Ihyaaud Deen An Effort to Revive Deen in Totality
Hazrat Abu Bakr (radhiyallahu anhu) Spending Towards the Tabook Expedition
The whole life of Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddeeq (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) is so full of stories about generosity that it is difficult to encompass them all.
Before going to Tabook, when Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) encouraged the Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum) to spend towards the expedition, then Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddeeq (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) brought all the wealth that he owned in his home and presented it before Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam).
When Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) asked him what he had kept for his family, he replied, “I have kept for them the pleasure of Allah Ta‘ala and His Rasul (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam)!”
A detailed account of this incident has been given in my book, “The Stories of the Sahaabah, together with many other stories of the same subject. Those stories will reveal to the reader that the Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum) could not be matched in their self-sacrifice, sympathy towards others and generosity in spending for the cause of Allah Ta‘ala.
If we were to possess these virtues, to some extent, which the Sahabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum) possessed, then people would become most impressed by us! However, with the Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum), such incidents were a matter of daily occurrence.
As for Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddeeq (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) in particular, then what could be clearer and more evident in showing his generosity than the fact that Allah Ta‘ala has praised him in the Qur’aan Majeed? Allah Ta‘ala says:
وَ سَیُجَنَّبُہَا الۡاَتۡقَی ﴿ۙ۱۷﴾ الَّذِیۡ یُؤۡتِیۡ مَالَہٗ یَتَزَکّٰی ﴿ۚ۱۸﴾ وَ مَا لِاَحَدٍ عِنۡدَہٗ مِنۡ نِّعۡمَۃٍ تُجۡزٰۤی ﴿ۙ۱۹﴾ اِلَّا ابۡتِغَآءَ وَجۡہِ رَبِّہِ الۡاَعۡلٰی ﴿ۚ۲۰﴾ وَ لَسَوۡفَ یَرۡضٰی ﴿٪۲۱﴾
And the most god-fearing will be kept away from it (the flaming fire of Jahannum), the one who gives his wealth (in charity for the cause of Allah) so that he may attain purity. There is no favour that he needs to repay anyone (for which he is spending that wealth,) but he spends solely to acquire the pleasure of his Lord, the Most-High. (Surah Layl: 17-20)
(These verses show the very high standard of selfless devotion to Allah Ta‘ala attained by Hazrat Abu Bakr (radhiyallahu ‘anhu). The reason is that it is quite commendable to do good to someone in return for a favour he has done, but it cannot compare in virtue to doing a favour to someone who has not done any favour to one, and one does not owe him anything.)
Allaamah ibnul Jowzi (rahimahullah) has mentioned that there is consensus among the Ulama that these verses were revealed in regard to Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddeeq (radhiyallahu ‘anhu).
Hazrat Abu Hurairah (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) reports that Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) said, “No person’s wealth benefited me more than the wealth of Hazrat Abu Bakr (radhiyallahu ‘anhu).”
Hearing this, Hazrat Abu Bakr (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) wept and said, “O Rasul of Allah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam)! Do I and my wealth belong to anyone besides you?”
This statement of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) has been reported by many different Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum). In the narration of Hazrat Sa’eed bin Musayyib (rahimahullah), the following addition is also mentioned, “Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) would deal in the wealth of Hazrat Abu Bakr (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) as though it was his own wealth.”
Hazrat Urwah (rahimahullah) mentions that on the day when Hazrat Abu Bakr (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) accepted Islam, he possessed forty thousand dirhams, and he spent all of these on Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) (i.e. in seeking his pleasure).
In another Hadith, it is reported that on the day when Hazrat Abu Bakr (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) accepted Islam, he owned forty thousand dirhams, and when he made hijrah (migrated) to Madinah Munawwarah, he only had five thousand dirhams. The entire amount was spent on deeni requirements, for example the freeing of slaves (who were being punished after accepting Islam).
Hazrat Abdullah bin Zubair (radhiyallahu ‘anhuma) says:
Hazrat Abu Bakr (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) used to buy the weak slaves and set them free. Once, his father, Abu Quhaafah, said to him, “If you really want to free slaves, then purchase and free those slaves who are strong so that they might help you at the time of need.”
Hazrat Abu Bakr (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) replied, “(l do not set them free for my own sake.) I only do so to please Allah Ta‘ala.”
The reward granted by Allah Ta‘ala for helping the weak is far greater than the reward for helping the strong. In another Hadith, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) said, “There is no one who has done me any favor without me repaying his favor, except for Abu Bakr (radhiyallahu ‘anhu). Verily, he has done me favors for which Allah Ta‘ala Himself shall reward him on the Day of Qiyaamah. No one’s wealth has benefited me as much as the wealth of Abu Bakr (radhiyallahu ‘anhu).”
(Fazaa’il-e-Sadaqaat [English] pg. 634-635, [Urdu] pg. 696-698)
