Abu Bakr
Abu Bakr As Siddiq (Arabic ابو بكر الصديق, alternative spellings,
Abubakar,
Abi Bakr,
Abu Bakar) (c. 573 –
August 23, 634) ruled as the first of the Muslim
caliphs (632 – 634).
Originally called
Abd-el-Ka'ba ("servant of the house of God"), he received the name
Abu Bakr (from the Arabic word
bakr, meaning a young camel) due to his interest in raising camels.
Abu Bakr was born at
Mecca, a
Quraishi of the Banu Taim clan. He gained great wealth from his own commercial activities, and became highly esteemed as a judge, and as an interpreter of dreams and as a depositary of the traditions of his race. His early accession to
Islam as one of the nascent faith's early adult male converts (the first was
Ali ibn Abi Talib) was of great importance. On his conversion he assumed the name of
Abd-Allah (servant of God).
Acording to sunnis, his own thorough belief in
Muhammad and in his doctrines earned him the title
El Siddiq ("the truthful"), and he had correspondingly great success in gaining converts, and that Abu Bakr in his personal relationship to the prophet showed the deepest veneration and most unswerving devotion.
Shias have a much dimmer view if Abu Bakr and do not agree with the claim that he earned the that title, rather, it was given to him later in history.
When Muhammad fled from Mecca in the
hijra of 622, Abu Bakr alone accompanied him. Ali remained and risked his life by sleeping in the Prophet's bed. Abu Bakr shared both the Prophets hardships and his triumphs, remaining constantly with him until the day prior to his death.
Ties between Abu Bakr and Muhammad were further strengthened by the marriage of Abu Bakr's daughter
Aisha to Muhammad soon after the migration to Medina.
According to the Sunni version of events, during his last illness the prophet designated Abu Bakr to lead prayers in Muhammad's absence: many took this gesture as an indication that Abu Bakr would succeed Muhammad. Thus, upon the death of Muhammad (8 June 632), Abu Bakr became the first
caliph, by the acclamation of the people present at the meeting of
Saqifah.
The Shia dispute this account, saying that Muhammad had appointed his son-in-law
'Ali to lead the prayer. And also point out to the event of Ghadire Khumm where Ali was apointed as
Mawla of all beliving men and women.
Abu Bakr and Umar intrigued to take the caliphate away from Ali. This controversy still divides the followers of the prophet into the rival factions of Sunni and Shia.
Both Abu Bakr and Umar ibn al-Khattba was sent away with Usamas dispatchment before the Prophets death and where intructed to not deviate from the dispatchment, i.e. not return before their mission was accomplished. They returned short after the dispatchment led by Usamas had left Mecca.
Abu Bakr had scarcely assumed his new position (632), under the title
Khalifet-Rasul-Allah ("successor of the prophet of God"), when he came into conflict with Muhammads daughter, Fatimah regarding The land of Fadak and Fatimahs inheritance.
Also Ali opposed Abu Bakrs Califat.
Not much later hade Abu Bakr to suppress the revolt of some tribes in
Hejaz and Nejd, of which the former rejected Islam and the latter refused to pay tribute, according to Shias because they anticipated Ali to collect the taxes. He encountered formidable opposition from different quarters, but in every case he proved successful. The severest struggle was the war with Ibn Habib al-Hanefi, who claimed to be a prophet and Muhammad's true successor. Al-Hanefi was mockingly called Musailima by the Muslims who followed Abu Bakr.
Khalid bin Walid finally defeated al-Hanefi at the Battle of Akraba.
various people, one of them being Umar ibn al-Khattab pointed critique towards Abu Bakr regarding Khalid bin Walid's behavior from. However, Abu Bakr defended Khalid.
After suppressing the internal disorders and completely subduing Arabia, in accordance to the prophets wishes, he directed his generals to foreign conquest. Khalid bin Walid conquered
Iraq and
Persia in a single campaign, and a successful expedition into
Syria also took place.
Some traditions about the origin of the Qur'an say that Abu Bakr was instrumental in preserving Muhammad's revelations in written form. It is said that after the hard-won victory over al-Hanefi,
Umar ibn al-Khattab (the later Caliph Umar), saw that many of the Muslims who had memorized the Qur'an from the lips of the prophet had died in battle. Umar asked Abu Bakr to oversee the collection of the revelations. The record, when completed, was deposited with
Hafsa bint Umar, daughter of Umar, and one of the wives of Muhammad. Later it became the basis of
Uthman ibn Affans definitive text of the Quran. Other historians simply say that Uthman collected the Qur'an.
Abu Bakr died on
August 23, 634 in
Medina. Shortly before his death (which one tradition ascribes to poison, another to natural causes) he indicated that Umar was to be his successor.
Abu Bakr lies buried in the
Masjid al Nabawi mosque in Medina, alongside Muhammad and Umar ibn al-Khattab.
See:
Muhammad the founder.
-----
This article incorporates text from the public domain 1911 Encyclopędia Britannica.Category:1911 Britannica
-----
Category:Caliphs
Category:573 births
Category:634 deaths
ar:ابو بكر الصديق
de:Abu Bakr
fa:ابوبکر
fr:Abou Bakr
he:אבו באכר
nl:Aboe Bakr
pl:Abu Bakr
sv:Abu Bakr