Justice of the Prophet’s Companions

Since the Sunni scholars, on the basis of the above verse from the Holy Qur’an, argue that all of the Prophet’s companions are honest and would go to the paradise, and since this issue has bought drastic changes in the Islamic issues, let us look at the discussion in more detail and within a wider perspective.

Most of the Sunni scholars have added the following Hadith below the Quranic verse under our discussion.

The Hadith goes like this: Hamid Ibn Zyad has said: I went to visit Muhammad Ibn Ka’ab Qurazi and asked his opinion on the Prophet’s companions. He replied:

جَمِيعُ أصْحابِ رَسُولِ اللهِ3 في الْجَنَّةِ، مُحْسِنُهُمْ وَمُسْيئُهُمْ.

All of the Prophet’s companions, whether well-wishers or otherwise will enter the paradise; I asked him: how would you say such a thing? He replied: read the following verse:

وَالسَّابِقُونَ الْأَوَّلُونَ مِنْ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ وَالْأَنصَارِ ... رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَضُوا عَنْهُ

“And as for the foremost, the first of the Muhajirs and the Ansars, and those who followed them in goodness, Allah is well-pleased with them and they are well-pleased with Him.”

Then, he added: but regarding “those who followed them,” there is a condition stipulated; that is, they should follow the Prophet’s companions only in good things(only under such conditions they could attain salvation, but there is no such a condition for the Prophet’s companion).

But such a claim is wrong for the following reasons:

Firstly, the verdict given in the afore-mentioned verse includes “the followers” as well. By “followers” is meant all those who adopt the life methods of the Muhajirs and Ansars: Thus, all Ummah are salvaged with no exception!

In the Hadith narrated by Muhammad Ibn Ka’ab, it is said that God has put the condition of “goodness” for the followers, i.e. that the followers should adopt the good deeds of the Prophet’s companions and not their sins; this discussion is strange, indeed! In the above verse, God declares that He is satisfied with Muhajirs and Ansars and those who followed them. God has not stipulated any specific condition for those who followed the Prophet’s companions, however.

Secondly, the sound reasoning forces us to state that the Prophet’s companions are not given any specific privileges.

After the demise of the Prophet{S.A.W) and during the ensuing centuries, millions of people came to this world and accepted Islam without having met with the Prophet personally. They are, for sure, blessed by the following Quranic verse:إِنَّ أَكْرَمَكُمْ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ أَتْقَاكُمْ  “Surely the most honorable of you with Allah is the one among you most careful of his duty”(Qur’an 49:13). The holy Qur’an will not accept any discrimination, at all.

The Holy Qur’an curses the tyrants and the aggressors and condemns them to severe chastisement. How, then would the Holy Qur’an affer irratioal immunity to the Prophat’s companions?

Thirdly, this statement is not in harmony with the Islamic historical texts. This is because there were many individuals who were in the rank of Muhajirs and Ansars, but later deviated from the right path and were subject to the Prophet’s rage. Have we not read in the Holy Qur’an the adventure of Tha’alabah Ibn Hatib Ansari and his fall into disobedience and being rejected by the Prophet(s.a.w)?

Let us be more clear: Are these scholars claiming that the Prophet’s companions were innocent and did not do anything wrong? This is to deny all facts.

And if they contend that these companions did something wrong, but Allah is still satisfied with them, then this means that Allah has given His consent for their wrong-doings! This is indeed far from being the fact.

Who can exonerate Talha and Zubir, who were at first among the Prophet’s special friends, and Aisha, who was the Prophet’s wife, from the blame for the bloodshed of seventeen thousand muslims at the Jamal War? Was Allah satisfied with this massacre?

Was Allah satisfied with those people who leveled their enmity towards Imam Ali (S.A) who was selected both by the Prophet and through consensus as his successor? Was it justified to draw swords on Imam Ali (a.s) and his followers?

The fact is that, the followers of the theory of “The exoneration of the Prophet’s companions,” have in fact by raising such an issue defacedthe sacred features of Islam.

To sum up: The Allah’s satisfaction as emphasized in the above verse refers to the believers’ migration (Hijra), assisting the Prophet (s.a.w), the Faith and good actions. All the Ansars and the Prophet’s companions and their followers were the subject of God’s satisfaction as far as they did not commit anything wrong. At the moment when they did something wrong, they were out of God’s satisfaction.

From what we have said so far, it becomes clear that the statement of the learned, but highly prejudiced editor of Al-Minar, who has blamed the Shiites for excluding some of the Prophet’s companions of being pure and honest, lacks any validity. The Shiites should not be blamed simply because they have adopted the verdicts of wisdom, history and the Holy Quran concerning the Prophet’s companions. Neither should they be held responsible for not accepting the imaginary and illusionary perorogative of the prejudiced ones.

The caliph-based scholars consider Mu’awiya Ibn Abi Sufyan as the scribe of the Revelation and as the Prophet’s special companion. Fakhr Razi and the editor of Al-Minar consider Mu’awiya as a just, reliable, salvaged, person who has got Allah’s satisfaction. However, according to both Shiite and Sunni scholars the following were among his activities:

1. His war with Imam Ali (a.s) at Saffain and the massacre of more than fifty thousand muslims. One of these martyrs was Ammar Yassir above whom the Prophet (s.a.w) had said: “Ammar is right in his actions: however, he will be murdered by a group of aggressors and tyrants,”

2. His war with Imam Mujtaba(a.s);

3. The breach of his contract concluded between Imam Hassan Ibn Ali(a.s), and him.

4. Conspiring and plotting for the murder of Imam Mujtaba(a.s) by the daughter of Asha’th Ibn Qais;

5. Mu’awiah’s extreme rejoice over the murder of Imam Mujtaba(a.s);

6. The dispatch by Mu’awiah of Busr Ibn Artat to the cities under Imam Ali’s domination to massacre men, women, and children simply for their being Shiites, and the plunder of people’s possessions and the destruction of the cities;

7. The dispatch of Zahnak Ibn Qais Fahri to plunder people and to annihilate the cities;

8. Sending Abdullah Ibn Mus’edah to Macca and Madina to force people to surrender to the government and killing them if they defied;

9. The commitment of innumerable crimes by Ziyad Ibn Abin who was appointed by Mu’awiah;

10. The murder of Hujr Ibn Udai and his loyal followers for their love towards Imam Ali(a.s);

11. Laying siege to Amr Ibn Hamaq Khuzaee and be-heading him after his death;

12. Killing Saifi Ibn Fassil for his love towards Imam Ali(a.s);

13. Killing Muslim Ibn Zaimar and Abdullah Ibn Naji for their love towards Islam and Imam Ali(a.s);

14. Killing Malik Ibn Ashtar Nakhaee, who was unique in generosity and faith;

15. Killing Muhammad Ibn Abi Bakr and burning his corpse because of his love towards Imam Ali(a.s);

16. Making Amr As, the tyrant, dominant over the Egyptians;

17. Showing disregard towards religion;

18. Disrespecting people;

19. Establishing the Royal Kingdom in contradiction to the principles of Islam.

20. Annoying the Prophet’s Companions and their followers;

21. Creating multilateral disturbances for the Prophet’s Household(a.s);

22. Cleaning the adulterers in contradiction to the Holy Qur’an;

23. The purchase of wine and drinking it;

24. Spreading prostitution in the Islamic cities;

25. Legalizing usury;

26. Not shortening prayers while on journey;

27. Laying innovation in Azan(the call for prayers);

28. Marrying two sisters at the same time;

29. Changing the Islamic blood money;

30. Arranging the sermon for the Fitr and Qurban prayers prior to the prayer.

31. Trespassing the tradition of the Prophet(s.a.w);

32. The breach of the verdict issued against the adulterers;

33. Ordering the curse of Imam Ali(a.s) at the prayers and the Friday sermons and the Eid prayers (Fitr and Qurban), and legalizing this trend;

34. Murdering the Badr companions and Bai’at Shajarah companions;

35. Putting the head of Amr Ibn Hamiq on a spear and demonstrating it in cities;

36. Murdering women and children and plundering their possessions;

37. Forcing people to give false witness;

38. Transferring the Prophet’s pulpit from Madina to Damascus;

39. Putting on silk dresses and drinking out of golden ware;

40. Establishing pleasure parties and listening to forbidden music; and

41. Making Yazid, the wine – lover, the dog – lover, and the monkey – lover, dominant over the Islamic community.

  Now we will observe what the Holy Qur’an says regarding the horrendous actions that were done by Mu’awiah:

وَمَنْ يَقْتُلْ مُؤْمِنًا مُتَعَمِّدًا فَجَزَاؤُهُ جَهَنَّمُ خَالِدًا فِيهَا وَغَضِبَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَلَعَنَهُ وَأَعَدَّ لَهُ عَذَابًا عَظِيمًا  [1]

“And whoever kills a believer intentionally, his punishment is hell; he shall abide in it; and Allah will send His wrath on him and curse him and prepare for him a painful chastisement.”

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يُؤْذُونَ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ لَعَنَهُمْ اللَّهُ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ وَأَعَدَّ لَهُمْ عَذَابًا مُهِينًا وَالَّذِينَ يُؤْذُونَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتِ بِغَيْرِ مَا اكْتَسَبُوا فَقَدِ احْتَمَلُوا بُهْتَانًا وَإِثْمًا مُبِينًا  [2]

“Surely as for those who speak evil things of Allah and His Apostle, Allah has cursed them in this world and the hereafter, and He has prepared for them a chastisement bringing disgrace. And those who speak evil things of the believing men and the believing women without their having earned it, they are guilty indeed of a false accusation and a manifest sin.”

 وَالَّذِينَ يُؤْذُونَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ  [3]

“And as for those who molest Apostle of Allah, they shall have a painful punishment.”

الَّذِينَ يَأْكُلُونَ الرِّبَا لَا يَقُومُونَ إِلَّا كَمَا يَقُومُ الَّذِي يَتَخَبَّطُهُ الشَّيْطَانُ مِنْ الْمَسِّ  [4]

 “Those who swallow down usury can not arise except as one whom shaitan has prostrated by his touch does rise.”

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يُحِبُّونَ أَنْ تَشِيعَ الْفَاحِشَةُ فِي الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ وَاللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ وَأَنْتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ  [5]

“Surely as for those who love that scandal should circulate respecting those who believe, they shall have a grievous chastisement in this world and the hereafter; And Allah Knows, while you do not know.”

وَالْخَمْرُ وشارِبُها وَبايِعُها وَمُشْتَرِيها مَلْعُونٌ، مَلْعُونٌ.

“Wine, its drinker, its buyer and its salesman are all cursed.”

آكِلُ الِّربا وَمُوكِلُهُ مَلْعُونٌ بِلِسانِ النَّبيِّ3.

“The Prophet(s.a.w) has cursed those who swallow down usury.”

مَنْ سَبَّ عَلِيّاً فَقَدْ سَبَّني، وَمَنْ سَبَّنِي فَقَدْ سَبَّ اللهَ.

“Anybody who anathematizes has cursed me and anybody who imprecates me, has imprecated Allah.”

لا يُرِيدُ أحَدٌ أهْلَ الْمَدِينَةِ بِسُوءٍ إلاَ أذابَهُ اللهُ فِي النّارِ ذَوْبَ الرَّصاصِ أوْ ذَوْبَ الْمِلْحِ فِي الْماءِ.

“Anybody who imprecates a native of Medina shall be molten by Allah like tin in the fire or like salt in the water.”

مَنْ أخافَ أهْلَ الْمَدِينَةِ ظالِماً لَهُمْ أخافَهُ اللهُ وَكانَتْ عَلَيْهِ لَعْنَةُ اللهِ.

“Anybody who frightens a native of Madina through coercion shall be frightened by Allah and shall receive Allah’s curse and wrath.”

Those interested in the issues related to Mu’awiah could refer to the following sources: Sahihul Bukhari, Wafa’al wafa, Majma’ul Zawa’ed, Murawwij Al-Zahab, Al-Mahassin wal Mussawi, the commentary of Ibn Abi Al-Hadid, Sahihu Muslim, the History of Ibn Asakir, Ansab Balazari, Ma’arif Ibn Qutaibah, Tabaqat Ibn Sa’ad, Aghanee, Tarikh Tabari, Mustadrak Hakim, Musnad of Ahmad Hambal Estia’b, Usdul Qabah; see, especially pages 3-190, the eleventh volume of Al-Gadir.