I he ‘ulama’ say: Abu Bakr accompanied the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, from the moment he accepted Islam until his death, not leaving him in a journey or in residence, except for that which he, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, authorised him to go out on, such as the Hajj and fighting expeditions. He was present at all the battles with him, emigrated with him, leaving his family and children, longing for Allah and His Messenger, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. He was his close companion in the cave. He, exalted is He, said, ‘The second of two when the two of them were in the cave, when he said to his companion, “Do not be sad. Truly Allah is with us.’” (Qur’an 9: 40). He undertook to help the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, more than once. He gave splendid service in the battles, and was firm on the Day of Uhud and the Day of Hunayn when all of the people had fled, as we will show in the section on his bravery.

Ibn cAsakir narrated that Abu Hurayrah said: The angels made each other to rejoice on the Day of Badr, saying, ‘Do you not see as-Siddiq with the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, in the shelter?’ Abu Yacla, al-Hakim and Ahmad narrated that cAli said: The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said to me and Abu Bakr on the Day of Badr, ‘With one of you is Jibril and with the other is Mika’il.’ Ibn cAsakir narrated that Ibn Sirin said that cAbd ar-Rahman ibn Abi Bakr was, on the Day of Badr, with those who associate partners with Allah. When he (later) accepted Islam he said to his father, ‘You were exposed to me (ahdafta) as a target on the Day of Badr, but I turned away from you and did not kill you.’ Abu Bakr said, ‘However, if you had been exposed to me as a target I would not have turned away from you.’ Ibn Qutaybah said: The meaning of ahdafta is ashrafta — you were high or open, exposed and close.

Thus it is said of a tall building, iHadaf{literally - target).’