KHUTAB XI: 8. THE POSITION OF THE ṢAḤĀBAH (1)

8. THE POSITION OF THE ṢAḤĀBAH (1)

          The term ṣaḥābah (صَحَابة) is derived from ṣaḥiba (صَحِبَ) “to associate, to accompany, to escort, to make or become friends, to be closely associated (with someone), to keep (someone’s) company.” Its verbal nouns are ṣuḥbah, ṣaḥabah, and ṣiḥabah (صُحْبَة, صَحَابَة, صِحَابَة) meaning “friendship, companionship, association.” The term ṣāḥib (صَاحِب) means: “companion, associate, comrade, friend, adherent, follower;” its plural are: aṣḥāb (أَصْحَاب), ṣaḥb (صَحْب), and ṣaḥābah (صَحَابة)   When we say “the ṣaḥābah” (الصَّحَابة) it is meant “the Companions of the Prophet,” and for a singular person he is called “the ṣaḥābī” (الصَّحَابِي), “the companion of the Prophet.”

As the term “the ṣaḥābah” (الصَّحَابة) means “the Companions of the Prophet (ﷺ)”, then who are they? Muslim scholars have different views, as follows:

The ṣaḥābah according to the jumhūr al-‘ulamā’ (Muslim scholars in the mass) including Ibn Ḥazm, Ibn Taymiyyah, Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal, and Mālik ibn Anas are: the Prophet’s contemporaries who saw him once or more than once, also any of those who heard him saying something, and neither opposing him nor rejecting his prophethood. They assert that the ṣaḥābah are those who believe in the Prophet (ﷺ) and met him, and died as believers, even though the meeting may have lasted only for a short time. Whether they report about him or not is not a condition. Here are some views about the ṣaḥābah:

a.  Anyone who have lived with the Prophet for at least one year or joined him in one of his campaigns he is considered a ṣaḥābī. This is the view of Sa‘īd ibn al-Musayyib, who was one of the the tābi‘īn (the generation following that of the ṣaḥābah) who lived in Madīnah. This view is rejected especially by Ibn Ḥazm who maintains that there would be no limit of time and number in seeing the Prophet (ﷺ) and being in company with him to qualify as a ṣaḥābī.

b. The view of the historian and the qāḍī of Baghdad al-Wāqidī (d. 206/822) excluded children from being ṣaḥābah, but this opinion was rejected by the jumhūr al-‘ulamā’ (Muslim scholars in the mass). Therefore, the ṣaḥābah include free people as well as slaves, even children, like the Prophet’s grand-sons al-Ḥasan and al-Ḥusayn. The hypocrites of Madīnah, and those whose conditions are unfavourable, like Hīt the effeminate, whom the Prophet ordered to be banished, and the expelled al-Ḥakam and excluded from being among the ṣaḥābah.

Followers of previous prophets were their ṣaḥābah  (companions). The Prophet said there are 124 000 prophets sent by Allah to human beings. Abū Dharr asked the Prophet:

يَا نَبِيَّ اللَّهِ، كَمْ وَفَاءُ عِدَّةِ الأَنْبِيَاءِ؟ قَالَ: مِائَةُ أَلْفٍ وَأَرْبَعَةٌ وَعِشْرُونَ

أَلْفًا، الرُّسُلُ مِنْ ذَلِكَ ثَلاثُ مِائَةٍ وَخَمْسَةَ عَشَرَ جَمًّا غَفِيرًا

(مشكاة المصابيح)

O Prophet of Allah, how many is the total number of

prophets?” He said: “One hundred and twenty thousands, 

numerously among them three hundred and thirteen 

messengers” (Mishkāt al-Maṣābīḥ)

Out of this great number, only twenty-five of them are mentioned in the Qur’ān, and out of this number, five of them are called ūlū ’l-‘azm (أُوْلُوا الْعَزْم), lit. “those who  have strong will”), as mentioned in the following  verse:

وَإِذْ أَخَذْنَا مِنَ النَّبِيِّينَ مِيثَاقَهُمْ وَمِنْكَ وَمِنْ نُوحٍ وَإِبْرَاهِيمَ وَمُوسَى

وَعِيسَى ابْنِ مَرْيَمَ وَأَخَذْنَا مِنْهُمْ مِيثَاقًا غَلِيظًا (الأحزاب:7(

And (remember) when We took from the Prophets

their covenant, and from you (O Muhammad), and

from Nūḥ (Noah), Ibrāhīm (Abaham), Mūsá (Moses),

and ‘Īsá (Jesus) son of Maryam (Mary). We took

from them a strong covenant. (Q. 33:7)

          These five prophets had worked hard in calling their respective people to follow them as mentioned in the Qur’ān, but their response to their call varied. Prophet Noah, despite spending 950 years of calling his people only few people followed him. The Qur’ān said,

...  وَمَا آمَنَ مَعَهُ إِلَّا قَلِيلٌ (هود:40(

…And none believed with him, except a few (Q. 11:40)

Prophet Abraham did not have any follower, but he was called in the Qur’ān, an ummah, representing a nation, as he was the father of prophets (Ismā‘īl and Isḥāq), as mentioned in the Qur’ān,

إِنَّ إِبْرَاهِيمَ كَانَ أُمَّةً قَانِتًا لِلَّهِ حَنِيفًا وَلَمْ يَكُ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ (النحل:120)

Verily, Ibrāhīm (Abraham) was an Ummah (a leader

having all the good righteous qualities, or a nation)

obedient to Allah, Ḥanīf (i.e. to worship none but Allah),

and he was not one of those who were al-Mushrikūn 

(polytheists, idolaters, disbelievers in the Oneness of

Allah and those who joined partners

with Allah (Q. 16:120)

          Prophet Mūsá (Moses), his people (the children of Israel) had seen with their own eyes miracles bestowed on him by Allah, yet they blamed him for their suffering which they thought caused by him. They did not have strong faith, as they worshiped the calf (Q. 2:54) when he went to Mt. Sinai to receive the tablet containing Allah commandments, and they did not want to join him in fighting and told him, “… So, go you and your Lord and fight you two, we are sitting right here.”  (Q. 5:24). Prophet ‘Īsá (Jesus) had followers called in the Qur’ān al-Ḥawāriyyūn (الْحَوَارِيُّون), meaning “helpers in Allah’s cause.” They were his companions and disciples.[1] Allah says in the Qur’ān,

فَلَمَّا أَحَسَّ عِيسَى مِنْهُمُ الْكُفْرَ قَالَ مَنْ أَنْصَارِي إِلَى اللَّهِ قَالَ الْحَوَارِيُّونَ

نَحْنُ أَنْصَارُ اللَّهِ آمَنَّا بِاللَّهِ وَاشْهَدْ بِأَنَّا مُسْلِمُونَ (آل عمران: 52(

Then when ‘Īsá (Jesus) came to know of their

disbelief, he said: “Who will be my helpers in

Allah’s Cause?” Ḥawāriyyūn (the disciples) said:

“We are the helpers of Allah (i.e., we will strive

in His Cause!); we believe in Allah, and bear

witness that we are Muslims (i.e.

we submit to Allah).” (Q. 3:52(

When the Prophet (ﷺ) assigned al-Zubayr for a task in the Battle of the Trench, also called the battle of the Confederates (or al-Aḥzāb, “the Clans”) which took place in Shawwāl  5 AH he said, as narrated by Jābir ibn ‘Abdullah,

إِنَّ لِكُلِّ نَبِيٍّ حَوَارِيًّا وَحَوَارِيَّ الزُّبَيْرُ (رواه البخاري (

Verily, every Prophet has a helper, and my

helper is al-Zubayr (Reported by al-Bukhārī)

The ṣaḥābah of the Prophet never asked any miracle from him as their belief had been strong; it was non-believers who asked for it. These al-ḥawāriyyūn were not strong believers, as they still requested miracle from Prophet ‘Īsá. Allah said: 

إِذْ قَالَ الْحَوَارِيُّونَ يَا عِيسَى ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ هَلْ يَسْتَطِيعُ رَبُّكَ أَنْ

يُنَزِّلَ عَلَيْنَا مَائِدَةً مِنَ السَّمَاءِ قَالَ اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ مُؤْمِنِينَ.

قَالُوا نُرِيدُ أَنْ نَأْكُلَ مِنْهَا وَتَطْمَئِنَّ قُلُوبُنَا وَنَعْلَمَ أَنْ قَدْ صَدَقْتَنَا

وَنَكُونَ عَلَيْهَا مِنَ الشَّاهِدِينَ (المائدة:112-(113

(Remember) when al-Ḥawāriyyūn (the disciples) said:

“O ‘Īsā (Jesus) son of Mayam (Mary)! Can your Lord

send down to us a table spread (with food) from heaven?”

‘Īsā (Jesus) said: “Fear Allah, if you are indeed believers.”

They said: “We wish to eat thereof and to satisfy our

hearts (to be stronger in Faith), and to know that

you have indeed  told us the truth, and that we

ourselves be its  witnesses.” (Q. 5: 112-113)

There are many verses of the Qur’ān stating the virtues of the ṣaḥābah, among which are as follows:

مُحَمَّدٌ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ وَالَّذِينَ مَعَهُ أَشِدَّاءُ عَلَى الْكُفَّارِرُحَمَاءُ بَيْنَهُمْ

تَرَاهُمْ رُكَّعًا سُجَّدًا يَبْتَغُونَ فَضْلًا مِنَ اللَّهِ وَرِضْوَانًاسِيمَاهُمْ فِي

وُجُوهِهِمْ مِنْ أَثَرِ السُّجُودِ ذَلِكَ مَثَلُهُمْ فِي التَّوْرَاةِ وَمَثَلُهُمْ فِي الْإِنْجِيلِ

كَزَرْعٍ أَخْرَجَ شَطْأَهُ فَآزَرَهُ فَاسْتَغْلَظَ فَاسْتَوَى عَلَى سُوقِهِ يُعْجِبُ الزُّرَّاعَ

لِيَغِيظَ بِهِمُ الْكُفَّارَ وَعَدَ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُواوَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ مِنْهُمْ

مَغْفِرَةً وَأَجْرًا عَظِيمًا (الفتح : ٢٩(

Muhammad is the messenger of Allah. And those with him

 [i.e., the ṣaḥābah] are hard against disbelievers and merciful

 among themselves. Thou (O Muhammad) seest

them bowing and falling prostrate (in worship), seeking

 bounty   from Allah and (His) acceptance.  The mark of

them is on  their foreheads from the traces of prostration.

 Such is their likeness in the Torah and their likeness in

  the Gospel—like as sown corn that riseth firm upon its

stalk, delighting the  sowers—that He may enrage the disbelievers with  (the sight of)  them. Allah has promised,

those among them who believe and do good works,

 forgiveness and immense reward.”(Q. 48:29)

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ سَبَقَتْ لَهُمْ مِنَّا الْحُسْنَى أُولَئِكَ عَنْهَا مُبْعَدُونَ. لَا يَسْمَعُونَ

حَسِيسَهَا وَهُمْ فِي مَا اشْتَهَتْ أَنْفُسُهُمْ خَالِدُونَ. لَا يَحْزُنُهُمُ الْفَزَعُ الْأَكْبَرُ

وَتَتَلَقَّاهُمُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ هَذَا يَوْمُكُمُ الَّذِي كُنْتُمْ تُوعَدُونَ

(الأنبياء ٢١ : ١٠١-١٠٣)

Lo! Those unto whom kindness hath gone

forth before from Us, they will be far removed

from thence.  They will not hear the slightest

sound thereof, while they abode in that which

their souls desire. The Supreme Horror will

not grieve them, and the angels will welcome

them, (saying): This is your day which

ye were promised. (Q. 21:101-3)

     The Prophet (ﷺ) himself praised his ṣaḥābah and said:

دَعُوا لِي أَصْحَابِي، فَلَوْ كَانَ لِأَحَدِكُمْ مِثْلَ أُحُدٍ ذَهَبًا

فَأَنْفَقَهُ فِيْ سَبِيْلِ الله مَا بَلَغَ مُدَّ أَحَدِهِمْ وَلَا نَصِيْفَهُ

Leave for me my ṣaḥābah. For if any of you

had gold as big as Mt. Uḥud and you spent it in

the path of Allah, it would not reach [the reward

or the merit of] one mudd (about 1.053 liter)

[of barley or dates] or a half of it [spent

by them  in the path of Allah].

Al-Imām al-Nawawī said that the term (“Leave for me my ṣaḥābah”) means لاَ تَسُبُّوْهُم (“do not insult them”) which is one of major sins.                     CIVIC, 28 October, 2016)

   المراجع:

 المكتبة الشاملة

تفسير الطبري (ت. 310 هـ  (

تفسير القرطبى (ت. 671 هـ(

تفسير ابن كثير (ت. 774 هـ(

Muhammad Asad. The Message of the Qur’ān

M.A. Samad. Ibn Ḥazm’s Concept of Ijmā‘

https://islamqa.info/ar/181943

http://www.d1g.com/qna/show/3894722

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[1] Muhammad Asad gives his commentary on this term. He said: “Al- ḥawāriyyūn (sing.  ḥawarī) is the designation applied in the Qur’ān to the disciples of Jesus. Many interpretation of this term (derived from ḥawar, “witeness”) are given by the commentators, ranging from “one who whitens clothes by washing them” (because this was allegedly the occupation of some of Jesus’ disciples) to “one who wear white garments”, or one whose heart is white”, pure (cf. al-Ṭabarī, al-Rāzī, Ibn Kathīr). It is, however most probable – and the evidence provided by the recently discovered Dead Sea Scrolls, strongly supports this view – that the term ḥawarī   was popularly used to denote a member of the Essene Brotherhood, a Jewish religious group which existed in Palestine at the time of Jesus, and to which, possibly, he himself belonged. The Essenes were distinguished by their strong insistence on moral purity and unselfish conduct, and always wore white garments as the outward mark of their convictions; and this would satisfactorily explain the name given to them. The fact that the Prophet once said, ‘Every prophet has his ḥawārī‘ (al-Bukhārī and Muslim) does not conflict with the above view, since he obviously used this term figuratively, recalling thereby Jesus’ ‘helpers in God cause.’” Muhamad Asad, The Message of the Qur’ān, p. 75, n. 42 (commentary on Q. 3:52). It is said that the women of Paradise are called الحُوْرُ اْلعَيْن (“those who have eyes with a marked contrast of white and black, the white of cornea and the black of the iris.”)