William Muir

“ Each was ushered into his presence as an Embassy. "Nay," said Abu Bekr, "they are more than that; they are Messengers of glad tidings, true men, and defenders of the Faith." And the people answered:—"Even so; now the good things that thou didst promise do appear."
Saving of Islam due to Abu Bekr
Tradition delights to ascribe with pious gratitude the preservation of Islam to the aged Caliph's faith and fortitude. "On the death of Mohammad" (so runs our record) , "it wanted but little and the Faithful had perished utterly. ”

“ They were almost alone. Here and there some few tribes, under loyal, or it might be temporising Chiefs, maintained the semblance of obedience; but they were hardly discernible amidst the seething mass of rebellion. 'Amr, hurrying back from 'Oman (whither he had been sent as an Ambassador by Mohammad at the Farewell Pilgrimage) saw, as he passed, the whole of Central Arabia either in open apostasy or ready to break away on the first demand of tithe; and his report filled the Citizens of Medina with dismay. In truth Islam had never taken firm hold of the distant provinces ”

“ Abu Bekr drove them with 14
slaughter out of Dhu'l-Kassa and, leaving a portion of his little force as an outpost there, returned to Medina.
Good effect of the victory
The affair was small, but the effect was great. As failure would have been disastrous, perhaps fatal, to Islam, so was victory the turning-point in its favour. The power of the Prophet's Successor to protect the city even without an army was noised abroad. And soon after, the spirits of the Muslims rose as they saw some Chiefs appear bringing in the tithes. ”