Mosque Established in his Courtyard

There are some details mentioned in Umdat al-Qari, which is a commentary of Sahih Bukhari, about the mosque which was established in the courtyard of Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra). It is mentioned that this mosque was spread to the walls of his house and this was the first-ever mosque established in Islam.

(Umdat al-Qari, Kitab al-Kafalah, Bab Jiwar Abi Bakr (ra) fiAhd al-Nabi (sa), Vol. 12, p. 185, Hadith 2297)

Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud (ra) states:

“Abu Bakr (ra) was such a person to whom all of Mecca was indebted. Whatever he earned was spent in freeing slaves. He was once leaving Mecca when a chieftain encountered him on his way. He asked, ‘O Abu Bakr, where are you going?’ Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) replied, ‘There is no peace for me in this city. I am moving elsewhere.’ That chieftain said, ‘If a man as pious as you leaves this city, then it will surely lead to its ruin. I will offer you protection under my authority, so do not leave this city.’ He returned under the protection of this chieftain. In the morning, when Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) would wake up and recite the Quran, women and children would put their ears to his walls just to hear the words of the Quran. This is because his voice was impassioned with fervency and emotion and because the Holy Quran was in the Arabic language, every woman, man and child could understand it and every listener would be inspired by it. When word spread of this, there was an uproar in Mecca for fear that everyone would lose their faith.”

In other words, the people would leave their old beliefs upon hearing the recitation of the Holy Quran and the fervency of Hazrat Abu Bakr’s (ra) voice. This is exactly what is happening to Ahmadis in some countries, particularly to those living in Pakistan. [They claim] that they, too, will become faithless if they see an Ahmadi recite the Quran or pray. For this reason, there are severe punishments for Ahmadis who are caught praying or reciting the Quran.

Nonetheless, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maud (ra) further writes:

“The people went to that chieftain and questioned him, saying, ‘Why have you provided him with protection?’ This chieftain then went to Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) and said, ‘Please desist in reciting the Quran in this manner because the people of Mecca are angered by it.’ Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) replied, ‘Withdraw the protection you have offered to me because I cannot abandon this practice.’ Thus, the chieftain withdrew his protection.”

(Tafsir-e-Kabir, Vol. 10, 327)