Life Before Islam — The Merchant of Mecca
Abu Bakr ibn Abi Quhafa was born approximately 573 CE into the Banu Taym clan of the Quraysh — a clan of respected merchants. He was successful in trade, known for his honesty and gentleness, and had a wide network of relationships across the social strata of Mecca. He was two years younger than the Prophet (SAW) and had been his close friend even before prophethood.
When the Prophet (SAW) received the first revelation and began sharing it privately, Abu Bakr was among the very first — some narrations hold he was the first adult male to accept Islam (while ‘Ali was the first youth, and Khadijah the first woman). The Quran’s reference to “one of two” in the Cave of Thawr during the Hijra (9:40) is the Quranic mention of Abu Bakr by role.
The Title Al-Siddiq
The Prophet (SAW) gave Abu Bakr the title al-Siddiq after the Night Journey (Isra’ wa Mi’raj). When the Quraysh mocked the Prophet and challenged his claim to have traveled to Jerusalem and ascended to the heavens in a single night, Abu Bakr responded: “If he said it, then it is true. By Allah, he told me about it and I believed him.” The standard was simple: if the Prophet said it, he accepted it immediately without demand for proof — his faith in the Prophet’s truthfulness was absolute.
The Hijra — The Second of Two
“If you do not aid the Prophet — Allah has already aided him when those who disbelieved had driven him out [of Mecca] as one of two, when they were in the cave and he said to his companion, ‘Do not grieve; indeed Allah is with us.’” (9:40)
Abu Bakr was the sole companion on the three-day concealment in the Cave of Thawr on the journey from Mecca to Medina. He carried provisions, went out at night to gather intelligence, shielded the cave entrance with his foot to protect the Prophet from a snake, and wept from fear — not for himself but for the Prophet. When the Prophet told him not to grieve because “Allah is with us,” it was one of the most intimate moments of companionship in Islamic history.
Rank Among the Companions
The Sunni scholarly tradition ranks Abu Bakr as the greatest of the Companions. Evidences cited:
- The Prophet said: “If I were to take a khalil (intimate friend) from this ummah, I would take Abu Bakr.” (Bukhari)
- Abu Bakr consistently led the prayer when the Prophet was ill — understood as a designation of his leadership
- The Quran praises him implicitly in 9:40 and in references to those who spent in the way of Allah before the conquest of Mecca (57:10) — a category Abu Bakr perfectly fits
The Caliphate (632-634 CE) — Two Critical Years
The Ridda Wars
Immediately after the Prophet’s death, several tribal confederations announced they would no longer pay zakat — arguing their allegiance was personal to Muhammad (SAW), not to a larger Islamic state. Some tribes denied Islam entirely; others followed false prophets like Musaylima.
Abu Bakr’s response was firm: “By Allah, I will fight whoever separates prayer from zakat, for zakat is the right of wealth. By Allah, if they withhold from me a rope they used to give to the Messenger of Allah, I will fight them for withholding it.” (Bukhari) — He refused to negotiate on the obligations of Islam, and the Ridda wars were fought and won, preserving the unity of the Arabian Peninsula under Islam.
The Quran Compilation
After the Battle of Yamama (where a significant number of Quran huffaz — memorizers — were killed), ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab urged Abu Bakr to compile the Quran in written form. Abu Bakr was initially hesitant (“How shall I do something the Prophet did not do?”) but was convinced. He appointed Zayd ibn Thabit — a primary scribe of the Prophet — to lead the compilation. The result was a single codex preserved with Abu Bakr and then passed to ‘Umar and then Hafsa bint ‘Umar. See [[quran-compilation-history]].
The Ismaili Perspective
In Ismaili theology, the question of succession (khilafa) is central. The Ismaili position: the Prophet (SAW) designated ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib as his successor at Ghadir Khumm (“Whoever considers me his master, ‘Ali is their master” — hadith authenticated across multiple chains). Abu Bakr’s caliphate, in the Ismaili reading, displaced the designated wasi (legatee/successor) — ‘Ali — whose role was to guard the inner (batin) dimension of the prophetic message.
This does not translate to condemnation of Abu Bakr as a person — the Ismaili tradition maintains adab (respect) for all Companions. The theological point is about the structure of succession and spiritual authority, not personal character.
See also: Seerah Medina, Seerah Mecca, Ali Ibn Abi Talib, Quran Compilation History, Wasiyyat, Prophet Muhammad, Bohra History