Part 1 - Some Narrations of the Imaams of Sunnah Concerning the Excellence of the Companions

[Abbas.Abu.Yahya]

Part 2 - Some Narrations of the Imaams of Sunnah Concerning the Excellence of the Companions
Some Narrations of the Imaams of Sunnah Concerning the Excellence of the Companions
RadhiAllaahu anhum

Taken from the Book

‘The Narrations Mentioned by Imaams of the Sunnah in the Chapters of ‘Aqeedah from the Book
‘Siyaar ‘Alaam an-Nubala’

Researched By
Jamaal bin Ahmad bin BasheeraBaadee

Translated by
Abbas Abu Yahya

The Messenger of Allaah -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam- testified to their goodness and excellence. He said in a hadeeth which is narrated of him by Abdullaah bin Mas’ood –RadhiAllaahu anhu:

" خَيْرُ النَّاسِ قَرْنِي, ثُمَّ الَّذِينَ يَلُونَهُمْ ، ثُمَّ الَّذِينَ يَلُونَهُمْ ، ثُمَّ الَّذِينَ يَلُونَهُمْ , ثُمَّ يَأْتِي قَوْمٌ تَسْبِقُ أَيْمَانُهُمْ شَهَادَتَهُمْ وَشَهَادَتُهُمْ أَيْمَانَهُمْ "

‘The best of the people are of my generation, then those who came after them, then those who came after them. Then there will come a people whose testimony will precede their oath and their making an oath is their testification.’

Imaam an-Nawawee -Rahimullaah- said:

‘The scholars are in agreement that the best generation is the Messenger’s -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam- generation and the meaning here is the Companions.’

Ibn Hajr -Rahimullaah- said:

‘A generation is a people in one close period of time who participated in a matter from the matters of concern.’

He continues saying:

‘The meaning here of ‘the generation of the Prophet -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam’ in this hadeeth is the Companions.’

The noble Companion Abdullaah bin Mas’ood –RadhiAllaahu anhu- has an amazing statement where he describes the Companions of the Messenger of Allaah -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam- saying:

إن الله نظر في قلوب العباد فوجد قلب محمد -صلى الله عليه وسلم- خير قلوب العباد فاصطفاه لنفسه فابتعثه برسالته ، ثم نظر في قلوب العباد بعد قلب محمد فوجد قلوبَ أصحابهِ خيرَ قلوبِ العبادِ فجعلهم وزراءَ نبيهِ يُقاتِلون على دينه

‘Indeed Allaah looked at the hearts of His slaves and He found the heart of Muhammad to be the best of the hearts of His slaves so He chose him for Himself and sent him with His Message. Then Allaah looked into the hearts of His worshippers after the heart of Muhammad -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam- and He found that the hearts of Muhammad’s Companions were the best of the hearts of His worshippers, so He made them the ministers for His Prophet and they fought for His religion.’

Also, on the authority of Abdullaah bin Mas’ood –RadhiAllaahu anhu- who said:
‘Whoever from amongst you wants to follow, then he should follow the Companions of the Messenger of Allaah -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam- since their hearts were the most righteous in this Ummah, the deepest in knowledge, the most natural, the most correct in guidance and were in the best condition. The Companions were people whom Allaah chose to be with His Prophet and to establish His religion. So know their excellence and follow them in their footsteps, for indeed they were on the correct guidance.’

Ahl-ul-Sunnah wal-Jamaah have, during what has passed in history and time, in different places and countries, implemented the command of their Lord –Ta’ala- and the command of the Messenger of Allaah -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam- that they should honour and respect the Companions of the Messenger of Allaah -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam- with their hearts and their tongues.

Shaykh ul-Islaam Ibn Taymeeyah -Rahimullaah- says:

‘From the principles of Ahl-ul-Sunnah wal-Jamaah: is the honour and veneration in their hearts and on their tongues for the Companions of the Messenger of Allaah -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam- just as Allaah describes them in His saying:

وَالَّذِينَ جَاءُوا مِنْ بَعْدِهِمْ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا اغْفِرْ لَنَا وَلِإِخْوَانِنَا الَّذِينَ سَبَقُونَا بِالْإِيمَانِ وَلَا تَجْعَلْ فِي قُلُوبِنَا غِلًّا لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا رَبَّنَا إِنَّكَ رَءُوفٌ رَحِيمٌ

<< And those who came after them say: ‘Our Lord! Forgive us and our brethren who have preceded us in Faith and put not in our hearts any hatred against those who have believed. Our Lord! You are indeed full of kindness, Most Merciful.’>> [Hashr: 10]

Likewise, in obedience to the Prophet -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam- when he said:
لا تسبوا أصحابي لا تسبوا أصحابي فوالذي نفسي بيده لو أن أحدكم أنفق مثل أحد ذهبا ما أدرك مد أحدهم ولا نصيفه

‘Do not curse my Companions. I swear by Him in Whose Hand is my soul, if one of you spent the like of mount Uhud in gold, you would not reach the equivalent of a Mudd (a certain weight) of one of the Companions, not even half a Mudd.’

Ahl-ul-Sunnah accept what is mentioned in the Book, the Sunnah and Ijmaa’ regarding their excellence and rank.’

The Rawafidah, Khawarij and Nawaasib opposed Ahl-ul-Sunnah wal-Jamaah in this issue; they did not keep to the bequest of the Messenger of Allaah -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam- regarding the rights of his Companions.

As for the Rawafidah, they brought the Bida’ of (text) that they claimed the Prophet -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam- stated about ‘Alee bin Abee Taalib –RadhiAllaahu anhu- with which they would not have an excuse to leave the Khilafah of ‘Alee, a statement that he was sinless and whosoever opposed him had committed disbelief. Then, as a consequence, they made Takfeer of all the Companions except very few in number. They claimed that the Companions hid these statements and changed the religion. The Rawafidah sought closeness to Allaah - as they claim - by cursing and reviling the Companions –RadhiAllaahu anhum. Abu Bakr and Umar –RadhiAllaahu anhumaa- received the most of their oppression and extreme lies.

As for the Khawarij, then they made Takfeer of ‘Uthmaan and ‘Alee and of those who followed them and they also made Takfeer of both groups who took part in the battle of Siffeen.

As for the Nawaasib, their evil belief led them to hate ‘Alee bin Abee Taalib –RadhiAllaahu anhu- and they belittled him. They exaggerated in this until they accused him of evil, oppression and that he wanted the Duniya. Then their condition and their hatred and enmity continued until they belittled the rest of Ahl ul Bayt (the family of the Prophet), especially al-Hassan bin ‘Alee–RadhiAllaahu anhu.