The Place of the Companions of the Prophet (صلي الله عليه و سلم) in Islam

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بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِِ
البينة Al BAIYYINAH البينة
Issue# 8
The Place of the Companions of the Prophet (صلي الله عليه و
سلم) in Islam
A companion or Sahabee is one who met the Prophet (صلي الله
عليه و سلم) during his lifetime, became a Muslim and died in a
state of Islaam. These noble companions have an esteemed place in
Islam. These men and women sacrificed their wealth and their lives for
the survival of the Deen. They were lions in the day and monks in the
night. Amongst them were rulers who were just (in judgments) even
against themselves. They were scholars who made the desert sun their
shelter, stones and pebbles their mattresses and knowledge their
sustenance. They were warriors who would rather a savage death on the
battlefield in the path of Allah, preferring it over an opulent
lifestyle. Their faith and trust in Allaah was their wealth and
provision and their ultimate goal being success in the hereafter.
Allaah, the Lord of Moses and Jesus said in Surah 9 Ayah 100:
وَالسَّابِقُونَ الأَوَّلُونَ مِنَ
الْمُهَاجِرِينَ وَالأَنصَارِ
وَالَّذِينَ اتَّبَعُوهُم بِإِحْسَانٍ
رَّضِيَ اللّهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَضُواْ
عَنْهُ وَأَعَدَّ لَهُمْ جَنَّاتٍ
تَجْرِي تَحْتَهَا الأَنْهَارُ
خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا أَبَدًا ذَلِكَ
الْفَوْزُ الْعَظِيمُ
“And the first to embrace Islam of the Muhajirun and the Ansar and
also those who followed them exactly (in Faith) Allah is well-pleased
with them as they are well-pleased with Him. He has prepared for them
Gardens under which rivers flow (Paradise), to dwell therein forever.
That is the supreme success.”
Those who forsook their homes were called the Muhajiroon. They left
their city (Makkah) because they were persecuted for saying Laa ilaaha
ill Allaah. They abandoned everything that was dear to them to go to an
unknown place in order that they could practice their religion, so that
that they gain Allaah’s mercy and pleasure. Those who gave them aid
were called the Ansaar. There were the ones who lived in Madinah 600
miles away from Makkah. When their immigrant brothers came they gave
them shelter, food, clothing and even wives from amongst them. These
Helpers or Ansaar extended their wings of brotherhood to the Muhajiroon
who themselves left everything they owned for Allaah’s pleasure.
Although both parties had many sacrifices to make, they loved each
other for the sake of Allaah and were pleased with Him. Allaah in turn
announced his love for them and has granted them in turn gardens
beneath which rivers flow.
In a hadeeth reported by Bukhari number 2652, Ibn Mas`ud
(رَّضِيَ اللّهُ عَنْهُمْ) said that the Prophet
(صلي الله عليه و سلم) said:
“The best of people are of my generation.”
This is because of their love and tremendous service and sacrifice they
gave to Islaam and their faith and total reliance that they had in
Allaah.
Also it is consensus among the scholars of Islam that the companions of
our Prophet (صلي الله عليه و سلم) must be respected.
Abu Ja`far At-Tahawee said in his famous “Aqeedah At-Tahaweeyah”
point number 93: “We love the companions of the Messenger of Allaah
(صلي الله عليه و سلم). Our love for any one of them does
not exceed that for any other and neither do we reject any of them.”
Ibn Abee Zaid Al Qairawanee said in his famous treatise
“Ar-Risalaah”: “We do not speak about the Prophet’s companions
except with the best of speech.”
Ibn Qudama al-Maqdasee said in his treatise “Lum`ah al-Ittiqaad”:
“And from the way of the Prophet (صلي
الله عليه و سلم) is to love his companions, remembering
them and speaking well of them and asking for Allaah’s mercy upon
them.”
Shaykh ul-Islaam Ibn Taymeeyah said in his poem called Al-Lanmiyah:
“Love for the companions is my way.”
He also said in “Ak Wasiteeyah”: “And amongst the foundations of
Muslim belief is that the Muslim guards his tongue from cursing the
companions and his heart from hating them.”
Hence from what has preceded it is obvious to us my dear reader that it
is upon the Muslim to love the Prophet’s companions and not to curse
them.
Unfortunately there are people who call themselves Muslims and yet
shamefully do not hold this belief which is one of the foundations of
the Deen of Al-Islam. These deviants called the Rafidah Shee`ah curse
the companions of the Prophet (صلي الله عليه و سلم) and
even go as far as saying that one of the Prophet’s wives (Aisha) was
an adulteress.
They are a thorn in the side or the Achilles heel of this nation, in so
far that they have affected the thoughts of and have made war upon the
Muslims. They are often seen outside the gates of the Prophet’s
mosque in Madinah cursing Abu Bakr As-Sidiq (رَّضِيَ
اللّهُ عَنْهُمْ) who is the best of all Muslims after the
Prophet Muhammad (صلي الله عليه و سلم) according to the
Hadith in Sahih Bukhari where Allah's Apostle (صلي الله
عليه و سلم) said:
“If I were to take a Khalil, I would have taken Abu Bakr, but he is
my brother and my companion (in Islam)."
To these evil and dangerous people the Prophet (صلي الله
عليه و سلم) has said: “The one that curses my companions
there will be the curse of Allaah, the angels and all of mankind upon
him, not a compulsory or voluntary action of worship would be accepted
from him.”
Also, the Prophet (صلي الله عليه و سلم) said: “Fear
Allaah with my companions, fear Allaah with my companions, for whoever
loves them by my love I love them and whoever hates them by my hate I
hate them.”
Also the Prophet (صلي الله عليه و سلم) said, "Do not
abuse my companions for if any one of you spent gold equal to Uhud (in
Allah's Cause) it would not be equal to a Mud or even a half Mud spent
by one of them."
I ask Allaah to keep us away from the evil Rafidah Shee`ah who are
cursed by Allaah and whose actions have become like dust floating in
the wind. I also ask Allaah to keep us away from their
methodology/manhaj.
I ask Allah to guide us to the way of the Prophet (صلي الله
عليه و سلم) and his noble companions. May Allah put love for
these noble souls in our hearts and forgive those who have come before
us in Islaam and to not put into our hearts hate for them. Oh Allaah
you are the most Merciful.■