Then, with regard to the titles of Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra), there are two titles which are well-known; one is Atiq and the other Siddiq. With regard to why he was called Atiq, it is mentioned that Hazrat Aisha (ra) stated that once, Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) went to the Holy Prophet (sa), and the Holy Prophet (sa) said to him,
أَنْتَ عَطِيْقُ اللّٰهِ مِنَ النَّارِ
“You have been saved by Allah, from the fire”. Thus, from that day onward, he was given the title of Atiq.
(Sunan al-Tirmidhi, Abwab al-Manaqib, Bab Tasmiyihi Atiqan, Hadith 3679)
There are some historians who believe that Atiq was not the title of Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra), but was his actual name. However, this is not correct. Allama Jalaluddin al-Suyuti writes in Tarikh al-Khulafa,with reference to Imam Nawawi, that Hazrat Abu Bakr’s (ra) name was Abdullah, and this is more commonly accepted and correct. There are also some who say that his name was Atiq; however, the point upon which most scholars agree upon is that Atiq was his title, not his name.
(Jalaluddin Abd al-Rahman bin Abi Bakr al-Suyuti, Tarikh al-Khulafa, p. 27, Dar al-Kitab al-Arabi, Beirut, 1999)
The reason for being called Atiq as recorded in Sirat Ibn Hisham is that it was due to the beauty of his countenance and his overall elegance and grace.
(Ibn Hisham, Al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah, Islam Abi Bakr wa man ma‘ahu [Beirut, Lebanon: Dar Ibn Hazm, 2009], p. 117)
The following reasons for being called Atiq have been recorded in the commentary of Sirat Ibn Hisham; Atiq means al-Hasano; in other words, one who possesses excellent qualities. In other words, he was safeguarded from any condemnation and shortcomings.
It is also said that he was called Atiq because none of his mother’s children would remain alive, and she vowed that if she ever had a child, she would name him Abdul Ka‘bah and would devote the child for the service of the Ka‘bah. When he remained alive and grew into a young man, he was called Atiq, i.e. one who was saved from death.
(Ibn Hisham, Al-Raud al-Unf fi Tafsir al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah, Vol. 1, Islam Abi Bakr [Beirut, Lebanon: Dar al-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Edition 1], p. 430)
There are also various other reasons found for being called Atiq; according to some, he was called Atiq because there was no blemish in his ancestry whereby someone could raise an allegation against it.
(Ibn Abd al-Barr, Al-Isti‘ab fi Ma‘rifat al-Ashab, Vol. 3, Abdullah bin Abi Quhafah [Beirut, Lebanon: Dar al-Jil, 2002], p. 963)
Another meaning of Atiq is ancient or old; thus, Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) was also called Atiq because he had always been one to carry out virtuous and good deeds.
(Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani, Al-Isabah fi Tamyiz al-Sahabah, Vol. 4 [Beirut, Lebanon: Dar al-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, 2005], p. 146)
Similarly, he was also called Atiq because of being the foremost to accept Islam and in doing good works.
(Umdat al-Qari, Kitab Bad‘ al-Khalq, Bab Manaqib al-Muhajirin wa Fadlihim, Vol. 16, p. 260, Dar Ihya al-Turath al-Arabi, Beirut, 2003)