Source: www.khalduun.com
Virtues of the Companions
Allaah the Most High said:
وَكَذَلِكَ جَعَلْنَاكُمْ أُمَّةً وَسَطًا لِّتَكُونُواْ شُهَدَاء عَلَى النَّاسِ وَيَكُونَ الرَّسُولُ عَلَيْكُمْ شَهِيدًا
And thus We made you into a community Wasat so that you may be witnesses against people and the Messenger be a witness against you. [Surah al-Baqrah verse 143]
And Allaah the Most High said:
كُنتُمْ خَيْرَ أُمَّةٍ أُخْرِجَتْ لِلنَّاسِ
You are indeed the best community that has ever been brought forth for [the good of] mankind
[Surah Aale ‘Imraan verse 110]
The Messenger of Allaah – May Allaah’s peace and blessings be upon him - said:
“Al-Wasat means Trustworthy.” [al-Bukhaaree 3161]
Narrated by ‘Abdullaah bin Mas’ood - May Allaah be pleased with him – that the Messenger of Allaah – May Allaah’s peace and blessings be upon him - said:
“The best of generations is my generation, then those after them and then those after them.” [al-Bukhaaree 2509, Muslim 2533]
Al-Khateeb al-Baghdaadee said:
“Chapter: What has been reported regarding Allaah’s mention and the mentioning of His Messenger in affirming the trustworthiness of the companions and that there is no need in questioning about them since this is only needed with regards to those after them.
Every hadeeth that is completely connected in its chain all the way back to the Messenger of Allaah – May Allaah’s peace and blessings be upon him – is not required to be acted upon until the trustworthiness of each person in the chain is established.
And it is required to look into the affairs of each individual (in the chain) except for the Companions who link the hadeeth to the Messenger of Allaah – May Allaah’s peace and blessings be upon him – because their trustworthiness is already established by Allaah as He informed us about their purity and that He chose them as mentioned in the Qur’aan.
Allaah the Most High said:
كُنتُمْ خَيْرَ أُمَّةٍ أُخْرِجَتْ لِلنَّاسِ
You are indeed the best community that has ever been brought forth for [the good of] mankind [Surah Ale ‘Imraan verse 110]
And He said:
وَكَذَلِكَ جَعَلْنَاكُمْ أُمَّةً وَسَطًا لِّتَكُونُواْ شُهَدَاء عَلَى النَّاسِ وَيَكُونَ الرَّسُولُ عَلَيْكُمْ شَهِيدًا
And thus We made you into a community Wasat so that you may be witnesses against people and the Messenger be a witness against you. [Surah al-Baqrah verse 143]
And this statement even though it might look general it is actually specific. And it is said that it refers to the Companions rather than any other people.” [al-Kifaayah p. 46]
Benefits:
Firstly: The trustworthiness of this Ummah and those who follow their salaf is to such a degree that Allaah made them witnesses against people’s deeds and creeds.
Secondly: The virtue of this Ummah and its superiority over other nations. And the Companions have the biggest right from amongst this Ummah to this attribute.
Thirdly: Declaration of the virtue of the Companions –May Allaah be pleased with them all – and that their virtue encompasses all aspects of the religion.
Fourthly: The Companions have the greatest right to be attributed with trustworthiness and virtue since it was upon them the verses were sent down and the verses were talking about them and as for those who came after them then they were just ascribed to the verse because they followed the Companions.
Fifthly: That if they (the Companions) indeed are the best of mankind (after the Prophets) then it is obligatory to follow them.
Sixthly: Explanation of the word al-Wasat and that it was the way of the salaf and what the Companions were upon – May Allaah be pleased with them all -