Observation

 

The question required the candidates to mention the Khulafā’ur-Rāshidūn and the biography of the first of them thus:

Names of the Khulafā’ur Rāshidūn

1. Abū-Bakr b. Abī Quhāfah (632-634 C.E.).
2.  ‘Umar b. al-Khaṭṭāb (634-644 C.E.).
3. ‘Uthmān b.  ‘Affān (644-656 C.E.).
4.  cAli b. Abī Ṭālib (656-661 C.E.).

Biography of the first of them (Abū-Bakr b. Abī Quhāfah)

Abū –Bakr was the first of the four rightly guided successors of the Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.) (Introduction).

1. Abū –Bakr b. Abī Quhāffah was born in Makkah in 573 C.E.
2. He belonged to the Banū Taym of the Quraysh.
3. He was the first male adult to embrace Islam.
4. He accepted the message of Islam without any reservation.
5. As such, the Prophet (S.A.W.) gave him the honorific title of aṣ-Ṣiddīq.
6. Abū-Bakr was an intimate friend of the Prophet (S.A.W.).
7. Abū-Bakr used all his wealth and energy to serve the cause of Islam.
8. He also purchased many Muslim slaves from their pagan masters and set them free e.g. Bilāl.
9. He suffered great persecutions with the Prophet (S.A.W.) in Makkah.
10. He accompanied the Prophet (S.A.W.) in his historic journey (Hijrah) from Makkah to Yathrib (Madinah).
11. He gave out his daughter cĀ’ishah to the Prophet (S.A.W.) in marriage.
12. He was declared Khalīfah after the Prophet’s death in 632 C.E.
13. As the new Khalīfah, he dispatched the expedition which the Prophet (S.A.W.) had ordered from his sick-bed to Syria.
14. He did the compilation of the Qur’ān.
15. He consolidated the stability of the Caliphate through the execution of Riddah war.
16. He demonstrated humility, truthtfulness, honesty, etc throughout his tenure as Caliph.
17. He personally supervised the activities of the state officials including the army.
18. He ruled by consultation (Shūrah).
19. Abū-Bakr was present at the farewell pilgrimage and the event of Ghadri Khumm in 632.C.E.
20. He actively participated in all battles fought during the life time of the Prophet (S.A.W.).
21. Abū-Bakr died in the year 634 C.E.