قال ابن كثير: اتفق الجميع على أن اسمه عبد الله بن عثمان، إلا ما رواه ابن سعد عن ابن سيرين من أن اسمه كان عتيقاً، والحق أن ذلك كان لقبه المحبَّب إليه. ثم اختُلف في وقت تسميته بذلك وسببه؛ فقال بعضهم: كان ذلك لعتاقة وجهه، أي جماله، وقال أبو نعيم الفضل بن دكين: كان ذلك لسبقه إلى الخير والفضل، وقيل أيضاً لكرم نسبه، أي طهارته، إذ ليس في نسبه ما يُعاب، وقيل: إنه سُمّي عتيقاً أولاً ثم دُعي عبد الله.

Ibn Kathir said that all admit that his name was Abdullah ibn 'Uthman, except for the narration of Ibn Sacd on the authority of Ibn Sirin which asserts his name to have been cAteeq whereas the truth is that that was his affectionate nickname. Then there is some disagreement as to the time of his being so named, and the reason for it; for some say that it was on account of the citaqah of his countenance, that is, its beauty - but Abu Nucaym al-Fadl ibn Dukayn said that it was on account of his priority in merit - and also it is said on account of the nobility of his pedigree, that is its purity, as there is nothing in his lineage that can be accounted a stain; and it is said too he was first so named and afterwards called ‘Abdullah.

رَوَى الطَّبَرَانِيُّ أَنَّ القَاسِمَ بْنَ مُحَمَّدٍ سَأَلَ عَائِشَةَ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهَا عَنِ اسْمِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ، فَقَالَتْ: عَبْدُ اللهِ. فَقَالَ: إِنَّ النَّاسَ يُسَمُّونَهُ عَتِيقًا. فَقَالَتْ: كَانَ لِأَبِي قُحَافَةَ ثَلَاثَةُ أَبْنَاءٍ سَمَّاهُمْ عَتِيقًا وَمُعْتِقًا وَمُعَيْتِقًا. وَرَوَى ابْنُ مَنْدَهْ وَابْنُ عَسَاكِرَ أَنَّ مُوسَى بْنَ طَلْحَةَ قَالَ:

At-Tabarani narrated that al-Qasim ibn Muhammad questioned ‘ A’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, as to the name of Abu Bakr, and she replied, <cAbdullah.’ Then he said, ‘The people call him cAteeq.’ She answered, ‘Abu Quhafah had three sons whom he named cAteeq, Muctaq and Mucaytaq.’ Ibn Mandah and Ibn cAsakir narrated that Musa ibn Talhah said:

قلتُ لأبي طلحة: لماذا سُمّي أبو بكر عتيقاً؟ فقال: كانت أمُّه لا يعيش لها ولد، فلما ولدته توجّهت به نحو البيت (الكعبة) وقالت: "اللهم إن كان هذا عتيقاً من الموت فهبْه لي." وروى الطبراني عن ابن عباس قال: إنما سُمّي عتيقاً لجمال وجهه.

1 said to my father Talhah, ‘Why was Abu Bakr called cAteeq?’ He said, ‘His mother had no son surviving and when she gave birth to him, she faced towards the House (the Kacbah) with him and exclaimed, “O Allah if this one is cAteeq (free) from death then give him to me.’” At-Tabarani narrated that Ibn cAbbas said: He was only called ' Ateeq because of the beauty of his face.

روى ابنُ عساكر عن عائشةَ رضيَ اللهُ عنها أنها قالت: «كان اسمُ أبي بكرٍ الذي كان يُسمّيه به أهلُه: عبدَ اللهِ، لكنَّ اسمَ عتيقٍ غلبَ عليه». وفي روايةٍ: «لكنَّ النبيَّ ﷺ سمّاه عتيقًا». وأخرج أبو يعلى وابنُ سعدٍ والحاكمُ، وقال: صحيحٌ، عن عائشةَ رضيَ اللهُ عنها قالت: «واللهِ، إني كنتُ في بيتي يومًا، ورسولُ اللهِ ﷺ وأصحابُه في الفناءِ، والسترُ بيني وبينهم، فجاءَ أبو بكرٍ، فقالَ النبيُّ ﷺ: "مَن سرَّه أن ينظرَ إلى عتيقٍ من النارِ فلينظرْ إلى أبي بكرٍ". والاسمُ الذي كان يعرفُه به أهلُه: عبدُ اللهِ، لكنَّ عتيقًا غلبَ عليه». وروى الترمذيُّ والحاكمُ عن عائشةَ رضيَ اللهُ عنها قالت: «دخلَ أبو بكرٍ على رسولِ اللهِ ﷺ، فقالَ: "أنتَ عتيقُ اللهِ من النارِ". فمن يومئذٍ سُمّيَ عتيقًا». وروى البزارُ والطبرانيُّ بإسنادٍ جيدٍ عن عبدِ اللهِ بنِ الزبيرِ قال: «كان اسمُ أبي بكرٍ عبدَ اللهِ، فقالَ له رسولُ اللهِ ﷺ: "أنتَ عتيقُ اللهِ من النارِ"، فسُمّيَ عتيقًا». وأما لقبُ الصديقِ، فقيل فيه: «لُقّبَ به في الجاهليةِ لصدقِه المعروفِ به»، كما ذكرَه ابنُ مُسْدي. وقيل أيضًا: «لمبادرتِه إلى تصديقِ رسولِ اللهِ ﷺ فيما أخبرَ به». وروى ابنُ إسحاقَ عن الحسنِ البصريِّ وقتادةَ قالا: «أولُ ما عُرِفَ به كان صبيحةَ ليلةِ الإسراءِ».

Ibn cAsakir narrated that cA’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, said, ‘Abu Bakr’s name which his family called him by was 'Abdullah, but the name cAteeq became the dominant usage.’ In a version, ‘But the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, called him cAteeq.’ Abu Yacla, Ibn Sacd and al-Hakim, who declared it sahih, narrated that cA’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, said, ‘By Allah, I was in my house one day and the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and his companions were in the courtyard, a curtain between me and them. Abu Bakr came up and the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Whoever is pleased to look upon one who is free from the Fire then let him look upon Abu Bakr.” The name which his family knew him by was cAbdullah but cAteeq became the dominant usage.’ At-Tirmidhi and al-Hakim narrated that cA’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, said, ‘Abu Bakr entered upon the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, who said, “Abu Bakr, you are the one Allah has freed from the Fire.” From that day he was known as cAteeq.” Al-Bazzar and at-Tabarani narrated with an excellent isnad that cAbdullah ibn az-Zubayr said, ‘Abu Bakr’s name was cAbdullah, then the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said to him, “You are Allah’s freed one from the Fire.” So he was known as cAteeq.’ As for the name as-Siddiq, it is said about it, ‘He was given the affectionate nickname in the Jahiliyyah, because of the truthfulness for which he was known’ as Ibn Musdi mentioned. It has been said also, ‘Because of his haste in affirming the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, in that of which he informed.’ Ibn Ishaq narrated that al-Hasan al-Basri and Qatadah said: The first time that he became known for it was the morning after the Night of the Isra’.

رَوَى الحاكمُ في المستدرَك عن عائشةَ رضيَ اللهُ عنها قالت: جاء المشركون إلى أبي بكرٍ فقالوا: ما رأيُك في صاحبِك؟ يزعمُ أنه أُسري به الليلةَ إلى بيتِ المقدسِ! فقال: أَوَقال ذلك؟ قالوا: نعم. قال: لقد صدَق، إني أصدِّقه فيما هو أبعدُ من ذلك: أصدِّقه بخبرِ السماءِ في غدوةٍ أو عشيةٍ. فلذلك سُمّي الصدِّيقَ. وإسنادُه صحيحٌ ممتازٌ، وقد رُوي ذلك أيضًا من حديثِ أنسٍ وأبي هريرةَ، وقد ذكر ابنُ عساكرَ أسانيدَه، ومن حديثِ أمِّ هانئٍ، وقد رواه الطبرانيُّ.

Al-Hakim narrated in the Mustadrak that cA’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, said: The idolaters came to Abu Bakr and said, ‘What do you think of your Companion? He claims that he was taken this night to Bait al-Maqdis (Jerusalem).’ He replied, ‘Did he say that?’ They said, ‘Yes.’ He said, ‘He has definitely told the truth. I believe and affirm him in matters more remote than that: the news from heaven in the early part of the morning and in the evening.’ For that reason he was called as-Siddiq. Its isnad is excellent, and that has also been narrated from hadith of Anas and Abu Hurayrah, for which Ibn cAsakir gave isnads, and Umm Hani', which was narrated by at-Tabarani.

قال سعيد بن منصور في سننه: أخبرنا أبو معشر أن وهب مولى أبي هريرة قال: لما رجع رسول الله ﷺ ليلة أُسري به، وكان بذي طوى، قال: «يا جبريل، إن قومي لن يصدقوني». فقال: «يصدقك أبو بكر، وهو الصديق». وروى الحاكم في المستدرك أن النزّال بن سبرة قال: قلنا لعلي: «يا أمير المؤمنين، حدّثنا عن أبي بكر». قال: «ذاك امرؤ سمّاه الله تعالى الصديق على لسان جبريل وعلى لسان محمد ﷺ، وكان خليفة رسول الله ﷺ على الصلاة، فرضيه لديننا، فرضينا لدنيانا». وإسناده جيد.

Sacid ibn Mansur narrated in his Sunan: Abu Macshar narrated that Wahb the freed slave of Abu Hurayrah said: When the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, returned on the night in which he was made to travel (to Jerusalem), and he was at Dhu Tuwa, he said, ‘Jibril, my people will not believe me.’ He ( ) ibril) said, ‘Abu Bakr will believe you, and he is as-Siddiq.’ Al-Hakim narrated in the Mustadrak that an-Nazzal ibn Sabrah said: We said to cAli: ‘Amir al-Mu’minin, tell us about Abu Bakr.’ He said, ‘That man, Allah named him as-Siddiq on the tongue of Jibril and on the tongue of Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. He was the deputy of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, for thp prayer; he was contented with him for our deen and so we were pleased with him for our worldly affairs.’ Its isnad is excellent.

رَوَى الدَّارَقُطْنِيُّ وَالْحَاكِمُ أَنَّ أَبَا يَحْيَى قَالَ: لَا أُحْصِي كَمْ سَمِعْتُ عَلِيًّا يَقُولُ عَلَى الْمِنْبَرِ: إِنَّ اللهَ سَمَّى أَبَا بَكْرٍ عَلَى لِسَانِ نَبِيِّهِ صِدِّيقًا. وَرَوَى الطَّبَرَانِيُّ بِإِسْنَادٍ صَحِيحٍ جَيِّدٍ أَنَّ حَكِيمَ بْنَ سَعْدٍ قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ عَلِيًّا يَقُولُ، وَحَلَفَ عَلَيْهِ: إِنَّ اللهَ أَنْزَلَ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ اسْمَ أَبِي بَكْرٍ الصِّدِّيقِ. وَفِي حَدِيثِ أُحُدٍ: «اسْكُنْ فَمَا عَلَيْكَ إِلَّا نَبِيٌّ وَصِدِّيقٌ وَشَهِيدَانِ». قَالَ الزُّهْرِيُّ كَمَا رَوَاهُ ابْنُ عَسَاكِرَ: «كَانَتْ أُمُّ أَبِي بَكْرٍ بِنْتَ عَمِّ أَبِيهِ (كَانَتْ بِنْتَ عَمِّ أَبِيهِ)، وَاسْمُهَا سَلْمَى بِنْتُ صَخْرِ بْنِ عَامِرِ بْنِ كَعْبٍ، وَكُنِّيَتْ أُمَّ الْخَيْرِ».

Ad-Daraqutni and al-Hakim narrated that Abu Yahya said: I cannot count the number of times that I heard cAli say upon the minbar, ‘Truly Allah named Abu Bakr through the tongue of His Prophet, a siddiq.’ At-Tabarani narrated with an excellent sahih isnad that Hakim ibn Sacd said: I heard cAli say, and he swore upon it, ‘Allah definitely revealed from heaven the name of Abu Bakr, as-Siddiq.’ In the hadith of Uhud, ‘Be still, for there are only upon you a Prophet, a siddiq and two martyrs.’ ‘Abu Bakr’s mother was the daughter of his father’s paternal uncle (she was his father’s cousin). Her name was Salma bint Sakhr ibn ‘Amir ibn Kacb. She was given the kunyah (surname) Umm al-Khayr (Mother of good),’ said az-Zuhri as narrated by Ibn cAsakir.