THE MEN BEHIND THE PROPHETIC MISSION

2ND ANNUAL RAMADAN SERIES OF LECTURES, ORGANISED BY HILAAL (CRESCENT) ISLAMIC CENTER

DATE: YAOMAL ITHINAIN, 25TH RAMADAN, 1433 (MONDAY, 13TH AUGUST, 2012)

TOPIC: THE MEN BEHIND THE PROPHETIC MISSION

DISCUSSANT: BROTHERS TO BROTHERS

INTRODUCTION

It was neither invented discourse nor false rumor that was recorded in history about the great company of men who came into the world of belief and faith. That is because the entirety of human history has never witnessed such accurate documentation, honesty, and investigation of facts as did that epoch of Islamic history and its men. An extraordinary human effort has been exerted to study and pursue its tidings. Successive generations of able and brilliant scholars have not left unexamined even the smallest details nor minutest explanations concerning that early epoch without putting them under microscopic investigation, scrutiny, and criticism.

The spectacular magnitude encountered on the pages of books written of those colossal men of the Companions of the Messenger (PBUH) is not something legendary, even though they may seem like legends due to their miraculous nature! These are facts characteristic of the personality and life of the Prophet's Companions. 

Surely, history has not witnessed men who set their intentions and will to achieve a totally lofty and just goal and then devoted their entire lives to it in such an extremely fearless manner, with personal sacrifice and exertion, as it has witnessed in these men around the Messenger (PBUH)
They came to life at their appointed time and their promised day. When life was craving for someone to rejuvenate its spiritual values, those Companions came with their noble Messenger (PBUH)as heralds and sincere believers. When life was craving for someone to remove the shackles of troubled humanity and to liberate its existence and destiny, they came and stood by their great Messenger as liberators. When life was craving for someone to present human civilization with new and sound inclination, they came as pioneers and luminaries.

WHO WERE THESE MEN?

The men behind the prophetic mission are known as SAHABA (companions). A sahaba (companion) is someone who saw Muhammad, believed in him and died a Muslim. Anyone who died after rejecting Islam and becoming an apostate is not considered a companion. Those that saw him but held off believing in him until after his passing are not considered Sahaba but Tabi’un. 

The list of these men usually run to 50 or 60 names, being the people most closely associated with Muhammad. However, there were clearly many others who had some contact with Muhammad, and their names and biographies were recorded in religious books. There are books also that consist of 2,770 biographies of male and 381 biographies of female Sahaba. According to an observation in the book entitled Mawâhib-i-ladunniyya, an untold number of persons had already converted to Islam by the time Muhammad died. There were 10,000 by the time Mecca was conquered and 70,000 during the Battle of Tabouk in 630. Some Muslims assert that they were more than 200,000 in number: it is believed that 124,000 witnessed the farewell sermon of the prophet during his last pilgrimage.

Two important groups among the companions are called the Muhajirun - those who had faith in Muhammad when he began to preach in Mecca who fled with him when he was persecuted there - and the Ansar - people of Medina who welcomed Muhammad and his companions and stood as their protectors.

Allaah said in Suratu Tawbah verse 100 : "The vanguard - the first of those who forsook (their homes) and of those who gave them aid, and those who follow them in good deeds, &ndash well-pleased is God with them, as are they with Him: for them hath He prepared gardens under which rivers flow, to dwell therein for ever: that is the supreme felicity." 

And He continues in verse 117;

"God turned with favour to the Prophet, the Muhajirs, and the Ansar who followed him in a time of distress – after that the hearts of a part of them had nearly swerved but He turned to them..."

THEIR DIVISIONS

1. As Sabiqoon Al Awaloon (Badriyans):

They were the people who were Muslims at the time of Badar. They are further classified into two: 1. Muhajreen (Immigrants - from Mecca) 2. Ansar (Helpers - inhabitants of Madinah (previously known as Yathrib)) they are ideals for the other Muslims because they are "Whom Allaah is pleased with”. Allaah said: "The vanguard - the first of those who forsook (their homes) and of those who gave them aid, and those who follow them in good deeds, &ndash well-pleased is God with them, as are they with Him: for them hath He prepared gardens under which rivers flow, to dwell therein for ever: that is the supreme felicity." 

Also He said: "Those who believed, and went into exile and fought for God's cause with their property and their persons, as well as those who sheltered and helped them,- these shall be friends, one of another." ( quran 8 vs 72)

2. Major Sahabah (Kubbar):

The people who were Muslims before victory of Makkah and went into exile and fought for God's cause in most of the wars. They are also high in degree especially those who were present at Hudabiyah. They are also "Whom Allaah is pleased with" as Allaah said in suratul Fathi verse 18 - 29

3. As'habuttulaqa (Forgiven people);

They were non-Muslim at the time of victory of Makkah; after that, they were forgiven by Muhammad, then they became Muslims. Allaah said:
“And why do you not spend in the cause of Allah while to Allah belongs the heritage of the heavens and the earth? Not equal among you are those who spent before the conquest [of Makkah] and fought [and those who did so after it]. Those are greater in degree than they who spent afterwards and fought. But to all Allah has promised the best [reward]. And Allah , with what you do, is Acquainted”. (Quran 57 verse10)

THEIR CREED

There was no difference or disagreement among the Companions or those following them from among Ahl-ul-Sunnah wal-Jama`ah (those adhering to the Sunnah and the Muslim main body) with regard to the Islamic creed (`Aqidah).

This is because they all believed in what is mentioned in the Qur'an and the Prophetic Sunnah. Moreover, they never introduced new practices into the religion. This was the reason for their unity and agreement on the same beliefs and the same method, acting upon Allah's Saying, "And hold fast, all of you together, to the Rope of Allâh (i.e. this Qur’ân), and be not divided among yourselves." [Surah Al-`Imran, 3: 103]

THEIR VIRTUES

From their virtues is that their faith was affirmed to by Allaah as contained in suratul baqarah. They were described in Tawraat and Injeel (suratul Fathi). They were granted paradise. They were the best of generation. They will be the first to enter paradise after all the prophet on the day of judgement. They are not to be abused nor reviled. It is an obligation to affirm all these for them, and to supplicate for them. May Allaah be pleased with them all.

OBLIGATION OF STICKING TO THEM

Al-Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal [d.241h], may Allah have mercy on him said, "From the fundamental principles of sticking to the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah, prayers and peace upon him, is sticking to [and understanding] the Sunnah however the Companions of the of the Messenger of Allah, prayers and peace upon him, stuck to [and understood] the Sunnah...". 

As-Shaykh Rabee' bin Hadi al-Madkhali, may Allah protect him, said in his explanation of al-Imam Ahmad's [d.241] words, "The understanding of the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, is the criterion by which people who are seeking the truth weigh their affairs. All of what the Messenger of Allah, prayers and peace upon him, and his companions, may Allah be pleased with them, adhered to was [and is] guidance and good counsel. 

The Companions of the Messenger of Allah, prayers and peace upon him, stuck firmly to the book of Allah, the Most High, and the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah, prayers and peace upon him. They stuck firmly to his sunnah, prayers and peace upon him, in the affairs of belief, in the affairs of worship, and in dealing with one another. So al-Imam Ahmad [d.241.h], may Allah have mercy on him, has enlightened us to this monumental, vast principle (i.e. sticking to the understanding of the companions) that nothing, especially belief, in the religion of Islam is excluded from it." 

THOSE WHO REVILE THEM

Reviling the Sahaabah falls into three categories:

1. Reviling them by saying that most of them were kaafirs or that all of them were evildoers. This is kufr because it is a rejection of the praise of Allaah and His Messenger for them and their approval of them. The one who doubts that such a person is a kaafir is himself a kaafir, because this view implies that those who transmitted the Quraan and Sunnah were kaafirs or evildoers.

2. If he reviles them by cursing them, then there are two scholarly views as to whether he is a kaafir. According to the view that he is not a kaafir, he is still to be flogged and imprisoned until he dies or recants what he said.

3. If he reviles them in a way that does not reach the level of doubting their religious commitment, such as saying that they were cowardly or miserly. He is not a kaafir, but he should be given a disciplinary punishment (tazeer) to serve as a deterrent. This was stated by Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah in al-Saarim al-Maslool, where he narrates on p. 573 that Ahmad said: It is not permissible for anyone to mention any of their bad qualities or to criticize any of them for a fault or shortcoming. Whoever does that should be disciplined, then if he repents all well and good, otherwise he should be flogged in prison until he dies or recants.

May Allaah be pleased with them all.

REFERENCES
i. Kitāb at-Tabāqat al-Kabīr by Ibn Sa’d al-Baghdadi’s (Muhammad ibn Sa'd)

 ii. Istî’âb fî ma’rifat-il-Ashâb by Hafidh Yusuf bin Muhammad bin Qurtubi 

iii. Sahihul Bukhari

iv. Sharh Usoolu Sunnah of Imam Ahmad by Dr Rabee bin Hadee Al-Madhkali
v. Fataawa Sheik Muhammad bin Saalih al-uthaymeen (5/83, 84)
vi. Men Around the Messenger by Khaleed Muhammad Khaleed