Life-of-Muhammad

188Life of Muhammad saAbu Bakr ra was among the audience. He had beenlistening to this last address of the Prophet sa , withfervour and anxiety the fervour of a great believer andthe anxiety of a friend and follower who could see in thisaddress the portents of the Prophet's sa death. Onhearing the parable Abu Bakr ra could contain himself nolonger. He broke down. The other Companions, who hadtaken a surface view of what they had been listening to,were amazed when Abu Bakr ra burst into tears. Whatcould be the matter with Abu Bakr ra ? they asked. TheProphet sa was relating the coming victories of Islam, yethe was weeping. ‘Umar ra , particularly, felt annoyed atAbu Bakr ra . The Prophet sa was giving glad news, yet thisold man was crying. But only the Prophet sa understoodwhat was happening. Only Abu Bakr ra , he thought hadunderstood him. Only he had perceived that the verseswhich promised victories also portended the Prophet's saapproaching death.The Prophet sa went on to say, "Abu Bakr ra is verydear to me. If it were permissible to love anyone morethan others, I would so have loved Abu Bakr ra . But thatdegree of love is only for God. O my people, all the doorswhich open to the mosque should be closed from todayexcept the door of Abu Bakr ra ."There was no doubt that this last instruction implieda prophecy that after the Prophet sa Abu Bakr ra would bethe First Khalifah. To lead the Faithful in prayers hewould have to come to the mosque five times a day and,for this, he would have to keep open the door of hishouse into the mosque. Years afterwards, when ‘Umar rawas Khalifah, he asked some of those present themeaning of the verse, "When the help of God and victorycome." Evidently he remembered the circumstances inwhich the Prophet sa taught Muslims this and the verseswhich follow. He must have remembered also that thenonly Abu Bakr ra understood the meaning of these verses.‘Umar ra was trying to test Muslims for their knowledgeof these verses. They had failed to understand them atthe time of their revelation: did they know the meaning