Episode 2: Life of Abu Bakr
Acceptance of Islam:
When the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ received his first revelation, Abu Bakr was around 38 years old.
The first man to believe in the Prophet was Abu Bakr, and when the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ presented Islam to him, he immediately accepted Islam without any question or hesitation.
Abu Bakr told the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ: it makes sense that Allah would choose you, this mission suits you and you are the perfect person for this mission. You are a man of integrity and honour.
Abu Bakr then said to the Prophet: stretch out your hand and I will give my pledge of allegiance that I will follow you and support you.
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ later on said about this: I didn’t call anyone to Islam except that when I called a person to Islam, they would think about it and have some hesitation and they would not immediately accept, except for Abu Bakr. When I called him to Islam, he accepted immediately without any hesitation or without asking any questions.
Spreading Dawah:
Abu Bakr openly practised Islam and would call other people to the truth.
A number of people accepted Islam from Abu Bakr and some of these included: Uthman ibn Affan, Az-Zubayr ibn al Awwam, Abdur Rahman bin Awf, Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas and Talhah ibn Ubaydullah.
Abu Bakr set aside a portion of his home and designated it as a Masjid for himself to pray and read the Quran.
When he would pray and read the Quran, people would see and hear him. Because of this, Islam entered the hearts of a number of people.
Abu Bakr’s Courage to Defend the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ:
Abu Bakr was always ready to defend the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ physically and he would protect him and make himself a target for people to attack instead.
Ali ibn Abi Talib on Abu Bakr:
One day, Ali ibn Abi Talib asked the people: Who do you think is better, the believer from the family of Pharaoh or Abu Bakr?
The people did not know how to answer and Ali ibn Abi Talib told them: One day in the life of Abu Bakr is better than the believer from the family of Pharaoh.
Allah SWT mentioned the believer from the family of Pharaoh in the Quran (40:28).
This man was a believer but he kept his Iman hidden in himself and he did not publicise to the people that he was a believer. Despite doing this, Allah SWT still praised the relative of Pharaoh.
Abu Bakr’s Belief in Islam in Public:
Abu Bakr did not hide his Iman and publicised it, which led to him suffering physically.
Asma, the daughter of Abu Bakr once said: Once the Mushriqin (disbelievers of the Quraysh) were at the Kabah and they were talking about the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.
As they were criticising him, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ came and they asked him: Do you say such and such about our idols? The Prophet replied: Yes.
They grabbed the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and were ready to hurt him.
A man who saw this quickly ran and told Abu Bakr: Go and see what is happening to your friend and companion.
Abu Bakr then quickly ran to the Kabah and saw that the disbelievers of the Quraysh were ready to attack the Prophet.
Abu Bakr told them: May you be cursed! Will you kill a man just because he says Allah is his Lord?
The Quraysh Attack Abu Bakr:
The disbelievers of the Quraysh then attacked Abu Bakr, who took a severe beating.
Asma bint Abi Bakr said: That day, my father when he came home, he was so bloody that we couldn’t tell his front from his back.
This demonstrates the love and respect that Abu Bakr had for the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.
Freeing the Oppressed Muslims:
Zunairah was a European slave from the Romans and her owners would torture her including Abu Jahal and they tortured her to such an extent that she became blind.
When she was blind, the Quraysh said: Al-Lat and Al-Uzza (the idols) were angry with her for renouncing them, so they made her blind.
Zunairah said: Al-Lat and Al-Uzzah cannot harm anyone nor can they benefit anyone and they do not even know that you are worshipping them. My Lord has all power and he has the power to give me my eyesight back if Allah wills
The next day, Zunairah’s eyesight had returned and this was a sign for the Quraysh but they rejected this sign and thought it was the magic of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.
Abu Bakr witnessed this torture so he offered to buy Zunairah.
When the Quraysh saw that Zunairah was a free Muslim woman, they said among themselves: if this religion was good, then there is no way this woman (who was not even Arab) can get something good before us.