إن خيركم قرني ثم الذين يلونهم ثم الذين يلونهم ثم الذين يلونهم
"Verily the best among you (to follow) is my generation (the Messenger Muhammad (SAW) and his Companions (RA)), then those who follow, and then those who follow them…" (Saheeh Muslim, Book: the Virtues of the Sahaabah, chapter 52 hadeeth #2535)
From this hadeeth we can understand the following - undoubtedly, the best people to understand Islaam, the Qur'aan, Sunnah, and Sharee'ah terminology etc. is the first generation in Islaam – the Messenger Muhammad (SAW) and His Companions (RA). The Messenger Muhammad (SAW) also praised those who follow this first generation, and then those who follow the followers of the first generation. In other words, the best generations in Islaam are:
a) The first generation – the Messenger Muhammad (SAW) and his Companions
b) The second generation – those who followed the first generation (known as the Taabi'een)
c) The third generation (ended 240-260 AH) – those who followed the Taabi'een (known as Taabi' ut-Taabi'een)
a) The first generation – the Messenger Muhammad (SAW) and his Companions
b) The second generation – those who followed the first generation (known as the Taabi'een)
c) The third generation (ended 240-260 AH) – those who followed the Taabi'een (known as Taabi' ut-Taabi'een)
This is the order in which the Messenger Muhammad (SAW) praised them; therefore as his followers we must also praise them in the same order. Anybody who disagrees with this is following someone or something other than the best people who ever walked the face of this earth, and his only destiny will be the Hellfire as Allaah (SWT) says:
وَمَنْ يُشَاقِقِ الرَّسُولَ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُ الْهُدَى وَيَتَّبِعْ غَيْرَ سَبِيلِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ نُوَلِّهِ مَا تَوَلَّى وَنُصْلِهِ جَهَنَّمَ وَسَاءَتْ مَصِيرًا
"And whosoever contradicts and opposes the Messenger (saw) after the right path has been shown clearly to him, and follows other than the Believers' (the Nabi (saw) and his Companions) way, we shall keep him in the path he has chosen and burn him in Hell – what an evil destination!" (EMQ an-Nisaa, 4: 115)
وَمَنْ يُشَاقِقِ الرَّسُولَ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُ الْهُدَى وَيَتَّبِعْ غَيْرَ سَبِيلِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ نُوَلِّهِ مَا تَوَلَّى وَنُصْلِهِ جَهَنَّمَ وَسَاءَتْ مَصِيرًا
"And whosoever contradicts and opposes the Messenger (saw) after the right path has been shown clearly to him, and follows other than the Believers' (the Nabi (saw) and his Companions) way, we shall keep him in the path he has chosen and burn him in Hell – what an evil destination!" (EMQ an-Nisaa, 4: 115)
Therefore, it is very foolish for people nowadays to follow those who are not from the first generation in Islaam. Today, people follow the likes of Imaam Abu Haneefah or Imaam ash-Shaafi'ee instead of following the Messenger Muhammad (saw) and his Companions. If you tell them "Abu Bakr said…" they say "…yes, BUT Abu Haneefah said…" This is exactly what the above verse is speaking about – following a path other than that of the Believers (the Messenger Muhammad (saw) and his Companions).
We do not deny that scholars such as Abu Haneefah, Imaam ash-Shaafi'ee, Ahmad bin Hanbal etc. were great 'Ulamaa and followers of Ahl us-Sunnah wal-Jamaa'ah – May Allaah (swt) be pleased with them all. Rather, the problem arises when people choose to follow them instead of the first generation, which is clearly contradicting what Allaah and His Messenger (saw) ordered us to do; and this is manifested in a person who says, for example, "I am Hanafi" or "I am Shaafi'ee", which is clearly implying that they only follow the opinion of Imaam Abu Haneefah or Imaam ash-Shaafi'ee.
Therefore it is vital for us to understand that our Islaamic Standard is the first generation in Islaam; those who follow this generation are followers of Ahl us-Sunnah wal-Jamaa'ah, and hence are from the Saved Sect. And those who follow anyone other than the first generation, for example, "great scholars" such as the apostate Ibn Baaz or Ibn 'Uthaymeen etc. have deviated from the straight path and from as-Salaf as-Saalih (the Pious Predecessors).
However, there is also a system of ranking, in terms of virtues, amongst the first generation. Imaam al-Haafiz adh-Dhahabi (a follower of Ahl us-Sunnah wal-Jamaa'ah and a student of Sheikh ul-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah) said in his Kitaab ul-Kabaa-ir (the Book of Major Sins), in the chapter of The Seventieth Major Sin: Cursing any of the Companions of Allaah's Messenger (saw):
We do not deny that scholars such as Abu Haneefah, Imaam ash-Shaafi'ee, Ahmad bin Hanbal etc. were great 'Ulamaa and followers of Ahl us-Sunnah wal-Jamaa'ah – May Allaah (swt) be pleased with them all. Rather, the problem arises when people choose to follow them instead of the first generation, which is clearly contradicting what Allaah and His Messenger (saw) ordered us to do; and this is manifested in a person who says, for example, "I am Hanafi" or "I am Shaafi'ee", which is clearly implying that they only follow the opinion of Imaam Abu Haneefah or Imaam ash-Shaafi'ee.
Therefore it is vital for us to understand that our Islaamic Standard is the first generation in Islaam; those who follow this generation are followers of Ahl us-Sunnah wal-Jamaa'ah, and hence are from the Saved Sect. And those who follow anyone other than the first generation, for example, "great scholars" such as the apostate Ibn Baaz or Ibn 'Uthaymeen etc. have deviated from the straight path and from as-Salaf as-Saalih (the Pious Predecessors).
However, there is also a system of ranking, in terms of virtues, amongst the first generation. Imaam al-Haafiz adh-Dhahabi (a follower of Ahl us-Sunnah wal-Jamaa'ah and a student of Sheikh ul-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah) said in his Kitaab ul-Kabaa-ir (the Book of Major Sins), in the chapter of The Seventieth Major Sin: Cursing any of the Companions of Allaah's Messenger (saw):
"The noble qualities and merits of the Companions (ra) are too numerous to be mentioned here. However, the scholars of the Sunnah agree that the noblest among the Companions are ten, and among the ten, four are ranked as highest. These are, in order of their rank: Abu Bakr, then 'Umar bin al-Khattaab, then 'Uthmaan bin 'Affaan, and then 'Ali bin Abee Taalib – May Allaah be pleased with them all. There is no doubt concerning this, and whoever doubts it is an innovator (Mubtadi') and a malicious hypocrite (Munaafiq Khabeeth)."
Hence, the scholars of Ahl us-Sunnah wal-Jamaa'ah unanimously agree that Abu Bakr as-Siddeeq was the greatest companion of Rasool-Ullaah (saw); then 'Umar, then 'Uthmaan, and then 'Ali (may Allaah be pleased with them all). This is how Allaah (swt) has destined for it to be, and those who favour the Companions in any other order have gone far astray from as-Salaf as-Saalih, such as the apostate Shee'ah Raafidah. Furthermore, the Messenger Muhammad (saw) said:
أبو بكر في الجنة، وعمر في الجنة، وعثمان في الجنة، وعلي في الجنة، وطلحة في الجنة، والزبير في الجنة، وعبد الرحمن بن عوف في الجنة، وسعد بن أبي وقاص في الجنة، وسعيد بن زيد في الجنة، و أبو عبيدة بن الجراح في الجنة
"Abu Bakr will be in Paradise, 'Umar will be in Paradise, 'Uthmaan will be in Paradise, 'Ali will be in Paradise, Talhah will be in Paradise, az-Zubayr will be in Paradise, 'Abdur-Rahmaan bin 'Awf will be in Paradise, Sa'd bin Abee Waqqaas will be in Paradise, Sa'eed bin Zayd will be in Paradise and Abu 'Ubaydah bin al-Jarraah will be in Paradise."
أبو بكر في الجنة، وعمر في الجنة، وعثمان في الجنة، وعلي في الجنة، وطلحة في الجنة، والزبير في الجنة، وعبد الرحمن بن عوف في الجنة، وسعد بن أبي وقاص في الجنة، وسعيد بن زيد في الجنة، و أبو عبيدة بن الجراح في الجنة
"Abu Bakr will be in Paradise, 'Umar will be in Paradise, 'Uthmaan will be in Paradise, 'Ali will be in Paradise, Talhah will be in Paradise, az-Zubayr will be in Paradise, 'Abdur-Rahmaan bin 'Awf will be in Paradise, Sa'd bin Abee Waqqaas will be in Paradise, Sa'eed bin Zayd will be in Paradise and Abu 'Ubaydah bin al-Jarraah will be in Paradise."
(Saheeh al-Jaami' as-Sagheer, 1/70, no. 50)
The Companions named above were famously known as "al-'Asharah fil-Jannah (the Ten in Paradise)". They were the greatest companions of Rasool-Ullaah and this is their order.
We can therefore come to the conclusion that the best Companions were (in order):
a) The ten promised Paradise
We can therefore come to the conclusion that the best Companions were (in order):
a) The ten promised Paradise
1. Abu Bakr as-Siddeeq
2. 'Umar bin al-Khattaab
3. 'Uthmaan bin 'Affaan
4. 'Ali bin Abee Taalib
5. Talhah
6. Az-Zubayr
7. 'Abdur-Rahmaan bin 'Awf
8. Sa'd bin Abee Waqqaas
9. Sa'eed bin Zayd
10. Abu 'Ubaydah bin al-Jarraah
2. 'Umar bin al-Khattaab
3. 'Uthmaan bin 'Affaan
4. 'Ali bin Abee Taalib
5. Talhah
6. Az-Zubayr
7. 'Abdur-Rahmaan bin 'Awf
8. Sa'd bin Abee Waqqaas
9. Sa'eed bin Zayd
10. Abu 'Ubaydah bin al-Jarraah
b) The People of Badr (those who participated in the battle)
The Messenger Muhammad (saw) said:
"Allaah looked to the people of Badr (and said): 'Do whatever you wish, Allaah has forgiven you.'" (Saheeh Muslim #2494)
c) Those who gave al-Bay’atu tahtash-Shajarah (the Pledge Beneath the Tree)
Allaah (swt) says in the Qur'aan: "…Allaah was well-pleased with the Believers when they swore allegiance unto thee beneath the tree…" (EMQ al-Fath, 48: 18)
d) Al-Ansaar
Allaah (swt) says: "And the first to embrace Islaam of the Muhaajiroun (those who migrated from Makkah to al-Madeenah) and the Ansaar (the citizens of al-Madeenah who helped and gave aid to the Muhaajiroun) and also those who followed them exactly (in faith). Allaah is well-pleased with them as they are well-pleased with Him…" (EMQ at-Tawbah, 9: 100)
Therefore dear Muslims, know that these men were the best people to understand the Deen – not Ibn Taymiyyah (ra) or even Abu Haneefah (ra) etc. despite the fact that they were great scholars who followed Ahl us-Sunnah wal-Jamaa'ah.
If there was any dispute between the Companions, we will refer to and favour the most virtuous from amongst them in this order.
The Messenger Muhammad (saw) said:
"Allaah looked to the people of Badr (and said): 'Do whatever you wish, Allaah has forgiven you.'" (Saheeh Muslim #2494)
c) Those who gave al-Bay’atu tahtash-Shajarah (the Pledge Beneath the Tree)
Allaah (swt) says in the Qur'aan: "…Allaah was well-pleased with the Believers when they swore allegiance unto thee beneath the tree…" (EMQ al-Fath, 48: 18)
d) Al-Ansaar
Allaah (swt) says: "And the first to embrace Islaam of the Muhaajiroun (those who migrated from Makkah to al-Madeenah) and the Ansaar (the citizens of al-Madeenah who helped and gave aid to the Muhaajiroun) and also those who followed them exactly (in faith). Allaah is well-pleased with them as they are well-pleased with Him…" (EMQ at-Tawbah, 9: 100)
Therefore dear Muslims, know that these men were the best people to understand the Deen – not Ibn Taymiyyah (ra) or even Abu Haneefah (ra) etc. despite the fact that they were great scholars who followed Ahl us-Sunnah wal-Jamaa'ah.
If there was any dispute between the Companions, we will refer to and favour the most virtuous from amongst them in this order.
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