2. Abu Bakr as-Siddiq

Abu Bakr as-Siddiq (may God be pleased with him) is the second Saint in the Golden Chain of Naqshbandi Shaykhs.

Abu Bakr has the distinction of being mentioned in the Holy Quran in many verses including, “When the unbelievers drove him out, he had no more than one companion. The two were in the cave, and he said to his companion, ‘Fear not, for God is with us.” (9:40), referring to when Abu Bakr accompanied the Prophet in his flight from Mecca to Medina.

Some of the praise that Abu Bakr received from the Prophet (peace & blessings be upon him), are recorded in many well known Traditions, including:-

“Never has the sun risen or set on a person, other than a Prophet, greater than Abu Bakr.”

“If I were to take an intimate friend other than my Lord, I would have chosen Abu Bakr.”

“Never was anything revealed to me that I did not pour into the heart of Abu Bakr.”

His title, ‘As-Siddiq’, means the ‘Truthful One’. When Ali (may God be pleased with him) was asked about Abu Bakr, he replied, “He is a person whom God called as-Siddiq from the tongue of the Prophet, and he is a Caliph of the Prophet.”

Abu Bakr was the best friend of the Prophet and the first man to accept Islam. He supported the Prophet throughout his life, bringing the Prophet to say, “There is no one to whom I am obligated and have not repaid my debt, except to Abu Bakr for who I owe much, for which God will compensate him on the Day of Judgement.”

Abu Bakr was appointed as the first Caliph following the death of the Prophet. During this time, he instituted the public treasury to take care of the poor and was the first person to compile the entire Quran. Some of Abu Bakr’s sayings are:-

“If you expect the blessings of God, be kind to His people.”

“It is a matter of shame that in the morning the birds should be awake earlier than you.”

“There is greatness in the fear of God, contentment in faith of God and honour in humility.”

When the Prophet was near to his death, he ordered all the doors of the neighbouring houses which opened into the mosque of the Prophet to be closed, except for one door, Abu Bakr’s. And that door is still open till this day. From this tradition, it is known that anyone who approaches God through the teachings and example of Abu Bakr, will find himself passing through a door to the Presence of the Prophet. Abu Bakr passed away in 634 A.D. and is buried beside the Prophet in Medina.

May God be pleased with him.

 

Source:- “The Naqshbandi Way – History and Guidebook of the Saints of the Golden Chain”, by Mawlana Shaykh Hisham.