Part 7

Ibn Katheer maintains: As-Sideeq, may Allah be pleased with him, knew best of all of the Prophet 's Companions about the Quran, because the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, ordered him to lead the other Companions in prayer, and he is reported to have said, "Let the one who recites the Quran best lead the people in Salaah.

*Aa'ishah, may Allah be pleased wit her, reports that the

Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "It is not fitting for people among whom is Abu Bakr to be led by anyone other than him. " (Reported by Al-Tirmidhi.)

Abu Al-Qaasim Al-Baghawi quotes Maymoon Ibn Mahraan to have said: "When Abu Bakr was asked to judge in a certain case, he would resort to the Glorious Quran: if he did not find guidance, he would resort to the Sunnah of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. If he again failed to find a solution, he would go out and ask the Muslims, "I am supposed to judge in so and so, does anyone of you remember the Prophet to have said anything concerning this case?" It used to happen that a group of people would come to him, all of whom remembered a judgment of the Prophet, in which case Abu Bakr would say, ‘All praise and thanks are due to Allah, Who has made among us people who memorize the Sayings of the Prophet. If there was one who could recall a judgment of the Prophet in a case in hand, Abu Bakr would gather the people and consult them as regards the case, and if they reached a consensus he would act accordingly. “Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, used to do the same. If he failed to find guidance in the Quran or Sunnah, he would ask if Abu Bakr had passed a judgment concerning the case in question, in which case he would resort to the judgment of Abu Bakr. But if he failed to find a judgment passed by Abu Bakr, he would gather the Muslims with a view to reaching unanimity on a certain judgment.

Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, was known as the foremost genealogist of Quraysh and the best of them at interpreting dreams. He used to interpret dreams during the lifetime of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. According to Muhammad Ibn Sireen, he was the best at interpreting dreams, after the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him.

Abu Bakr, Ibn Katheer states, was the most eloquent speaker. Az-Zubayr Ibn Bakkaar is quoted to have said, “I heard some scholars say that the most eloquent speakers among the Prophet's Companions are Abu Bakr As-Sideeq and * Ali Ibn Abi Taalib, may Allah be pleased with them both. * Umar Ibn Al-Khattaab is reported to have said about Abu Bakr, "He is the most knowledgeable and most conscious of Allah,"

“Amr [bn Al-~Aas, may Allah be pleased with him, quotes the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, to have said, "Gabriel has come to me and said, ‘Allah orders you to consult Abu Bakr.' " (Reported by Ibn * Asaakir.)

Mu’aadh Ibn Jabal, may Allah be pleased with him narrates: When the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, wanted to send me to Yemen, he consulted some of his Companions, among whom were Abu Bakr, * Umar, ~ Uthmaan, “Ali, Talhah, Az-Zubayr, Usayd Ibn Hudayr. Every one of them stated his own opinion. Then the Prophet asked me, "What do you see, O Mu*aadh?" I replied, "I go with what Abu Bakr has said." To this the Prophet said, “Allah hates in His Heaven that the view of Abu Bakr be considered wrong." (Reported by At-Tabaraani, Abu Nu‘ aym and others.)

Abu Bakr's Steadfastness upon the Death of the Prophet:

As the Prophet's mission was completed, the time came for him to depart to his heavenly abode. He began to suffer from illness and his health deteriorated at an alarming speed.

On Monday 29th of Safar, 11 AH, the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, went to Al-Baqee*, prayed for the dead, and then returned to the house of his wife Maymoonah,

may Allah be pleased with her. The fever grew violent and the pain increased considerably. But, withstanding all this suffering in remarkable calmness and serenity, the Prophet led the prayer in the mosque. But he became too week and his illness worsened. He said to his wives: "Pour over me seven skins of water from different wells so that | may go out to the men and exhort them." They had him sit down ina tub belonging to Hafsah and poured water over him until he cried, "Enough, enough!" Then they helped him get dressed, bound his head, and ~Ali and *Abbaas supported him to the mosque. where he sat on the pulpit and addressed the people. He said: “There is a slave whom Almighty Allah gave the choice between this world and that which is with Him, and the slave has chosen that which is with Allah." It was only Abu Bakr As-Sideeq, may Allah be pleased with him, who perceived what the Prophet meant by the choice of words. He began to cry as he knew that the Prophet was referring to himself and that the choice meant imminent death. The Prophet realized that his intimate friend, Abu Bakr, had understood him, and asked him not to cry. He said: "The most bountiful of men to me in his companionship and his sacrifice of his wealth is Abu Bakr. If I were to choose a bosom friend, I would choose Abu Bakr — but companionship and brotherhood in faith will remain between us until Allah unites us in His presence."

Al-Bukhari narrates that on the early days of Safar, 11 AH. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, went to the graves of the martyrs of Uhud and prayed for them. Then he stood on the pulpit and addressed his people: "1 am to precede you and 1 am your witness. Your trust with me is at the Fount4,

which verity I behold from her where now I stand. | have been

This is the Fount (of abundance) which Allah mentions in Surat, "“Al-Kawthar".

On the Day of Judgment, righteous Muslims will be allowed to drink from this Fount, aller which they will not grow thirsty ever again,

given the keys of worldly treasures. By Allah, I do not fear for you that you will associate partners with Allah after I pass away, but I do fear for you from this world, lest you should strike one another's necks for the acquisition of worldly gains.”

It is also narrated that when the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, went to Al-Baqee* cemetery, he prayed for forgiveness for the martyrs, saying, "Peace be on you, people of the graves! Happy are you as you are so much better than men who are alive. Dissension has come like waves of the darkest nights one after the other, each worse than the previous one."

*Aa'ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, narrates: When the Prophet , peace and blessings be upon him, grew seriously ill, he ordered the people to tell Abu Bakr to lead them in Salaah. But ~ Aa'ishah feared that it would greatly pain her father to take the place of the Prophet. So she said, "Messenger of Allah, Abu Bakr is a very sensitive man, not strong of voice and much given to weeping when he recites the Quran." To this, the Prophet answered, "You are even like the women that were with Joseph. Tell Abu Bakr to lead the people in Salaah."

The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, lay much of the time with his head resting on * Aa'ishah's chest or lap. While bedridden and suffering severe pain, he called his daughter, Faatimah, and told her to sit beside him. Then he spoke to her in secret; she wept bitterly. When he found her overcome with grief, he whispered another secret to her, and this time she laughed. * Aa'ishah asked her about the secret that made her cry, but Faatimah refused to tell her, saying: "I am not going to disclose the secret of Allah's Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him.” When the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, passed away, ~ Aa'ishah said to her:

"I adjure you by the right that ] have upon you that you should narrate to me what the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said to you.” She said: "Well, now I can tell you. The first time, the Prophet , peace and blessings be upon him, told me that he would not recover from his fatal illness and therefore I wept. The second time he told me that I would be the first of his family to join him (in Paradise), and that made me laugh."

Anas Ibn Malik, may Allah be pleased with him, also narrates: When the ailment of the Prophet aggravated, he became unconscious and then Faatimah said, "Oh, How distressed my father is!" Whereupon the Prophet said, "Your father will have no more distress after today.”

The malady of the Prophet took a turn for the worse. His fever rose so high that his body could hardly be touched from the burning heat. His body was aching with pain, but he was too busy calling people to righteousness. Turning to his wives, who sat close by, he said: "O Faatimah, my daughter and you, Safiyyah, my aunt! Strive to do that which shall please Allah, for verily, I have no power with Him to save you in any

On the 11" of Rabee’ Al-Awwal, the fever and pain had somewhat abated and he recovered slightly, regaining a little strength. The Prophet, hearing the call to prayer, decided to go to the mosque. The prayer had already begun when he entered and Muslims were almost distracted from the joy at seeing the Prophet, peace and_ blessings be upon him. But Allah's Messenger motioned them to continue. Abu Bakr had been conscious of the stir behind him, and he realized that the Prophet must have entered the mosque. Without turning his head, Abu Bakr stepped back, but the Prophet placed his hand on his shoulder and pushed him forward gently as a sign that he should continue leading Muslims in Salaah. When he finished,

the Prophet sat on the pulpit and addressed his devoted Companions: "By Allah, I have not made anything lawful except that which Allah has declared lawful, nor have I declared anything unlawful except that which Allah has deemed unlawful,"

The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, seemed exhausted, so he returned to * Aa'ishah's house accompanied by two of his Companions. As the day advanced, his health failed rapidly. ~ Aa'ishah, seeing he was too frail, raised his head from the pillow and placed it on her lap. She kept moistening his forehead with a damp cloth. The fever was very high. But the noble Prophet remained calm and never complained. He had resigned to the will of Allah and repeated the following words over and over again: "In the company of those on whom is the Grace of Allah."