The Illustrious Sahaabah The Illustrious Sahaabah of Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam)
Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) and Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddeeq (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) set out for the hijrah early at night. During the journey, at times Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddeeq (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) walked ahead of Hazrat Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), and at times behind. At times, he walked on the right of Hazrat Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) and at times, on the left.
When Hazrat Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) noticed this peculiar behaviour, he asked, “O Abu Bakr! I see you moving in front of me or behind me at times and beside me at times. What prompts you to behave in this way?” Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddeeq (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) replied, “Whenever the thought of the enemy pursuing you from the back occurs to me, I move swiftly towards the back, and whenever the fear overcomes me of the enemy waiting ahead in ambush, then I rush ahead of you. Likewise, when the thought crosses my mind of the enemy attacking from the right or left, then I move in that direction.”
Hazrat Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) then said, “O Abu Bakr! Do you prefer that your life be sacrificed for me?” Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddeeq (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) replied, “Most definitely O Messenger of Allah, I swear by the Being who has sent you with the truth of Islam!” (Mustadrak alas Sahihain #4268, Dalaailun Nubuwwah 2/477)
