In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful

"Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, and those who are with him are hard against the unbelievers, merciful to the believers..." (48:29)

"Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, and those who are with him are hard against the unbelievers, merciful to the believers..." (48:29)

"The outstrippers, the first of the Muhajirun and the Ansars," (9:100)

"Allah was pleased with the believers when they gave allegiance to you under the tree," (48:18)

al-Suyuti's Commentary on al-An`am, 97

Al-Suyuti said in al-Durr al-manthur, in commenting on the verses 97 of Surat al-An`am ("And He it is Who hath set for you the stars that ye may guide your course by them amid the darkness of the land and the sea. We have detailed Our revelations for a people who have knowledge"): al-Khatib narrated from `Umar: I heard Allah's Messenger say: "Do not ask about what is in the stars, and do not explain the Qur'an according to your opinion, and do not insult any of my Companions: that is true faith."

Suyuti continues: Ibn Mardawayh, al-Murhabi, and al-Khatib narrated that Maymun ibn Mahran said to Ibn `Abbas: Admonish me. Ibn `Abbas replied: I exhort you to fear Allah, to stay away from astrology because it is an invitation to divination, to beware of mentioning any of the Companions of Allah's Messenger except in good, otherwise Allah will throw you headlong into Jahannam, for Allah has made this Religion triumph through them; and beware of all talk about the Decree, for two people do not talk about it except one or both of them commit sin."

Al-Zuhri has a saying related by Darimi in the introduction to his Sunan: "Beware of evaluating things for yourself. By the One in Whose hand is my soul, if you evaluate things for yourself you will assuredly declare lawful the unlawful and declare unlawful the lawful. Rather, whatever reaches you from those who learned from the Companions of Muhammad -- peace be upon him -- put it into practice."

Similar to this is al-Awza`is' saying: "Knowledge is what comes from the Companions of Muhammad -- peace be upon him -- and whatever does not come from one of them is not knowledge."¹

Narrations from Bukhari's Sahih on the rank of Abu Bakr and `Umar:

Narrated Ibn `Abbas: While I was standing amongst the people who were invoking Allah for `Umar ibn al-Khattab who was lying (dead) on his bed, a man behind me rested his elbows on my shoulder and said: "(O `Umar!) May Allah bestow His Mercy on you. I always hoped that Allah will keep you with your two companions, for I often heard Allah's Messenger saying: I, Abu Bakr and `Umar were there; I, Abu Bakr and `Umar did this; I, Abu Bakr and `Umar set out. So I hoped that Allah will keep you with both of them." I turned back to see that the speaker was `Ali ibn Abi Talib. (Bukhari)

Narrated Anas: Allah's Apostle ascended the mountain of Uhud with Abu Bakr, `Umar, and `Uthman, and the mountain shook. Allah's Apostle said: "Be calm, O Uhud!" I think he stroked it with his foot and added: "There is none on you but a Prophet, a siddiq, and two shahid." (Bukhari)

Narrated Ibn `Umar: "During the lifetime of the Prophet we considered Abu Bakr as peerless and then `Umar and then `Uthman and then we used not to differentiate between the companions of the Prophet." (Bukhari)

Imam Malik's Sayings Concerning the Companions

Allah Almighty said:
"Muhammad is the messenger of Allah. And those with him are hard against the disbelievers and merciful among themselves. Thou (O Muhammad) seest them bowing and falling prostrate (in worship), seeking bounty from Allah and (His) acceptance. The mark of them is on their foreheads from the traces of prostration. Such is their likeness in the Torah and their likeness in the Gospel - like as sown corn that sendeth forth its shoot and strengtheneth it and riseth firm upon its stalk, delighting the sowers - that He may enrage the disbelievers with (the sight of) them. Allah hath promised, unto such of them as believe and do good works, forgiveness and immense reward." (48:29)

Abu `Urwa al-Zubayri narrated: We were with Malik ibn Anas when they mentioned a certain man who would find fault with the Companions of the Messenger of Allah. When he heard this, Malik recited the verse: "Muhammad is the messenger of Allah. And those with him. . ." until he reached the words "delighting the sowers - that He may enrage the disbelievers with (the sight of) them." (48:29) Then Malik said: "Whoever among the people has become one who harbors spite towards any one of the Prophet's Companions, this verse has targeted and reached him." al-Khatib mentioned it.²

Malik ibn Anas and others said: "Whoever hates the Companions and curses them does not have any right to Muslim booty. This judgement is taken from the verse:
"Those who come after them say: Our Lord, forgive us and our brothers, who preceded us in belief, and do not put rancor into our hearts against those who believe." (59:10)

Malik also said: "Whoever is exasperated by the Companions of Muhammad is an unbeliever, for Allah said:
"He enrages the unbelievers through them." (48:29)

Others from the Salaf on the Love of the Companions (r)

`Abd Allah ibn al-Mubarak said: "There are two qualities which are the cause of salvation for whoever has them: truthfulness and love for the Companions of Muhammad."

Ayyub as-Sakhtiyani said: "Whoever loves Abu Bakr has established the deen. Whoever loves `Umar has made the way clear. Whoever loves `Uthman has been illuminated by the light of Allah. Whoever loves `Ali has taken hold of the firm handle. Whoever praises the Companions of Muhammad is free of hypocrisy. Whoever disparages any of them is an innovator opposing the Sunna and the right-acting Salaf. It is feared that none of his actions will rise to heaven until he loves them all and his heart is sound."

Similarly, the Prophet said: "The best of humankind are those in my century, then those that follow them" (Bukhari and Muslim),

Finally, we narrate from al-Bazzar's Musnad, narrated from Jabir from the Prophet -- and it is sound (sahih):"Allah chose my Companions over everything else in existence. .."


¹Narrated by Ibn `Abd al-Barr in his Jami` bayan al-`ilm (2:36)
<sup>2</sup>al-Qurtubi in his Jami` li ahkam al-qur'an (1994 Cairo ed. 16:283-286).