WHO WAS THE FIRST CALIPH OF ISLAM?

To know who was the first Caliph of Islam, we will first read the story of a genius child. Once upon a time, a child lives in Makkah with his idol worshiper family. One day his father took him to a temple (a house to worship idols). Father told his son to prostrate the idols because they are his gods. The child came in front of an idol and said, “I am hungry, give food to me. I need clothes, give me clothes and I am going to throw a stone on you, if you are the god, save yourself.” The child threw a stone at that idol and it just fell. Seeing this, his father got angry and slapped his child’s face.

He brought him to his mother and told her what happened in the temple. The child’s mother said to his father, “Leave him as he is because when he was born, I had heard an unknown greeting voice, telling him that he is ‘Ateeq’ (freed). In the heavens, he Siddique as he is the best companion of the last Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.” This super-intelligent child was the first Caliph of Islam, Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddique (رضی اللہ عنه). We will read about him and hence will be able to realize the truth that he was undoubtedly eligible to become the first caliph of Islam.

Who accepted Islam first?

The first Caliph of Islam was the one who was the first to accept Islam. Before the rise of Islam, Hazrat Abu Bakr(رَضِی اللہُ عَنه) went to Syria on a business trip. There he had a blissful dream which he shared with a monk named “Buhaira”. The monk asked, “Where are you from?” he replied, “From Makkah”. The monk asked about his tribe’s name and the reason for his arrival. Abu Bakr(رَضِی اللہُ عَنه) told him that he belongs to the tribe Quraish and came to Syria for business. Then the monk said, “If Allah Almighty makes your dream a reality, He will send a Prophet to your nation and you will be his minister during his life and his successor after his passing away.”

Hazrat Abu Bakr(رَضِی اللہُ عَنه) did not inform anyone about his dream and its interpretation. Later, when the noble Messenger Muhammad ﷺ declared his prophethood, the Prophet ﷺ by himself told Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddique(رَضِی اللہُ عَنه) about his dream and its interpretation told by Buhaira. Upon hearing this from Prophet ﷺ, Hazrat Abu Bakr(رَضِی اللہُ عَنه) embraced him and kissed his blessed forehead, and became the first man who endorsed his Prophethood and embraced Islam on his blessed hand.

Hazrat Abu Bakr(رَضِی اللہُ عَنه) states, “On that day, no one in the whole Makkah was more pleased with me on embracing Islam than the Holy Prophet ﷺ.”

(Al-Riyad-un-Nadarah, Vol, 1, pg.83)

Relation of Hazrat Abu Bakr(رَضِی اللہُ عَنه) with Prophet Muhammad ﷺ

He was the most beloved and closest companion of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ during his life. He kept himself always present with the Prophet ﷺ at various military conflicts, battles, and all types of hardships and pains. Hazrat Abu Bakr(رَضِی اللہُ عَنه) was also the only luckiest blessed companion who accompanied the beloved Messenger of Allah ﷺ at the time of his migration to Medina. He spent almost three days in the cave ‘Thaur’ with the Prophet, where they stayed to hide from the enemies behind them. The Holy Quran describes this as

Allah says,

“He was the second of the two souls when they were in the cave when he was saying to his friend (Abu Bakr) ‘Do not grieve; indeed Allah is with us.”

(Surah al-Taubah, Verse: 40) 

Hazrat Abu Bakr(رَضِی اللہُ عَنه) spent all his wealth for the sake of Islam and Muslims to please Allah and His Prophet ﷺ. One of his daughters Hazrat Aisha Siddiqa (رَضِی اللہُ عَنها) was married to the last Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and she was Prophet’s most beloved wife. About the excellence of Hazrat Abu Bakr(رَضِی اللہُ عَنه) and his sacrifices for Islam, Allah the Almighty says in the Noble Quran,

“And very soon he will be kept far away from it (Hell) the one who is the most pious. Who gives his wealth to become pure.”

(Surah al-Lail, Verse: 17-18) 

All the commentators of the Quran agreed that this verse is about the first caliph of Islam, Hazrat Abu Bakar Siddique(رَضِی اللہُ عَنه).

Why was Abu Bakr(رَضِی اللہُ عَنه) given the titles Siddique and Ateeq?

Ateeq

Ateeq means freed or saved. Once the beloved Prophet of Allah ﷺ said to Abu Bakr(رَضِی اللہُ عَنه), “O Abu Bakr! You have been freed from the hellfire by Allah.” 

(Sunan al-Tirmizi, Hadith: 3699)

Since then he got the title of Ateeq.

Siddique

Meaning of Siddique is a very truthful person or the one who verifies the truth. When the beloved Messenger of Allah informed the people of Makkah about the greatest blessing of Mairaj (the night of ascension) from Makkah to the skies, Hazrat Abu Bakr (رَضِی اللہُ عَنه) was the first who believed and verified it. That’s why the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ gave him the title of ‘Siddique’ and later on, he became famous with this title. 

Sayings of the Last Prophet Muhammad ﷺ in honor of Hazrat Abu Bakr(رَضِی اللہُ عَنه)

Here are some sayings of the Last and the greatest messenger of Allah, Prophet Muhammad ﷺ in honor of Hazrat Abu Bakar(رَضِی اللہُ عَنه), 

• “O’ Abu Bakar! The first person from my Ummah to enter Paradise will be you.”

(Abu-Dawood, Vol.4, Hadith: 4652)

• “The most compassionate one towards my Ummah is Abu Bakr.”

(Sunan al-Tirmizi, Hadith: 3815)

• “I was taken on a journey across the heavens. So, in each heaven that I passed, I found my name inscribed there and I also saw the name of Abu Bakr written after my name.”

(Majma-uz-Zawaid, Hadith: 14296)

May Allah the Almighty have mercy on him and forgive us for his sake, without accountability. Aameen.