Why Do We Love The Companions of The Prophet?
We must consider how the path of right guidance, on which we are blessed to walk, has been handed down to us, by whom, and through what hardships. The Companions of the Prophet were the blessed generation that formed the first link in this chain of unparalleled endeavor and sacrifice. They were a distinguished group of people who went beyond the ordinary understanding of human excellence.
We all have people that we love for various reasons. Some we love due to the kindness they have shown us. Others are genuine friends who have no ulterior motives for associating with us. There are also people whom we love without having ever met them. People who have upheld our values, country, and nation have a special place in our hearts. Those who serve the religion of Allah are even more precious in our eyes. There can be many reasons to love someone.
Then, what is our reason for loving the Noble Companions of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam)? Why do we hold Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, and Ali (May Allah be pleased with all of them), along with the rest of the Companions, in a special place in our hearts? Why do we experience a sense of closeness when their names are mentioned? Each of us can list so many reasons for this! Even if we listed all of these reasons, it would not be enough to show our sincere love for them. They deserve all the praise we could offer them.
Why do they deserve this love?
Allah (jalla jalaluhu) sent a human being like us as a prophet to guide us. Shortly after his emergence as the Last Prophet, an ever-growing circle of people formed around him. This way, the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) could delegate various tasks to and enlist the help of his Companions. He asked for their help in different ways according to their abilities. There were times when he called them to put their lives on the line for the sake of Allah, and they immediately set everything aside to start preparations. They obeyed his orders. They never dwelled on thoughts of the families they had to provide for, children that needed their support, or other works that required their attention. Some even heeded his call on their wedding night and never returned to their families.
When going to war at Mutah, the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) told them in what order they would carry the flag. They knew they would be martyred in that order but never hesitated as they viewed death as a reunion with Allah.
The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) sent some of his more knowledgeable Companions to a distant land to teach Islam. They took perilous journeys to reach unknown cities to convey the message of Islam despite much hardship. Islam spread quickly in the Arabian peninsula because of what they preached and due to them exemplifying the message of Islam in their lives.
There were also Companions who delivered the letters of invitation to Islam. The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) sent these letters to kings, governors, and chieftains. The Companions who carried these letters knew full well that they could lose their heads if the intended recipient happened to be a merciless ruler. In spite of this, they raced each other to deliver these letters. Some of them never came back and were martyred.
Some were martyred in the battle of Uhud and had their corpses mutilated under the pagan culture of ignorance.
Can we understand those who have left everything behind, including their homes, wealth, and social standing, to migrate solely for their faith? Is there even a word that describes the level of the sacrifice made by those who migrated to Ethiopia and Medinah?
Selflessness and Sacrifice
Sad bin Muadh said to the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam):
“O Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam)! We have believed in you. We have affirmed you. We bear witness that everything you brought to us is true. We have promised to listen to you and obey you. O Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam)! You do as you please. We are with you. I swear by Allah, Who has sent you with the true religion, if you dive into this ocean, we will dive with you. Not one of us will hesitate. We never think twice about going against an enemy. We never turn back in battle. Lead us with the blessing of Allah!” (Ibn Sad, 2/14)
Before he became a Muslim, Abu Sufyan came from Medinah to Makkah to speak with the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam). He was surprised by the preparations of the Companions for the fajr prayers. He asked them the reason for this. The Prophet’s uncle Abbas gave him this unforgettable response:
“If the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) commanded them to stop eating and drinking and to die, they would do even that!” (Abdurrazzaq, 9739)
This account is a testament to the unbreakable bond and devotion in their hearts.
The events that transpired in the war of Badr confirm the same devotion. In the Muslim army of 310 soldiers, there were only two horses, forty camels, and six armor sets. The opposing side had roughly 1000 soldiers, 200 horses, and 700 camels. They all had previous combat experience and were adequately armed and equipped. The Companions had traveled 200 kilometers while taking turns riding the camels, fasting during the month of Ramadan, and being under the desert heat. Only one thing made their ordeal sweet: Their faith in Allah Almighty and love for His Messenger (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam).
The Age of the Noble Companions
To understand what the Companions have endured, we should consider the time and conditions they lived in. That should give us a better understanding of who they really were. First, we need to imagine how they lived at night without electricity. These nights were so absolutely devoid of light that it was only darkness as far as the eyes could see. During the day, they would never have ice-cold water to drink or abundant food to eat. When they went somewhere, they didn’t have the option to travel by car or plane. When they arrived in a city, they never had anyone to meet them, and there were no hotels to stay at. One had to endure all of the difficulties on their own. Everything standard for us was either a luxury or outright impossible and entirely out of reach for them. Despite this, they strived to accomplish their duties to the best of their abilities. They were not shy or doubtful. On the contrary, with the fire of faith in their hearts, they were focused on their divine mission.
Considering all of this, we understand that the final religion did not survive and flourish to this day easily, certainly not without great sacrifices and immense effort. It required dedicating one’s life to the path of Allah Almighty, leaving one’s homeland, and even giving up one’s life. We, on the other hand, enjoy all the comforts of the modern world, easily read the Book of our Lord, and offer our prayers in our warm houses. We break our fasts with exquisite foods. We have access to many religious books to easily learn our religion. We meet all of our needs with very little effort.
However, we must consider how the path of right guidance, on which we are blessed to walk, has been handed down to us, by whom, and through what hardships. The Companions of the Prophet were the blessed generation that formed the first link in this chain of unparalleled endeavor and sacrifice. They were a distinguished group of people who went beyond the ordinary understanding of human excellence. When mentioning the Companions of the Messenger of Allah, we should know who we are talking about. We should never forget when we read the Qur’an that it came to us without any changes because of their effort. When we perform prayer, fasting, zakat, and other religious duties, we should be aware that their knowledge came to us through the Companions’ efforts. This is a true and legitimate reason to love the distinguished companions who formed a circle around the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam).
Remembering the Companions
Considering their incredible sacrifices, what are we supposed to say when mentioning their honorable names? The right way to honor them is to say “radiyallahu anhum” (May Allah be pleased with them) after uttering their names. Allah Almighty has already said that He is pleased with them. And we should join His pleasure with them with this humble prayer for them. Our Lord describes the Companions who pledged allegiance to the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) and stood with him under all circumstances as follows: “Allah was pleased with the believers when they swore allegiance to you [Prophet] under the tree: He knew what was in their hearts and so He sent tranquillity down to them and rewarded them with a victory, near at hand. ” (Fath, 18). Our Lord also praised the migrants (muhajirun) and the helpers (ansar) who welcomed them in Medinah in many verses of the Qur’an.
Nadr bir Anas was distraught to be unable to join the battle of Badr. Until the battle of Uhud, he kept saying, “if Allah sets us against the polytheists one more time, they will see who I really am.” In the battle of Uhud, when the Muslims faced a downturn, the rumor spread that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) was killed. He broke the sheath of his sword, lunged upon his enemies, and said, “By Allah, I now smell Jannah in front of Mount Uhud!” When the martyrs’ corpses were brought back to Medinah that evening, no one could identify a particular one among them. This corpse had over eighty wounds made by swords, arrows, and spears, making it unrecognizable. In addition, the corpse had been mutilated by the enemy. Finally, his sister identified him by his nails (Bukhari, 2595). The following verse was revealed for him, and those like him: “Among the believers, there are men who came true to the covenant they had with Allah. So, some of them have fulfilled their vows (by sacrificing their lives in the way of Allah), and some of them are (still) waiting, and they did not change (their commitment) in the least.” (Ahzab, 23)
Martyrs of Invitation
Abu Bara, the chief of the Sons of Amir tribe, came to Madinah to learn about Islam. After meeting with the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), he asked him to send teachers of Islam to his tribe. But the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) was hesitant because the tribe lived in the dangerous region of Najd. But Abu Bara assured him and said that there was no need to worry. Then he returned to his tribe, let his people know of the assurance he gave, and told his people to adhere to this promise of safety.
After a while, the Messenger of Allah sent a group of 70 Muslims to teach Islam to that tribe. This group took a break on their way by a well called Bir Maunah. This well was located near the border of the Sons of Amir and Sons of Sulaym tribes.
Haram bin Milhan was put in charge of delivering the letter of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) to the chief Abu Bara. In the meantime, a rumor spread about the death of Abu Bara. Haram bin Milhan gave the letter to the cousin of Abu Bara, Amir bin Tufayl and invited them to Islam. Amir, who hated Islam and Muslims, never read the letter and ordered someone to stab Haram bin Milhan with a spear in the back while speaking. The spear went into Haram’s back and came out of his chest. Cognizant of his imminent martyrdom, Haram cried: “Allahu Akbar! By the Lord of the Kaaba, I have attained the level of martyrdom!”
After Amir had the messenger of the Prophet killed, he asked for help from the tribes of Ri’l, Dhakwan, and Usayyah. They assembled a small army and attacked the group waiting by the well of Bir Maunah. The Companions, who did not know what was happening, tried to explain their purpose, but they could not overcome their ruthless murderers. They were all martyred except for two.
When the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) heard about this incident, he was filled with an overwhelming sadness. It is said that he was never more sad about something than he was about what happened at Bir Maunah.
The same night, news of 100 tribesmen ambushing ten teachers of Islam, killing eight of them, and capturing and selling two to polytheists from Makkah, arrived in Medinah. One of the captives was Hubayb bin Adiy (radiyallahu anh), who was executed in Makkah after declaring that he would rather die than have any pain or grief caused to Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), even something as small as a thorn pricking his foot, and sending his salam to him.
The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) was devastated that night. The Messenger of Mercy (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), who had never cursed his own attackers, prayed as follows in the second rakat of the fajr prayer after ruku: “O Allah! Be hard on the tribe of Mudar and let them suffer from famine years like that of the time of Yusuf! O Allah! curse Lihyan, Ri'l, Dhakwan, Usayyah, for they disobeyed Allah and His Messenger.”
These are but a few examples of the countless sacrifices made by the Companions. They chose to live their lives in complete devotion to the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) and preferred the Hereafter to this world. What is left for those who came after them and us is to simply love them and remember them with respect. This is a great enough honor for us.
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