مَحَبَّةُ الصَّحَابَةِ كُلِّهِمْ

A clear and peaceful position The scholars of Ahl as-Sunna wa-l-Jamaa'a (the people of the Sunna and of the unity of the community) summed up what a Muslim should believe about the Companions. This position fits into a few simple points, taken from the Qur'an and the Sunna. It is aimed at no one: it protects our heart and our tongue.

1. Loving them all and praying for them The Qur'an describes the believers who came after the Emigrants and the Helpers: they say: "Our Lord, forgive us and our brothers who preceded us in faith, and put in our hearts no resentment towards those who have believed" (meaning of 59:10, text below). That is our place: we come after them, we love them and we ask forgiveness for them.

2. Not insulting them The Prophet ﷺ said: "Do not insult my Companions! If one of you were to spend the equivalent of Mount Uḥud in gold, he would not reach the value of a handful of one of them, nor even half of it" (Bukhari 3673, Muslim 2541) [À VÉRIFIER : numéro chez Muslim, 2540 ou 2541 selon les éditions].

3. Recognising that they have ranks All the Companions are honoured, but they are not all of the same rank. The Qur'an says that those who spent and fought before the conquest of Mecca have a higher rank, "and to each Allah has promised the best reward (al-ḥusnaa)" (meaning of 57:10, text below). Ahl as-Sunna consider the best of the community after the Prophet ﷺ to be Abu Bakr, then 'Umar, then 'Uthmaan, then 'Ali. Ibn 'Umar used to say: "In the time of the Prophet ﷺ, we placed Abu Bakr first, then 'Umar, then 'Uthmaan" (Bukhari 3655). And when Muḥammad ibn al-Ḥanafiyya asked his father 'Ali who was the best of people after the Prophet ﷺ, 'Ali answered: "Abu Bakr", then "'Umar" (Bukhari 3671).

4. Loving the Prophet's ﷺ family too The Prophet ﷺ said: "I remind you of Allah regarding the people of my house (Ahl Bayti)"; he repeated it three times (Muslim 2408). Ahl as-Sunna love the Prophet's ﷺ family (Ahl al-Bayt) and his Companions together, without setting one against the other. 'Ali himself loved and honoured Abu Bakr and 'Umar, as we have just seen.

5. Trustworthy, but not infallible Scholars say that the Companions are all "'uduul": trustworthy in what they report from the Prophet ﷺ; this is why their reports are accepted. But they are not infallible (ma'ṣuumuun) like the prophets: they were human beings, who could make mistakes and who repented. Ka'b ibn Maalik, for example, stayed behind from the expedition of Tabuuk without an excuse; he admitted it honestly, repented, and Allah accepted his repentance in a verse of the Qur'an (9:118; Bukhari 4418, Muslim 2769). His story is a model of sincerity.

6. The disagreements between them: keeping a respectful silence After the death of the Prophet ﷺ, and especially after the assassination of 'Uthmaan, serious and painful disagreements took place between Companions. The position of Ahl as-Sunna is as follows [À VÉRIFIER : formulation à valider par l'imam]: • One does not dive into them to accuse or insult, and one does not turn these events into a subject of dispute. • These Companions made an effort of judgement (ijtihaad) for what they believed to be right. The Prophet ﷺ said: "When a judge makes an effort of judgement and is right, he has two rewards; if he makes an effort and is mistaken, he has one reward" (Bukhari 7352, Muslim 1716). • Both sides remained Muslims. The Prophet ﷺ said of his grandson al-Ḥasan: "This son of mine is a leader (sayyid); perhaps Allah will reconcile through him two great groups of Muslims" (Bukhari 2704). This is what happened when al-Ḥasan gave up power to unite the Muslims [À VÉRIFIER : date, an 41 de l'hégire]. • A frequently quoted saying is attributed to 'Umar ibn 'Abd al-'Aziiz: "Allah kept our hands clean of that blood; let us keep our tongues clean" [À VÉRIFIER : attribution et formulation].

In practice If you hear or read (online, for example) hurtful words about a Companion, do not answer with insults: stay calm, gently recall what you have learned, and put your questions to the imam. This course speaks of no present-day group: it is only about what you yourself believe, and how you speak.

Understanding the lesson

Explanation The position of Ahl as-Sunna on the Companions is one of love, justice and caution. Of love, because Allah and His Messenger ﷺ loved and honoured them. Of justice, because their ranks are recognised and they are not placed above the prophets. Of caution, because one holds one's tongue about what one does not know well. Verse 59:10 shows the attitude of the heart: asking forgiveness for those who came before us and asking Allah to clean our heart of all resentment. Saying that they are not infallible does not lessen their worth: on the contrary, the story of Ka'b ibn Maalik shows that their greatness also lay in their sincerity and their repentance. Finally, keeping a respectful silence about their disagreements is not hiding history: it is recognising that they sought what was good, that both sides remained Muslims, and that our role is not to judge those whom Allah has already declared pleased with Him.

Lessons to draw from it • Learn the supplication of 59:10 by heart and make it for the Companions. • Never insult a Companion, neither in speech nor online. • Love the Companions and the Prophet's ﷺ family together. • When you make a mistake, admit it like Ka'b ibn Maalik. • In an aggressive discussion about history, stay calm and refer difficult questions to the imam.

Key points to remember • 59:10: "Our Lord, forgive us and our brothers who preceded us in faith". • "Do not insult my Companions" (Bukhari 3673, Muslim 2541). • Ranks: 57:10; Abu Bakr, 'Umar, 'Uthmaan, 'Ali (Bukhari 3655, 3671). • The Prophet's ﷺ family: "I remind you of Allah regarding the people of my house" (Muslim 2408). • Trustworthy, not infallible; their disagreements: ijtihaad (Bukhari 7352, Muslim 1716), reconciliation through al-Ḥasan (Bukhari 2704).

The main message Loving all the Companions and the Prophet's ﷺ family, praying for them and keeping one's tongue clean about them: this is the way of Ahl as-Sunna, a way of peace for the heart and for the community.

The text: Surah Al-Ḥashr (59), verse 10 [TEXTE ARABE À INSÉRER : sourate 59:10]

The text: Surah Al-Ḥadiid (57), verse 10 [TEXTE ARABE À INSÉRER : sourate 57:10]

Meaning: 59:10: "And those who came after them say: 'Our Lord, forgive us and our brothers who preceded us in faith, and put in our hearts no resentment towards those who have believed. Our Lord, You are Most Kind, Most Merciful.'" 57:10: "What is the matter with you that you do not spend in the way of Allah, when to Allah belongs the inheritance of the heavens and the earth? Not equal among you are those who spent and fought before the conquest: they are higher in rank than those who spent and fought afterwards. And to each, Allah has promised the best reward. Allah is fully aware of what you do." "The conquest" is understood by many commentators as that of Mecca; others see in it the truce of Al-Ḥudaybiya [À VÉRIFIER].

Arabic text: deliberately not typed, to avoid any error; it is to be copied from the centre's mushaf (or a verified source) at the place indicated.