Life of Muhammad — Page 188
sa 188 Ab u Bakr ra was among the audience. He had been listening to this last address of the Prophet sa , with fervour and anxiety the fervour of a great believer and the anxiety of a friend and follower who could see in this address the portents of the Prophet's sa death. On hearing the parable Ab u Bakr ra could contain himself no longer. He broke down. The other Companions, who had taken a surface view of what they had been listening to, were amazed when Ab u Bakr ra burst into tears. What could be the matter with Ab u Bakr ra ? they asked. The Prophet sa was relating the coming victories of Islam, yet he was weeping. ‘ Umar ra , particularly, felt annoyed at Ab u Bakr ra. The Prophet sa was giving glad news, yet this old man was crying. But only the Prophet sa understood what was happening. Only Ab u Bakr ra , he thought had understood him. Only he had perceived that the verses which promised victories also portended the Prophet's sa approaching death. The Prophet sa went on to say, "Ab u Bakr ra is very dear to me. If it were permissible to love anyone more than others, I would so have loved Ab u Bakr ra. But that degree of love is only for God. O my people, all the doors which open to the mosque should be closed from today except the door of Ab u Bakr ra. " There was no doubt that this last instruction implied a prophecy that after the Prophet sa Ab u Bakr ra would be the First Khalifah. To lead the Faithful in prayers he would have to come to the mosque five times a day and, for this, he would have to keep open the door of his house into the mosque. Years afterwards, when ‘ Umar ra was Khalifah, he asked some of those present the meaning of the verse, "When the help of God and victory come. " Evidently he remembered the circumstances in which the Prophet sa taught Muslims this and the verses which follow. He must have remembered also that then only Ab u Bakr ra understood the meaning of these verses. ‘ Umar ra was trying to test Muslims for their knowledge of these verses. They had failed to understand them at the time of their revelation: did they know the meaning