(573?–634). An important person in the earliest years of Islam was Abu Bakr. He was an adviser to the prophet Muhammad, who founded the religion. After Muhammad's death, Abu Bakr took charge of the Islamic world as the first caliph.
Abu Bakr was born in the Arabian town of Mecca (now in Saudi Arabia), which was also the birthplace of Muhammad. His family were merchants. His daughter ʿAʾishah became a wife of Muhammad. Abu Bakr was an important follower of Muhammad, helping him to teach and spread the religion of Islam.
Abu Bakr is best known for his role after Muhammad's death in 632. When Muhammad was dying, he called upon Abu Bakr to lead the public prayers and pilgrimages in his place. By that time Muhammad had become the political ruler of the lands to which Islam had spread, in addition to being the leader of the religion. After Muhammad's death, Abu Bakr was chosen to rule in his place and was called the caliph. Caliph means “successor” (one who comes afterward). The lands controlled by Islam therefore became known as the Caliphate.
After Muhammad died, some people tried to stop paying taxes to the Islamic government. Other people claimed that they, like Muhammad, had received messages from God, and gathered followers of their own. Abu Bakr had no patience with either kind of people. He led armies in a series of wars to bring them back to the true Islamic faith. His believers had their headquarters in the town of Medina. They fought against mountain and shepherd tribes. In a few short years Abu Bakr forced the tribes of Arabia to come under Muslim rule.
Abu Bakr then expanded his rule and sent armies into what are now Syria and Iraq. They gathered more warriors as they traveled, and the army grew. Abu Bakr set the stage for the growth of Islam as a world power. For his devotion to the faith, he was given the honorary name of al-Siddiq, which means “The Upright.” He died in 634.
