The Virtues of the Companions of the Prophet ﷺ in the Quran
This lecture explains the high status of the Companions (RA) of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ as established in the Quran and Sunnah. The speaker highlights how Allah ﷻ expressed His permanent pleasure with them and warned against defaming them. It also discusses the Quranic safeguard that honors both the early forerunners and those who followed later.
There is no way more reliable, nor a scale more truthful
than the Quran and the Prophetic Sunnah in everything.
For the Quran and the Sunnah
testified to this generation's virtue, justice, and sincerity,
and truthfulness of purpose and soundness of methodology,
that Allah ﷻ raised their status
and eternalized their memory until the Day of Judgment.
O seeker of excellence, seeking his Lord,
to win from Him the ultimate of hopes.
O seeker of excellence, seeking his Lord,
to win from Him the ultimate of hopes.
Look to the era of the Companions (RA)
and what they were upon in times past.
Peace, mercy, and blessings of Allah be upon you.
“In the name of Allāh, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.”
“[All] praise is [due] to Allāh, Lord of the worlds -” (Quran 1:1-2)
May Allah's peace, blessings, and prayers be upon the Messenger of Allah.
Welcome, my brothers and sisters.
We are still with this series
and these connected episodes which indeed form this unique necklace
which points to this golden, unique, and wonderful generation,
the generation of the Companions of Muhammad ﷺ.
I have previously mentioned that the episodes of this necklace
indeed do not separate from one another, but rather
they are a logical sequence and a sequence
that indeed builds for us a great and clear picture of the Companions of the Prophet ﷺ.
In this meeting, I speak about the status of the Companions,
the status of the Companions in the Quran and Sunnah.
In fact, indeed, there is no more reliable way nor a truer scale
than the Quran and the prophetic Sunnah in everything,
in everything.
Why? Because they are the two
if we were to explain the virtue and status of the Companions,
where do we turn? To the Quran and the Sunnah.
Because the Quran and the Sunnah have testified to this generation's virtue, justice,
sincerity, truthfulness of purpose, and soundness of methodology.
And that Allah ﷻ has elevated their status and immortalized their remembrance until the Day of Resurrection,
as has come in the Book of Allah ﷻ.
the Book of our Lord ﷻ elaborated in praising the Companions and multiplied their commendation,
explicitly and implicitly, in a way that does not allow for reinterpretation.
And therefore He affirmed for them qualities and stations that He did not affirm for any other nation.
Likewise, the Prophetic Sunnah —
that is, the hadiths of the Prophet ﷺ regarding the enjoinment to honor them
and the clarification of their virtue, and the warning against harming them,
and that they are an exceptional generation in reality,
An exceptional generation. If we search the collections of the prophetic Sunnah, we find that this generation is a unique one.
Therefore, the Prophet ﷺ singled them out for praise
and intended them with commendation, cutting off every path—
cutting off the path of anyone who wants to disparage his Companions ﷺ.
Therefore, the Holy Quran is filled with their mention, and the Sunnah speaks of their virtue.
Texts have consecutively affirmed their high status and elevated position in this world and the Hereafter.
Allah 'Azza wa Jall commended them
in many places in His Mighty Book.
For this reason, for example, when we look at the Book of Allah 'Azza wa Jall,
we find, first, that Allah ﷻ is pleased with the Companions.
Is this not the greatest testimony a human being could ever receive?
When the people of Paradise are asked by Allah 'Azza wa Jall
about their wish, about their desire, what do they say?
They say, "Our Lord, have You not given us? Have You not given us?"
Then Allah ﷻ will give them something that represents the greatest value in Paradise, which is:
He will say, "I bestow My pleasure upon you, and I will never be angry with you again. I will never be angry with you again."
Allahu Akbar.
Allah ﷻ bestows His pleasure upon the people of Paradise,
in addition to the bliss they already have, because the bliss of Paradise, in reality,
is not lacking in anything; it is complete. They move from one blessing to another,
but this pleasure comes to serve as an umbrella for the people of Paradise.
Likewise, Allah ﷻ was pleased with the Companions (RA).
The Companions (RA)—this is a great testimony and a true commendation,
which blocks the way for anyone who wishes to disparage the Companions of the Prophet ﷺ.
By the way, this pleasure is general for all the Companions.
That is why He, Majestic and Exalted, says:
“Allāh will say, "This is the Day when the truthful will benefit from their truthfulness." For them are gardens [in Paradise] beneath which rivers flow, wherein they will abide forever, Allāh being pleased with them, and they with Him. That is the great attainment.” (Quran 5:119)
Indeed, regarding this verse, you might agree with me
that if nothing else had been revealed about the Companions' virtue, by Allah, this alone would have sufficed them.
Meaning, if only this verse had been revealed, it would have sufficed them in honor and pride
that Allah ﷻ granted them His pleasure.
Indeed, there is nothing greater for a person to attain in reality
than the pleasure of Allah ﷻ; it is the greatest thing sought
by a Muslim from his Lord ﷻ. Therefore, He ﷻ says:
This is not just a report of a past state, but rather it is an announcement of a permanently established and continuous pleasure.
And therefore, He ﷻ said in another place, for example:
This indicates that those whom Allah ﷻ is pleased with are not among the people of wickedness.
nor are they those of whom betrayal in religion or treachery could be conceived.
May Allah ﷻ be pleased with them and make them pleased. Far be it from them!
Then He ﷻ said: "and they are well-pleased with Him."
Allah is the Greatest! He combined for them perfect servitude and perfect reward.
They were pleased with Allah in His decree and predestination,
and His law and command, so Allah was pleased with them as a fitting reward,
a fitting reward. They submitted to Allah and surrendered to Allah,
They submitted and surrendered to His Messenger, so Allah ﷻ was pleased with them.
The Pledge of Ridwan is, in reality, a commendation that no other can surpass.
Among the greatest verses of commendation is also the saying of Allah ﷻ:
“Certainly was Allāh pleased with the believers when they pledged allegiance to you, [O Muḥammad], under the tree, and He knew what was in their hearts, so He sent down tranquility upon them and rewarded them with an imminent conquest” (Quran 48:18)
You noticed: "Allah was pleased with the believers."
The [prefix] 'la' and 'qad' both signify what? They signify certainty and emphasis.
Meaning, a confirmed pleasure about which there is no doubt.
Therefore, Allah testified to the purity of their hearts.
Meaning, He, Majestic and Exalted, says: "He knew what was in their hearts."
This is a divine endorsement of their inner selves, not just their outward actions.
Allah endorsed their inner selves,
even though He, Majestic and Exalted, also purified their outward actions.
He endorsed their inner selves. May Allah ﷻ be pleased with them and make them pleased.
Therefore, Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah established that those who pledged allegiance under the tree are the best of creation after the Prophets.
And it is absolutely impermissible to disparage them, or harm them by insulting or defaming them,
no matter what differences in virtue exist among them.
Likewise, indeed, is the praise of the Noble Quran for the Companions (RA),
describing the Companions with jihad, success, and the great triumph.
He, Glorious and Exalted, says:
“But the Messenger and those who believed with him fought with their wealth and their lives. Those will have [all that is] good and it is those who are the successful.” (Quran 9:88)
...strove with their wealth and their lives.
Those who believed with him are the Companions (RA), without doubt.
Then, Allah ﷻ decreed the greatest reward for that.
What did He say? He said, "Those will have the good things, and those are the successful."
Then, He emphasized this reward by saying:
“Allāh has prepared for them gardens beneath which rivers flow, wherein they will abide eternally. That is the great attainment.” (Quran 9:89)
...rivers. Allah is the greatest!
When success is affirmed in the Quran,
as the scholars of verification say, it indicates complete triumph,
complete salvation, and entering Paradise, by the permission of Allah ﷻ, forever and ever.
For this reason, Allah ﷻ often negates success from the disbelievers. Is that clear?
Also, my brothers and sisters, the Sahabah (RA) are described in the previous Books.
And among the most amazing things regarding the virtue of the Sahabah (RA) is that Allah ﷻ mentioned their descriptions in the Torah and the Gospel,
before they were born, and before they appeared on the stage of history. Allah ﷻ says:
“Muḥammad is the Messenger of Allāh; and those with him are forceful against the disbelievers, merciful among themselves. You see them bowing and prostrating [in prayer], seeking bounty from Allāh and [His] pleasure. Their sign is in their faces from the effect of prostration [i.e., prayer]. That is their description in the Torah. And their description in the Gospel is as a plant which produces its offshoots and strengthens them so they grow firm and stand upon their stalks, delighting the sowers - so that He [i.e., Allāh] may enrage by them the disbelievers. Allāh has promised those who believe and do righteous deeds among them forgiveness and a great reward.” (Quran 48:29)
Then He described their worship: "you see them bowing and prostrating,"
Then He revealed their innermost thoughts, the secrets of their consciences, and the purity of their intentions:
"seeking bounty from Allah ﷻ and [His] pleasure."
Then He said: "That is their description in the Torah."
Meaning, this complete description was revealed in the Torah to Moses (AS).
Meaning, all of these descriptions are present in the Torah.
Then He said, "and their description in the Gospel." The 'waw' is inceptive,
"and their description in the Gospel." Some scholars say it is conjoined to what preceded.
But here now is an explanation of descriptions in the Gospel,
"and their description in the Gospel" which Allah revealed to Jesus (AS):
"like a plant that produces its offshoots,"
He likened them to a plant that grows stronger little by little,
until it enrages the disbelievers.
And this is indeed a precise description of the growth and spread of Islam
at the hands of the Companions (RA).
and the rest of the verses.
So, the Companions (RA) were not only mentioned in the Book and the Sunnah,
but even in the previous divine scriptures, the Companions (RA) were mentioned.
Also, among their virtues—and I have already pointed this out—
is the Quranic safeguard when favoring some of them without defaming the others.
So you may recall when I recited the words of Allah ﷻ:
“And why do you not spend in the cause of Allāh while to Allāh belongs the heritage of the heavens and the earth? Not equal among you are those who spent before the conquest [of Makkah] and fought [and those who did so after it]. Those are greater in degree than they who spent afterwards and fought. But to all Allāh has promised the best [reward]. And Allāh, of what you do, is Aware.” (Quran 57:10)
"...and fought." He established the distinction.
Then He said, of course:
“And why do you not spend in the cause of Allāh while to Allāh belongs the heritage of the heavens and the earth? Not equal among you are those who spent before the conquest [of Makkah] and fought [and those who did so after it]. Those are greater in degree than they who spent afterwards and fought. But to all Allāh has promised the best [reward]. And Allāh, of what you do, is Aware.” (Quran 57:10)
"...and fought."
This distinction might lead someone to understand that those who spent after the conquest and fought...
...are, for example, subject to blame or deficiency.
But Allah Almighty established favor for them as well.
What did He ﷻ say?
This is called in rhetoric and eloquence "al-ihtiras" (anticipatory safeguarding).
He said: "But Allah has promised all of them the finest good."
This is truly one of the greatest rhetorical styles of the Quran.
This anticipatory safeguarding is so that no one understands that it implies — by Allah — their being...
...that the existence of this distinction implies blame or deficiency.
The forerunner is superior, but the one who came later is a doer of good — by Allah's testimony ﷻ.
And all of them are promised the best reward.
Of course, the companions are also mentioned frequently in verses of mercy and success.
The Almighty says:
“And decree for us in this world [that which is] good and [also] in the Hereafter; indeed, we have turned back to You." [Allāh] said, "My punishment - I afflict with it whom I will, but My mercy encompasses all things." So I will decree it [especially] for those who fear Me and give zakāh and those who believe in Our verses-” (Quran 7:156)
Then He said:
“Those who follow the Messenger, the unlettered prophet, whom they find written [i.e., described] in what they have of the Torah and the Gospel, who enjoins upon them what is right and prohibits them from what is wrong and makes lawful for them what is good and forbids them from what is evil and relieves them of their burden and the shackles which were upon them. So they who have believed in him, honored him, supported him and followed the light which was sent down with him - it is those who will be the successful.” (Quran 7:157)
Then He concluded: "it is they who are the successful."
By your Lord, who fulfilled these descriptions the most?
Were they not the companions of Muhammad ﷺ? The answer is yes.
They believed in him, honored him, supported him, and left their homelands, wealth, and kinsfolk
when they emigrated with him, and followed the light sent down with him.
In fact, my brothers and sisters, the status of the Companions (RA) in the Quran and Sunnah is definitive, not speculative; it is firmly established.
These texts of the Quran are definitive in their authenticity.
And they contain verses that are also definitive in their meaning, especially regarding...
...the Companions of the Prophet ﷺ, which are decisive through these proofs.
Therefore, the matter of the virtue of the Companions (RA) in the Quran...
...does not accept debate, compromise, or disputation.
Those whom Allah ﷻ is pleased with, purified, praised, and guaranteed the best reward and success for...
...it is not permissible for a Muslim to make them a subject of doubt, suspicion, or defamation.
or anything of this sort.
Of course, naturally, we will discuss the virtue of the Companions (RA) in the Prophetic Sunnah,
which is why I focused in this session on the Noble Quran.
As for their virtue in the Prophetic Sunnah, I will include it in the upcoming episodes, Allah willing,
when we speak about their traits and some of their situations with the Prophet ﷺ.
I ask Allah ﷻ to grant success to everyone, and Allah ﷻ knows best.
Peace, mercy, and blessings of Allah ﷻ be upon you.
He seeks his Lord to achieve the ultimate of hopes.
And look at the era of the Companions (RA) and how they were in times past.