Abu-bekr

Abu-bekr ('father of the maiden') was so called as being the father of Ayesha, the wife of Mohammed, was born at Mecca in 573 A.D., and was a man of great influence in the Koreish tribe. He was the Prophet's most trusted follower; and in 632, when Mohammed died, was made the first calif or successor of the Prophet. Ali, the Prophet's son-in-law, expected the succession, but submitted; the sect of the Shiites (q.v.) to this day protest that Abu-bekr was wrongfully appointed. Abu-bekr had to suppress the relapse of some tribes into heathenism; defeated the false prophet Mosaylima, and after victoriously overrunning Syria and Babylon in spite of the Byzantine emperor Heraclius, died in 634 A.D., and was buried at Medina, near the grave of Mohammed. See MOHAMMED.