Abu Bakr's (May Allah be pleased with him) inaugural speech

The Prophet (PBUH) in his lifetime had given enough hints in this regard and based on that the Companions had chosen Abu Bakr as the Khalifa. But it did not mean that he was accepted by default. The general public still needed to take the oath of allegiance to him to show that they approved of his candidacy. Isn't that a form of democracy? 

The speech that Abu Bakr delivered before people took the oath is an eye opener about the qualities that he brought to the office and where he clearly defines his duties towards the people and what he expected from them in return. It was going to be a contract between him and the people based on the Quran and the Sunnah of the Prophet. It also tells us about his own personality and beliefs that were based on his love and devotion towards Allah and His Messenger.

Abu Bakr began by praising and glorifying Allah. He then said, 

"O people, I have indeed been appointed over you, though I am not the best among you. If I do well, then help me; and If I act wrongly, then correct me. Truthfulness is synonymous with fulfilling the trust, and lying is tantamount to treachery. The weak among you is deemed strong by me, until I return to them that which is rightfully theirs, Allah willing. And the strong among you is deemed weak by me, until I take from them what is rightfully someone else's, Allah willing. No group of people abandons Jihad in the path of Allah, except that Allah makes them suffer humiliation. And wickedness does not become widespread among the people, except that Allah inflicts them with widespread calamity. Obey me as long as I obey Allah and Messenger. And if I disobey Allah and His Messenger, then I have no right to your obedience. Stand up now to pray, may Allah have mercy on you."

Ibn Kathir

We can gather the following points from the speech:

1. Abu Bakr's humility where he says that he isn't the best among the people and asks people to correct him if he goes wrong. This also establishes the concept of people having a say in how the nation would be run.
2. His love for justice and equality where he treats both the weak and the strong equally without prejudice towards or against anyone.
3. His emphasis on encouraging people to do good deeds and desist from evil.
4. His oath to govern by the laws that have been laid down in the Quran and use the Sunnah of the Prophet as an example.

We can see from his life after he became the Khalifa that these were not just words to him, he did more than what was enough to go beyond what he spoke about in his inaugural speech. If only our leaders would do the same, our society would be so different.