I am not The Best of You (3/4)

Actually, Abu Bakr went along with them to the mosque, where the companions of The Messenger of Allah (Allah's blessing and peace be upon him) were called, to whom ‘Umar offered his suggestion of assigning an occupation charge to the caliph.

They did accordingly, and allocated for him just what might sustain him, i.e. а daily portion of а goat, and two hundred and fifty Dinars annually. But that rose afterwards to а daily full goat, and а yearly income of three hundred Dinars.

With this income, Abu Bakr lived along with his household, even after the gates of livelihood were opened for the Muslims, and the wealth of both Sham and Iraq started to come to Medina.

However, As-Siddiq did not stick to satisfaction (with the minimum necessities of life) out of abstinence, but his satisfaction was an essential part of his philosophy (of life). He sanctified only the lawful piece of bread and used to be careful of having any fragment of food, in which there was suspicion. He thought that what was lawful was not too much to extend for extravagance and dissipation.

If there was such extravagance, then, it should be known that there were also illegal ways of living. From this point of view, it was better for the successor of Muhammad to tighten two stones over his belly out of hunger as his tutor The Messenger of Allah (Allah's blessing and peace be upon him) used to do, than to let any piece of bread in which there was suspicion enter his abdomen.

The Imam AI-Bukhari narrated in his Sahih that Abu Bakr had а slave, who, one day, brought to him something to eat. When he finished it, the slave said to him: "Do you know what is that (from which you ate) О successor of The Messenger of Allah (Allah's blessing and peace be upon him)?” Abu Bakr asked him: "What is it?" he said: "One day, during the Pre-Islamic period of ignorance, I acted as soothsayer for somebody. Since I had no knowledge of Divination, I deceived him. Today, he met me and gave me (the price of Divination), and it is that, from which you ate."

Consequently, Abu Bakr placed his hand into his mouth until he vomited everything he had in his abdomen. The composer of As-Safwah "The Best Chosen Things" added in his book: Someone said to Аbu Bakr: "Allah's mercy be upon you! Do you do all that you’ve done only for а morsel of food?" He answered: "By Allah! Had it not come out but with my soul, surely I would have taken it out. I heard The Messenger of Allah Divination saying: "Every human body which grew up from an ill-gotten property, would be more entitled to enter the fire (of Hell." So, I am afraid that (а portion of) my body might grow up from this (unlawful) morsel.

He had а great insistence on having from the treasury only what should suffice him and his dependents just reasonably and fairly. He did not get from wealth and blessings of life, even when he was caliph, but what enabled him and his dependents to eat the rough food and wear the coarse clothes.

But, in spite of that, when he was at the threshold of death, he called his daughter A'ishah (Allah be pleased with her) unto him, and said to her: "Detect what has increased in the wealth of Abu Bakr since he was appointed as caliph, and return it to (the treasury of) Muslims." His pure soul was moving, ready to come up to its Creator, while he was uttering those words.

What was there to occupy Abu Bakr to such an extent (at this time of approaching death)? What property did he save during the time of his caliphate; he was afraid that he might meet Allah with? Behold! Immediately, after the death of Abu Bakr, and giving ‘Umar the pledge of allegiance (as caliph), A'ishah took the wealth of his father, in implementation of his will, to the Commander of the Believers. As soon as ‘Umar had seen (the property) and heard (his will from A'ishah), he burst into tears and said: "Allah's mercy be upon Abu Bakr! He made it (the matter of ruling) а difficult task for anyone coming after him." He meant by this that As-Siddiq, with his behavior and piety, had laid the foundation of а tradition, too hard for any caliph coming after him to attain. Why then did ‘Umar burst into tears when the wealth of Abu Bakr was spread before him?

In fact, it was something beyond reason! The heritage of this man, who paid all of his wealth in the cause of Islam, of this caliph, in whose time, the wealth of both Sham and Iraq started to come in abundance, i.e. this heritage left by Abu Bakr, who insisted on giving it back to the treasury consisted of only а camel, on which he used to draw water, а milking vessel, in which he used to milk (his animals), and а garment, which he used to wear for meeting the delegates.

This was the great dutiful man, who took as а slogan of both his life and ruling (the phrase): "I’m not the best of you." he did not utter this slogan out of humility, but with it, he expressed his own nature, and the highest principles of his behavior. That’s because he really saw himself no better than anyone, although Allah Almighty sent down а Qur'anic Verse concerning him, when He said: "If уе help not (your Leader), (it is no matter): for Allah did indeed help him, when the Unbelievers drove him out: he had no more than one companion: they two were in the Cave, and he said to his companion, have no fear, for Allah is with us: then Allah sent down his peace upon him, and strengthened him with forces which уе saw not, and humbled to the depths the word of the Unbelievers. But the word of Allah is exalted to the heights: for Allah is Exalted in might, Wise."

Before Islam, he was one of the prominent persons and the chiefs of Quraish. In Islam, he soon took his position from the first moment (he embraced it) beside The Messenger of Allah (Allah's blessing and peace be upon him), and no one preceded him (in this respect). When he embraced Islam, he was at the peak of his richness. But he saved even no Dirham for him and his dependents, because he spent his wealth entirely in the cause of Allah, setting free the (Muslim) slaves (in order to rescue them from the torment of their masters), feeding, for the love of Allah, the indigent, the orphan, and the captive.

No doubt, The Messenger of Allah (Allah's blessing and peace be upon him) cherished him so much that he ordered that all the gates of the mosque should be closed except for one gate, which was (open to the house of) Abu Bakr.

Moreover, although The Messenger of Allah (Allah's blessing and peace be upon him) could hardly feel angry for himself (if anyone caused harm to him), he used to become angry if any harm, no matter little it might be, was caused to Abu Bakr.

Furthermore, The Messenger of Allah (Allah's blessing and peace be upon him) pressingly made him his successor to lead the prayers. Following the death of The Messenger of Allah (Allah's blessing and peace be upon him), the Muslims gave him the pledge of allegiance as their caliph and imam. He faced the challenge of the affliction of apostasy, over which Allah granted him а great victory.

He also saw (during the time of his caliphate) the thrones of Rome and Persia falling down under the toes (of the hoofs of the horses) of his horsemen and the feet of his soldiers. He saw the ancient world as а whole starting to perish under his triumphant flittering flags.

In spite of all that, he never thought he was better than anyone. But, he used to place his right hand on his heart and repeat loudly the supplication of The Messenger of Allah (Allah's blessing and peace be upon him): "О (Allah) the Turner of hearts! Make my heart constantly firm on Your religion (of Islam).”

Although he had such а faith, which was too great to suffice all the inhabitants of the earth, he was afraid that his heart might go astray. So, he used to utter, while weeping: "Would that I have been а bitten tree!" whenever he was reminded of his position in Allah's sight, he would say: "By Allah! I would not rest assured and feel safe from Allah's punishment, even if one of my feet was in Paradise."

From this point of view, his phrase "I’m not the best of you" was truly expressive of his nature and religious understanding. From this point of view too, he strongly kept himself far from any aspect of vanity and loftiness.

Verily, As-Siddiq achieved this principle in such а way that made him run а unique matchless life. On the day he had а great wealth in his possession, he asked himself why he should be blessed with such а wealth, while the Muslims were suffering from а great poverty: "Am I better than them?" he answered himself: "No doubt, I’m not better than they. Then, let's live equally in such а bliss."

In this way, he spent all of his wealth in the Cause of Allah, to the extent that one day, The Messenger of Allah (Allah's blessing and peace be upon him) asked him: "What have you kept for your dependents, О Abu Bakr?" he answered: "No doubt, I have kept for them (what is better than money, I’ve left them under the care of) Allah and His Messenger."

(Continued)