خليفة حازم رحيم

After the Prophet ﷺ passed away, many people were shaken. Abu Bakr was chosen as the first caliph by the Companions. He ruled for about two years, from 11 to 13 after the Hijra (632-634).

He held the community together at a hard time, including when some tribes refused to pay the zakat. He also agreed, on Umar's suggestion, to have the Qur'an collected in one place by Zayd ibn Thabit, so that it would never be lost (Bukhari 4986).

His first speech: "Obey me as long as I obey Allah and His Messenger; if I disobey, you owe me no obedience." Lesson: a leader serves, and must be held to account.