Model Behavior of the Prophet (Kitab Al-Sunnah)

كتاب السنة

Chapter 7: Adherence To The Sunnah

Khalid al-Hadhdha, asked al-Hasan about the Quranic verse

“And for this did He create them.” He said: He created these for this and those for that.

Khalid al-Hadhdha asked al-Hasan about the Quranic verse

“Can lead (any) into temptation concerning Allah, except such as are (themselves) going to the blazing fire.” He said: Except the one whom Allah destined that he should go to Hell.

Humaid said

Al-Hasan used to say that his fall from the heaven on the earth is dearer to him than uttering: The matter is in my hand.

Humaid said

Al-Hasan came to us. The jurists of Mecca told me that I should speak to him that some day he should hold a meeting for them and preach to them. He said: Yes. So they gathered and he addressed them. I did not see anyone on orator greater than him. A man said: Abu Sa’id, who created Satan? He replied: Glory be to Allah! Is there any creator other than Allah? Allah created Satan, and he created good and created evil. The man said: May Allah ruin them! How do they lie to this old man.

Humaid al-Tawil asked al-Hasan about the verse

“Even so do We let it creep into the hearts of the sinners.” He said: Polytheism

Explaining the Quranic verse; “And between them and their desire is placed a barrier.” Al-Hasan said

Between them and their faith.

Ibn ‘Awn said

I was a prisoner in Syria. A man called me from behind. I turned towards him and suddenly found that it was Raja b. Haiwah. He said: Abu ‘Awn, what is this that the people are telling about al-Hasan? I said: They are much lying to al-Hasan.

Hammad said

I heard Ayyub say: Two kinds of people have lied to al-Hasan: people who believed in free will and they intended that they publicise their belief by it; and people who had enmity with and hostility (for al-Hasan), saying: Did he not say so and so? Did he not say so and so?

Yahya b. Kathir al-‘Anbari said

Qurrah b. Khalid used to tell us: O young people! Do not think that al-Hasan denied predestination, for his opinion (i.e., belief) was sunnah and sight.

Ibn ‘Awn said

If we learnt that the remark of al-Hasan would reach the extent that it has reached, we would write a book for his withdrawal and call witnesses to him; but we said: This is a remark that surprisingly came out (from him) and it will not be transmitted to others.

Ayyub said

Al-Hasan said: I will never return to it.

‘Uthman al-Batti said

Al-Hasan never interpreted any Quranic verse but to establish (Divine decree).

Chapter 8: Order Of The Companions In Respect Of Merit

Ibn ‘Umar said

We used to say in the times of the Prophet (ﷺ): We do not compare anyone with Abu Bakr. ’Umar came next and then ‘Uthman. We then would leave (rest of) the companions of the Prophet (ﷺ) without treating any as superior to other.

Ibn ‘Umar said

When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was alive, we used to say: The most excellent member of the community of the Prophet (ﷺ) after himself is Abu Bakr, then ‘Umar, then 'Uthman.

Muhammad b. al-Hanafiyyah said

I said to my father: Which of the people after the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) is best? He replied: Abu Bakr. I then asked: Who comes next? He said: ‘Umar. I was then afraid of asking him who came next, and he might mention ‘Uthman, so I said: You came next, O my father? He said: I am only a man among the Muslims.

Muhammad al-Firyabl said

I heard Sufyan say: If anyone thinks that ‘All (Allah be pleased with him) was more deserving for the Caliphate than both of them, he imputed error to Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, the Muhajirun (Immigrants), and the Ansar (Helpers) Allah be pleased with all of them. I think that with this (belief) none of his action will rise to the heaven.

Sufyan al-Thawri said

The Caliphs are five: Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, ‘Uthman, ‘All and ‘Umar b. ‘Abd al-Aziz.

Chapter 9: The Caliphs

Ibn 'Abbas said

AbuBakr said: May my parents be sacrificed for you, if you allow, I shall interpret it.

He said: Interpret it. He said: The piece of cloud is the cloud of Islam; the ghee and honey that were dropping from it are the Qur'an, which contains softness and sweetness. Those who received much or little of it are those who learn much or little of the Qur'an. The rope hanging from Heaven to Earth is the truth which you are following. You catch hold of it and then Allah will raise you to Him. Then another man will catch hold of it and ascend it, Then another man will catch hold of it and it will break. But it will be joined and he will ascend it. Tell me. Messenger of Allah, whether I am right or wrong.

He said: You are partly right and partly wrong. He said: I adjure you by Allah, you should tell me where I am wrong.

The Prophet (ﷺ) said: Do not take an oath.

The tradition mentioned above has also been transmitted by Ibn ‘abbas through a different chain of narrators. This version adds

He refused to tell him (his mistake).

Narrated AbuBakrah

One day the Prophet (ﷺ) said: Which of you had dream? A man said: It is I. I saw as though a scale descended from the sky. You and AbuBakr were weighed and you were heavier; AbuBakr and Umar were weighed and AbuBakr was heavier: Umar and Uthman were weighed and Umar was heavier; than the scale was taken up. we saw signs of dislike on the face of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ).