Hazrat Abu Bakr had been one of our Holy Prophet’s (PBUH) closest friends for a very long time. They would get together and meet with one another in a very sincere fashion. His most striking feature was that the ugly customs, bad manners, and lifestyle of the Age of Ignorance had not corrupted his disposition and that disbelief had not contaminated his mind, heart, and soul. He was a renowned merchant. The tribe’s leading figures always benefited from his ideas. He was the one who had solved the blood feuds of the Quraysh. Another one of his important characteristics was that he knew the ancestries, pedigrees, strengths, and flaws of the families of Quraysh very well. Our Master (PBUH) had just begun to openly deliver his invitation. However, his cause had spread from ear to ear and it was heard by the leading figures of the Quraysh. Hazrat Abu Bakr had just returned from his journey to Yemen. Abu Jahl, Ukba bin Abi Muayt, and some of the Quraysh’s leading figures went to his home to welcome him.

Hazrat Abu Bakr asked, “What happened while I was away from Mecca? Is there any important news?” They answered, “Oh Abu Bakr, there is a huge affair! Abu Talib’s orphan, Muhammad, has claimed to be a prophet. We deemed it suitable to wait until you returned from Yemen. Go to your friend and do whatever is necessary.” Hazrat Abu Bakr immediately went to the home of the Master of the Universe (PBUH): “Oh, Aba’l Qasim! Is it true that you claim to be a prophet, and that you have separated from the tribe, and have rejected and have reviled the religion of your forefathers?” At first, our Holy Prophet (PBUH) smiled at the words of Abu Bakr, who he had been friends with since childhood. He said, “Oh Abu Bakr, I am Allah’s Messenger who has been sent to you and all humanity. I invite humanity to the one true God (Allah). You should testify as well.” At one moment, lightning flashed in the realms of Abu Bakr’s mind and heart.

He was hearing these words from the Muhammad the Trustworthy (PBUH), his friend whom he had known very well since childhood, the person whom he sincerely loved and respected, and the one from whose lips he never heard a word that contradicted truth. Without hesitating, he immediately embraced Islam and became a Muslim. 1

Our Master (PBUH) considered Abu Bakr’s not showing any sign of hesitation in the face of this invitation as a huge virtue by saying, “Everyone whom I invited to Islam, with the exception of Abu Bakr, paused, hesitated, or was astonished. However, when I explained Islam to him, he neither paused nor hesitated.”2 Our Holy Prophet (PBUH) was extremely happy that his esteemed friend had become a Muslim. In regards to this matter, our mother, Hazrat Aisha, related the following, “no event has made our Holy Prophet (PBUH) happier than Hazrat Abu Bakr converting to Islam in the world.” A dream that Hazrat Abu Bakr had seen beforehand at a much earlier point in time came true in the following way:

In his dream, he saw that a moon had descended to Mecca. It then split into segments and spread to the homes in the city. Afterwards, he saw the reassembling of the pieces and the entering of the moon into its own home. At that time, some scholars among the people of the book interpreted the dream. They said the awaited prophet would arise from Mecca very soon and that Abu Bakr would follow him and take his place among the fortunate. 3

Hazrat Abu Bakr did not hesitate to openly disclose that he had become a Muslim. His conversion to Islam caused a great echo among the Quraysh since he was an esteemed, reliable, sound individual who was always true to his word. His amiability and sweet nature had made him beloved to the tribe. Hazrat Abu Bakr represented the first link on the chain of Muslim men that were free. Due to his conversion to Islam, this chain of faith slightly widened, the roads expanded further, and the fortunate that walked on the straightforward streets increased. Including Hazrat Bilal-Habashi, the following were the first representatives in the various classes to have become Muslims:

From the women, it was Hazrat Khadija. From the children, it was Hazrat Ali. From the free men, it was Hazrat Abu Bakr. From the freed slaves it was Hazrat Zaid. From the slaves it was Hazrat Bilal-Habashi (Radiyallahu Anhum).

1. Ibn Hisham, Sirah, 1/268; Ibn Sa'd, Tabaqat, 3/171
2. Ibn Hisham, Sirah: 1/269; Ibn Athir, Usdu'l-Ghaba: 3/206
3. Suhayli, Rawdu'l-Unf: 1/165