The Book of the Merits of the Companions

كتاب فضائل الصحابة رضى الله تعالى عنهم

Chapter 31: The Virtues Of 'Abdullah Bin 'Umar (RA)

Ibn 'Umar reported that when a person saw anything in sleep during the lifetime of Allah's Messenger (may peace he upon him) he narrated it to Allah's Messenger, and I also had a longing that I should also see in a dream something which I should narrate to Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) and I was at that time an unmarried young man. I was sleeping in the mosque during the lifetime of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) tl) at I saw in a dream as if two Angels have taken hold of me and they have carried me to the fire, and, lo, it was built like the easing of a well and had two pillars like those of a well; and, lo, there were people in it whom I knew and I cried out

I seek refuge with Allah from Hell-fire; I seek refuge with Allah from Hell-fire. Then another Angel joined the two others, and said unto me: You need not fear I narrated this dream to llafsa and she narrated it to Allah's Messenger, whereupon Allah's Apostle said: Worthy is this man Abdullah, O that he would pray at night, and Silim added that Abdullah afterwards slept only but for a small part of the night.

Ibn Umar reported

I used to spend nights in the mosque and by that time I had no wife and children. I saw in a dream as if I am being taken to a well. I made a mention of it to Allah's Messenger (may peacebe upon him). The rest of the hadith is the same.

Chapter 32: The Virtues Of Anas bin Malik (RA)

Anas reported that Umm Sulaim said (to the Holy Prophet) Allah's Messenger, here is your servant Anas, invoke blessings of Allah upon him. Thereupon he (the Holy Prophet) said

O Allah, make an increase in his wealth, and progeny, and confer blessings upon him in everything Thou hast bestowed upon him.

Anas reported (that his mother) Umm Sulaim said (to the Holy Prophet) Allah's Messenger, here is your servant Anas. The rest of the hadith is the same.

This hadith has been reported on the authority of Anas through another chain of transmitters.

Anas reportedAllah's Apostle (ﷺ) visited us and there was none else (in the house) but I, my mother and my mother's sister Umm Haram. My mother said to him

Allah's Messenger, here is a small servant of yours, invoke blessings of Allah upon him. And he invoked blessings for me (that I should be bestowed upon) every good and this was what he (said) at the end of what be supplicated for me: O Allah, make an increase in his wealth, and progeny, and cqnfer blessings (upon him) in (each one) of them.

Anas reported

My mother Umm Anas came to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ). And she prepared my lower garment out of the half of her headdress and (with the other half) she covered my upper body and said: Allah's Messenger, here is my son Unais; I have brought him to you for serving you. Invoke blessings of Allah upon him. Thereupon he (the Holy Prophet) said: O Allah, make an increase in his wealth, and progeny. Anas said: By Allah, my fortune is huge and my children, and grand-children are now more than one hundred.

Anas b. Malik said

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) passed (by our house) that my mother Umm Sulaim listened to his voice and said: Allah's Messenger, let my father and mother be sacrificed for thee, here is Unais (and requested him to invoke blessings upon me). So Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) invoked three blessings upon me. I have seen (the results) of the two in this very world (in regard to wealth and progeny) and I hope to see (the result) of the third one in the Hereafter.

Anas reported

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) came to me as I was playing with playmates. He greeted and sent me on an errand and I made delay in going to my mother. When I came to her she said: What detained you? I said: Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) sent me on an errand. She said: What was the purpose? I said: It is something secret. Therupon she said: Do not then divulge the secret of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) to anyone. Anas said: By Allah, if I were to divulge it to anyone, then, O Thabit, I would have divulged it to you.

Anas b. Malik reported that Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) told me something secretly. I informed none about that and Umm Sulaim asked me about it, but I did not tell her even.

Chapter 33: The Virtues Of Abdullah Bin Salam (RA)

'Amir b. Sa'd reported that he heard his father (Sa'd b. Abi Waqqas) say

never heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) say unto one living and moving about that he was in Paradise except to 'Abdullah b. Salim.

Qais b. 'Ubada reported

I was in the company of some persons, amongst whom some were the Companions of Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) in Medina, that there came a person whose face depicted the fear (of Allah). Some people said: He is a person from amongst the people of Paradise; he is a person from amongst the people of Paradise. He observed two short rak'ahs of prayer and then went out. I followed him and he got into his house and I also got in and we began to converse with each other. And when he became familiar (with me) I said to Him: When you entered (the mosque) before (your entrance in the house) a person said so and so (that you are amongst the people of Paradise), whereupon he said: It is not meet for anyone to say anything which he does not know. I shall (now) tell you why they (say) this. I saw a dream during the lifetime of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and narrated it to him. I seemed to be in a garden [he described its vastness, its rich fructification and its verdure]; in the midst of it, there stood an iron pillar, with its base in the earth and its summit in the sky: and upon its summit there was a handhold. It was said to me: Climb up this (pillar). I said to him (visitant in the dream): I am unable to do it. Thereupon a helper came to me, and he (supported) me (by catching hold of my) garment from behind and thus helped me with his hand and so I climbed up till I was at the summit of the pillar, and grasped the handhold. It was said to me: Ho d it tightly. It was at this that I woke up when (the handhold) was in fthe grip) of my hand. I narrated it (the dream) to Allah's Apostle (ﷺ), whereupon he said: That garden implies al-Islam and that pillar implies the pillar of Islam. And that handhold is the firmest faith (as refered to in the Qur'an). And you will remain attached to Islam until you shall die. And that man was 'Abdullah b. Salim.

Qais b. 'Ubaida reported

I was (sitting) in a company in which there were (besides others) Sa'd b. Malik and Ibn 'Umar that 'Abdullah b. Saliim happened to pass (by that side). They (the people sitting in that company) said: He is a person from amongst the dwellers of Paradise. I stood up and said to him: They say such and such (thing about you), whereupon he said: Hallowed be Allah, it is not meet for them to say (anything) of which They have no knowledge. Verily I saw as if a pillar had been raised in a green garden and there had been fixed at its (upper) end a handhold and there was a helper at its base. It was said to me: Climb up. So I climbed up and caught hold of the haildhold. I narrated (the contents of this dream) to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ), whereupon he said: 'Abdullah would die in a state that he would be catching hold of the firmest handhold (he would die holding fast to the faith).

Kharasha b. Hurr reported

I was sitting in a circle in the mosque of Medina and there was an old man, quite handsome. He was 'Abdullah b. Salim. He was telling good things to them (to the people sitting in that company). As he stood up (to depart) the people said: He who is desirous of looking at a person from amongst the people of Paradise should see him. I said: By Allah, I will follow him, and would try to know his residence. So I followed him and he walked on until he reached the outskirts of Medina. He then entered his house. I sought permission from him to get in, and he granted me the permission, saying: My nephew, what is the need (that has brought you here)? I said to him: As you stood up, I heard people say about you: He who is desirous of seeing a person from among the people of Paradise should look at him. So I became desirous of accompanying you. He ('Abdullah b. Salim) said: It is Allah Who knows best about the people of Paradise. I would, however, narrate to you as to why they said like it. (The story is) that while I was asleep (one night) there came to me a person (in the dream) who asked me to stand up. (So I stood up) and he caught hold of my hand and I walked along with him, and, lo, I found some paths on my left and I was about to set out upon them. Thereupon he said to me Do not set yourself on (them) for these are the paths of the leftists (denizens of Hell-fire). Then there were paths leading to the right side, whereupon he said: Set yourself on these paths. We came across a hill and he said to me: Climb up, and I attempted to climb up that I fell upon my buttocks. I made several attempts (but failed to succeed). He led until he came to a pillar (so high) that its upper end touched the sky and its base was in the earth. And there was a handhold at its upper end. He said to me Climb over it. I said: How can I climb upon it, as its upper end touches the sky? He cought hold of my hand and pushed me up and I found myself suspended with the handhold. He then struck the pillar and it fell down, but I remained attached to that handhold until it was morning (and the dream was thus over). I came to Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) and narrated it to him. He said: So far as the paths which you saw on your left are concerned, these are paths of the leftists (denizens of Hell) and the paths which you saw on your right, these are the paths of the rightists (the dwellers of Paradise) and the mountain represents the destination of the martyrs which you would not be able to attain. The pillar implies the pillar of Islam. and so far as the handhold is concerned, it implies the handhold of Islam, and you would hold to it fastly until you would meet death.

Chapter 34: The Virtues Of Hassan Bin Thabit (RA)

Abu Huraira reported that 'Umar happened to pass by Hassan as he was reciting verses in the mosque. He (Hadrat 'Umar) looked towards him (meaningfully), whereupon he (gassin) said

I used to recite (verses) when one better than you (the Holy Prophet) had been present (here). He then looked towards Abu Huraira and said to him: I adjure you by Allah (to tell) if you had not heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: (Hassan), give a reply on my behalf; Allah I help him with Ruh-ul-Qudus. He (Abu Huraira) said: By Allah, it is so (i. e. the Prophet actually said these words).

Ibn Musayyib reported that Hassan said to a circle in which there was also Abu Huraira

Abu Huraira, I adjure you by Allah (to tell) whether you-had not heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) saying like this.

'Abd al-Rahman reported that he heard Hassin b. Thabit al-Ansari call Abu Huraira to bear witness by saying

I adjure you by Allah if you had not heard Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) saying: Hassin, give a reply on behalf of the Messenger of Allah. O Allah, help him with Ruh-ul-Qudus. Abu Huraira said: Yes, it is so.

Al-Bari' b. 'Azib reported

I heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: Hassan b. Thibit, write satire (against the non-believers) ; Gabriel is with you.

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Shu'ba with the same chain of transmitters.

Hisham reported on the authority of his father that Hassan b. Thabit talked much about 'A'isha. I scolded him, whereupon she said

My nephew, leave him for he defended Allah's Messenger (ﷺ).