Khalifa Abu Bakr - Anecdotes of Abu Bakr 2

Holding the tongue. Once in anger, Abu Bakr said something which he later regretted. He held his tongue and said, "This it is which has brought me to that to which I have come".

More poisonous than poison. Abu Bakr was critical of women's passion for gold and perfume. He said, "The most deadly of things, more poisonous than poison, are the two that are red, gold and saffron."

Unfulfilled hopes. When Abdullah a son of Abu Bakr was on deathbed, he kept looking towards the cushion. When he was dead, the persons who were attending him said to Abu Bakr that at the time of death, his son had been looking towards the cushion. When the cushion was moved, some dinars were found thereunder. Seeing them, Abu Bakr wrung his hands and said, "Verily we belong to God, and to Him is our return". Thereafter he recited the verse: "You shall not cease to announce the death of a friend until you are as he is; And verily, the youth cherishes a hope and dies without attaining it."

His reputation and decorum. Once Abu Bakr was asked whether he ever drank wine during the days of Ignorance. He replied, "God forbid, I never touched wine even in the days of Ignorance". He was asked "why"' and he said, "I sought to preserve my reputation and retain my decorum, and verily he who drinks wine destroys his reputation and his decorum".

Joy which is not fleeting. Once the poet Labid had a sitting with Abu Bakr when he recited the verse "Is not everything but God unprofitable?" Abu Bakr said, "You have spoken truly". Then Labid recited, "And every joy is surely fleeting". Abu Bakr said, "This is not correct. There is with God a joy which is not fleeting."

Freedom from accountability. Abu Bakr used to say that accountability was a great challenge for man. Once he entered a garden where he saw a ringdove sitting on a tree. Seeing the bird, Abu Bakr heaved a deep sigh, and said: "Happy you are O bird, that eats of the trees and seeks shelter beneath them, and are not called to account. Would that I were like you?"

His father's seat. Once Abu Bakr was addressing the congregation in the mosque from the pulpit. Imam Hasan, the son of Ali came to the pulpit and addressing Abu Bakr said, "Come down from the seat of my father." Abu Bakr said, "You speak the truth; this is your father's seat". He put up the child on his lap and wept. Ali intervened to say, " This was not said at my instance". Abu Bakr said, "I know that".

His love for the Holy Prophet. Once, addressing the Holy Prophet, Abu Bakr said, "O Apostle of God, if you were to ask me to kill myself, I will do that." The Holy Prophet said, "Yes, I know that. I feel proud of you."

Distribution of the spoils of war. Whenever the spoils of war came, Abu Bakr would distribute them equally among all the people. Some of the companions suggested that he should recognize precedence in faith as a ground for preference in distribution of spoils. Abu Bakr said, "The recognition of precedence in faith is for the Lord. It is for Him to reward the piety of such persons who have excelled in faith. These gifts which I distribute are but an accident of the present life."

Honor comes from Allah. In the second year of his caliphate, Abu Bakr went to Makkah to perform the pilgrimage and stayed there with his father Abu Qahafa. On that occasion, the notables of the city came to wait on him. Referring to these notables, Abu Qahafa said, "They are the notables of our city. Make much of them, and honor them." Abu Bakr said, "I will certainly make much of them, but as for honor there is none save that which comes from Allah."

Precedence for Islam. In the Battle of Badr, Abdul Rahman a son of Abu Bakr who was yet a non-Muslim fought against the Muslims. Later Abdul Rahman became a Muslim. He told his father that at the battle there were occasions when he could strike at him, but then out of love for him he turned aside. Abu Bakr said, "If I had such an occasion, you being an infidel, I would not have spared you".

He asked his son to divorce his wife. Abdullah another son of Abu Bakr was so much lost in the love of his wife Atika that he did not participate in the battles against the non-Muslims. He even neglected his prayers. Thereupon Abu Bakr asked him to divorce his wife.