Prophet's (sas) Witness for Abu Bakr

In addition to telling us that Abu Bakr was the closest person in this world to himself, the Prophet (sas) bore witness to many of the virtues of Abu Bakr and informed us and him that he is among the people of Paradise.  How then can those who condemn this great Companion and accuse him of "stealing" the Caliphate etc., etc. ever face Allah with their lies?

From Sahih Al-Bukhari:  Anas ibn Malik narrates: The Prophet (sas) was on Mound Uhud with Abu Bakr, Umar and Uthman when the mountain trembled.  He (sas) said: "Stay still, Uhud for upon you are a Prophet, a siddique and two martyrs."  As-Siddique, which was a title given to Abu Bakr bys the Prophet (sas) means the greatest in  belief or the quickest to believe.

Abu Bakr was always there for the Prophet (sas) and was the quickest to come to his defense and to affirm and believe everything which came from the Prophet (sas).  Also from Sahih Al-Bukhari: Urwa ibn Az-Zubair said: I asked Amr ibn Al-Aas:   What was the most severe thing the mushrikeeni ever did to Allah's Messenger?  He answered:  Once, when the Prophet (sas) was praying in the court of the Kaaba, Uqba ibn Abi Mu'eet came put a piece of cloth around his neck and began choking him severely.  Abu Bakr came along grabbed his shoulders and pushed him away from the Prophet (sas) saying: {Do you kill a man just for saying my Lord is Allah?}.

Abu Ya'la narrates (with an authenticity of hassan) that Anas ibn Malik said:  They beat the Prophet (sas) one day until he lost consciousness.   Abu Bakr stood and began calling out:  Woe to you!  {Do you kill a man just for saying my Lord is Allah?}.  The people asked one another: Who is this?  And they said:  That is Ibn Abi Quhaafa the madman.

From Sahih Al-Bukhari: Abu Huraira narrates that the Prophet (sas) said: "...Whoever is among the people of prayer will be called (to paradise) from the door of prayer.   Whoever is among the people of jihad will be called from the door of jihad.  Whoever is among the people of sadaqa will be called from the door of sadaqa.  Whoever is among the people of fasting is called from the door of fasting and the door of Ar-Rayaan." Abu Bakr said "...Is anyone called from all of those doors, O Messenger of Allah?"  He (sas) said:   "Yes, and I hope that you will be among them, Abu Bakr."

From Sahih Muslim: Abu Huraira narrates that the Prophet (sas) said:   "Who began this day fasting?"  Abu Bakr said: "I did."  The Prophet (sas) said:  "Who participated in a funeral procession today?" Abu Bakr said: "I did."  The Prophet (sas) said:  "Who fed a needy person today?" Abu Bakr said: "I did."   The Prophet (sas) said:  "Who visited a sick person today?" Abu Bakr said: "I did."  Then, the Prophet (sas) said:  "These things cannot all meed in a single person but that they will enter Paradise."

In a lengthy hadith in Sahih Al-Bukhari, Abu Musa Al-Ash'ariy describes how he set out to accompany Allah's Messenger (sas) one day wherever he went.  He followed him to a well called Bi'r Arees which had a structure and a palm-leaf door.  He found the Prophet (sas) sitting on the middle of the edge of the well with his clothing up to his knees and dangling his legs in the well.  He said to himself that he will be the doorman for Allah's Messenger (sas).  After a while, Abu Bakr came.  He told him to wait and asked the Prophet (sas) permission.  The Prophet (sas) said:  "Permit him to enter and give him good tidings of Paradise." Abu Bakr came in and sat on the right of the Prophet (sas) and dangled his legs inside as the Prophet (sas) was doing.  Next, Umar came.  Abu Musa likewise asked him to wait at the door and took permission from the Prophet (sas), who said:  "Permit him to enter and give him good tidings of Paradise." He entered, sat on the left of the Prophet (sas) and dangled his legs in the well like the other two.  After that, Uthman came and Abu Musa likewise stopped him and asked the Prophet's permission.  The Prophet (sas) said:  "Permit him to enter and give him good tidings of Paradise along with some trials which will afflict him." Uthman entered, but found the edge of the well filled and so he sat on the other side of the well.

The Prophet (sas) informed us that Abu Bakr was not a person of pride.   From Sahih Al-Bukhari Ibn Umar narrates that the Prophet (sas) said: "Whoever drags his clothing on the ground in pride will not be looked at by Allah on Qiyama."   Abu Bakr said:  One side of my garment always drags on the ground unless I constantly tend to it.  The Prophet (sas) said to him:  "You do not do that out of pride."

Abu Bakr was one of those mentioned in the Qur'an who "responded to Allah and His Messenger after being injured".  From Sahih Al-Bukhari: Aisha reports regarding Allah's statement {Those who responded to Allah and His Messenger after they had been afflicted with injury - to those who did good and feared Allah among them is a great reward.} Aal Imraan: 172  She said:   "...Az-Zubair and Abu Bakr - after the Prophet (sas) was injured at Uhud and the mushrikeen backed off, but it was feared they would return - the Prophet (sas) said: "Who will go after them?"  Sevent men responded to that and among them were Abu Bakr and Az-Zubair."

The great angels of Allah participate in fighting with Abu Bakr and Ali.   From Ahmad (with an authenticity of sahih):  The Prophet (sas) said to Abu Bakr and Ali:  "With one of you is Jibreel and with the other is Mikail and Israfil and another great angel who participates in battle."

When the Prophet (sas) was in his final sickness and could not attend the prayer he said: "Order Abu Bakr to lead the prayer."  Aisha said:   I said to Hafsa:  Go and say to him that when Abu Bakr leads the prayer people cannot hear his recitation because of his weeping so ask Umar to lead the prayer.   When Hafsa said this to the Prophet (sas), he said: "Be quiet.   You are surely the women of Yusuf.  Order Abu Bakr to lead the prayer."   Hafsa went back to Aisha and said:  I never got any good from you! 

And so Abu Bakr lead the prayer during the life of the Prophet (sas).

Once, when the Prophet (sas) was very ill, he (sas) said:  "Get another to lead the prayer."  The people found Umar ibn Khattab and Abu Bakr was not yet there and they told him to lead the prayer.  When the Prophet (sas) heard Umar's voice leading the prayer, he said: "And where is Abu Bakr?   Allah and the Muslims reject this.  Allah and the Muslims reject this.   The Prophet (sas) then sent for Abu Bakr and he led the people in prayer after Umar had already led them in that same prayer.  This is from Abu Daud with an authenticity of "hassan".

Ibn Abbas said (with a sahih chain of narration): "For me to step forward and have my head cut off is dearer to me than for me to be in the front of a group which contains Abu Bakr."

The Prophet (sas) made no "official" appointment of a successor, but left plenty of signs that Abu Bakr was to succeed him as his Khalifa.  From Sahih Bukhari:   A woman came to the Prophet (sas) and he ordered her to come back later.  Whe said:  What if I come don't find you? (indicating his death).  He (sas) said:   "If you don't find me, then go to Abu Bakr."

Also from Sahih Al-Bukhari:  Aisha reports that the Prophet (sas) said to her:   "...I want to send for Abu Bakr and his son and make an official appointment lest any speaker speak or any desirous one desire." Aisha said to the Prophet (sas):  Allah refuses and the believers will repel it.  Or, she said:  Allah refuses and the believers refuse it.