Five Rights of the Companions عَـلَيْهِمُ الرِّضْوَانْ

Five Rights of the Companions عَـلَيْهِمُ الرِّضْوَانْ

Bint Bashir Attariyah (3^rd year student of Jamiat al-Madina Girls, Sabiri Colony, Okara)

Those fortunate individuals who saw the final Prophet of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم or gained the honour of being in his company as believers and died on faith are known as Companions.

All Companions of the beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم are people of Paradise. Allah has promised good to all of them:

کُلًّا وَّعَدَ اللّٰہُ  الۡحُسۡنٰی ؕ 

Translation from Kanz al-Iman: Allah has promised Paradise to all of them.^[1]

He mentions the excellence of the Companions in another place in the following manner:

رَّضِیَ اللّٰہُ عَنۡہُمۡ وَ رَضُوۡا عَنۡہُ

Translation from Kanz al-Iman: Allah is pleased with them and they are pleased with Him.^[2]

The rank and status of the Companions عَـلَيْهِمُ الرِّضْوَانْ can only be known by the one who is acquainted with the greatness and superiority of the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم. As the foremost believers and greatest people to grace the world, they have many rights over us, five of which are:

1. Right of being honoured

The final Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said:

اَكْرِمُوا ا َصْحَابِي فَاِنَّهُمْ خِيَارُكُمْ 

 “Honour my Companions, for they are the best of you.”^[3] 

Honouring the Companions is a part of honouring the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم. We should respect the Companions عَـلَيْهِمُ الرِّضْوَانْ with our hearts and not disrespect any of them.

2. Right to being followed

The final Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم explained, “My Companions are like stars; whichever of them you follow, you will be guided.”^[4] When Allah and His Messenger صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم are pleased with the Companions عَـلَيْهِمُ الرِّضْوَانْ, then we should follow them for the sake of Allah and His Messenger صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم.

3. Right to being mentioned with respect

The Companions عَـلَيْهِمُ الرِّضْوَانْ should only be remembered in a good manner, for the hadith have confirmed their unmatched virtues. It is mandatory to avoid criticising them.^[5] The final Prophet of Allah, our master Muhammad صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم warned, “Whosoever speaks ill of my Companions, upon him is the curse of Allah, angels and all humans. Allah will accept neither his obligatory or supererogatory worship.”^[6]

4. Right to being loved

Loving the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم dictates that we love everything associated with him, including his Companions. The beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم stated, “Whosoever loves all of my Companions, helps and prays for their forgiveness, Allah will grant him their company in Paradise on the Day of Judgement.”^[7]

5. Considering someone to be superior to a Companion

After the noble prophets عَـلَـيْـهِمُ الـصَّلٰوةُ وَالـسَّـلَام , it is the Companions عَـلَيْهِمُ الرِّضْوَانْ who are the closest to Allah. A person who is not a Companion cannot ever reach their lofty rank. Every Companion of the beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم is trustworthy and a leader of the righteous. A hadith explains, “Besides Prophets and Messengers, Allah has chosen my Companions over all worlds and selected four of them for me (viz. Abū Bakr, ʿUmar, ʿUthmān, and ʿAlī عَـلَيْهِمُ الرِّضْوَانْ ). Allah has made them my great Companions, and all of them contain goodness.”^[8]

May Allah grant us the ability to act upon these rights and to have true, sincere love for the Companions.

اٰمِیْن بِجَاہِ خاتَمِ النَّبِیّیْن صلَّی اللہ علیہ واٰلہٖ وسلَّم