My hands were shaking as I clutched the water skins. I was just a servant, one of the many who traveled with the group during the Prophet’s ﷺ migration from Mecca—our sacred city where the Kaaba stands—to Medina, where a new beginning waited. My name won’t be found in any book, but on that journey, I witnessed something I will never forget: the trust between the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and his closest friend, Abu Bakr.
Abu Bakr ibn Abi Quhafah—may Allah be pleased with him—was not like the others. He spoke gently but firmly, moved carefully but with courage. He was much older than me, yet when danger was near, it was he who stood closest to the Prophet ﷺ, blocking every threat with his own body.
One night during our travel, we rested in a small cave called Thawr. We had taken cover there to escape the Quraysh—our own people from Mecca who wanted to stop the Prophet ﷺ by force. I could hear their horses in the distance, searching the rocks below. My heart pounded like a drum. One word, one wrong sound, and they would find us.
Abu Bakr turned his head slightly. In the low light, I saw the tightness in his jaw. He whispered, “If they just look down at their feet, they will see us.” He wasn’t afraid for himself. He was afraid for the Prophet ﷺ. His voice shook not from fear, but from love.
The Prophet ﷺ replied calmly, without panic. Though I couldn't see his face, his voice soothed the air. I later learned he had said, “Do not be sad, indeed Allah is with us.” That moment lit something inside me. Even in the heart of danger, the Prophet ﷺ reminded us: Allah never leaves those who believe in Him.
Years later, I would hear the Hadith—one of the recorded sayings of the Prophet ﷺ—in which he said, “If I were to take a close friend besides Allah, I would have taken Abu Bakr” (Bukhari 3661, Muslim 2382). And I understood. Abu Bakr had not just been a friend. He had been a shield, a companion, a brother in faith.
After we reached Medina and the Prophet ﷺ built the first mosque, the hearts of the people began to open. Islam broadened its wings, and the trust between the Prophet and Abu Bakr became a foundation for all of us—a reminder that love for the sake of Allah is more powerful than any fear, more lasting than any tie of blood.
That journey taught me that real friendship isn’t just about loyalty. It’s about sacrifice. Abu Bakr gave up his wealth, his comfort, and his safety—all for the truth. And for the one who carried it.
Sometimes, when I feel afraid, I still remember the stillness of that cave. The dark. The whisper. The trust.
And I remind myself, as the Prophet ﷺ reminded Abu Bakr that night: Allah is with us.
Story Note: Inspired by Hadith in Bukhari 3661 and Muslim 2382 and the migration (Hijrah) of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ from Mecca to Medina, as recorded in classical Islamic history and Seerah.
My hands were shaking as I clutched the water skins. I was just a servant, one of the many who traveled with the group during the Prophet’s ﷺ migration from Mecca—our sacred city where the Kaaba stands—to Medina, where a new beginning waited. My name won’t be found in any book, but on that journey, I witnessed something I will never forget: the trust between the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and his closest friend, Abu Bakr.
Abu Bakr ibn Abi Quhafah—may Allah be pleased with him—was not like the others. He spoke gently but firmly, moved carefully but with courage. He was much older than me, yet when danger was near, it was he who stood closest to the Prophet ﷺ, blocking every threat with his own body.
One night during our travel, we rested in a small cave called Thawr. We had taken cover there to escape the Quraysh—our own people from Mecca who wanted to stop the Prophet ﷺ by force. I could hear their horses in the distance, searching the rocks below. My heart pounded like a drum. One word, one wrong sound, and they would find us.
Abu Bakr turned his head slightly. In the low light, I saw the tightness in his jaw. He whispered, “If they just look down at their feet, they will see us.” He wasn’t afraid for himself. He was afraid for the Prophet ﷺ. His voice shook not from fear, but from love.
The Prophet ﷺ replied calmly, without panic. Though I couldn't see his face, his voice soothed the air. I later learned he had said, “Do not be sad, indeed Allah is with us.” That moment lit something inside me. Even in the heart of danger, the Prophet ﷺ reminded us: Allah never leaves those who believe in Him.
Years later, I would hear the Hadith—one of the recorded sayings of the Prophet ﷺ—in which he said, “If I were to take a close friend besides Allah, I would have taken Abu Bakr” (Bukhari 3661, Muslim 2382). And I understood. Abu Bakr had not just been a friend. He had been a shield, a companion, a brother in faith.
After we reached Medina and the Prophet ﷺ built the first mosque, the hearts of the people began to open. Islam broadened its wings, and the trust between the Prophet and Abu Bakr became a foundation for all of us—a reminder that love for the sake of Allah is more powerful than any fear, more lasting than any tie of blood.
That journey taught me that real friendship isn’t just about loyalty. It’s about sacrifice. Abu Bakr gave up his wealth, his comfort, and his safety—all for the truth. And for the one who carried it.
Sometimes, when I feel afraid, I still remember the stillness of that cave. The dark. The whisper. The trust.
And I remind myself, as the Prophet ﷺ reminded Abu Bakr that night: Allah is with us.
Story Note: Inspired by Hadith in Bukhari 3661 and Muslim 2382 and the migration (Hijrah) of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ from Mecca to Medina, as recorded in classical Islamic history and Seerah.
