Belief in the the Companions · Explained ḥadīths

Abu Jumu‘ah al-Ansāri once came to us and said: "We were with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) and we were ten, including Mu‘ādh ibn Jabal. We said: 'O Messenger of Allah, is there anyone who will acquire greater rewards than ours?'"

عن ابن جُبير، قال: قَدِم علينا أبو جُمعة الأنصاري، قال: كنَّا مع رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ومَعَنا معاذ بن جَبَل عاشرَ عشرةٍ فقلنا: يا رسول الله هل مِن أَحَدَ أعْظَمُ مِنَّا أجرًا، آمنَّا بك واتَّبَعْناك؟ قال: «وما يَمْنَعُكم من ذلك ورسولُ الله بيْن أَظْهُرِكم، يأتيكم بالوَحْي من السماء؟ بل قومٌ يأتون مِنْ بَعْدِكم يأتيهم كتابٌ بيْن لَوْحَيْن فيؤمنون به ويعملون بما فيه، أولئك أعظمُ منكم أجرًا».

Ibn Jubayr reported: Abu Jumu‘ah al-Ansāri once came to us and said: "We were with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) and we were ten, including Mu‘ādh ibn Jabal. We said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, is there anyone who will acquire greater rewards than ours? We believed in you and followed you.’ He said: ‘What prevents you from doing so, while the Messenger of Allah is among you, bringing you the revelation from heaven? There are people who will come after you and who will be given a book between two covers (the Qur’an), and they will believe in it and implement its commands. They have a greater reward than yours.'"

Al-Bukhari in Khalq Af‘aal al-‘ibaad - At-TabaraaniGradeAuthentic hadith

Explanation

In this Hadīth, Abu Jumu‘ah al-Ansāri (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that ten people, including himself and Mu‘ādh ibn Jabal, were accompanying the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) and they asked him if there were other Muslims who would acquire greater rewards than theirs (meaning: the Prophet's Companions), arguing that they believed in the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) decisively and followed him firmly. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) told them that believing and following him was easier for them because he lived among them and brought them the revelation from heaven. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) added that there would be people who would get a greater reward, as they would come after the Companions to find just a book between two covers (the Qur’an), yet they would believe in it and implement its commandments. The meaning is that such Muslims will acquire a reward that is greater than the reward of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) only in this regard, even if the Companions surpassed them in other aspects, such as hard work and dedication in serving Allah and struggling for His cause. Thus, this Hadīth cannot be taken as proof that a Muslim who exists after the time of the Companions is better than the honorable Companions, as earning greater reward for some acts does not ensure absolute superiority. Ahl As-Sunnah wa al-Jamā‘ah believe that Companionship of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) is an unparalleled status, and that every Companion is better than any Muslim who comes after the Companions.

Reference

- خلق أفعال العباد، لمحمد بن إسماعيل بن إبراهيم بن المغيرة البخاري، المحقق: د. عبد الرحمن عميرة، الناشر: دار المعارف السعودية – الرياض. - المعجم الكبير، لسليمان بن أحمد بن أيوب بن مطير الطبراني، المحقق: حمدي بن عبد المجيد السلفي، دار النشر: مكتبة ابن تيمية – القاهرة، الطبعة: الثانية. - فتح الباري شرح صحيح البخاري، لابن حجر العسقلاني، تحقيق: محب الدين الخطيب، نشر: دار المعرفة-بيروت، 1379ه. - سلسلة الأحاديث الصحيحة وشيء من فقهها وفوائدها، تأليف محمد ناصر الدين الألباني، الناشر: مكتبة المعارف للنشر والتوزيع، الرياض، الطبعة: الأولى، لمكتبة المعارف. - إرشاد الساري لشرح صحيح البخاري, أحمد بن محمد بن أبى بكر بن عبد الملك القسطلاني القتيبي المصري, الناشر: المطبعة الكبرى الأميرية، مصر, الطبعة: السابعة، 1323 هـ. - مرقاة المفاتيح شرح مشكاة المصابيح، لعلي بن سلطان الملا الهروي القاري، الناشر: دار الفكر، بيروت – لبنان، الطبعة: الأولى، 1422هـ - 2002م.

This ḥadīth at HadeethEnc.com

Do not revile my Companions, for if anyone of you spends gold equal to Mount ’Uhud (in Allah's cause), it will not be equal to a Mudd or even half a Mudd spent by one of them

عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الخُدْرِيِّ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «لاَ تَسُبُّوا أَصْحَابِي، فَلَوْ أَنَّ أَحَدَكُمْ أَنْفَقَ مِثْلَ أُحُدٍ ذَهَبًا مَا بَلَغَ مُدَّ أَحَدِهِمْ، وَلاَ نَصِيفَهُ».

Abu Sa‘īd al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Do not revile my Companions, for if anyone of you spends gold equal to Mount ’Uhud (in Allah's cause), it will not be equal to a Mudd or even half a Mudd spent by one of them."

Agreed uponGradeAuthentic

Explanation

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade cursing the Companions, especially the earlier forerunners among the Muhājirīn and the Ansār. He informed that if anyone spent gold equal to Mount ’Uhud, his reward would not reach the reward of any of the Companions spending a Mudd of food or half of it - a Mudd is enough to fill the palms of an average man. This is due to their great sincerity and truthful intentions and because they spent and fought before the Conquest of Makkah when there was a great need for that.

Benefits

Cursing the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) is prohibited and one of the major sins.

Reference

صحيح البخاري (5/ 8) (3673). صحيح مسلم (4/ 1967) (2540). عمدة القاري شرح صحيح البخاري، لبدر الدين العيني (16/ 187). المنهاج شرح صحيح مسلم بن الحجاج، للنووي (16/ 93). الإفصاح عن معاني الصحاح، ليحيى بن هبيرة (8/ 70). نزهة النظر في توضيح نخبة الفكر في مصطلح أهل الأثر، لأحمد بن حجر العسقلاني (ص111).

This ḥadīth at HadeethEnc.com