Friday Talks faheemfb@gmail.com

Grace of the companions

Written by Sk. Omar Kadrawi

Tanslated by: Dr. Faheem Bukhatwa

 

25/Shawal/1425 h

24/10/2008 ac

In the name of Allah most gracious most Merciful.

 

 

Dear Muslim brothers, Today’s talk is about the status of the companions of the messenger (PPBU) in Islam. It is quite obvious that the first generation of the companions of the messenger (PPBU) are being the target of a well planned and a devious assault. This is being executed by some of those who have sick hearts, who have ulterior motives and inappropriate innovations. Giving out about the companions, insulting them, and planting seeds of doubts about them, and questioning the justice they demonstrated is a dangerous act. It is a negative and destructive scandal aimed at the purest generation of people known in history next only to the messenger of Allah himself. Every Muslim must respect and revere this generation. They are pioneers for humanity to the path of good. It is through them that this faith was transferred to us. And through them Allah moved us to light after dark.

 

Abu-Jaffar Tahawi said: “We love the companions of the messenger (PPBU). We do not deny love for them, and we do not disown any one of them. We detest whoever detests them and whoever ill talks of them. And we only talk well of them. Loving them is religion, faith and kindness, while hating them is disbelief, hypocrisy and tyranny”.

 

Muslims have unanimously agreed that the companions are the true patrons, and the elite of the God fearing. They are the model for believers and the example for Muslims, and the best of the slaves of Allah next to the prophets and messengers. They learnt well the message brought by the messenger (PPBU), and they fought under his supervision. Allah gave them the honour of seeing the final messenger (PPBU), and befriending him through out the good and the bad. They gave their lives and their wealth for Allah. All that until they became to be the elite of the elite and the best in all the centuries as was said by the messenger (PPBU). They are the best of the nation, better than those who came before them and better than those who came after them. It is them who erected the columns of Islam, and built the religion, and dismembered polytheism. They delivered faith to the ends of the earth. They are the most accurate at understanding Islam, and the richest in knowledge of it, and the most truthful in faith, and the most perfect in living by Islam. And why not? When they were brought up and taught by the messenger himself (PPBU).

 

The term companion refers to those Muslims who had direct contact with or saw the messenger (PPBU). Allah says: {The first earlier pioneers of the emigrants and those who showed solidarity with them (Mohajireen and Ansar) or emigrants and supporters; and those who followed them with kindness and good deeds, Allah is happy with them and they were happy with Him. Allah has prepared for them gardens and Paradise with rivers flowing beneath them for ever and eternity. That is the greatest win or prize of all} Tawbah:100.

 

Allah also says: {Allah is happy with the believers who pledged their allegiance under the tree. He knew what’s in their hearts, so he descended upon them calm and tranquillity, and rewarded with a victory in the near future. And plenty of bounties for the taking, and Allah is most glorified and is ever wise} Fath:18-19. The messenger (PPBU) said about those: {none of those who pledged their allegiance under the tree will enter hellfire}.

Allah says: {For the poor emigrants, who were expelled from their homes and their property, seeking bounties from Allah and to seeking to please Him, and give support to Allah and His messenger, Such are indeed the truthful. And those who before them had homes (the inhabitants of Al-Madinah) and had adopted the faith love those who emigrate to them, and have no ill feelings in their chests for which they have been given, and give those emigrants preference over themselves even though they were in need. And whosoever is saved from his meagreness such are they who will be successful} Hashr:8-9.

Allah also said about them: {Mohammad the messenger of Allah and those with him are tough on the unbelievers, yet kind amongst themselves. You would see them and bow, kneel and prostrate, seeking bounty from Allah and seeking His satisfaction. Marks on their faces due to prostrating} Fatih:29.

 

The messenger (PPBU) said: {the best of my nation are my generation, then the generation who follow them, then those who follow them}

 

The messenger (PPBU) said: {do not curse or insult any of my companions. If one of you spends as much gold as the mountain of Auhod, then would not be the same as a handful spending of one of my companions. And not even half a handful}.

Ali Ebn Abi-Talib was asked: “How much was your love for the messenger of Allah (PPBU)?” He said: “By Allah; he was more love to us than our money, or our children or our fathers or mothers or more loved to us that the cool quenching water in a hot day”.

 

The companions said to the messenger (PPBU): “Here is our moneys and here is our lives, do what you please with them. With our lives if you takes us through the sea we will go through it fighting our way in front of you and behind you; and on your right and on your left”.

 

Amro Ebn El-Aoss said: “No one is ever more loved to me than the messenger of Allah (PPBU). And no one has more grace in my view than he was. I never took a looked enough at him to my eyes content out of respect for him. To the point if I was asked to describe him I wouldn’t be able to, because I really had a good look at him”.

 

We love the companions of the messenger (PPBU), we deny love to none of them, and we exclude none of them. None of them we renounce or disown. We only talk good of them. For all of them we ask for paradise, and God’s pleasure, mercy and repentance. Be certain within your heart that a man who witnessed the messenger (PPBU) and believed in him and followed his teachings even for one hour of one day; is much better than this who did not see him or witnessed him. We wish them all the mercy from Allah, for their young and old, for the first of them and their last. We ought to talk of their good characteristics and advantages, and take them for an example, and follow on their footsteps. For they have witnessed the tough times with the messenger (PPBU), and of all people they were forthcoming with sacrifices. Allah has forgiven them and commanded us to love them and ask forgiveness for them. Only those who sick in the heart or faith would go round searching and seeking for the companions’ mistakes and slip-ups.

Some of was told of their mistakes or slip-ups was fabricated, and some was exaggerated in increasing or decreasing so it appears inappropriate. And even if some mistakes happened; they could be excused. All those who are active and diligent can make the right and wrong decisions. And of all that was done only the tiny bit may be considered wrong. Especially when compare with all the good work, the faith, the jihad, the emigration, and support, the useful knowledge and the all the good deeds.

 

No one can question the justice of any of the companions. The messenger (PPBU) said: {A sign of faith is loving the people of Madina who supported the emigrants (Ansar),  and a sign of hypocrisy is hating the Ansar}. The messenger (PPBU) also said: {no man who has faith in Allah and faith in the day after with hate or detests the Ansar}.

 

The best of the companions are the four Khalifats; then the rest of the ten who were assured and given the glad tiding of place in paradise. The messenger (PPBU) said: {The best of this nation after its prophet are Abu-Baker; then Omar}. And he also said: {follow those who come after me: Abu-Bakr and Omar}. And he said about some Muslims who were on a travel; he said: {if they obey Aba-Bakr and Omar then they will be guided or will do the right thing}. Ali Ebn_Abi Talib was asked by his son of who is the best of all people after the messenger. He answered: “Abu-Bakr”

 

Abu Bakr was directly talked about in the Koran in surat An-Noor:22 and At-Touba:40.

The messenger (PPBU) once said: {“No money has ever been of benefit to me as much as Abu-Bakr’s mony was”}. Whe Abu-Bakr heard that he cried and said: “Am I not and all my money is yours; dear messenger of Allah”.

 

About Omar the messenger said to him: {when ever Satan finds you going one way, he takes a different way}. And he also said: {every nation has those who will inspire others. And if my nation has any, then Omar is one of them}. Omar many times gave advice to the messenger (PPBU), and only to be supported and confirmed by the Koran. Examples are in the treatment of women, and about Abraham’s prayer location and the case of the prisoners of war. It is during Omar’s rule that many victories were established. A-esah the wife of the messenger (PPBU) was told of some Muslims who talk bad of the companions of the messenger (PPBU), the bad talk included Aba-Bkr and Omar. She said: “and do you find this strange? The companions good deeds have stopped. It is that Allah liked that their reward does not stop”.

 

Othman Ebn_3affan came to the messenger with one thousand Dinars in donation in order to get supplies for the prophet’s army. The messenger (PPBU) kept turning it in his hands and kept on saying: {Nothing Othman can do after today which will cause him any harm}.

 

In the battle of Tabook, the messenger (PPBU) said: {I shall in the morning give the leadership of the army to a man through whom Allah shall bring victory, and a man who loves Allah and His messenger, a man who is loved by Allah and His messenger}. People spent their night wondering who could that man be; each wishing to be the one. The next morning they all waited for the messenger (PPBU) who asked: {Where is Ali?} he was told that he is having problems with pain in his eyes. He called him, rubbed his eyes with saliva, and made a prayer for him, and all problems and pain with the eyes disappeared. And the messenger (PPBU) gave him the responsibility of the army. Ali asked the messenger: “Shall I fight them until they become like us?” meaning convert to be Muslims. The messenger said: “No, go slowly until you are at their yard. Invite them to Islam. And tell them what they must do”.

 

All the companions of the messenger are people of paradise. Allah says: {Not equal among you those who donated and fought before the conquering of Mecca, with those among you who did so after the conquering. Such are higher in degree than those who spent and fought after the conquering. But, to Allah has promised the best reward} Alhadeed:10.

 

 

 

 

Notes:

1. Ansar (or Al-Ansar): The inhabitants of the city of Almadina that received and supported the messenger (PPBU) when he immigrated from Mekkah in the very early years of Islam.

2. Aya (or Ayah): is a verse of the Koran.

3. Arafa (or Arafah or Arafat): is a mountain that represents the climax of the Hajj worship. All doing Hajj must stay at this location on the same day.

4. Duaa: a prayer in the form of talking to Allah; praising him and asking him for help.

5. Ferdose: is the highest level of the all the gardens of Eden or paradise.

6. Hadeeth: is something reported that the messenger said. It includes all the speeches and ceremonies he gave. It is usually narrated or told by one of his companions. There is a list of hadeeths approximately 14000 that are reported and checked to be genuine. No more hadeeths are acceptably added to this list.

7. Hajj: is the worship of pilgrimage.

8. Hijra: the event of the immigration of the messenger from Mekkah to Madina. This event marks the start of the Islamic calendar. the Islamic calendar has 12 months based on the lunar cycle, each is 29.5 days. Hijra is also used as a name for the Islamic dating system.

9. Iman: belief or faith

10. Jihad: is striving in the line of Allah in many forms. Includes a very wide scope varying from improving oneself to fighting a defensive war in protection of Allah's word.

11. Khalifa: is the Muslim ruler. Head of the Islamic empire. Exact translation: "Successor".

12. Madinah: A city in the Arabian peninsula (in the country known now as Saudi Arabia). A city where the messenger had to immigrate to.

13. Mekka: is the holiest city or Muslims. It contains the Ka'aba mosque with the famous black cubical shape. Some say it was first built by Adam, and some say by Abraham. It is where all Muslims face in their daily prayers.

14. Nafilah: a voluntary prayer other than the five obligatory prayers; performed at any time.

15. Ommah: is the Arabic word for a nation. It usually refers to the Islamic nation unless otherwise specified.

16. PPBU: Peace and Prayers Be Upon him. A statement Muslims use any time they mention the name of the messenger or make a reference to him.
17. Qadr (night of Qadr): The night when the first revelation of the Koran took place. Most likely it happened during one of the last ten nights of the month of Ramadan.

18. Sunni: is a the title of  those Muslims who are suppose to be following the life style of the messenger. This differentiates them from the Shiaa of Iran.

19. Sunna (Sunnah): Is how the Messenger PPBU lived, what he did or said. It includes the way he dressed, ate, drank, prayed, interacted with other people and fought. Basically, sunnah is the life style of the messenger PPBU. It is considered the second source of legislation in Islamic laws and it is considered an important reference to be used for concluding arguments and disputes. It is also a title used to call the main stream Muslims who make 90% if all Muslims.

20. Tawaf: part of the pilgrimage (Hajj) ritual. It involves walking round the Kaaba Mosque in anti-clock wise direction a number of seven circles.

21. Wathoo (wadoo): a washing up ritual done by Muslims before each of the five daily prayers known as ablution.