A2Youth.com - The Youth's Islamic Resource

When I Grow Up I Wanna Be Abu Bakr!

Muhammad Alshareef

category: Family Life

source: Khutbah.com

reads: 7311

... continued from Page 1

Listen carefully; they are innocently calling to the world, "I wanna be a kafir basketball player, just like that kafir Jordan." Don't be surprised when they reach university, after they've lost their precious youth, that they can spit a ball into a basket with unbelievable precision, yet they cannot read Al-Fatiha without fumbling like a baby. On the Day of Resurrection, these entertainment idols shall disown all those that took them as role models and imitated their sins. Interestingly, Reebok advertised one of these entertainment idols dunking a ball and at the end of the commercial he walks to the camera and says, "Just because I dunk a ball doesn't mean I have to raise your kids." Subhan Allah, if children and parents only understood what he said.

Look at the real models and the children that took them as their models. Aisha narrates that RasulAllah used to visit them in the mornings and in the evenings. But one day he came at noon time – a time that signified something different was happening. Abu Bakr radi Allahu anhu opened the door and RasulAllah announced that Allah had given him permission to do Hijrah to Madinah. Abu Bakr bounced out, "Together, Yaa RasulAllah, together!"

And Rasul Allah replied, "Together."

Abu Bakr began to cry. Aisha comments, "I never believed that someone could cry from happiness until I saw my father that day cry when he found out he would be doing Hijrah with RasulAllah."

Look at the Hijrah incident and you shall see that all the characters involved other than Abu Bakr were children. Aisha and her brother Abd ArRahmaan. Asmaa was slapped in the face by Abu Jahl when she refused to tell him where her father was. The guide that took them to Madinah was also a young boy. Subhan Allah, these children grew up to be amongst the greatest humans to ever walk this earth. How not when they had the greatest role models – RasulAllah and Abu Bakr.

After over 10 years of da'wah and jihaad in Madinah, when RasulAllah passed away, 'Umar called all the people, sharpened his sword and spoke. "Muhammad is not dead. He went to his Lord as Musa went to his Lord and he shall come back as Musa did. When he does, he shall kill all those who said he was dead."

News reached Abu Bakr of the Prophet's death. He prepared himself and galloped on his horse to RasulAllah's home. There, RasulAllah lay covered in a cloth. Abu Bakr raised the cloth and kissed RasulAllah saying, "Tibta Hayyan wa Mayyitan (You are blessed in life and in death)." He then stepped outside as 'Umar was addressing the people. "Sit down 'Umar," said Abu Bakr. He then praised Allah and began, "Whoever worships Muhammad let him know that Muhammad is dead, and whoever Allah let him know that Allah is alive and never dies." He then recited the verse:

Muhammad is nothing more than a Messenger. Messengers came and went before him. If he dies or is killed shall you turn on your heels?

'Umar said, "When I heard that verse, my knees became soft as I fell. I knew that RasulAllah had died."

Soon after that, Abu Bakr sent out the army of Usama. Usama was 18 at that time, the age of one of our youth in grade 12. He led an entire Muslim army, fought the Romans and came home victorious, breeding fear in all those that wanted to attack the Muslims in Madinah.

As Usama was leaving Madinah, Abu Bakr was escorting his horse as he walked along side it. Usama said, "You shall ride with me or I shall come down and walk."

But Abu Bakr refused saying, "You shall not come down and I shall not ride. What harm does it bring me that I should dust my feet in the cause of Allah for an hour of the day." Indeed, Usama reached this position because he had role models like Abu Bakr.

Muslims understood the seriousness of the role models their children had. ‘Amr ibn Utbah rahimahullah advised his son's teacher, "Let the first correction you do to my son be the correction of yourself. Verily, their eyes are locked into yours. Good to them is what you do, even if it is bad. And bad to them is what you do not do, even if it is good."

Many parents have understood this issue of finding the correct role models for their children. Here is an example that we conclude with: In a kindergarten classroom, a non-Muslim teacher sat with the students and asked each one what they want to be when they grow up. One said, "I want to be a policeman." The other announced, "I want to be a fireman." Then a Muslim boy in the crowd spoke up, "I want to be a Sahaabee!" A what?

When parent teacher conferences came up, the teacher asked the parents about this Sahaabee that their son wanted to be when he grew up. They said, "Whenever we have the chance we read stories of the Prophet's companions to him. They have become his role models. And when he becomes older he wants to be just like the Sahaabaa."

Isn't that what we want for our kids too?