The status attributed to Abu Bakr As-Siddiq was indeed great, and this was accentuated by Umar Ibn Al Khattab when he said to Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with both of them, "You are our master and the best amongst us." Thus, he was the master of all the noble companions, may Allah be pleased with all of them!

Abu Bakr (Abd-Allah ibn Abi Quhafah) was the first man to embrace Islam and a man who spent all his wealth in the way of Allah. He was the bravest amongst the companions, may Allah be pleased with them, and the most firm in grave situations.

Furthermore, Abu Bakr was one of those who used to write the revelations and the first to compile the holy Quran. He was also the first of the companions who were promised Paradise and was the closest to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ amongst his companions. He really held a special status in the sight of the Prophet ﷺ, one that was unmatched. On this account, it was narrated that Ibn Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "During the lifetime of the Prophet ﷺ we considered Abu Bakr as peerless."

Indeed, he was so close to the heart of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ so he ﷺ said about him, "If I were to take a Khalil (bosom friend) from amongst my people, I would have taken Abu Bakr as a Khalil." For this reason, he ﷺ chose Abu Bakr to accompany him in his emigration journey to Medina. The holy Quran has mentioned this fact, for Allah the Almighty says, "as one of two, when they were in the cave and he said to his companion, 'Do not grieve; indeed Allah is with us'." (At-Tawba: 40).

In like manner, Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, loved the Messenger of Allah ﷺ to the extent that he preferred him over himself and his children. To this effect, when the Prophet ﷺ took the decision to emigrate, Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, was honoured with his company.

Know that amongst the other virtues of Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, is that he always hastened to perform acts of goodness and took the initiative to do all that which may open the doorways to Paradise for him. On this account, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ once asked his companions, "Who amongst you is fasting today?" Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, replied, "I am." He (the Prophet) said, "Who amongst you followed a funeral today?" Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "I did." He ﷺ (again) said, "Who amongst you visited an ill person today?" Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "I did." Upon this, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "Anyone in whom these (good deeds) are combined will certainly enter paradise."

Another example that shows that Abu Bakr was unmatched in his love of giving in charity is when the Messenger of Allah ﷺ one day ordered his companions to give for charity and that coincided with a time in which Umar Ibn Al Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him had some wealth. So he said, "Today I will beat Abu Bakr, if ever I beat him." So Umar said, "I came with half of my wealth, and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, 'What did you leave for your family?' I said, 'The like of it.' And Abu Bakr came with everything he had, so the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: 'O Abu Bakr! What did you leave for your family?' He said: 'I left Allah and His Messenger for them.' Thereupon, I said, '[By Allah] I will never be able to beat you to something'."

Truly, Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, was known for his trustworthiness, piety and munificence. He spent his wealth in the sake of Allah's obedience. This was testified in the holy Quran and the Lord of the worlds has praised him, for He says, "the righteous one will avoid it. [He] who gives [from] his wealth to purify himself." (Al-Lail: 17-18).

In virtue of his good actions, Abu Bakr was, therefore, worthy of being called to the gateways of Paradise to enter from all of them. On this matter, it was narrated that when the Prophet ﷺ mentioned the doorways of Paradise and deeds that leads to them Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! Will there be any one who will be called from all these gates?" The Prophet ﷺ replied, "Yes, and I hope you will be one of them."

O Allah, we really love Your Messenger Muhammad ﷺ and love Abu Bakr, Umar, Othman and Ali as well as all the noble companions. So, we seek Your favour to gather us with them and admit us where You admit them.

O Allah, we pray to You to guide us all to obey You and obey Your Messenger Muhammad and obey those You have commanded us to obey in line with Your orders: "O you who have believed, obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those in authority among you." (An-Nisaa: 59).

May Allah direct us all to the blessings of the Glorious Quran and the Sunna of His Messenger ﷺ.