Abu Bakar Siddique’s (RA) Governance Charter

Abu Bakar Siddique RA was Muslim’s First Khaleefa, first Leader after Hazrat Muhammad SAW.

After taking the office, this is what he said to people in his first speech:

 “I am appointed as Leader upon you, though I am NO better than you.  If I do good help me. If I go wrong correct me. Truthfulness is Honesty & Lying is Cheating.

 The weakest person among you is the strongest person to me until I secure him his rights. And the strongest person among you is the weakest to me until I take back from him any undue advantages.

Remember, Nations that part away from ji had, Allah sends calamities upon them.    If I obey Allah & his Messenger, follow me. If I disobey Allah & his Messenger, you need Not to obey me.”

These words were not lip service. This was the charter of governance for Abu Bakar’s (RA), which He (RA) acted upon throughout his tenure. He wanted to continue his business in order to avoid taking money from public funds. But Umar RA stopped him and asked him to concentre on governmental affairs; your needs will be provided by the bait-al-maal (treasury).

So how much should we give you for sustenance? As much as an ordinary labourer of Madina is paid, Abu Bakar (RA) replied. But it is too low, you wont be able to survive. His (RA) answer was amazing; “Then increase the salary of a labourer, mine will increase automatically!”

Abu Bakar RA accepted but only as little money as an ordinary would require for sustenance.

Even then, just before his death, Abu Bakar (RA) called his daughter Hazrat Aisha RA and asked Her to work out the amount of money He has received from treasury during his time and return it back to treasury by selling his own property.   Abu Bakar further enquired “how much of my possessions increased during my Khilafat period?”. Your wealth increased by a camel, a slave and a velvet sheet, he was informed. Hand it over to next khaleefa, Abu Bakar commanded.   Upon receiving these items, next Khaleef Umar RA cried and said “You have made life difficult for successors Abu Bakar [by setting such a high standards of self-accountability].”

Can you even think of such a leader today, let alone comparing him against today’s ‘Leaders’? Our leaders today are the wealthiest people in the world.  Where did this wealth come from? What about ordinary people? Do they have food shelter & clothing? Forget about medical, health & water needs. And this is true for the entire Muslim world. There are stories in newspaper of plans to build underground tunnel to protect members of parliament in Islamabad. Also, trenches may be dug around Islamabad to prevent unwanted people entering the city.

Have you secured the ordinary people? Do layman gets same level of protection? People are dying of attacks, poverty, robberies, and what not? What shall we do with such a leaders who secure them before securing their nation? You tell me.

Read Abu Bakar Urdu column