’’اَللّٰہَ اَللّٰہَ فِیْ اَصْحَابِیْ، لاَ تَتَّخِذُوْھُمْ غَرَضًا مِنْ بَعْدِیْ، فَمَنْ اَحَبَّھُمْ فَبِحُبِّیْ اَحَبَّھُمْ وَمَنْ اَبْغَضَھُمْ فَبِبُغْضِیْ اَبْغَضَھُمْ ، وَمَنْ آذَاھُمْ فَقَدْ آذَانِیْ ، وَمْنْ آذَانِیْ فَقَدْ آذَی اﷲُ، وَ مَنْ آذَی اﷲُ فَیُوْشَکُ اَنْ یَاخُذَہٗ‘‘(ترمذی)
Sayyidina Abdullah ibn Mughaffal (R.T.A.) reported that Allah’s Messenger ﷺ said, “Allah! Allah! My companions, do not take them as target (for blame) after me. He who loves them, loves them because of my love and he who despises them, despises them because of despising me. And, he who hurts them, has hurt me; and, he who hurts me, hurts Allah; and, he who hurts Allah, soon He will seize him (in punishment).”
Explanation:
As a matter of fact, the blessed companions of the Holy Prophet ﷺ are those extraordinary personalities who got the blessed company of the Holy Prophet ﷺ as believers and took firm hold to belief. They are those who kept on sacrificing in his blessed life and even after him. In fact, the sacrifices given by them are extraordinary that there is no parallel found in the annals of history. These are those distinguished followers of Islam to whom the life of the Holy Prophet ﷺ was dearer than theirs. As a result, even the Holy Prophet ﷺ responded their love to him in such a way that no other leader can love his followers in the same manner.
As with regard to the excellence of the blessed companions, there are many a traditions in which love towards them is declared to be a part of faith and even the companions presented such examples in the Islamic history that they sacrificed all their possessions in the cause of Allah, the Almighty. It is a fruitful result of their sacrifices that today we see Islam spread in every nook and corner of the world who lit the whole world with their light of belief. Without doubt, it is only the gratifying result of their selfless sacrifices that we see the stars of piety shining these days.
لاَ تَتَّخِذُوْھُمْ غَرَضًا مِنْ بَعْدِیْ (Don’t take them as a target (of blame) after me):
Most regregrettably, these days, the blessed companions of the Holy prophet ﷺ are being maligned while the Holy Prophet ﷺ himself has warned against taking them as a target of blame. Even otherwise it is against Islamic teachings as well as immoral practice to blame anyone, but it is more aggressive when it comes to make those blessed companions a target of blame who sacrificed for Islam everything they possessed. These were the people about whom the Holy Prophet ﷺ is reported to have said:
‘اصحابی کالنجوم’
“The likeness of companions is the likeness of stars.”
“فَمَنْ اَحَبَّھُمْ فَبِحُبِّیْ اَحَبَّھُمْ’’:
The sense of phrase ‘فَمَنْ اَحَبَّھُمْ فَبِحُبِّیْ اَحَبَّھُمْ’ is quite obvious that anyone who loves the companions, it indicates that he also loves the Holy Prophet (S.A.W) – so to speak – it is a touchstone for examining to what extent we love the blessed companions which the Holy Prophet ﷺ declared to be a part of one’s faith.
“وَمَنْ اَبْغَضَھُمْ فَبِبُغْضِیْ اَبْغَضَھُمْ”:
It means ‘one who despises me; he despises me for his despising me.’
In fact, malice or despise is something which takes place in one’s heart as a result of his despise and hate for him. Thus, if one has the same malice for the blessed companions of the Holy Prophet ﷺ, it implies not only the malice for them but also for the Holy Prophet ﷺ which indicates that he has no faith.
“وَمَنْ آذَاھُمْ فَقَدْ آذَانِیْ”:
‘He who hurts them, has hurt me; and, he who hurts me, hurts Allah.’ The word ‘hurt’ applies to all types of hurting be it is through one’s tongue or hand. Thus, if anyone who hurts the blessed companions through any means, it means that he hurt Allah, the Almighty and His beloved Messenger (S.A.W.) which is really an indication to be ready to have a war with Allah and His Messenger.
In another tradition, the Holy Prophet ﷺ is reported to have said:
(ترمذي) “اِذَا رَئَیْتُمُ الذَّیْنَ یَسُبُّوْنَ اَصْحَابِی، فَقُوْلُوْا لَعْنَۃُ اﷲِ عَلیٰ سُرِّکُمْ‘‘
Sayyidina Ibn Umar (R.T.A.) reported that Allah’s Messenger ﷺ said, “When you see those who revile my companions, say to them, ‘Allah’s curse be upon you for your mischief.” (Tirmizi)
The word used here as ‘سب’ refers to anything inappropriate like scolding, abusing, maligning or hurting someone’s feelings etc. How sad it is that, these days, many a groups are appearing whose only objective is to malign and insult the blessed companions in different ways and yet they claim to be perfect believers.
“وَ مَنْ آذَی اﷲَ فَیُوْشَکُ اَنْ یَاخُذَہٗ”:
“He who hurts Allah, soon He will seize him (in punishment).” Through the last word mentioned in the tradition appearing above, Allah’s Messenger ﷺ is reported to have warned that those who blame the blessed companions through different ways and bent on maligning them may be seized by Allah’s punishment and they really deserve to meet Allah’s wrath.
We can easily evaluate the excellence of the blessed companions of the Holy Prophet ﷺ through a tradition in which the Holy Prophet ﷺ is reported to have said:
((ترمذی “مَا مِنْ اَحَدٍ مِنْ اَصْحَابِیْ یَمُوْتُ بِاَرْضٍ اِلاَّ بُعِثَ لَھُمْ نوراً وَ قَاعِداً یَوْمَ الْقِیَامَۃِ ’’
Anyone among my companions who passes away on any place, will be resurrected on the Day of Judgment as their leader and light.