The Book of the Merits of the Companions

كتاب فضائل الصحابة رضى الله تعالى عنهم

Chapter 3: The Virtues Of 'Uthman Bin 'Affan (RA)

A'isha, the wife of Allah's Apostle (mav peace be upon him), and Uthman both reported that Abu Bakr sought permission from Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) for entrance (in his apartment) as he had been lying on his bed covered with the bed-sheet of A'isha, and he gave permission to Abu Bakr in that very state and he, having his need fulfilled, went back. Then Umar sought permission and it was given to him in that very state and, after having his need fulfilled, he went back. And 'Uthman reported

Then I sought permission from him and he got up and raid to A'isha: Wrap yourself well with your cloth, then I got my need fulfilled and came back. And A'isha said: Allah's Messenger, why is it that I did not see you feeling any anxiety in case of dressing properly in the presence of Abu Bakr and 'Umar (Allah be pleased with them) as you showed in case of 'Uthman. Thereupon Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: Verily Uthman is a person who is very modest and I was afraid that if I permitted him to enter in this very state he would not inform me of his need.

This hadith has been transmitted on the authority of Uthman and A'isha with the same wording.

Abu Musa al-Ash'ari reported that while Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) was in one of the gardens of Medina, reclining against a pillow and fixing a stick in a mud, that a person came asking for the gate to be opened, whereupon he said

Open it for him and give him glad tidings of Paradise and, lo, it was Abu Bakr. I opened (the gate) for him and gave him the glad tidings of Paradise. Then another person asked for the door to be opened, whereupon he said: Open it and give him the glad tidings of Piradise. He said: I went away and, lo, it was 'Umar. I opened it for him and gave him the glad tidings of Paradise. Then still another man asked for the door to be opened, and thereupon Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) said: Open it and give him the glad tidings of Paradise after a trial would afflict him. I went and, lo, it was 'Uthman b. 'Affan. 1 opened the door and gave him the glad tidings of Paradise and informed him (what the Prophet had said). Thereupon he said: O Allah, grant me steadfastness. Allah is one Whose help is to be sought.

This hadith has been transmitted on the authority of Abu Musa al-Ash'ari with a slight variation of wording.

Abu Musa Ash'ari reported that he performed ablution in his house and then came out saying

I would remain with Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) the whole day long. He came to the mosque, and asked about Allah's Apostle (ﷺ). They (his Companions) said: He has gone in this direction. He (Abu Musa Ash'ari) said: I followed his steps asking about him until I came to Bi'r Aris (it is a well in the suburb of Medina). I sat by its wooden door until Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) had relieved himself and then performed ablution. I went to him and he was sitting with his shanks uncovered hp to the knees and his legs dangl- ing in that well. I offered him salutations. I then came back and sat at the door as if I had been a chamberlain at the door of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) that day. There came Abu Bakr and knocked the door and I said: Who is it? He said: This is Abu Bakr. I said: Wait, please. I went and said: Allah's Messenger, here is Abu Bakr seeking permission. Thereupon he said: Admit him and give him glad tidings of Paradise. I came and I said to Abu Bakr to get in (and also told him) that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) was giving him the glad tidings of Paradise. Abu Bakr got in and sat on the right side of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and dangled his feet in the well as Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) had done, and he uncovered his shanks. I then returned and sat there and I had left my brother as he had been performing ablution and he was to meet me and I said: If Allah would intend goodness for such and such he would intend goodness for his brother and He would bring him. I was thinking this that a person stirred the door. I said: Who is it. He said: This is Umar b., Khattab. I said: Wait. Then I came to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ), greeted him and said: Here is 'Umar seeking your. permission to get in. Thereupon he said: Let him come in and give him glad tid- ings of Paradise. I came to Umar and said: There is permission for you and glad tidings for you from Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) for Paradise. He got in and sat on the left side of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) with his feet dangling in the well. I then returned and sat and said: If Allah would intend goodness for such and such (that is for his brother), He would bring him. And I was contemplat- ing over it that a man stirred the door and I said: Who is it? He said: This is Uthman b. Affan. I said: Wait, please. I then came to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and informed him. and he said: Admit him and give him glad tidings (and inform) him of the turmoil which he shall have to face. I came and said: Get in, Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) gives you the glad tidings of Paradise along with the trial which you shall have to face. He got in and saw the elevated plan round the well fully occupied. He sat on the other side. Sharik said that Sa'id b. al-Musayyib reported: I drew a conclusion from it that their groves would be (in this very state, the graves of Hadrat Abu Bakr, 'Umar Faruq by the tide of the Prophet [may peace be upon him] and the grave of Hadrat 'Uthman away from their graves).

Abu Musa. reported

I set out with the intention (of meeting) Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and came to know that he had gone to the gardens (in the suburb of Medina). I followed him and found him in a garden sitting upon an elevated place round the well with his shanks uncovered which had been dangling in the well. The rest of the hadith is the same but with this variation that there is no mention of the words of Sa'id: all drew a conclusion from it pertaining to their graves."

Sa'id b. al-Musayyib reported Abu Musa Ash'ari having said that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) set out one day to the suburbs of Medina for reliev- ing himself. I followed his steps. The rest of the hadith is the same. Ibn Musayyib said

I concluded (from the manner of their sitting) the (order) of their graves. (The three) would be together (the graves of the Holy Prophet, Hadrat Abu Bakr and Hadrat Umar) and that of 'Uthman would be separate (from them).

Chapter 4: The Virtues Of 'Ali Bin Abi Talib (RA)

Amir b Sa'd b. Abi Waqqas reported (on the authority of his father that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) addressing 'Ali said

You are in the same position with relation to me as Aaron (Harun) was in relation to Moses but with (this explicit difference) that there is no prophet after me. Sa'd said: I had an earnest desire to hear it directly from Sa'd, so I met him and narrated to him what (his son) Amir had narrated to me, whereupon he said: Yes, I did hear it. I said: Did you hear it yourself? Thereupon he placed his fingers upon his ears and said: Yes, and if not, let both my ears become deaf.

Sa'd b. Abi Waqqas reported that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) left 'Ali b. Abi Talib behind him (as he proceeded) to the expedition of Tabuk, whereupon he ('Ali) said

Allah's Messenger, are you leaving me behind amongst women and children? Thereupon he (the Holy Prophet) said: Aren't you satisfied with being unto me what Aaron was unto Moses but with this exception that there would be no prophet after me?

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

Amir b. Sa'd b. Abi Waqqas reported on the authority of his father that Muawiya b. Abi Sufyan appointed Sa'd as the Governor and said

What prevents you from rebuking Abu Turab (Hadrat 'Ali), whereupon be said: It is because of three things which I remember Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) having said about him that I would not rebuke him and even if I find one of those three things for me, it would be more dear to me than the red camels. I heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) say about 'Ali as he left him behind in one of his campaigns (that was Tabuk). 'Ali said to him: Allah's Messenger, you leave me behind along with women and children. Thereupon Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said to him: Aren't you satisfied with being unto me what Aaron was unto Moses but with this exception that there is no prophethood after me. And I (also) heard him say on the Day of Khaibar: I would certainly give this standard to a person who loves Allah and his Messenger, and Allah and his Messenger love him too. He (the narrator) said: We had been anxiously waiting for it, when he (the Holy Prophet) said: Call 'Ali. He was called and his eyes were inflamed. He applied saliva to his eyes and handed over the standard to him, and Allah gave him victory. (The third occasion is this) when the (following) verse was revealed: "Let us summon our children and your children." Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) called 'Ali, Fatima, Hasan and Husain and said: O Allah, they are my family.

Sa'd reported Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) as saying to 'Ali

Aren't you satisfied with being unto me what Aaron was unto Moses?

Suhail reported on the authority of Abu Huraira that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said on the Day of Khaibar

I shall certainly give this standard in the hand of one who loves Allah and his Messenger and Allah will grant victory at his hand. Umar b. Khattab said: Never did I cherish for leadership but on that day. I came before him with the hope that I may be called for this, but Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) called 'Ali b. Abu Talib and he conferred (this honour) upon him and said: Proceed on and do not look about until Allah grants you victory, and 'Ali went a bit and then halted and did not look about and then said in a loud voice: Allah's Messenger, on what issue should I fight with the people? Thereupon he (the Prophet) said: Fight with them until they bear testimony to the fact that there is no god but Allah and Muhammad is his Messenger, and when they do that then their blood and their riches are inviolable from your hands but what is justified by law and their reckoning is with Allah.

Sahl b. Sa'd reported that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said on the Day of Khaibar

I would certainly give this standard to a person at whose hand Allah would grant victory and who loves Allah and His Messenger and Allah and His Messenger love him also. The people spent the night thinking as to whom it would be given. When it was morning the people hastened to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) all of them hoping that that would be given to him. He (the Holy Prophet) said: Where is 'Ali b. Abu Talib? They said: Allah's Messenger, his eyes are sore. He then sent for him and he was brought and Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) applied saliva to his eyes and invoked blessings and he was all right, as if he had no ailment at all, and conferred upon him the standard. 'Ali said: Allah's Messenger, I will fight them until they are like us. Thereupon he (the Holy Prophet) said: Advance cautiously until you reach their open places, thereafter invite them to Islam and inform them what is obligatory for them from the rights of Allah, for, by Allah, if Allah guides aright even one person through you that is better for you than to possess the most valuable of the camels.

Salama b. Akwa' reported that it was 'Ali whom Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) left behind him (in the charge of his family and the Islamic State) on the occasion of the campaign of Khaibar, and his eyes were inflamed and he said

Is it for me to remain behind Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)? So he went forth and rejoined Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) and on the evening of that night (after which) next morning Allah granted victory. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: I will certainly give this standard to a man whom Allah and His Messenger love. or he said: Who loves Allah or His Messenger and Allah will grant him victory through him, and, lo, we saw 'Ali whom we least expected (to be present on that occasion). They (the Companions) said: Here is 'Ali. Thereupon Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon hin) gave him the standard. Allah granted victory at his hand.

Yazid b. Hayyan reported, I went along with Husain b. Sabra and 'Umar b. Muslim to Zaid b. Arqam and, as we sat by his side, Husain said to him

Zaid. you have been able to acquire a great virtue that you saw Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) listened to his talk, fought by his side in (different) battles, offered prayer behind me. Zaid, you have in fact earned a great virtue. Zaid, narrate to us what you heard from Allah's Messenger (ﷺ). He said: I have grown old and have almost spent my age and I have forgotten some of the things which I remembered in connection with Allah's Messenger (ﷺ), so accept whatever I narrate to you, and which I do not narrate do not compel me to do that. He then said: One day Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) stood up to deliver sermon at a watering place known as Khumm situated between Mecca and Medina. He praised Allah, extolled Him and delivered the sermon and. exhorted (us) and said: Now to our purpose. O people, I am a human being. I am about to receive a messenger (the angel of death) from my Lord and I, in response to Allah's call, (would bid good-bye to you), but I am leaving among you two weighty things: the one being the Book of Allah in which there is right guidance and light, so hold fast to the Book of Allah and adhere to it. He exhorted (us) (to hold fast) to the Book of Allah and then said: The second are the members of my household I remind you (of your duties) to the members of my family. He (Husain) said to Zaid: Who are the members of his household? Aren't his wives the members of his family? Thereupon he said: His wives are the members of his family (but here) the members of his family are those for whom acceptance of Zakat is forbidden. And he said: Who are they? Thereupon he said: 'Ali and the offspring of 'Ali, 'Aqil and the offspring of 'Aqil and the offspring of Ja'far and the offspring of 'Abbas. Husain said: These are those for whom the acceptance of Zakat is forbidden. Zaid said: Yes.

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Zaid b. Arqam through another chain of transmitters.

This hadith has been transmitted on the authority of Abu Hayyan but with this addition

" The Book of Allah contains right guidance, the light, and whoever adheres to it and holds it fast, he is upon right guidance and whosoever deviates from it goes astray.

Yazid b. Hayyan reported

We went to him (Zaid b. Arqam) and said to him. You have found goodness (for you had the honour) to live in the company of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and offered prayer behind him, and the rest of the hadith is the same but with this variation of wording that lie said: Behold, for I am leaving amongst you two weighty things, one of which is the Book of Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, and that is the rope of Allah. He who holds it fast would be on right guidance and he who abandons it would be in error, and in this (hadith) these words are also found: We said: Who are amongst the members of the household? Aren't the wives (of the Holy Prophet) included amongst the members of his house hold? Thereupon he said: No, by Allah, a woman lives with a man (as his wife) for a certain period; he then divorces her and she goes back to her parents and to her people; the members of his household include his ownself and his kith and kin (who are related to him by blood) and for him the acceptance of Zakat is prohibited.

Sahl b. Sa`d reported that a person from the offspring of Marwan was appointed as the governor of Medina. He called Sahl b. Sa`d and ordered him to abuse `Ali. Sahl refused to do that. He (the governor) said to him

If you do not agree to it (at least) say: May Allah curse Abu Turab. Sahl said: There was no name dearer to `Ali than Abu Turab (for it was given to him by the Prophet himself) and he felt delighted when he was called by this name. He (the governor) said to him: Narrate to us the story of his being named as Abu Turab. He said: Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) came to the house of Fatima and he did not find `Ali in the house; whereupon he said: Where is your uncle's son? She said: (There cropped up something) between me and him which had annoyed him with me. He went out and did not rest here. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) asked a person to find out where he was. He came and said: Allah's Messenger, he is sleeping in the mosque. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) came to him and found him lying in the mosque and saw that his mantle had slipped from his back and his back was covered with dust and Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) began to wipe it away from him (from the body of Hadrat `Ali) saying: Get up, covered with dust (Abu Turab); get up, covered with dust.