May I Sacrifice My Life For You!

In the early age of Islam, anybody who became a Muslim would hide his Islam as much as it was possible, and that was also the order of the Holy Prophet صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہِ وَسَلَّم so that they could remain safe from the difficulties and oppression of the disbelievers. When the number of Muslim men became 38, Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddiq رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ requested in the blessed court of the Holy Prophet صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہِ وَسَلَّم, ‘O Prophet of Allah صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہِ وَسَلَّم! Grant us permission to preach the message of Islam openly now.’

The Embodiment of Nur, the Comforter of the Souls, the Holy Prophet صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہِ وَسَلَّم declined permission at first but upon the repeated requests of Sayyiduna Abu Bakr رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ, He صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہِ وَسَلَّم granted his permission. So, all of the Muslims went to Masjid-ul-Haram زَادَھَا اللہُ شَرَفًا وَّ تَعْظِیْمًا, and the first orator of Islam, Sayyiduna Abu Bakr رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ began to deliver his speech. As soon as the speech started, the disbelievers and polytheists attacked the Muslims from all directions. Despite the fact that the honor and dignity of Sayyiduna Abu Bakr رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ was acknowledged all over Makkah, the disbelievers still attacked in such a way that his blessed face got injured badly and began to bleed to the extent that he رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ became unconscious.

When the people of his tribe came to know about his condition they picked him up from there. The people began to think that may be Sayyiduna Abu Bakr رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ would not survive.

Then in the evening, when he رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ recovered and regained consciousness, the first words to leave his blessed truthful lips were, ‘How is the Prophet of Allah صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہِ وَسَلَّم?’ Upon this, he رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ was rebuked by the people who said, ‘It is because of your support of him that you are suffering this misfortune, even then you are still calling only his name!’

The respected mother of Sayyiduna Abu Bakr رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ Umm-ul-Khair brought some food for him but there was still only one proclamation on his lips, ‘How is the Prophet of Allah صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہِ وَسَلَّم?’ When his mother told him that she did not know, he رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ said, ‘Please ask Umm-e-Jamil رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْھَا [the sister of Sayyiduna ‘Umar رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ ].’ In order to fulfill this heartfelt request of her beloved son in his oppressed state, his mother went to Sayyidatuna Umm-e-Jamil رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْھَا and asked about the Holy Prophet صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہِ وَسَلَّم. Due to the unfavorable circumstances of the time, Sayyidatuna Umm-e-Jamil رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْھَا had still hidden her Islam, and because Ummul- Khair had not yet become a Muslim, Sayyidatuna Umm-e-Jamil رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْھَا pretended not to know saying, ‘I don’t know who Muhammad صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہِ وَسَلَّم is and I don’t know who Abu Bakr رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ is. However, hearing the condition of your son has caused me sorrow; if you like I could come with you to see him.’

Then Umm-ul-Khair took Sayyidatuna Umm-e-Jamil رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْھَا to her home. When Sayyidatuna Umm-e-Jamil رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْھَا saw the unfortunate condition of Sayyiduna Abu Bakr رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ said, ‘Give me good news of the wellbeing of my Beloved Prophet صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہِ وَسَلَّم.’ Sayyidatuna Umm-e-Jamil رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْھَا signaled to his mother to draw his attention towards her. When he رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ said ‘Don’t be afraid of her’, she رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْھَا then said, ‘By the grace of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ, the Prophet of Mercy صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہِ وَسَلَّم is safe and sound, and presently he is at Dar al-Arqam [the home of Sayyiduna Arqam رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ].’ He رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ said, ‘I swear by Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ, I will not eat or drink anything until I gain the blessing of beholding the Holy Prophet صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہِ وَسَلَّم.’ So in the last part of the night, his mother took him to the blessed presence of the Holy Prophet صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہِ وَسَلَّم at Dar al-Arqam. The greatest devotee of the Holy Prophet, Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddiq رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ embraced the Beloved Prophet صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہِ وَسَلَّم and began to weep. The Holy Prophet صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہِ وَسَلَّم and the other Muslims who were present also started weeping because they could not bear to see the sorrowful condition of Sayyiduna Abu Bakr رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ. Then he رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ said to the Prophet of Rahmah, the Intercessor of the Ummat, the Owner of Jannah صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہِ وَسَلَّم, ‘This is my respected mother, please pray for her to be guided and give her the invitation to Islam.’ The Beloved and Blessed Prophet صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہِ وَسَلَّم gave her the invitation to embrace Islam, and by the grace of Allah Almighty عَزَّوَجَلَّ, she became Muslim immediately!

(Al-Bidayah Wal-Nihayah, Vol. 2, pp. 369-370)