The Belief in the Necessity of Loving the Companions of

Allah's Messenger (SAW) and Honoring them

The Muslim believes that it is obligatory to love the Companions of Allah's Messenger
(SAW), and his family, and to honor them above all others. Their superiority, virtue, and
rank ranges based on when they entered Islam.

The best of them are the four rightly guided caliphs; Abu Bakr, 'Umar, 'Uthman, and Ali,
may Allah be pleased with them all. Then the ten men foretold (by Allah's Messenger
(SAW) of Paradise; they are: The four rightly guided caliphs plus Talhah bin 'Ubaydullah,
Az-Zubayr bin Al-Awwam, Sa'd bin Abi Waqqas, Sa'd bin Zayd, Abu 'Ubaydah Amir bin
Al-Jarrah, and Abdur-Rahman bin Awf. Then the people of Badr. Then those who were
foretold of their admission to Paradise, besides the ten; such as Fatimah Az-Zahra' and
her two sons Al-Hasan and Al-Husayn, Thabit bin Qays, Bilal bin Rabah and others. Then
those who attend the Pledge at Al-Hudaybiyah; these were some one thousand four
hundred Companions, may Allah be pleased with them all.

Similarly the Muslim believes in the obligation of respecting the Imams of Islam, since
they are our leaders in religion and the beacons of guidance. These include the reciters,
the scholars of Fiqh, the scholars of Hadith, and the scholars of Tafsir among those who
followed the Companions' generation, and those who followed them.

The Muslim also believes that it is obligatory to obey the Muslim authorities and render
them their respect, participate in Jihad along with them, perform Salah behind them, and
that it is prohibited to rebel against them. In each category there are certain manners due.

The Companions and the Household of the Messenger of Allah (SAW)

1. They are loved due to the fact that Allah and His Messenger (SAW) love them. Allah
the Almighty says:

"Allah will bring a people whom He will love and they will love Him; humble towards
the believers, stern towards the disbelievers, fighting in the way of Allah, and never
fearing the blame of the blamers." (5:54)

And:
"Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. And those who are with him are severe against
disbelievers, and merciful among themselves ." (48:29)

Allah's Messenger (SAW) said:

"[Fear Allah] regarding my Companions. Do not treat them with bias after me. Whoever
loves them loves them because of his love for me. Whoever hates them, hates them as a
result of his hatred for me. Whoever abuses them, abuses me and whoever abuses me,
abuses Allah. Whoever abuses Allah, he will soon be punished." (At-Tirmithi who said
that it is Hasan)

2. The Muslim believes in the superiority of the Companions and the household of the
Messenger of Allah over all other Muslims and believers. Allah the Almighty said:

"And the foremost to embrace Islam of the Muhajirun and the Ansar and also those who
followed them exactly (in faith). Allah 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." (9:100)

The Messenger of Allah (SAW) said:

"Do not abuse my Companions, since even if one of you spends an amount of gold as
heavy as the mountain of Uhud, he would not reach the status of a few handfuls from any
of them, nor even half of that." (Abu Dawud and its chain is Hasan)

3. The Muslim believes that Abu Bakr was the most virtuous of the Companions of
Allah's Messenger, then 'Umar, 'Uthman, and 'Ali. Allah Messenger (SAW) said:

"If I were to take a Khalil, I would have taken Abu Bakr, but he is my brother and my
companion (in Islam)." (Al-Bukhari)

Ibn 'Umar, may Allah be pleased with him said,

"While the Prophet (SAW) was living, we would say, 'Abu Bakr, then 'Umar, then
'Uthman, then 'Ali.' This reached the Prophet (SAW)| and he did not reject it."

'Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, said: "The best of this Ummah after its Prophet is
Abu Bakr, then 'Umar. If you wish I will name the third."Meaning 'Uthman, may Allah be
pleased with them all.

4. The Muslim acknowledges their noble characters and virtues; like those mentioned
about Abu Bakr, 'Umar and 'Uthman as mentioned by the Messenger of Allah (SAW)|
when the mountain of Uhud began to shake:

"Be calm, O Uhud! There is none on you but a Prophet, a true believer, and two
martyrs."(Al-Bukhari)

And his (SAW); saying to 'Ali:

"Will you not be pleased from this that you are to me like Harun was to Musa?" (Al-
Bukhari)

And:

"Fatimah is the chief of all the ladies of Paradise." (Al-Bukhari)

He (SAW) said to Az-Zubayr bin Al-'Awwam:

"Every Prophet used to have a Hawari (i.e., disciple), and my Hawari is Az-Zubair bin
Al-'Awwam." (Al-Bukhari)

He (SAW) said about Al-Hasan and Al-Husayn:

"O Allah! Love them, as I love them." (Al-Bukhari)

He (SAW) said about 'Abdullah bin 'Umar:

"'Abdullah is a pious man." (Al-Bukhari)

He (SAW) said to Zayd bin Harithah:

" You are our brother and our freed slave." (Al-Bukhari)

He (SAW) said to Ja'far bin Abi Talib:

"You resemble me in appearance and character." (Al-Bukhari)

He (SAW) said to Bilal bin Rabah:

"I heard the sound of your shoes in Paradise just in front of me." (Al-Bukhari)

He said about Salim, the freed slave of Abu Hudhayfah, Abdullah bin Mas'ud, Ubayy bin
Ka'b and Mu'adh bin Jabal:

"Learn the recitation of the Qur'an from (any of) four persons : 'Abdullah bin Mas'ud,
Salim the freed slave of Abu Hudhayfah, Ubayy bin Ka'b, and Mu'adh bin Jabal." (Al-
Bukhari)

He (SAW) said about 'A'ishah:

"The superiority of 'A'ishah over other women is like the superiority of Tharid to other
meals." (Al-Bukhari)

He (SAW) said about the Ansar.

"If the Ansar took their way through a valley or a mountain path, I would take the Ansar's
valley. And but for the emigration, I would have been one of the Ansar." (Al-Bukhari)

And:
"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." (Al-Bukhari)

He (SAW) said about Sad bin Mu'adh:

"The Throne (of Allah) shook at the death of Sad bin Mu'adh." (Al-Bukhari)

When Usayd bin Hudhayr was with some of the Companions on a dark night at the house
of Allah's Messenger (SAW), and they departed, he saw a light in front of them
illuminating their path. When they departed, the light went with them. Once, the Prophet
(SAW) said to Ubayy bin K'ab:

"Allah has ordered me to recite to you: (Those who disbelieve were not to leave that)
(98:1)" Ubayy said, "Has He mentioned my name?" The Prophet (SAW) told him yes, on
hearing that Ubayy started weeping. (Al-Bukhari)

He (SAW) said about Khalid bin Al-Walid:

"A sword from Allah's Swords" (Al-Bukhari)

And about Al-Hasan:

"This son of mine is a Sayyid (i.e., chief) and perhaps Allah will bring about an
agreement between two groups of the Muslims through him." (Al-Bukhari)

He (SAW) said about Abu 'Ubaydah:

"Every nation has an Amin (i.e., the most trustworthy), and the Amin of this nation is Abu
'Ubaydah bin Al-]arrah." (Al-Bukhari)

May Allah be pleased with all of his Companions.

5. He refrains from mentioning what would defame them and abstains from indulging in
debates over the disputes that took place between them. The Prophet (SAW) said:
"Do not abuse my Companions" (Abu Dawud and its chain is Hasan)

And:

"Do not treat them with bias after me." (At-Tirmithi who said that it is Hasan)

6. He believes in the sanctity of the wives of the Messenger (SAW)|, and that they are
pure and chaste and that Allah is pleased with them. He should believe that the best
among them are Khadijah bint Khuwaylid, and 'A'ishah bint Abu Bakr. Allah the
Almighty said:

"The Prophet is closer to the believers than they are with themselves and his wives are
their mothers."(33:6)