By Yūsuf Badāt
“And the first forerunners [in the faith] among the Muhājirīn (migrants) and the Anṣār (helpers), and those who followed them with good conduct – God is pleased with them and they are pleased with Him, and He has prepared for them gardens beneath which rivers flow, wherein they will abide forever. That is the great attainment.” – (Qurʾān: 9:100)
ONE:
A Ṣaḥābī (plural Ṣaḥābah, meaning Companion) is one who physically seen the Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ, believed in him and passed away as a Muslim. – (See: Qāmūs Al-Fiqh Li-Al-Raḥmānī, Majmaʾ Al-Zawāid)
TWO:
The Ṣaḥābah are the best humans after the prophets. – (See: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Musnad Aḥmad, Sharḥ Al-Sunnah)
THREE:
All the Ṣaḥābah are just and upright persons. – (See: Alfīyyah AlIrāqīy, Qāmūs Al-Fiqh Li-Al-Raḥmānī)
FOUR:
The Ṣaḥābah are the link to the Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ and his teachings. It is through them, the muslim community (ummah) learnt and acquired the religion. – (See: Al-Kifāyah, Al-Iṣābah)
FIVE:
God gave them all a special title, “God is pleased with them and they are pleased with God.” – (See: Qurʾān 9:100)
SIX:
Love and respect all of them. – (See: Tirmidhī, Al-Aqīdah Al-Ṭaḥāwīyyah)
SEVEN:
Only speak good of them. – (See: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim)
EIGHT:
The best are the leading four, Abū Bakr, ʿOmar, ʿOthmān and ʿAlī. All four were also genuine caliphs. – (See: Al-Aqīdah Al-Ṭaḥāwīyyah, Alfīyyah AlIrāqīy, Qāmūs Al-Fiqh Li-Al-Raḥmānī)
NINE:
Leadership in Islam is by merit, not blood. – (See: Qāmūs Al-Fiqh)
TEN:
A true believer never harbours malice or hatred for any Companion. – (See: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Ṣaḥīḥ Bukhārī)
ELEVEN:
Do not take sides in their differences on account of their ijtihād ‘personal judgements’. – (Ṣāwi ʿAlā Sharḥ Al-Ṣaghīr, Qāmūs Al-Fiqh Li-Al-Raḥmānī)
TWELVE:
10 among them were given glad tidings of Paradise, in this world. – (See: Tirmidhī, Muqaddamah Ibn Ṣalāḥ)
THIRTEEN:
Do not commit excess in love for any of them, nor curse and disown any of them. – (See: Al-Aqīdah Al-Ṭaḥāwīyyah)
The Prophet ﷺ said, “Fear God in every matter concerning my Companions. Do not make them the targets [of your criticism] after me. Whoever loves them does so on account of their love for me, and whoever shows enmity towards them does so on account of their being hateful to me. Whoever insults them has insulted me and whoever insults me has insulted God. Whoever insults God, will soon be seized by Him.” (Tirmidhī)
“The best of my followers are those living in my generation and then those who will follow the latter.” – (Ṣaḥīḥ Bukhārī)
The Prophet ﷺ declared, “Glad tidings be for those who seen me and [also] to the people who will see my Companions who have seen me.” – (Majmaʾ Al-Zawāid)
