The Biography of Abu Bakr As-Siddeeq (R.A)

Abu Bakr As-Siddeeq: His Life and Times by Dr. Ali Muhammad As-Sallabi is a full-length scholarly biography of Islam's first Caliph, translated into English by Nasiruddin al-Khattab and published by Darussalam. At 784 pages it goes well beyond a summary of his life — the bulk of the book is built around the eighteen months of his Caliphate and the string of crises he had to manage in that short window, immediately after the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)'s death.

About the author

Dr. Ali Muhammad As-Sallabi is a Libyan Islamic scholar and historian known for a series of detailed biographical works on the Prophet (PBUH) and the four Rightly Guided Caliphs, drawing on early Islamic historical sources rather than retelling secondary accounts. This book on Abu Bakr (R.A) is part of that same series, and Darussalam has published his companion volume on Uthman ibn Affan (R.A) in English as well.

The crisis Abu Bakr inherited

When the Prophet (PBUH) died in 632 CE, the Muslim state he had built was suddenly without the one figure who had held it together. Sallabi's book spends real space on what followed: several Arab tribes renounced Islam outright, others kept praying but refused to pay zakah, and multiple people came forward claiming prophethood of their own — Musaylimah al-Kadhab among them. At the same time, the Byzantine and Persian empires on the frontiers hadn't gone anywhere. The book treats Abu Bakr's handling of all of this at once, in his first year as Caliph, as the central test of his leadership.

How the book is structured

Rather than a simple chronology, Sallabi organizes the material by the type of challenge Abu Bakr faced and the response he chose — military, political, and administrative — and draws out what that response says about his character and his understanding of the Prophet's (PBUH) example. Earlier chapters cover his life before the Caliphate: his acceptance of Islam, his role during the Hijrah, and his closeness to the Prophet (PBUH). The later, larger portion of the book is the Ridda Wars and their aftermath, including the campaigns commanded by Khalid ibn al-Walid and the early expeditions toward Persian and Byzantine territory that set up the conquests of Umar's (R.A) Caliphate.

Specifications

- Author: Dr. Ali Muhammad As-Sallabi

- Translator: Nasiruddin al-Khattab

- Language: English

- Pages: 784

- Dimensions: 14 x 21 cm

- Binding: Hardcover, 1-color print

- Publisher: Darussalam

- ISBN: 9789960984919

Who this is for

Readers who want a properly researched, full-length treatment of Abu Bakr's Caliphate rather than a short overview — students of Islamic history, and anyone who's already read a shorter biography and wants the fuller picture of how the early Muslim state survived its first crisis.

Sallabi has written the same kind of in-depth biography for the other Rightly Guided Caliphs. His English volume on the third Caliph, The Biography of Uthman ibn Affan (R.A), is also available if you're building out the series.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this a short biography or a detailed one?

Detailed — at 784 pages, it's a full scholarly treatment, not a quick summary. If you want a shorter, simpler read on Abu Bakr instead, Seerat e Abubakr (R.A) (New Addition) is a more concise Urdu edition.

What does the book focus on most?

Abu Bakr's eighteen months as Caliph — particularly the Ridda Wars against tribal rebellion and false prophets, and the early campaigns against Persia and Byzantium.

Who translated this edition?

Nasiruddin al-Khattab, from the original Arabic by Dr. Ali Muhammad As-Sallabi.

What's the binding and print quality?

Hardcover, 784 pages, 14 x 21 cm, single-color print.

How long does delivery take?

Most orders arrive in 3–5 working days anywhere in Pakistan, with same-day dispatch from Lahore for orders placed before 1 PM.

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