Book of the Month: Biography of Abu Bakr as-Siddeeq by Dr. Ali Muhammad as-Sallaabi

Each month at The Islamic Book Cafe we spotlight one book we believe every Muslim should know about. This month we are featuring a full English-language biography of the greatest human being who ever lived after the Prophets.

After the Prophets, no human being who has ever walked the earth was greater than Abu Bakr as-Siddeeq (may Allah be pleased with him). This is not a claim made lightly. It is the established position of Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah, supported by the Qur'an, the Sunnah, and the unanimous view of the Companions.

He was the first adult man to enter Islam. He was the closest companion of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, in life and in the grave. He was the one Allah spoke of when He said:

Allah has already aided him when those who disbelieved had driven him out [of Makkah] as one of two, when they were in the cave and he said to his companion, "Do not grieve; indeed Allah is with us." (Surah at-Tawbah 9:40, Saheeh International)

He was the one the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said he owed more to than anyone else. And he was the one chosen by the Companions to lead the ummah after the Prophet's death, a choice that reflected their recognition of who he was.

Biography of Abu Bakr as-Siddeeq: His Life and Times by Dr. Ali Muhammad as-Sallaabi covers his character, his Islam, his companionship with the Prophet, and his caliphate with the depth and evidential grounding that this subject deserves.

What This Biography Covers

His Character Before and After Islam

Abu Bakr was a man of exceptional character even before the Prophet's message: honest, generous, widely respected, and free of the vices that were common among his people. Dr. as-Sallaabi traces how those qualities were purified and elevated by Islam, showing what it looks like when a great natural character is shaped by revelation.

His Companionship With the Prophet

The relationship between Abu Bakr and the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, was unlike any other. The biography examines the specific moments that defined it (the Hijra, the cave, the battles, the moments of grief and difficulty) and what they reveal about a friendship built entirely on faith and love for Allah. His truthfulness in those moments is the subject of our post A True and Sincere Muslim.

His Caliphate

Abu Bakr's caliphate lasted only two years and three months, but it may be the most consequential two years in Islamic history after the prophetic period itself. The apostasy wars (Ridda), the compilation of the Qur'an, the early conquests: all of these were initiated or managed under his leadership. Dr. as-Sallaabi covers each in detail.

His Death and Legacy

Abu Bakr died at sixty-three, the same age as the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, having spent himself entirely in service to Islam. The biography examines his final days, his instructions for his burial, and the legacy he left for the ummah that has never been equaled.

To go deeper on the Companions and how the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, shaped them, see our excerpt on three ways the Prophet trained his Companions to purify their souls, the Salaf whose path Abu Bakr led.

About the Author

Dr. Ali Muhammad as-Sallaabi is a Libyan Islamic scholar and historian whose biographical series covers the Companions and the early caliphs. Published by International Islamic Publishing House (IIPH).

Who Should Read This Book

Every Muslim who wants to know the greatest of the Companions in the depth he deserves. Also suited to anyone who has read the Seerah and wants to follow the story of Islam beyond the Prophet's lifetime into the era of the Rightly Guided Caliphs. It pairs with the Seerah collection at The Islamic Book Cafe, which includes Dr. as-Sallaabi's biographies of Umar, Uthman, and Ali as well.

Biography of Abu Bakr as-Siddeeq — order your copy at The Islamic Book Cafe.

Baarakallahu feekum — The Islamic Book Cafe | Portland, Oregon.