ABŪ BAKR (c. 572–634) was the first Caliph and close companion of the Prophet and founder of the Islamic Empire. In the classical Arab tradition a person is given an ism (name), kunyah (an agnomen consisting of Abū [father] followed by the name of a son), and laqab (nickname or title usually of a favorable nature). Hence Abū Bakr was so called, although his name was Abd Allah, and his laqab, Ati Atik (freed slave), was given to him by his mother because he was spared from the death in infancy that befell all her other sons. His father was ʿUthām of the clan of Taym of the tribe of Quraysh. His mother was Salma bint Sakhr of the same clan. He was born around 572 CE. He married four times and had six children, including ʿĀʾishah, who married the Prophet and played...