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Political Organization

Home ➜
History ➜
Khalifa Abu Bakr ➜
Alim - Islamic software for Quran and Hadith

1. Before and After Conversion to Islam

>> Pre-Islamic Period

>> Conversion to Islam

2. Witness to Truth

>> Liberation of the Slaves

>> Persecutions of the Quraish

>> Protection of Ad-Dughna

>> Holy Prophet's Engagement to Ayesha

>> Witness to Truth

>> Ar-Rum

3. Migration to Madina

>> Second of the two

>> The Road to Yathrib

>> Life at Madina

>> Abu Bakr and Finhas the Jew

>> The blasphemy

>> Expedition of Ubayda Bin Al-Harith

>> Ayesha's Marriage to the Holy Prophet.

4. The New World of Madina

>> Battle of Badr

>> Banu Qainuqa'

>> Battle of Uhud

>> Banu Nadeer

>> Banu Mustaliq

>> Ordeal of Falsehood

5. Makkah Revisited

>> Battle of the Ditch

>> Banu Quraiza

>> Treaty of Hudaibiya

>> Battle of Khyber

>> Makkah Revisited

6. Conquest of Makkah and After

>> Conquest of Makkah

>> Battles of Hunain and Taif

>> Expedition to Tabuk

>> Abu Bakr as Amir-ul-Haj.

>> Dhat-ul-Salasil

>> The Farewell Pilgrimage

7. Successor to the Holy Prophet

>> Appointment of Abu Bakr as the Imam.

>> Death of the Holy Prophet

>> The faithful assembled in the mosque

>> Election of Abu Bakr as the Caliph.

>> Inaugural Address of Abu Bakr.

8. Encounter with the Tribes

>> Expedition to Syria

>> Encounter with the tribes

>> Battle of Zul Qissa

>> Battle of Abraq

9. Apostacy Campaign Against Taleah

>> Plan of Campaign against the Apostates

>> Campaign against Taleaha

>> Campaign against Bani Fazara

>> Battle of Zafar

>> Campaign against Bani Sulaim

10. Apostacy Campaign Against Musailma

>> Sajjah, the False Prophetess

>> Campaign against Bani Tamim

>> Campaign Against Musailma

>> Treaty of Yamama

11. Apostacy Campaigns in East and South Arabia

>> Campaign in Bahrain

>> Campaigns in Uman and Mahrah

>> Campaign in Yemen

>> Campaign in Hadramaut

12. Campaigns in Eastern Iraq

>> Muthanna's Reconnaissance Campaign in Iraq

>> Battle of Kazima.

>> Battle of Mazar

>> Battle of Walaja

>> Battle of Ulleis

>> Conquest of Hirah

>> Occupation of Hirah

>> The Christian Arabs

>> Dialogue between Khalid and Abdul Maseeh

13. Campaigns in Wester Iraq

>> Battle of Anbar

>> Battle of 'Ein-at-Tamr

>> Battle of Daumatul Jandal

>> Campaigns in Western Iraq

>> Battle of Firaz

>> Battle of Babylon

14. Campaigns in Syria

>> Campaigns in Syria

>> Khalid's March to Syria

>> Battle of Busra

>> Siege of Damascus

>> Battle of Ajnadein

>> Siege of Damascus

15. Political, Social, Economic and Military Organization

>> Political Organization

>> Social Organization

>> Economic Organization

>> Military Organization Under Abu Bakr

16. Mushaf, Hadith, Tasawwuf, Fiqh, and Poetry.

>> The Mushaf

>> Abu Bakr and the Hadith

>> Abu Bakr and Tasawwuf

>> Abu Bakr and Fiqh

>> Poetry in the Time of Abu Bakr

17. Anecdotes, Sayings, Sermons and Interpretation of Dreams

>> Anecdotes of Abu Bakr

>> Sayings of Abu Bakr

>> Sermons of Abu Bakr

>> Abu Bakr and the Interpretation of Dreams

18. Death of Abu Bakr

>> Passing away of Abu Bakr

>> Appointment of Umar as his Successor

>> Wishes and Regrets of Abu Bakr

>> Things which he did not do, and wished that he should have done them

>> Ali's Oration on the Death of Abu Bakr

>> Elegy on the Death of Abu Bakr

>> Wives and Children of Abu Bakr

19. Abu Bakr, The Man

>> Distinctions of Abu Bakr

>> Abu Bakr in the Holy Quran

>> Holy Prophet's Estimate of Abu Bakr

>> Abu Bakr, The Man

>> Abu Bakr as seen by Western Writers

20. Abu Bakr in History

>> Role of Abu Bakr

>> Supporting role of Islam

>> Apostasy Campaigns

>> Unification of Arabia under the Holy Prophet

>> Confrontation with Byzantium and Persia

Government of Abu Bakr. As Caliph, Abu Bakr was the Head of the Government of the Islamic State. Abu Bakr held Government to be a sacred trust, and he ran Government as if he were administering the affairs of a trust. To Abu Bakr, the office of the Caliph was not a means of earthly glory; he regarded it as a burden that he had to discharge in the interest of Islam. About the nature of his office, and his responsibilities he declared in unequivocal terms: "O ye men, now do I long that some one else may take the burden of the State on his shoulders. If you expect from me that I should come up to the standard set by the Holy Prophet, then you must know that I cannot fulfil your expectations because he was immune from all sins and had the assistance of divine revelations while I am an ordinary man subject to human fallibility."

Character of Polity. Abu Bakr took pains to impress upon the people that he was only the first among the equals. For him, all men, rich or poor, high or low were equal. His rule was the rule of the law, but the law that he had to administer was not man made law: it was divine law. There is no priesthood in Islam, and as such the caliphate was not a theocracy. As all power lay with the people, the political order was democratic in character, but the democracy was not like the democracy we know today. In the polity that Abu Bakr administered the will of the people was paramount, but it was subject to divine will. As such the polity was neither theocracy nor democracy in the sense in which the West understands these terms. It was democracy under the umbrella of divinity, the vicegerency of the people organized to carry into effect the will of God as embodied in Islam.

Constitutional ruler. Abu Bakr was a constitutional ruler as his rule was subject to constitution. But the constitution in this case was not man made; it was divine. As a ruler; Abu Bakr had to discharge a three-fold responsibility. He was responsible to God, and it was his responsibility to enforce the commandments of God as contained in the Holy Quran. He was responsible to the Holy Prophet, and it was his endeavor to follow in the footsteps of the Holy Prophet, and prove himself to be a true representative of the Holy Prophet. In this respect he had to seek guidance from the Sunnah. He was also responsible to the people. It was his endeavor to ensure that all that he did commanded the approval of the people. As Caliph, Abu Bakr was the Head of the State as well as the Government. As representative of the Holy Prophet he was also the religious head. He wielded power, but the polity was organized in such a way that power did not lead to corruption; it served as an instrument of service. As Caliph, Abu Bakr was more of a father to the people than as the ruler.

Advisory Council. The Caliph was aided by an Advisory Council. It comprised all companions. There was, however, nothing hard and fast about the Advisory Council. Its constitution, its conduct of business were all informal. All decisions were arrived at through the process of consensus. There was no monopoly about the Advisory Council. Even an ordinary Muslim could express his views and render advice. It was open to the Caliph to accept or not to accept the advice offered to him, but whenever Abu Bakr did not accept the advice tendered to him, he advanced reason therefore.

Secretariat. The Government of Abu Bakr carried correspondence. Ali, Usman, and Zaid b Thabit acted as Secretaries. There was, however, no elaborate Secretariat. No remuneration was paid to the Secretaries. There were no palatial buildings to house the Government offices. All Government business was conducted in the main mosque at Madina. There were no elaborate departments for the conduct of Government business. There was however division of functions among the Companions, and each Companion was responsible for specified functions. Umar acted as a Minister to the Caliph, and was in charge of judicial administration. Abu Ubaida Jarrah was in charge of the financial administration.

Caliphal duties. As Caliph, Abu Bakr did not live in any palace. He lived in an ordinary house as a commoner. He was accessible to every person. If any person had any grievance, he could place it before the Caliph without any difficulty or formality. Abu Bakr always took prompt steps to redress the grievances of the people. Abu Bakr personally led the prayers. He reviewed the problems every week in the Friday Khutba and took the people in confidence in formulating his policies.

Local administration. For the purpose of local administration, the country was divided into provinces each under a Governor. Arabia proper was divided into ten provinces, namely, Madina, Makkah, Taif, San'a, Hadramawt, Khaulan, Zubaid, Jund, Bahrain, and Najran. Iraq was divided into three provinces, namely: Hirah, Dumatul Jandal, and Muzainah. Syria was divided into four provinces: Hims, Damascus, Jordan and Palestine. The Governor was required to lead prayers. He superintended the army; collected taxes; administered justice; maintained law and order; supervised public morals; and provided social services. He was aided by an Amil who collected revenues, and a Qadi who administered justice. Subject to the payment of 'Jizya', the minorities enjoyed cultural autonomy and managed their affairs themselves.

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