Abu Bakr (radhiyallahu anhu) was the most honoured and respected companion of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ in the history of Islam. He was known not only for his strong faith, but also for his extraordinary generosity. One of the most inspiring stories from his life is when he gave away all his wealth in the cause of Allah ﷻ. This story shows his complete commitment and trust in Allah ﷻand His Messenger.
Background of Abu Bakr (radhiyallahu anhu)
Abu Bakr (radhiyallahu anhu), whose real name was Abdullah bin Abu Quhafah, was the first adult male to embrace Islam. He was a successful and wealthy merchant before embracing Islam. His decision to embrace Islam brought a great change in his life. Abu Bakr (radhiyallahu anhu) was always by the side of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), supporting the preaching and struggle of Islam with everything he had.
Unrivalled Generosity
One of the most memorable events in the life of Abu Bakr (radhiyallahu anhu) was when he donated all his wealth to support the cause of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. One day, the Prophet asked his companions to donate their wealth for the benefit of the struggling Muslims. Abu Bakr radhiyallahu anhu, without any hesitation, brought all his wealth to the Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wa Sallam.
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Umar bin Khattab radhiyallahu anhu said:
أمرنا رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم أن نتصدق ، فوافق ذلك مالاً فقلت : اليوم أسبق أبا بكر إن سبقته يوما . قال : فجئت بنصف مالي ، فقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : ما أبقيت لأهلك ؟ قلت : مثله ، وأتى أبو بكر بكل ما عنده فقال : يا أبا بكر ما أبقيت لأهلك ؟ فقال : أبقيت لهم الله ورسوله ! قال عمر قلت : والله لا أسبقه إلى شيء أبدا
“The Messenger of Allah (shallallahu alaihi wa sallam) ordered us to give charity, so we did. Umar said: ‘May I be able to defeat Abu Bakr today’. I brought half of all my wealth. Until the Messenger of Allah (shallallahu alaihi wa sallam) asked: ‘O Umar, what have you left for your family?’. I replied: ‘The equivalent of this’. Then Abu Bakr came with all his wealth. The Messenger of Allah (shallallahu alaihi wa sallam) then asked: ‘O Abu Bakr, what have you left for your family?’. Abu Bakr replied: ‘I leave for them, Allah and His Messenger’. Umar said: ‘By Allah, I will not be able to defeat Abu Bakr forever'” (HR Tirmidhi).
An Eternal Example of Generosity
This story is not only about the courage to give away all one’s wealth, but also about complete faith and trust in Allah ﷻ. Abu Bakr (radhiyallahu anhu) showed that the wealth of this world is only a trust that should be used for goodness and struggle in the way of Allah ﷻ. His generosity set an example for all Muslims on how a believer should behave towards the world’s wealth.
Abu Bakr’s actions had a huge impact on the history of Islam. His generosity helped strengthen the position of the Muslims during difficult and critical times. The financial assistance he provided enabled the Muslims to continue their struggle without any shortage. In addition, Abu Bakr’s generosity inspired later generations of Muslims to always put religious interests ahead of personal interests.
The story of Abu Bakr’s generosity in donating all of his wealth is a clear example of how a strong faith can drive a person to do extraordinary things. His courage to give everything he had in the cause of Allah was proof of his trust and love for Allah ﷻ and His Messenger. Hopefully, we can all learn from this story and apply it in our daily lives, by always prioritising the interests of religion and the people over personal interests.
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References
يا أبا بكر ما أبقيت لأهلك قال أبقيت لهم الله ورسوله – سنن الترمذي. (n.d.). Hadithprophet.com. Retrieved June 17, 2024, from https://hadithprophet.com/hadith-61886.html
S.Kom, Y. P. (2012, March 20). Biografi Abu Bakar Ash Shiddiq Radhiallahu’anhu. Muslim.or.id. https://muslim.or.id/8725-biografi-abu-bakar-ash-shiddiq.html