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The Virtues of the Sahabah

Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid

category: History & Biographies

source: Islam-QA.com

reads: 9532

... continued from Page 1

If we were to list the attitudes with which they supported the deen and the righteous deeds by means of which they deserved that high status, we would fill volumes. Their whole lives were spent for the sake of Allaah and what book is big enough to contain the lives of hundreds of the Sahaabah who filled the world with goodness and righteousness? 

Ibn Mas'ood (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: 

Allaah looked into the hearts of His slaves, and He saw that the heart of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was the best of people's hearts, so He chose him for Himself and sent him with His message. Then He looked into the hearts of His slaves after the heart of Muhammad, and He found that the hearts of his companions were the best of people's hearts, so He made them the supporters of His Prophet, who fought for His religion. So whatever the Muslims think is good, is good before Allaah, and whatever they think is bad, is bad before Allaah. End quote. 

Narrated by Ahmad in al-Musnad (1/379). The scholars of hadeeth said: Its isnaad is hasan. 

Secondly: 

It is essential to understand that the Sahaabah were not infallible. This is the view of Ahl al-Sunnah wa'l-Jamaa'ah. Rather they were human beings like any others.  

Whatever sins or mistakes any of them may have made maybe overlooked in comparison to the honour of accompanying the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and they were forgiven and pardoned. Good deeds take away bad deeds. The support that the Sahaabah gave to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) at any given moment for the sake of this religion cannot be matched. 

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:  

Ahl al-Sunnah speak well of them, and pray for mercy and forgiveness for them, but they do not believe that anyone is infallible or that anyone is protected from making mistakes in their ijtihaad except the Messenger of Allaah; it is possible for anyone else to commit sins or make mistakes, but they are as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

"They are those from whom We shall accept the best of their deeds and overlook their evil deeds. (They shall be) among the dwellers of Paradise a promise of truth, which they have been promised"

[al-Ahqaaf 46:16]. 

The virtue of any deeds is to be judged by the results and consequences. Majmoo' al-Fataawa, 4/434. 

This is confirmed in the Qur'aan and Sunnah, in more than one place. 

Allaah forgave those of the Sahaabah who turned back on the day of Uhud, as He says (interpretation of the meaning): 

"Those of you who turned back on the day the two hosts met (i.e. the battle of Uhud), it was Shaytaan (Satan) who caused them to backslide (run away from the battlefield) because of some (sins) they had earned. But Allaah, indeed, has forgiven them. Surely, Allaah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Forbearing"

[Aal 'Imraan 3:155] 

When one of the Sahaabah sinned by telling Quraysh that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was coming with the army during the year of the Conquest, and 'Umar ibn al-Khattaab wanted to execute him, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "He was present at Badr, and you do not know, perhaps Allaah looked upon the people of Badr and said: 'Do what you wish, for I have forgiven you.'"  Narrated by al-Bukhaari and Muslim (2494). 

And there are other cases in which some of the Sahaabah committed sins, then Allaah, may He be exalted, pardoned them and forgave them, which is indicative of their virtue and honour and that cannot be undermined by any mistake that they made during the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) or after he died. The verses quoted above, which speak of their virtue and give them the glad tidings of Paradise, cannot been abrogated by anything.

And Allaah knows best.