Uthman Abu Quhafa
| Uthman ibn Amir ibn Amr ibn Ka'ab | |
|---|---|
| Born |
1 July 540 Mecca |
| Died | March 1, 635 (aged 94) Mecca |
| Occupation | Father of Abu Bakr Siddiq |
'Uthman ibn 'Amir, also known as Abu Quhafa (540–635 CE) (Arabic: أبو قحافة), was the father of Caliph Abu Bakr.
Abu Quhafa was the son of 'Amir ibn 'Amr ibn Kaab ibn Saad ibn Taym ibn Murra ibn Kaab ibn Luayy ibn Ghalib ibn Fihr and he lived in Mecca.
He married his cousin Salma bint Sakhar ibn Amr ibn Kaab, who was known as Umm Al-Khayr ("Mother of Goodness"). They had several sons who did not survive infancy. When Abu Bakr was born in 573, he was therefore known as Atiq ("exempted" from death), while his subsequent brothers were given the related names Muataq and Muaytaq.
Abu Quhafa later married a younger woman, Hind bint Nuqayd. She bore him three daughters: Umm Farwa, Qurayba and Umm Amir.
When Abu Bakr became a Muslim in 610, Abu Quhafa remained a pagan. When he spoke disparagingly of Muhammad, Abu Bakr struck his father’s chest and rendered him unconscious. It is said that Quran was written in response: "You will not find a people who believe in Allah and the Last Day having affection for those who oppose Allah and His Messenger, even if they were their fathers or their sons or their brothers or their kindred..."[Quran 58:22] When Abu Bakr ransomed Muslim slaves who were being persecuted in 613–614, Abu Quhafa said to him: "My son, I see that you are freeing weak slaves. If you want to do what you are doing, why don’t you free powerful men who could defend you and protect you?" But Abu Bakr replied: "I am only trying to do what I am attempting for Allah’s sake."
In old age, Abu Quhafa lost most of his sight.
In September 622 Abu Bakr emigrated to Medina, taking all his money with him "to the amount of five or six thousand dirhams." Abu Quhafa went to call on the family and said that he thought Abu Bakr “had put them in difficulty by taking off all his money." His granddaughter Asma said that Abu Bakr had left them plenty. "I took some stones and put them in a niche where Abu Bakr kept his money; then I covered them with a cloth and took his hand and said, 'Put your hand on this money, Father.' He did so and said: 'There’s nothing to worry about; he has done well in leaving you this, and you will have enough.' In fact he had left us nothing, but I wanted to set the old man's mind at rest."
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