Thinking About Abi Bakr (rAa)

Post by Ayman

This is the first article I have written for this blog. I agreed ages ago to write things in English and translate interesting things, but the Yemen uprising has hijaked my life and I could only find Arabic words to describe the events. It has hijaked more than just my life, it has hijaked all of our lives, our social lives, conversations, family relationships and some, their lives literally.

So I was thinking about Abi Bakr Allah be pleased with him. I thought about him because he was so brave, and did you know that not only was he the first man to become a Muslim, he was also the first Muslim to give an Islamic speech. Really, he decided to announce Islam in Makka, with the Messenger of Allah Peace be upon him, beside him. Abu Bakr did not go very far in his speech before the people of Quraish attacked him. One in particular was very forceful against Abu Bakr and pressed his shoe into the face of as-Siddiq so hard that Abu Bakr's nose became flat. The man who did this was Otba bin Rabi'.

The people of Quraish instantly labelled Abu Bakr a trouble maker from those who are creating disunity amongst the people and the tribes. In those early days of Islam families were becoming split  - Muslims and Kufar.

I was thinking about this story and the situation now in Yemen where the powers of the day are calling the demonstrators trouble makers creating disunitiy in the nation, and families have split along party lines - those with the current regime and status quo and those for change.

Back in the time of the Messenger of Allah the split was kufr (disbelieve/denial) or iman (faith in Islam), now we are all supposed to be Muslims and we are turning on each other for the sake of a corrupt dictatorship. Another thing is the difference in the numbers of those against the dictatorship, they are far greater in number, but they are not united on anything so their numbers become superflous and they have no power. And those of us who choose Islam and iman are still the outsiders and all our brave Abu Bakrs (no one is equal to him, I mean by this, those strong Muslims who speak the truth  no matter the cost) are in prison or in hiding lest a missile fall on their heads. Shuhada' Insha Allah.

My peers are now talking of maching to the President's Palace and ask if I'll march with them. No, I am not keen. They know they could be killed and are so keen and willing to go. So I ask if they are afraid to die in a cause other than Allah and waste the one chance of Marytom. They say "NO! We will march or die!" This is for Allah, do get rid of the corruption. And as they say this they wear Yemen flags painted on their cheeks as if at a football game.

I walk away from them sullenly, disillusioned. I walk home, wishing I was more like Abu Bakr as-Saddiq, but I am not and to avoid conflict with my pro-government parents, I go to bed early.