Abu Bakr is known with the honorific title "al-Siddiq" by Sunni Muslims.
72 Facts About Abu Bakr
Abu Bakr was born in 573 CE to Abu Quhafa and Umm Khayr.
Abu Bakr extensively contributed his wealth in support of Muhammad's work and among Muhammad's closest companions.
Abu Bakr remained the closest advisor to Muhammad, being present at almost all his military conflicts.
Abu Bakr's election was opposed by a large number of rebellious tribal leaders, who had apostatized from Islam.
Abu Bakr commanded the initial incursions into the neighbouring Sassanian and Byzantine empires, which in the years following his death, would eventually result in the Muslim conquests of Persia and the Levant.
Apart from politics, Abu Bakr is credited for the compilation of the Quran, of which he had a personal caliphal codex.
Abu Bakr died of illness after a reign of 2 years, 2 months and 14 days, the only Rashidun caliph to die of natural causes.
Abu Bakr set in motion a historical trajectory that in a few decades would lead to one of the largest empires in history.
Abu Bakr's victory over the local rebel Arab forces is a significant part of Islamic history.
Muhammad later restated this title when he said that Abu Bakr is the "Ateeq".
Abu Bakr was called Al-Siddiq by Muhammad after he believed him in the event of Isra and Mi'raj when other people didn't, and Ali confirmed that title several times.
Abu Bakr was reportedly referred to in the Quran as the "second of the two in the cave" in reference to the event of hijra, where with Muhammad he hid in the cave in Jabal Thawr from the Meccan party that was sent after them.
Abu Bakr was born in Mecca sometime in 573 CE, to a rich family in the Banu Taym tribe of the Quraysh tribal confederacy.
Abu Bakr 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.
Abu Bakr used to attend the annual fair at Ukaz, and participate in poetical symposia.
Abu Bakr had a very good memory and had a good knowledge of the genealogy of the Arab tribes, their stories and their politics.
Abu Bakr's father went away to attend to some other business, and Abu Bakr was left alone.
Abu Bakr lifted a stone, and, addressing an idol, said, "Here I am aiming a stone; if you are a god protect yourself".
Abu Bakr hurled the stone at the idol and left the Kaaba.
Regardless, it recorded that prior to converting to Islam, Abu Bakr practiced as a hanif and never worshipped idols.
Abu Bakr said, 'No, more than fifty people embraced Islam before Abu Bakr; but he was superior to us as a Muslim.
Abu Bakr stated that the first woman to embrace Islam was Khadijah.
Ali ibn Abi Talib was the first child to embrace Islam, for he has not even reached the age of puberty at that time, while Abu Bakr was the first free man to embrace Islam.
Abu Bakr persuaded his intimate friends to convert, and presented Islam to other friends in such a way that many of them accepted the faith.
Abu Bakr's acceptance proved to be a milestone in Muhammad's mission.
Abu Bakr felt compassion for slaves, so he purchased eight and then freed them, paying 40,000 dinar for their freedom.
Abu Bakr, feeling distressed, set out for Yemen and then to Abyssinia from there.
Abu Bakr met a friend of his named Ad-Dughna outside Mecca, who invited Abu Bakr to seek his protection against the Quraysh.
Abu Bakr went back to Mecca, it was a relief for him, but soon due to the pressure of Quraysh, Ad-Dughna was forced to renounce his protection.
In 620 Abu Bakr was the first person to testify to Muhammad's Isra and Mi'raj.
Abd Allah ibn Abi Bakr, the son of Abu Bakr, would listen to the plans and discussions of the Quraysh, and at night he would carry the news to the fugitives in the cave.
Aamir, a servant of Abu Bakr, would bring a flock of goats to the mouth of the cave every night, where they were milked.
The Muslims, including Abu Bakr, constructed a mosque named Al-Masjid al-Nabawi at the site.
Abu Bakr was paired with Khaarijah bin Zaid Ansari as a brother in faith.
Abu Bakr contracted a fever for several days, during which time he was attended to by Khaarijah and his family.
In Mecca, Abu Bakr was a wholesale trader in cloth and he started the same business in Medina.
Abu Bakr opened his new store at Sunh, and from there cloth was supplied to the market at Medina.
In 624, Abu Bakr was involved in the first battle between the Muslims and the Quraysh of Mecca, known as the Battle of Badr, but did not fight, instead acting as one of the guards of Muhammad's tent.
In Sunni accounts, during one such attack, two discs from Abu Bakr's shield penetrated into Muhammad's cheeks.
Abu Bakr went forward with the intention of extracting these discs but Abu Ubaidah ibn al-Jarrah requested he leave the matter to him, losing his two incisors during the process.
Abu Bakr accepted the challenge but was stopped by Muhammad.
In 630, when the Muslims conquered Mecca, Abu Bakr was part of the army.
Abu Bakr was commissioned by Muhammad to lead the attack against Ta'if.
Abu Bakr advised that the siege might be raised and that God make arrangements for the fall of the fort.
At Mecca, Abu Bakr presided at the Hajj ceremony, and Ali read the proclamation on behalf of Muhammad.
Abu Bakr led a large company in Nejd on the order of Muhammad.
Abu Bakr instructed Abu Bakr to take his place, ignoring concerns from Aisha that her father was too emotionally delicate for the role.
Abu Bakr subsequently took up the position, and when Muhammad entered the prayer hall one morning during Fajr prayers, Abu Bakr attempted to step back to let him to take up his normal place and lead.
Abu Bakr was near-universally accepted as head of the Muslim community as a result of Saqifah, though he did face contention because of the rushed nature of the event.
Abu Bakr's reign lasted for 27 months, during which he crushed the rebellion of the Arab tribes throughout the Arabian Peninsula in the successful Ridda Wars.
Abu Bakr had little time to pay attention to the administration of state, though state affairs remained stable during his Caliphate.
Abu Bakr dispatched Khalid ibn Walid and a body of troops to subdue the uprisings in Najd as well as that of Musaylimah, who posed the most serious threat.
Abu Bakr made use of diplomatic means in addition to military measures.
Abu Bakr was instrumental in preserving the Quran in written form.
Abu Bakr developed a high fever and was confined to bed.
Abu Bakr's illness was prolonged, and when his condition worsened, he felt that his end was near.
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.
Abu Bakr thus dictated his last testament to Uthman ibn Affan as follows:.
Abu Bakr had a lean face, sunken eyes, a bulging forehead, and trembling knuckles.
Abu Bakr used to dye himself with henna and black dye.
Abu Bakr had the distinction of being the first Caliph in the history of Islam and the first Caliph to nominate a successor.
Abu Bakr 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.
Abu Bakr has the distinction of purchasing the land for Al-Masjid al-Nabawi.
Abu Bakr had always been the closest friend and confidant of Muhammad throughout his life, being beside Muhammad at every major event.
Abu Bakr refused to accept the testimony of her witnesses, so she claimed the land would still belong to her as inheritance from her deceased father.
However, Abu Bakr replied by saying that Muhammad had told him that the prophets of God do not leave as inheritance any worldly possessions and on this basis he refused to give her the lands of Fadak.
Twelvers accuse Abu Bakr of participating in the burning of the house of Ali and Fatima.
The Twelver Shia believe that Abu Bakr sent Khalid ibn Walid to crush those who were in favour of Ali's caliphate.
However, Sunnis argue that Ali and Abu Bakr were not enemies and that Ali named his sons Abi Bakr in honor of Abu Bakr.
Qasim ibn Muhammad ibn Abu Bakr's mother was from Ali's family and Qasim's daughter Farwah bint al-Qasim was married to Muhammad al-Baqir and was the mother of Jafar al-Sadiq.
Therefore, Qasim ibn Muhammad ibn Abu Bakr was the grandson of Abu Bakr and the grandfather of Jafar al-Sadiq.