cleared away the
misunderstanding. After her death, Ali went to Abu Bakr and said, "O Siddiq, we
admit your superiority. We do not envy the position Allah has given you. But as
relatives of the holy Prophet, we thought Caliphate to be our right. You had
taken away this right of ours."
These words brought tears in Abu Bakr's eyes
and he said, "By Allah, the relatives of the Prophet are dearer to me than my
own relatives."
The assurance satisfied Ali. He went to the
mosque and publicly took the pledge of loyalty.
Usama's Expedition
Some weeks before his death, the holy
Prophet has nominated Usama to lead an expedition against Syria. He was to
avenge the death of his father, Zaid, the freed slave of the holy Prophet. Zaid
was killed by the Syrians in the battle of Muta. The preparations of the
expedition were under way when the holy Prophet fell seriously ill and passed
away. That help up Usama's expedition for some weeks. As soon as Abu Bakr became
Caliph, the first thing he thought of was the sending out of the expedition.
The death of the holy Prophet led some
people to think that Islam was going to end with him. Many tribes had entered
the fold of Islam only a short time before. They were by no means firm in the
new faith. Many of them, now, showed signs of bolting out of the fold of Islam.
Abu Bakr was facing a difficult situation.
But Abu Bakr had to carry out the commands
of the Prophet at all costs. He was determined to send out the expedition
planned by the Messenger of Allah. Some of the companions said that he had
better drop the idea for the time being. Trouble was brewing all around, they
said. It was unwise to send troups out when they were urgently needed at home.
But Abu Bakr would not listen to them. "How can I fold up the flag," he asked,
"which the holy Prohet himself unfurled? It is simply unthinkable."
Then someone suggested that Usama was too
raw - he was below twenty - to lead the expedition. It was wiser to put a more
experienced man in command. The suggestion made Abu Bakr angry. "What right have
I," he demanded, "to dismiss a man appointed by the Messenger of Allah?"
So the expedition left under Usama, about
three weeks after the passing away of the holy Prophet. Abu Bakr accompanied
Usama some distance out of Medina. The youthful commander was riding a horse,
while the Caliph walked by his side. Usama said, "O successor of the holy
Prophet, you also get on a horse and allow men to get down."
"By Allah," replied Abu Bakr, "I will agree
to neither of the two things. What harm is there is there if a little dust falls
on my feet, while I go some steps in the way of Allah? For every step one takes
in Allah's way, one gets the reward of seven hundred good deeds."
Omar was also one of the men under Usama's
command. But Abu Bakr needed him, at Medina, for purposed of advice. So he made
a request to Usama, to allow Omar to remain in Medina. The request was granted.
Before the Caliph bade farewell to Usama, he
gave him much useful advice. Some of it was:
"Look! Be not dishonest. Do not deceive
anyone. Do not hide the booty you get. Do not mutilate anyone. Do not kill the
aged, the children and the women. Do not set fire to date-palms. Do not cut down
fruit trees. Do not slaughter a goat, or a cow, or a camel, except for purposes
of food. You will come across people who have give up the world and are sitting
in monasteries. Leave them alone."
Usama's expedition proved very successful.
He raided the frontier districts of Syria and was back in Medina after forty
days.
The expedition had another good result. It
proved an eye-opener to those who thought Islam was dying out. They had a clear
proof that Islam was still able to challenge one of the greatest powers of the
world. This overawed the wavering tribes. Some of the tribes which had left
Islam actually, rentered its fold.
The Imposters
A bu Bakr soon found the country in
the grip of a civil war. The outlying provinces, like Nejd, were the first to
create trouble. They had accepted Islam when it seemed to be the only safest way
to follow. They knew nothing of the true spirit of Islam. For centuries they had
known no outside authority. They were wont to be as free as the winds that sweep
across the desert. Islam put them under discipline. They had to live by the
moral laws of Islam. The drinking and gambling of the "days of ignorance" were
no more. The wild spirit of the desert rebelled against this moral control. It
saw its oppurtunity in the death of the holy Prophet. Now was the time to throw
off the yoke of Islam.
The one thing which was especially irk-some
to the chiefs of these tribes was the poor-rate. The government at Medina took
away from them, each year, two and a half per cent of their total wealth. True,
this money was spent on the poor of their own tribe. But all the same, it was a
burden on their pockets. If only Medina would stop collecting the poor-rate,
they could continue to be Muslims. Many chiefs made this decision known to the
Caliph.
A more serious trouble also raised its head
at the same time. People who had spent no time with the holy Prophet, nor
studied him closely, thought of him as a mere ruler. The more clever among such
people began to dream of a similar career. "All we have to do," they thought to
themselves, "is to claim to be prophets and get a following." Thus they hoped to
rise to power and fame. Many a cunning man fell prey to this ambition.
Presently, a host of imposters appeared in different parts of Arabia. They all
claimed to be apostles of Allah.
Firm Action
The situation was serious. Utmost care
was needed to handle it. Abu Bakr called a meeting of the Advisory Counsel and
sought its advice. Many of the members were for slow action. "It is not wise,"
they said, "to start fighting on all fronts at one and the same time. Ignore
those, for the time being, who refuse to pay the poor-rate. We can settle with
them when imposters have been dealt with."
Abu Bakr would not listen to such counsel.
"By Allah," he declared, "even if a single kid is due from a man, he must give
it. If he refuses. I will wage war against him. If others do not support me, I
will fight alone. No one has the power to change a commandment of Allah."
However, the situation was extremely
difficult. Among the non-payers of the poor-rate were the neighbouring tribes of
Abs and Zabyan, Asad and Toy. They thought of squeezing a concession from the
Caliph before Usma's army was back in Medina. They sent a deputation to the
Caliph, offering to stay withing the fold of Islam if they were exempted from
paying the poor-rate.
True to his mettle, Abu Bakr firmly turned
down the proposal. At the same time, he set about strengthening the defences of
Medina, for he expected a treacherous attack from the rebel tribes.
On the third night the treacherous blow
came. But Abu Bakr was ready for it. He hit back so hard that the enemy fled
back headlong.
In a few days Usama was back in Medina. The
Caliph decided to march in person against the treacherous tribes. People begged
him not to risk his life but Abu Bakr would not listen. Leaving Usama in Medina
as his deputy, the Caliph led an army against Abs and Zabyan and utterly
defeated these tribes. Their pastures were taken over for army use.
This firm action on the part of the Caliph
convinced many a waverer that it was impossible to accept part of Islam and
reject part of it. That saved the integrity of Islam as a way of life. Abu
Bakr's invincible faith helped Islam keep its foundation in tact.
War on Imposters
It was now time to strike at the
imposters. Usama's army had rested and was ready to go into action again. Abu
Bakr marched the army about twelve miles along the road to Nejd. Here he divided
it into eleven battalions. Each battalion was put under the command of an
experienced commander. The commanders were then told to march against different
imposters.
Before these armies left, a general warning
was given to the imposters and their followers. They were assured of pardon if
they came back to Islam. The Caliph gave the following instructions to his
commanders:
"I request the soldiers of Islam to fear
Allah, under all conditions. They should do their best to obey the commandments
of Allah. They should fight against those who have left Islam and have fallen in
the trap of the devil. But before taking out swords, they must declare the
message of Islam. If the apostates accept it, they must at once hold back their
hands. But if the message is rejected, they must attack and fight till these
people give up disbelief. When the apostates re-enter the fold of Islam, the
commander of the Muslim army must explain to them their rights and duties under
Islam. They should be given their rights and should be made to do their duties.
The commander should keep his men from hasty action and mischief. He should
avoid a headlong plunge into enemy settlements. He should rather enter them
after making sure of all precautions, lest Muslims suffer a loss. Whether he is
on the march of in the camp, the commander should be kind and considerate
towards his men. He should look to their comfort and should be gentle in
speech."
The Caliph explained these instructions to
the commanders. Then they led their battalions against the several imposters.
Abu Bakr then came back to Medina. He had
already forced the waverers among Muslims to pay Zakat (the poor-rate). Now he
launched an all-out attack on imposters and their followers.
Talaiha
Taliaha was one of the imposters. He
belonged to the tribe of Banu Asad. On return from the last pilgramage, he laid
claim to prophethood. All his tribesman became his followers. The tribes of Tay
and Ghatfan were the allies of Banu Asad. They also joined the imposter. With
his huge following, Talaiha was encamping at the Bazakha spring in Nejd. Khalid
bin Walid defeated the imposter who fled to Syria. Afterwards, he again became a
Muslim. He served in the Muslim army during the Iraqi campaign and tried to make
amends for his past sins.
Malik bin
Nawirah
Khalid next marched against Malik bin
Nawirah. He was the chief of the trib of Banu Tamim. He had stopped the payment
of the poor-rate and had made war on the Muslims of his tribe. Hearing of
Khalid's approach, he disbanded his men. Khalid put him and his men under
arrest. The night happened to be unusually cold and the prisoners started
shivering. The matter was reported to Khalid who ordered that they be warmed up.
But the Arabic phrase for "warming up" also means "salying". Misunderstanding
the order, the guards put Malik and his men to the sword.
In the morning when Khalid came to know of
Maliks's fate, he felt very sorry. But there was nothing he could do about it.
"When Allah has ordained a thing," he said, "it does come to pass." Complaints
reached the Caliph that Khalid had not acted on his instructions in this
particular case. There was a demand that Khalid be punished for the hasty act.
Abu Bakr himself paid bloodmoney for Malik bin Nawirah. "Khalid is the sword of
Allah," he said. "This sword has flashed against the disbelievers. Who am I to
make it disappear?"
Musailma the Liar
Musailma was the most cunning of all imposters. He
belonged to Yamama. When he learnt of the serious illness of the holy Prophet,
he wrote him a letter, saying, "Allah has made me your partner in prophethood.
Let us divide the earth between ourselves." To this the holy Prophet replied,
"To Musailma the Liar! Surely the earth belongs to Allah. He grants possession
of it to those of His servants whom He likes."
The death of the holy Prophet gave Musailma
the oppurtunity. He collected a large army. This army had first to deal with an
impostress - Sajah by name. She ws a Christian. After the death of the holy
Prophet, she laid claim to prophethood, "why should all prophets be men?" she
said. "In me Allah has now sent a woman prophet." She raised a big army and was
marching towards Medina. On the way she came across Musailma's forces. The
shrewd imposter at once saw that Sajah was a serious rival. He also felt that he
could not defeat her on the battlefield. So he started a love affair, Sajah
easily fell into the trap. The two were married. Now Musailma had a huge army,
4,000 strong, under his command.
The battalion under Ikrama bin Abu Jahl was
to attack Musailma. The battalion under Shurjil was to reinforce it. Ikrama had
orders to wait for the reinforcement. But, hoping to get the whole credit for
himself, Ikrama did not wait for Shurjil. He attacked Musailma and was badly
beaten. The news made Abu Bakr sad. He at once wrote to Khalid bin Walid to deal
with Musailma. The combined battalions of Khalid and Shurjil now fell upon the
imposter. Musailma fought desperatley. Once his men reached the very tent of
Khalid. But Khalid kept his nerve. He rallied his men and himself led a final
attack. Confounded by the suddenness of the attack, Musailma's men took to
flight. The imposter and a few of his companions hid themselves in a fortified
garden but the Muslim warriors threw open the gates. The infamous imposter and
his friends were all put to the sword. Among those who killed Musailma was
Wahshi, the negro slave who had killed Hamza, the uncle of the holy Prophet at
Ohud. He had done this to win his freedom. Hind, the wife of Abu Sufyan, had
promised to buy him his freedom if he slew Hamza. After the fall of Mecca,
Wahshi became a Muslim. The Holy Prophet forgave him but said, "Please Wahshi,
keep out of my sight. You remind me of my dear uncle."
Wahshi had always felt sorry for his sin. He
wanted to wash it out. The battle against Musailma gave him his chance. His
javelin was in search of the imposter. With great skill he sank the poisoned end
of his javelin into the imposter. The wretch gave a yell and fell to the ground.
The next moment his head was cut off. "Thank Allah!" exclaimed Wahshi, "I have
been able to make some amends for my sin."
Musailma belonged to the tribe of Banu
Hanifa. Orders were received from the Caliph that all mean of the tribe who had
taken up arms against Islam should be put to death. But Khalid had already
promised to spare their lives. So his wod was honored and the whol tribe
re-imbraced Islam.
Bahrain
The people of Bahrain embraced Islam
in the lifetime of the holy Prophet. After his death a powerful tribe, Banu
Bakr, threw off the yoke of Islam and started fighting against Muslims. Abu Bakr
sent a battalino under Ala bin Hadrami, to deal with the rebel tribe. The Banu
Bakr were defeated. Their leader, Hatim, was killed. Bahrain was once again
secure under Muslim rule.
Some tribes of Omman also gave up Islam. The
generals of Abu Bakr brought them all back into the fold of Islam.
Thus in a few months Abu Bakr was able to
put down the country-wide rising caused by imposters. Khalid bin Walid did more
than any other man to make this possible.
The Era of Conquest
Begins
The kings of Iran had done all they
could to crush Islam. In fact, the infamous Khusro Parvez had ordered the arrest
of the holy Prophet. But a few days after, he was killed by his own son,
Sharuya. Since that day, Iran had known no peace. Abu Bakr had to take account
of the ever-present danger on the eastern frontiers.
In the first month of the year 12 A.H.,
Khalid bin Walid was sent with an army to challenge the might of Iran. Another
army under Qaqaa bin Amr was to reinforce him. Khalid was to attack Kamla, the
southern outpost of the Iranian empire.
A second army, under Ayaz bin Ghanam, was to
strike at the norther boundary of Iraq.
According to the Islamic practice, Khalid
addressed the following letter to Hurmuz, the Iranian Commander: "Accept Islam
and you will be safe. If not, agree to pay the jizya or you will have to repent.
I am bringing against you a people who love death as you love life."
The proud Iranian Commander paid no heed to
the warning. He was slain in the battle that followed. The Iranian army was
utterly routed. After this a number of well-known Iranian generals came to fight
Khalid. Bahman and Jahan were two of them. But they all met defeat. The Iranian
losses were heavy.
Hira, on the Iranian border, ws the
stronghold of the Christian Arabs. They had so far fought on the Iranian side.
Khalid conquered Hira. Soon after, the other frontier chiefs also submitted to
Khalid.
After Hira, Khalid conquered Anbar and
Ain-ut-Tamr, two important outposts of the Iranian empire. He now received a
letter from Ayaz, calling him to his help in North Iraq. Ayaz was hard pressed
at Dumat-ul-Jundal. Khalid rushed to his help and sent the following message to
Ayaz:
"Wait for a while. Camels carrying fierce
lions are shortly reaching. Wave after wave of troops are on their way."
One of the enemy generals, Akidar, knew from
his own experience how impossible it was to halt Khalid's attack. He advised the
other generals to stop fighting against the Muslims. When the advice went
unheeded, he quietly left. His friends saw the truth of his remarks when they
met humiliating engagement took place at Faraz. A huge force made of Iranians
and Arabs crosed the Euphrates. On the 15th of Dhul-Qaad, 12 A.H., Khalid routed
this host at Faraz. From here he went back to Hira.
Khalid's Exploits
Abu Bakr had no more than ten thousand
troops when he took over as Caliph. With this small force, he had to put down a
country-wide revolt. To all appearance the task was hopeless. But Abu Bakr met
with amazing success. Much of this success was due to his unshakable faith in
Allah. "Islam is the path of truth revealed by Allah," he said, "so Allah must
defend it against enemies." It was not so much on troops as on Allah's help that
Abu Bakr depended. Results proved that he was right in his faith.
There was, however, another important factor
which helped Abu Bakr. This was Khalid bin Walid, the greatest general of Islam.
His tact and courage made the small forces of Islam look ten times stronger. The
results were simply astonishing. With a handful of troops Khalid was able not
only to overcome all internal enemies but also to make Arabia safe for Islam. He
was then able to jump on Iraq and win it for Islam. From Iraq he marched against
the Byzantine forces and put them to rout. All this took place in the space of
two years. Throughout the campaign not even once did Khalid meet with a reverse.
By forced marches, he often gave a surprise to the enemy and did not rest till
he overpowered them. This made Khalid the dread of the enemy. The truth is that
Khalid's exploits put to shame the victories of an Alexander or a Napolean.
Allah's Sword
Khalid bin Walid was born a general.
At Ohud, he fought on the side of the Quraish. It was he who turned the tide of
that battle. Muslim victory was clearly in sight. Quraish leaders were on the
run. Suddenly Khalid saw the pass at the back of the Muslim army undefended. At
the head of a strong party, he dashed through the pass and took the army of
Islam by surprise.
After the peace of Hudaibiya Khalid embraced
Islam. His military talent soon began to outshine others. The Holy Prophet at
once saw his worth and gave him the title of "Saif Allah" or "Allah's Sword."
But it was not till Islam overleaped the boundaries of Arabia that the world saw
Khalid's unequalled military talent.
Abu Bakr was quick to see Khalid's ability.
So he put him in charge of the Iraqi campaign. Khalid's exploits in this
campaign have few equals in history. In about eleven months, he over-ran the
whole of Iraq and brought it under the banner of Islam. He had no more than ten
thousand men. With this small force he defeated hosts twenty times as big. These
hosts had superior arms and equipment. But Khalid knew how to win with smaller
numbers and inferior arms.
In Iraq Khalid fought fifteen battles in
all. He won complete victory in all of them. He never allowed the standard of
Islam to leave the battlefield until the enemy was completely beaten. Towards
the later part of the campaign, Khalid became the dread of the enemy. The mere
fact that Khalid commanded an army made the enemy tremble.
A Good Administrator
Khalid was not only a great conqueror but
also a first-rate administrator. He saw to it that things were managed well in
the cities and territories he conquered. He never marched on until this had been
done. He left behind a deputy to look after things. He also appointed a judge to
settle people's disputes.
Khalid was extremely kind
hearded and just to the people. His army had strict orders not to do any harm to
farmers and other civilians. "They are the real strength of society," he said.
"They should always be treated with kindness and respect." This was something
new for the conquered people. The Iranian and Byzantine officers had been very
hard on them. Khalid's treatment won their hearts. So much so that they came to
hate their old masters.
Hard on the
Enemy
Khalid was very hard on
people who took up arms against Islam. He believed that such people should have
only two choices. They should either give in or fight to death. If they fled
from the battlefield, he would not let them go. He followed them wherever they
went, until they either begged for mercy or were killed.
This policy
of Khalid proved very sound. He dealt with the beaten enemy once and for all. He
did not allow them to take up arms a second time. Muslim forces were too small
to deal with repeated risings.
There is hardly another
general in history who combines as many qualities as Khalid. Khalid is
unquestionable the greates general produces by Islam.
War with Byzantian
The need for military operations against
Byzantium began to be felt in the life-time of the Holy Prophet. So Abu Bakr was
bound to do something about this danger. In the year 13 A.H., he prepared a big
army and divided it into four battalions. Each battalion was put under a
separate commander. Each of them was to strike at a different point on the
Syrian border. Abu Obaida bin Jarrah was to march on Hims, Amr bin al-Aas on
Palestine, Yazid bin Abi Sufyan on Damascus and Shurjil bin Hasna on
Jordan.
These battalions were to strike at the enemy at once and
the same time. The aim was to keep the enemy from hitting with full force on
anyone of the battalions.
Before these armies left, Abu Bakr gave the
following instructions to their commanders:
-
Always fear Allah. He knows what is in men's
hearts.
-
Be kind to the men under you and treat them
well.
-
Directions given should be brief. If too
long, they are likely to be forgotten.
-
Improve your conduct first; others will
improve when they see your example>
-
Honor the representatives of the enemy.
-
Keep your own arrangement a secret.
-
Be always truthful so you can get good
advice.
-
At night when you are free, sit among your
men. This will keep you in touch with them.
-
Make good arrangements for the watch and
ward of the army.
-
Keep away from untruthful men. Be intimate
with truthful and faithful companions.
-
Be sincere to all whom you have dealings.
-
Beward of cowardice and dishonesty.
-
You will come across people who have given
up the world and are spending their days in place of worship. Leave such people
alone.
The news of the Muslim invasion upset
Emperor Heracleus. He was in Jerusalem at that time. He sought the advice of his
nobles. He himself was in favor of coming to terms with the Muslims. "It is
better to give up half of Syria," he said, "than lose the whole of it." To this
the nobles did not agree.
So four huge armies were sent by the
emperor to fight the Muslims. His own brother was leading one of the armies.
Each army was several times more numerous than the Muslim army it had to fight.
This made the Muslim commanders give thought to the matter. They met together
for mutual counsel. One of them pinpointed the folly of fighting separately. "We
will be crushed under the sheer weight of numbers," he said, "if we fight
separately." The other generals saw the point. They agreed upon a plan to merge
the four battalions into a single army. Thus, they thought, the Muslim army
would stop looking too small in its own eyes. They informed the Caliph of their
decision. He approved of it and sent the following written
message:
"Muslims can never be defeated because
of small numbers. But if their own sins overwhelm them, they will meet defeat.
So let you all keep away from sins of all kinds."
The Battle of Yarmuk
Heraclius learnt that the four Muslim armies had
merged into one. He also ordered a smiliar move. The four Byzantine armies
combined to fomr a gigantic mass of men. They dug up trenches in the valley of
Yarmuk. By the Caliph's orders the Muslim forces, too, took up position on the
opposite side. For weeks the two armies lay facing each other. Neither of the
two sides dared to touch on the fighting.
The Byzantine forces had
every advantage on their side. In addition to numbers, they had the river in
front and the mountains at their back. So the Muslim commanders requested the
Caliph for reinforcements. HE at once wrote to Khalid to rush to
Syria.
Khalid handed over the charge of affairs in Iraq to
Muthanna bin Haritha. He then hastened to Syria at the head of ten thousand men.
Despite all his haste, Khalid conquered many forts and cities on the way. At
last he reached Yarmuk. Almost at the same time, the Byzantine army received a
reinforcement. The brought their total strength to two hundred and forty
thousand. The Muslim army numbered just thirty-six thousand.
Khalid Reorganizes the
Army
Khalid at once saw that he must properly organize the
army, in order to win. It meant a single command, in place of the four commands.
So he called the other commanders and said, "We are fighting for the sake of the
faith. We must all forget ourselves. We cannot afford to be split under many
commanders. That would be a help to the enemy. Let there be just one commander,
by turns if you please. If you agree to that let me be the commander for the
first day of the battle."
All liked the plan. Khalid took the chief
command. He divided the army into several sections. Each section was put under a
commander. It was further subdivided into many troops, each with a leader. Abu
Sufyan was appointed the fiery herald. He went about the army, speaking words of
courage to men.
As the two armies stood facing each other, a Muslim
soldier remarked. "How numerous the enemy is!" Khalid overheard the remark. "It
is not the numbers that matter," he exlaimed, "it is rather the final outcome of
the battle."
At long last the battle began. Khalid took some troops
with him. He made a wild charge and was soon in the heart of enemy forces. He
succeeded in driving a wedge between the enemy cavalry and infantry. The two
were cut off from each other.
Fighting unto
Death
Ikrama bin Abu Jahl was
fighting at Yarmuk. Soon after the battle began, the Muslim troops began to real
under the weight of numbers. Ikrama saw this. "Heretofore I fought all battles
against the Apostle of Allah," he shouted out. "This is the first time I am
fighting for the cause of Allah. In no casse will I turn my back on the
battlefield. Now who are going to fight unto death with me?"
Saying this, Ikrama held out his hand to
receive the pledge of others. His son, Amr, was the first go give the pledge. He
was followed by four hundred more. Like wild cats, these men pounced upon the
enemy hordes. They dealt such telling blows that the sea of man cleared before
them. Their desperate attack caused confusion among enemy ranks.
Rout of the
Enemy
Soon the enemy cavalry found itself walled between
Khalid's troops and the main Muslim army. Confusion spread and they fled. The
Muslim army made was for them to flee.
Now Khalid fell on the enemy infrantry. THe
shield of the cavalry being no more, the infantry was take by surprise. In utter
confusion it fell back. But the mountain blocked the way. In despair men ran
back to the river. Here a watery death awaited them. Most of the men had tied
themselves with iron chains to rule out the possibility of flight. The chains
proved traps of death. When a few of the men fell into the river, they also
dragged their companions into the watery grave. According to one estimate, one
hundred and twenty thousand of them were drowned in the river. The Byzantine
rout was complete. The Muslims loss was three thousand killed.
Women's Courage
Muslim women played a notable role in this
battle. They formed a battalion which stood at the back of the army. They
supplied water to the men. They also dressed their wounds. They shouted words of
courage when the army showed signs of weakness. These words put a new heart into
retreating men. They dashed forth like lightning and sowed death among enemy
lines.
The Byzantine army at first forced the
Muslims to fall back. Muslim women stood on a bridge. Khalid came to them and
said, "O daughters of Islam, if anyone turns his back on the battlefield, kill
him at once."
The women did what Khalid bade them to do.
They stood at their post of duty. They had stones at their post of duty. They
had stones in their hands and their eyes were fixed on the battlefield. If
anyone fled for life, he was met by a shower of stones. Back he ran into the
thick of battle and fought to the last.
Many Muslim
soldiers had brought their families with them. The women stayed in tents at the
back of the troops. Their words of courage for the brave and their taunts for
the weak of heart, made a real difference in the tempo of fighting and in the
outcome of the battle. Victory of Yarmuk was in no small measure due to the
courage of Muslim women.
Two Great
Martyrs
On the following morning
Khalid took stock of his losses. Ikrama and his son, Amr, were brought to him.
They were seriously wounded. Their condition was grave. Khalid put their heads
on his lap. In a few minutes, the souls of both of them winged their way to
heaven.
Ikrama was the son of Abu Jahl, the archenemy of Islam.
When Mecca fell, Ikrama fled away for fear of life. But hearing that the Prophet
had forgiven all enemies, he came back to Mecca. To his surprise, the Prophet
ran out to greet him. From that day on, Ikrama was a true son of Islam. He laid
down his life fighting for the glory of Islam.
Unparalleled Selflessness of Khalid
The battle of Yarmuk was on when a letter
arrived from Medina. It was delivered to Khalid. It said that Abu Bakr had
passed away and Omar has succeded him as Caliph. IT also said that the new
Caliph had dismissed Khalid from his command and replaced him by Abu Obaida bin
Jarrah. Khalid read the letter. He then informed Obaida that the command had
passed to him. But the news was not made public, lest the army should lose
heart. The letter had no effect whatever on Khalid. He went on fighting as
desperatley as ever.
After the battle was over, Khalid's
dismissale became known. Someone said to him, "How is it that the news did not
damp your spirit at all?" "I was not fighting for Omar," replied Khalid, "I was
fighting for the cause of Allah."
Abu Bakr's
Last Illness
On the 7th of Jamadi-ul-Akhir, 13 A.H., Abu
Bakr was taken ill. He had sever fever. Everything was done to bring down the
fever, but all in vain. It became clear to the aged Caliph that his end was
come.
Even in these last days, the thought that troubled Abu Bakr was
the future of Islam. He wanted to make sure that nothing would go wrong with the
affairs of Muslims, after he was no more. He had to spend every ounce of his
energy to put down the violent storms of unrest that broke loose after the
Prophet's death. He did not want this to happen after his own death.
Omar's Nomination
Welfare of Muslims had always been the first
care of Abu Bakr. He would allow nothing that made Islam weak. The thing he
feared most was division among Muslims. He remembered what had happened after
the death of the Holy Prophet. He wanted to make sure that no differences should
divide Muslims after he was no more. Unity was the secret strength. Unity must
be had at any price.
As his sickness grew, Abu Bakr gave more and
more thought to the matter. Who should be the Caliph after him? Should he
himself name the best man? Or should he leave the matter to the people? In the
latter case, quarrels might arise. These would certainly shake the very
foundations of Islam. IT was too great a risk. Abu Bakr was not willing to take
that risk.
After careful thought, he chose to nominate Omar. He
put his proposal before the leading Companions. Most of them liked the proposal.
But someone said, "Omar is no doubt the best man, but he is rather too
strict."
To this Abu Bakr replied, "As soon as the burden of
Caliphate falls on his shoulders, he will become more mild."
When all
Companions agreed, Abu Bakr called Othman. He dictated to him Omar's nomination.
It was read out to the people. It said:
"This is the will of
Abu Bakr, the Caliph of the Holy Prophet. He is making the will when he is about
to leave for the next world. This is the time when even a non-believer begins to
believe and even a sinner begins to trust in Allah. I appoint Omar bin Khattab
as your ruler. In appointing him, I have kept your welfare fully in mind. I hope
he will be truthful and just. But if he leaves his path and becomes unjust, I
know nothing about the unseen, I have only the well-being of Muslims at heart.
Everybody is responsible for what he does."
The will was read out
to the people. After this Abu Bakr went to the top of his house, supported by
two men. Addressing the people he said:
"My brethren in-faith, I have
not appointed any of my own brothers and relatives as your Caliph. I have
appointed a man who is the fittest person among you. Do you approve of
him?"
"Of course we do," went up a shout from hundreds of
men.
Next he called Omar to his bedside
and spoke to him thus:
"Omar! I have nominated you my successor. My
parting advice is that you fear Allah and work for the well-being of the
Muslims. Remember, Omar, the duties you own to Allah are to be discharged at the
proper time. Some of these are to be discharged at night and some during the day
time. First things must come first. On the Day of Judgment only those will come
out successful whose good deeds are weighty. Those whose evil deeds out-weigh
the good deeds, will have a terrible time. For success and salvation, you have
to make the Qur'an and the truth your guides. You know, Omar, that the verses of
the Qur'an speak of good reward and punishment side by side. This is to put the
fear of Allah in the believer's heart and to make him pray for forgiveness.
Omar, when you read in the Qur'an about the inmate of fire, pray to Allah not to
make you one of them. But when you read about the dwellers of Paradise, pray for
being one of them Omar, if you follow the path I have chalked out fo ryou, you
will find me by your side."
When OMar had
left the dying Caliph raised his hands in prayer and said:
"Lord!
I have taken this step in the best interest of the Muslims. I feared disunion
among them, so I took this step, the consequences of which are best known to
You. After careful thought I have appointed a man who is the sinceristy and the
most energetic worker for the well-being of the people. I am at death's door
now, so help the Muslims, Lord after I am no more. THye are Your servants. Their
future is in Your hands. Lord, keep their rules on the right path. Make Omar one
of the noblest Caliphs and help the Muslims help him."
Abu Bakr Passes Away
After an illness of two weeks, Abu Bakr passed
away. He was sixty-three at the time. He was buried by the side of the Holy
Prophet.
Before his death he said, "Do not use new cloth to cover my
dead body. The sheet of cloth I have on will do for me. Wash it
clean."
"But this is too old and
worn, father," said his daughter Aisha.
"This old and worn
sheet will do for me," he replied.
This parting wish was acted
upon. The second wish of the dying Caliphs was, "Sell my land and pay back in
the public treasury all the money I got as my salary." This was also done.
Before he became the Caliph, Abu Bakr was a well-to-day merchant. The affairs of
the Caliphate left him no time to look after his own business. The matter was
put before the Companions. They allowed the Caliph a salary of six thousand
dirhams a year. All this money was paid back to the Bait-ul-Mal (the Public
Treasury) after the Caliph's death.
Thus Abu Bakr, the first
Caliph, left behind a noble example of selfless service. He lived and worked for
Islam to the last breath. And for his tireless labors, he sought no worldly
reward.
Two Years of Abu Bakr's Calpihate
Abu Bakr was Caliph for only two years,
three months and ten days. This was a relatively short period of time in the
life of people. But during this short period, Abu Bakr was able to do great
things for Islam. These achievements have made his name immortal. They have
placed him among the greatest men of all time.
When Abu Bakr too
over, Islam was confined to Arabia alone. And here, too its hold was rather
shaky. In many parts of the country, Islam was but a name. It was not a way of
life with most people. Scores of tribes had thought of the Holy Prophet has a
mere king. They tried to throw off his yoke as soon as he was no more. Abu Bakr
taught these people a lasting lesson. He taught them that Islam was a way of
life.
Abu Bakr was able to do this because of his unshakable faith.
No difficulties could take him off the path of the Prophet. Usama might be
youthful and inexperienced, but Abu Bakr would not hear a word against him. He
was appointed by the Prophet. There might be rising in the country, but Abu Bakr
would not put off the expedition to Tabuk. The Prophet had ordered it. Abu Bakr
stood unequalled in his love for Allah and His Apostle. This was the secret of
his unbending strength. It was this inner strength that carried him through the
darkest hours of his Caliphate.
Abu Bakr was as sincere as he was
firm in faith. He lived up to every word of what he said at the beginning of his
Caliphate. He was never anything but the faithful agent of Allah and His
Apostle, and the humblest servant of his people. It was this fact which won him
the deepest love and respect for all classes of his people. The result was that
Islam took an unshakable hold on the coutrny of its birth. Soon it gathered
enough strength to overlap its boundaries. It struck at the two most feared
powers of the time. And lo! it was successful. Abu Bakr had put Islam on the
road to worldwide expansion.
Islam means
total submission to the will of Allah. It means that utter absence of all
selfishness. The Holy Prophet showed by his example hwo that goal could be
reached. He showed how the power of the State should not be used for private
ends but for the public good. Abu Bakr was the first among his followers to live
up to the Prophet's example. He go tno personal gain out of the Caliphate. He
spent every minuted of the last two years of life in the service of his people,
but got not a penny as wages.
Abu Bakr had several sons and many near
relatives. For public offices, he did not choose anyone of them. He rather chose
other people who were more fit for public service. He had to nominate his own
successor to prevent quarrels. But his choice fell on none of his own relatives.
His choice was rather the man whom he honestly believed to be the best among the
Companions. All the same, he did not force his choice on people. He put his
proposal before the Companions. When they had agreed to it, he put it before the
people.
In short, Abu Bakr showed the
world what government of the people, for the people, and by the people really
meant. Neither the East nor the West had ever known such a form of government
before. The mighty empires of Iran and Byzantium were based upon naked
force.
In short Abu Bakr kept going the great work of the
Prophet. For that he had to fight hard. He fought with a will and with a faith
that amazed everyone. Islam is for ever gratefule to him for the great services
he rendered to it. |
