It is narrated from Anas bin Malik that the Prophet came to Medina and Abu
Bakr was a well known old man and the Prophet was an unrecognized youth.
So, a man approached Abu Bakr and asked: “O Abu Bakr, who is this
walking before you?” He replied: “He is guiding me on the right path.” That man
thought that he was guiding him on the route to Medina, whereas the implication
of Abu Bakr was guiding to the path of salvation.
It is also mentioned in a traditional report that: Abu Bakr mounted the camel
behind the Prophet and he knew the route to Medina better. Thus, a man who
knew him, saw him and asked: “Who is this young man before you?”
It is mentioned in the report of Ahmad that: They asked: “O Abu Bakr, who
is this youth before you?”
He replied: “He is my guide.”
It is mentioned in a report that: “The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) was mounted on the camel behind Abu Bakr…”1
Allamah Amini says: How much has the world decreased the rank of
Prophet? That it is said: “He was an unrecognized and unknown young man.” As
if he was an anonymous youth and an old man, who was well known among
people, had taken him as a guide on his way.
Sometimes he sits behind him on the camel and sometimes sits ahead; and
when he is questioned, he said: This one is guiding me to the right path and he
knows the path better than me. As if the Prophet of Islam (s.a.w.a.) was not of
those, who in every Hajj season presented himself to the tribes and all of them
whether they were of those, who had embraced faith or those, who had not
embraced faith; all knew him well.
Especially the Ansar, who came from Medina and among them were elders
of Aws and Khazraj, who had given oath of allegiance at Uqbah the first time and
seventy-three men and two women had paid allegiance to him on the second
Uqbah.
As if Medina was not the house of the mother of Prophet, who was from
Bani Najjar community of that town.
As if His Eminence (s.a.w.a.) didn’t make Medina his capital and place of
his forces to defend his community and had not sent his representatives there
since a long time ago.
And since when Abu Bakr became an old man and the Prophet a youth,
whereas His Eminence was elder to him by two years and a few months?