Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) Donates his Entire Wealth for the Expedition of Tabuk
The Battle of Tabuk took place in Rajab, 9 AH. In regards to this battle, it is recorded that the place of Tabuk is located along the main route to Syria from Madinah, commonly used by travelling merchant convoys. It is a city between the Valley of Qura and Syria, and the companions would also refer to it as the city of the “Dwellers of the Wood”. This was the place to which Hazrat Shu‘aib (as) was sent as a prophet.
(Yaqut Ibn ‘Abd Allah al-Hamawi, Mu’jam al-Buldan, Vol. 2 [Beirut, Lebanon: Dar Ihya al-Turath al-’Arabi], p. 14)
Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) accompanied the Holy Prophet (sa) during the Battle of Tabuk and during this expedition, the Holy Prophet (sa) gave a large flag to Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra).
(Ibn Sa’d, Al-Tabaqat al-Kubra, Vol. 3, Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (ra)… [Beirut, Lebanon: Dar al-Kutub al-‘Ilmiyyah, 2017], p. 131)
During the Battle of Tabuk, Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) presented his entire wealth to the Holy Prophet (sa), which had a total value of 4,000 dirhams.
(Sharh al-Zurqani ‘ala al-Mawahib al-Laduniyyah, Vol. 3, Thumma Ghazwat Tabuk [Beirut, Lebanon: Dar al-Kutub al-‘Ilmiyyah, 1996], p. 69)
When the Holy Prophet (sa) commanded the companions to prepare for the expedition to Tabuk, he sent a message to the tribes around Mecca and the other tribes of Arabia to accompany him.
The Holy Prophet (sa) ordered the affluent companions to spend their wealth and provide mounts in the way of Allah, and this was the last expedition in which the Holy Prophet (sa) participated. Thus, on this occasion, the first person to bring their wealth was Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiq (ra). Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) brought everything he owned, which was equal to 4,000 dirhams. The Holy Prophet (sa) asked him, “Have you left anything at home for your family?” Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) replied, “I have left [the name of] Allah and His Messenger (sa).” Hazrat Umar bin al-Khattab (ra) brought half of his entire wealth. The Holy Prophet (sa) asked him, “Have you left anything at home for your family?” He replied that he had left behind half of his wealth. On that occasion, Hazrat Abdur Rahman bin Auf (ra) offered 100 Auqiah, which was equal to approximately 4,000 dirhams. Then, the Holy Prophet (sa) said, “Usman bin Affan and Abdur Rahman bin ‘Auf are among the treasuries of Allah the Almighty on earth, who spend in order to attain the pleasure of Allah.” They had contributed a lot of wealth.
On the same occasion, women also offered their jewellery for this cause, and Hazrat Asim bin Adi (ra) offered 70 Wasq [unit of measurement] of dates, which is equal to approximately 262 maunds.
(‘Ali bin Burhan al-Din al-Halabi, Al-Sirah al-Halabiyyah, Vol. 3, Ghazwat Tabuk [Beirut, Lebanon: Dar al-Kutub al-‘Ilmiyyah, 2002], pp. 183-184), (Lughat al-Hadith, Vol. 1, p. 82, Awqiyah), (Lughat al-Hadith, Vol. 4, p. 487, Wasq, Vol. 2, p. 648, Saa’)
If one maund is approximately 40 kilograms, then this would come up to just over a ton; or about ten and a half tons.
Zaid bin Asslam narrates from his father, “I heard Hazrat Umar bin al-Khattab (ra) saying, ‘The Holy Prophet (sa) told us to give alms, and at that time, I had some wealth. I thought to myself that today, I will surpass Abu Bakr. If there is a day that I shall surpass him, then it is today.’ Hazrat Umar (ra) continued, ‘I offered half of all my wealth. The Holy Prophet (sa) asked, “What have you left behind for your family?” I humbly submitted, “I have left for my family as much as I have brought with me.” Then, Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) brought all the wealth that he had (when Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) arrived, Hazrat Umar (ra) explained that Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) had brought all the wealth he owned). The Holy Prophet (sa) asked, “O Abu Bakr, what have you left behind for your family?” He submitted, “I have left [the name of] Allah and His Messenger (sa) for them.”’ Hazrat Umar (ra) said, ‘By Allah, I can never surpass him in anything.’”
(Sunan al-Tirmidhi, Kitab al-Manaqib, Bab Raja‘ih an Yakuna Abu Bakr…, Hadith 3675)