The Beautiful Garden of the Merit of Abu Bakr al-Siddiq

Abu Bakr (b. 573–d. 634) was born in Mecca. He was three years younger than the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. He was the closest friend of the Messenger ﷺ, who like the Beloved of Allah ﷺ, never engaged in idol worship. Indeed, our nation owes an infinite debt to Abu Bakr, who, upon conversion, spent his wealth in the service of Islam. He became known for his charity, freeing of slaves, and his service of the religion and work for the Messenger ﷺ. He and his wife, Lady Zaynab, had six children: Our Mother ʿAisha, ʿAbdullah, Asma, ʿAbd al-Rahman, Umm Kulthum, and Muhammad.

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Abu Bakr and ʿUmar are to me just as sight and hearing are to the head.” The Messenger of Allah ﷺ also said: “Abu Bakr is the most compassionate of my nation.” And lastly, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Abu Bakr is the best person after me, except that he is not a Prophet.”

He passed away in the City of the Messenger ﷺ and is buried next to the Beloved of Allah ﷺ.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Imam Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti, also known as Ibn al-Suyuti, was a mujtahid imam and reformer of the tenth Islamic century. He was a prominent Hadith Master, jurist, Sufi, philologist, and historian, who authored works in virtually every Islamic science. A giant among contemporary scholars, he produced a sustained output of scholarly writings until his death at the age of sixty-two. He was buried in Hawsh Qawsun in Cairo.