ABU BAKR

also called As-siddiq (Arabic: "The Upright") born c. 573 died Aug. 23, 634 Muhammad's closest companion and adviser, who succeeded to the Prophet's political and administrative functions, thereby initiating the office of the caliphate. Of a minor clan of the ruling merchant tribe of Quraysh at Mecca, Abu Bakr purportedly was the first male convert to Islam, but this view is doubted by a majority of Muslim historians. Abu Bakr's prominence in the early Muslim community was clearly marked by Muhammad's marriage to his young daughter 'A'ishah and again by Muhammad's choosing Abu Bakr as his companion on the journey to Medina (the Hegira, 622). In Medina he was Muhammad's chief adviser (622-632) but functioned mainly in conducting the pilgrimage to Mecca in 631 and leading the public prayers in Medina during Mu hammad's last illness. On Muhammad's death (June 8, 632), the Muslims of Medina resolved the crisis of succession by accepting Abu Bakr as the first khalifat rasul Allah ("deputy [or successor] of the Prophet of God," or caliph). In his rule (632-634), he suppressed the tribal political and religious uprisings known as the riddah ("apostasy"), thereby bringing central Arabia under Muslim control. Then by undertaking direct expansion from Arabia into Iraq and Syria, he began the Muslim conquests.