Sayyiduna Abu Bakr and Ibn Daghnah

Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddeeq رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ also departed for Ethiopia with the intention of migration. When he رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ reached the place called ‘Bark-ul-Ghimaad’[بَرْکُ الْغِمَاد],Maalik Bin Daghnah, who was the chief of the tribe Qaarah, met him and asked, ‘O Abu Bakr! Where are you going to?’ Mentioning the cruelties inflicted by the people of Makkah, he رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ said, ‘I have left my country and I will continue to wander in the vast earth of the Almighty, worshipping Him.’ Ibn Daghnah said, ‘Neither should you leave your country nor can anyone force you into exile. You ease the burden for others; you show hospitality to the guests of the Haram; you earn a livelihood and provide the poor and the destitute with financial aid; and you help every rightful person. Come back to Makkah along with me; I will give you refuge.’

Ibn Daghnah insisted and brought him back to Makkah where he said to disbelievers, ‘I have given refuge to Abu Bakr رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ. Beware! No one can cause him any harm.’ The disbelievers of Makkah said, ‘We agree to it on condition that Abu Bakr will recite the Holy Quran secretly in his home so that our women and children will not listen to the Quran.’ Ibn Daghnah accepted the condition and Sayyiduna Abu Bakr رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ recited the Holy Quran in his home for a few days. However, he رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ felt anxious, thinking that false gods, Laat and ‘Uzza, were being worshipped openly but the Real Lord was being worshipped secretly inside home. Hence using the courtyard outside his home as Masjid, he رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ started reciting the Holy Quran aloud during Salahs, drawing a crowd of women and children of the disbelievers of Makkah. They would listen to the Quran. Noticing it, disbelievers called Ibn Daghnah and complained, ‘Abu Bakr recites the Holy Quran outside his home and a crowd of our women and children gathers to listen to it, which offends us deeply. Therefore, either you restrict him to reciting the Quran inside his home or you do not give him refuge anymore.’ Therefore, Ibn Daghnah said to Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddeeq رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ, ‘O Abu Bakr! Recite the Quran secretly inside your home; otherwise, I will no longer give you refuge. Disbelievers will harm you and I will not be responsible for that.’ Listening to it, Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddeeq رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ said, ‘O Ibn Daghnah! Even if you do not provide me with refuge, the refuge of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ is sufficient for me. I am pleased with His will.’¹