Chief of the Prophets — Page 47
Chapter Four 47 The event of Abū Bakr’s acceptance of Islam is remarkable. Historians write that when Muḥammad sa made the claim of prophethood, the news spread that, God forbid, he had gone insane. Abū Bakr ra was outside Makkah at that time. On his return, he stopped at a friend’s house. Abū Bakr’s friend’s slave approached him and said, “Did you hear what unfortunate thing has happened to your friend? He has gone insane; he says that angels descend on him from heavens and converse with him. ” Abū Bakr ra quietly got up and went straight to the house of Muḥammad sa and knocked on the door. Muḥammad sa came out and wanted to explain his claim, but Abū Bakr ra interrupted and said, “I only wanted to ask you if you made the claim to be a prophet?” Muḥammad sa wanted to explain with some arguments, but Abū Bakr ra stopped him and said, “I do not want to see any proof; only answer me—did you make such a claim?” Muḥammad sa again tried to explain but Abū Bakr ra repeated the same question for the third time. Finally, Muḥammad sa said, “Yes, Abū Bakr, I made this claim. I really did say that. ” Abū Bakr ra immediately accepted Islam and said, “O Prophet of Allah, I do not want to believe after hearing arguments. I have observed your life; I do not need any argument. ” Muḥammad sa later said that whosoever he invited towards Islam had some imperfection, but Abū Bakr ra believed him right away. The acceptance of faith by Abū Bakr ra before all others and without any argument is a clear proof of the Prophet’s truth and righteousness. The famous European orientalist Aloys Sprenger writes: The faith of Abū Bekr is the greatest guarantee of the sincerity of Moḥammad in the beginning of his career’–and, indeed, in a modified sense, throughout his life. Sir William Muir also fully concurred with Sprenger’s opinion. 1 1 The Life of Moḥammad: From the Original Sources by Sir William Muir and T. H. Weir, p. 58, Published at Edinburgh by J. Grant, 1912.