Abu Bakr's missionary efforts. Those who accepted Islam at the instance of Abu Bakr were: Othman bin Affan Zubair bin Awam Talhah bin Ubaidullah Abdur Rahman b 'Auf Sa'ad b Abi Waqas Umar b Masoan Abu Ubaidah b. Al-Jarrah Abdullah b. Abdul Asad Abu Salma Khalid b Saeed Abu Hudhaifah. All of them were men of status and high social standing and they proved to be great assets for Islam.

After conversion. Before conversion to Islam, Abu Bakr used to meet Muhammad (peace be on him) occasionally. After becoming a Muslim, Abu Bakr made it a point to spend most of his time every day in the company of the Holy Prophet. Conversion to Islam made a phenomenal change in the life of Abu Bakr. He was little more than thirty seven years at the time of conversion to Islam. He lived thereafter for twenty six years, and during all these years, Islam was for him the end all and be all of existence.

Significance of the conversion of Abu Bakr. According to Gibbon (Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire)-"the moderation, and the veracity of Abu Bakr confirmed thc new religion, and furnished an example for invitation. "Muir has observed (Life of Muhammad): "Abu Bakr's judgment was sound and impartial; his conversation agreeable and his demeanor affable and much sought after by the Quraish and he was popular throughout the city.... The faith of Abu Bakr was the greatest guarantee of the sincerity of Muhammad in the beginning of his career, and indeed, in a modified sense, throughout his life. To have such a person as a staunch adherent of his claim, was for Muhammad a most important step."