AS- salamu alaukum! If a person is in I’tiqad of Ahle sunna, but he speaks ill, or criticizes one sahabi of Rasulullah(salallahu ‘alayhi wa salam), what will be his state? 1) is he still amongst the Ahle sunna holding an Ahle Bid’ah apinion?2) Or is he from the Ahle Bid’ah totally, because the I’tiqaad of Ahle Sunna cannot be separated, just as iman cannot be separated?- jazakumullahu khayran: waiting for your response!
In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
As-salaamu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullaahi wa-barakaatuh.
The love for the Sahaba is an integral part of our Imaan. Allah made the Imaan of the Sahaba a criteria for our Imaan. Allah says:[i]
وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمْ آمِنُواْ كَمَا آمَن النَّاسُ
Translation: “When they (the hypocrites) are told “Believe like the people (the Sahabah) believe,”
Mufti Shafi Usmani writes under the commentary of this verse:
“According to the consensus of commentators , the Arabic word “naas” (people) in this verse refers to the blessed Companions of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wa sallam) because it is just these people who had embraced the faith and had accepted the Holy Quran as the word of Allah”.
In another verse Allah Ta`ala says:[ii]
{كُنْتُمْ خَيْرَ أُمَّةٍ أُخْرِجَتْ لِلنَّاسِ تَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَتَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ وَتُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ }
Translation: “You are the best of nations who have been raised for (the benefit and salvation) of mankind. You command what is right, forbid what is evil and believe in Allah”.
Umar ibn Khattab (Radiyallahu) states in regards to this verse:[iii]
قال عمر بن الخطاب: لو شاء الله لقال:”أنتم”، فكنا كلنا، ولكن قال:”كنتم” في خاصة من أصحاب رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، ومن صنع مثل صنيعهم
Translation: “If Allah wished he would have said “antum” then this would include the whole Ummah, but He said “kuntum” specifically regarding the Sahabah and those that follow them in their actions”.
It is clear from the above that Sahabah are the best of people.
This is further expounded in the following verse:[iv]
وَالسَّابِقُونَ الْأَوَّلُونَ مِنَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ وَالْأَنصَارِ وَالَّذِينَ اتَّبَعُوهُم بِإِحْسَانٍ رَّضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَضُوا عَنْهُ وَأَعَدَّ لَهُمْ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي تَحْتَهَا الْأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا أَبَدًا ۚ ذَٰلِكَ الْفَوْزُ الْعَظِيمُ
Translation: “And the foremost to embrace Islam of the Muhaajiroon and the Ansaar and also those who followed them exactly (in Faith). Allaah is well-pleased with them as they are well-pleased with Him. He has prepared for them Gardens under which rivers flow (Paradise), to dwell therein forever. That is the supreme success.
Allah promised Paradise to the Muhaajireen and Ansaar. He mentioned that He is pleased with them.
The messenger of Allah expresses his love for the Sahaba:
قَالَ سَمِعْتُ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَوْ قَالَ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم “ الأَنْصَارُ لاَ يُحِبُّهُمْ إِلاَّ مُؤْمِنٌ، وَلاَ يُبْغِضُهُمْ إِلاَّ مُنَافِقٌ، فَمَنْ أَحَبَّهُمْ أَحَبَّهُ اللَّهُ، وَمَنْ أَبْغَضَهُمْ أَبْغَضَهُ اللَّهُ ”
Translation: Abu al- Bara narrates that I heard the Prophet (ﷺ) saying (or the Prophet (ﷺ) said), “None loves the Ansar but a believer, and none hates them but a hypocrite. So Allah will love him who loves them, and He will hate him who hates them.”[v]
Allah confers His ridwaan (pleasure) upon the Sahaba:[vi]
لَـقَدۡ رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَنِ الۡمُؤۡمِنِيۡنَ اِذۡ يُبَايِعُوۡنَكَ تَحۡتَ الشَّجَرَةِ فَعَلِمَ مَا فِىۡ قُلُوۡبِهِمۡ فَاَنۡزَلَ السَّكِيۡنَةَ عَلَيۡهِمۡ وَاَثَابَهُمۡ فَتۡحًا قَرِيۡبًا
Translation: “Indeed, Allaah was pleased with the believers when they gave the Bay‘ah (pledge) to you (O Muhammad) under the tree, He knew what was in their hearts, and He sent down As‑Sakeenah (calmness and tranquillity) upon them, and He rewarded them with a near victory”
Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani (Rahmathullah) states:[vii]
وقد اتفق أهل السنة على أن الجميع عدول، ولم يخالف في ذلك إلا شذوذ من المبتدعة
Translation: “There is consensus among the Ahlu Sunnah that all the Sahabah are trustworthy, and non will oppose this besides an innovator”.
Allama Laknawi (Rahmathullah) says: [viii]
التَّجنُّب عن تعمد الكذب في الرواية و الإنحراف فيها بارتكاب ما يوجب عدم قبولها. وهذا المعني هو المراد المحدثين من قبولهم: الصحابة كلهم عدول
Translation: “(Trustworthiness refers to) refraining from intentionally lying or renouncing the narration by perpetrating an act which will lead to the narration not being accepted. This is what the Muhaditheen mean by (all the Sahabah are trustworthy)”.
قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «لَا تَذْكُرُوا مَسَاوِئَ أَصْحَابِي فَتَخْتَلِفَ قُلُوبُكُمْ عَلَيْهِمْ، وَاذْكُرُوا مَحَاسِنَ أَصْحَابِي حَتَّى تَأْتَلِفَ قُلُوبُكُمْ عَلَيْهِمْ
Translation: Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) states” Do not mention the shortcomings of my Sahaba, lest your hearts may differ. Mention the good things of my Sahaba so that your hearts are attuned to each other.[ix]
When Hassan al-Basri was asked regarding the wars that took place, he replied:
“Those were fights in which the companions were present and we were not among the Sahaba. They knew all the circumstances and we were not among the Sahaba do not know them. The matter in which the companions are unanimous, we follow; and the matter in which there is difference of opinion, we observe silence”.[x]
It is clear from the above that:
1. The Sahaba of Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi wasallam) are the best people.
2. Allah declared His pleasure for them.
3. Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi wasallam) loved the Sahaba.
4. Every Sahabi is trustworthy.
5. Never criticize any Sahabi.
If anyone criticizes any Sahaba, then he is deviated and he falls in the following category as stated in the Hadith:
قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: ” إذا رأيتم الذين يسبون أصحابي فقولوا: لعنة الله على شركم
Translation: The messenger of Allah states: ‘When you insult my Sahaba then say that the curse of Allah is on your evil action.’[xi]
No classification can be worse than a person being declared a cursed person by Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi wasallam himself.
And Allaah Ta’aala Knows Best.
Akhyar Uddin
Student, Darul Iftaa
Buffalo, New York, USA
Checked and approved by
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.
سورة بقرة اية 14 [i]
معرفة القران-1-123
[آل عمران: 110]
(7/ 101) تفسير الطبري = جامع البيان ت شاكر
سورة توبة اية 100
التفسير المأمون على منهج التنزيل والصحيح المسنون (3/ 419) [v]
[الأنصار لا يحبهم إلا مؤمن، ولا يبغضهم إلا منافق، فمن أحبهم أحبه الله، ومن أبغضهم أبغضه الله]
[vi]
سورة فتح اية 18
الإصابة في تمييز الصحابة (1/ 131)
منحة المغيث شرح الفية العراقي في الحديث، ص703)
شرح أصول اعتقاد أهل السنة والجماعة (7/ 1317
معارف القران-ج 8-ص 130
[x]
مشكاة المصابيح (3/ 1696)
قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: ” إذا رأيتم الذين يسبون أصحابي فقولوا: لعنة الله على شركم “. رواه الترمذي