The Book of the Merits of the Companions
كتاب فضائل الصحابة رضى الله تعالى عنهم
Chapter 47: The Virtues Of Ghifar, Aslam, Juhainah, Ashja', Muzainah, Tamim, Daws and Tayy'
I have loved the tribe of Bani Tamim ever since I heard three things from the Prophet, peace be upon him. I heard the Prophet saying, "They (Bani Tamim) will be the fiercest of my followers against the Dajjal (the Antichrist)." When the Sadaqat (charity) from that tribe came, the Prophet said, "These are the Sadaqat (charitable gifts) of our folk." A portion of the wealth was brought to 'Aisha, and she said, "Messenger of Allah! (Accept) this Sadaqah, for it is from a descendant of Isma'il."
The other hadith has been transmitted on the authority of Abu Huraira with a slight variation of wording.
There are some distinguishing features of Banu Tamim which I heard from Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and my love for them is never on the decline after that and the words are: They are the bravest amongst people in the battlefield and there is no mention of (the word)" Dajjal".
Chapter 48: The Best Of People
You would find people like those of mine, the good amongst you in the Days of Ignorance would be good amongst you in the days of Islam, provided they have an understanding of it and you will find good amongst people the persons who would be averse to position of authority until it is thrust upon them, and you will find the worst amongst persons one who has double face. He comes with one face to them and with the other face to the others.
This hadith has been transmitted through other chains of transmitters. The chain of of Abu Zur'a has a slight variation of wording.
Chapter 49: The Virtues Of The Women Of The Quraish
Good amongst the women are those who ride camels. One of them said: They are pious women of the Quraish, and the other one said: The women of the Quraish are kind to the orphans in their childhood and look after the wealth of their spouses.
This hadith has been transmitted on the authority of Abu Huraira with a slight variation of wording and there is no word" orphan".
I heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: The women of the Quraish are good amongst the womenfolk. They ride camels and show affection to their children and zealously guard the wealth of their husbands. Abu Huraira said at the end of this narration that Mary, the daughter of Imran, never rode the camel.
Allah's Messenger, I am of an advanced age with a (large) family. Thereupon Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: The best women are those who ride (the camels) ; the rest of the hadith is the same but with this difference that, instead of the word Ar'a the word Ahna has been used (and the complete sentence is like this): That they treat children in their childhood with affection.
The best women who ride the camels are the pious women of the Quraish; they treat with affection children in their childhood and keep a strict watch on the wealth of their spouses.
This hadith has been reported on the authority of Abu Huraira with the same chain of transmitters.
Chapter 50: The Prophet (SAW) Established Bonds Of Brotherhood Among His Companions (RA)
Anas reported that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) established fraternity between Abu Ubaida b. Jarrah and Abu Talha.
You must have heard this that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: There is no alliance (hilf) of brotherhood in Islam. Anas said: Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) established the bond of fraternity between the Quraish and the Ansar in his home.
Anas reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) established fraternity between the Quraish and the Ansar in his house at Medina.
There is no alliance (hilf) in Islam but (the hilf) established in the pre-Islamic days (for good). Islam intensifies and strengthens it.
Chapter 51: The Presence Of The Prophet (SAW) Is A Source Of Security For His Companions And The Presence Of His Companions Is A Source Of Security For The Ummah
We offered the sunset prayer along with Allah's Apostle (ﷺ). We then said: If we sit (along with Allah's Messenger) and observe night prayer with him it would be very good, so we sat down and he came to us and said: You are still sitting here. I said: Allah's Messenger, we observed evening prayer with you, then we said: Let us sit down and observe night prayer along with you, whereupon he said: You have done well or you have done right. He then lifted his head towards the sky and it often happened that as he lifted his head towards the sky, he said: The stars are a source of security for the sky and when the stars disappear there comes to the sky, i. e. (it meets the same fate) as it has been promised (it would plunge into darkness). And I am a source of safety and security to my Companions and when I would go away there would fall to the lot (of my Companions) as they have been promised with and my Companions are a source of security for the Umma and as they would go there would fall to the lot of my Umma as (its people) have been promised.
Chapter 52: The Virtues Of the Sahabah, Then Those Who Come After Them, Then Those Who Come After Them
A time would come for the people when groups of people would set out for fighting in the cause of Allah and it would be said to them: Is there one amongst you who saw Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)? And they would say: Yes, and they would be victorious. Then the people would set out for fighting in the cause of Allah and it would be said to them: Is there one amongst you who saw those (who have had the privilege of sitting in the company of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)? And they would say: Yes, and victory would be granted to them. Then a group of persons would set out for fighting in the cause of Allah and it would be said to them: Is there one amongst you who saw one of those who saw those who (had the privilege) of sitting in the company of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)? And they would say: Yes, and the Victory would be granted to them.
There would come to the people a time when a detachment would be sent for fighting in the cause of Allah and they would say: See, if you can find amongst them someone from amongst the Companions of Allah's Apostle (ﷺ). They would find a person and they would be granted victory because of him. Then a second detachment would be sent to them and they would say: Do you find amongst them one who had had the privilege of seeing the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)? -and the victory would be granted to them because of him. Then the third detachment would be sent and it would be said to them: See, if you find amongst them (who had had the honour of seeing one) who saw those who saw the Companions of Allah's Apostle (ﷺ). Then the fourth detachment would be sent and it would be said to them: See it you find amongst them one who had the privilege (of seeing) one who saw those who saw those who saw the Companions of Allah's Apostle (ﷺ), and a person would be found and they would be granted victory because of him.
The best of my Umma would be those of the generation nearest to mine. Then those nearest to them, then those nearest to them, then people would come whose witness would precede the oath and the oath will precede the witness. Hannad has not made the mention of Qarn in his narration. Qutaiba said that, instead of the word Qaum, the word Aqwam has been used.
It was asked from Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) who amongst the people were the best. He said: (People) of my generation, then those next to them, then those next to them, then there would come a people whose evidence would precede their oath and their oath would precede their evidence. Ibrahim said: They forbade us to make vows and bear witness when we were too young.