The Position of the Salaf Regarding the Disputes Among the Companions
The Companions of the Prophet (may Allah be pleased with them) are those fortunate and noble individuals who saw the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) with their own eyes. This honor is exclusive to them among the entire Ummah, and no one shares this status with them. Therefore, Allah Almighty, through His Prophet (peace be upon him), granted them glad tidings of His pleasure in this world. It is unanimously agreed upon by all Ahl al-Sunnah that all the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) are just and upright, unlike the Rawafid who speak ill of these pure and pious personalities and curse them (may Allah protect us). The consensus of Ahl al-Sunnah is also that whoever belittles even one Companion or shows disrespect to their status is outside the fold of Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jama’ah. Furthermore, it is unanimously agreed that the wars fought among the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) due to ijtihadi reasons should not be criticized or discussed but rather complete silence should be maintained. In this regard, we will quote some sayings of the pious predecessors (Salaf al-Salih) to clarify their stance on this matter (InshaAllah), because our methodology is to understand the Qur’an and Sunnah in the light of the understanding of the Salaf al-Salih. Today is an era of trials; everywhere there are only trials. The only way to avoid these trials is to understand the Qur’an and Sunnah in the light of the understanding of our predecessors, just as other issues have been understood by the Salaf al-Salih. Similarly, regarding the wars among the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), we must see what stance our predecessors took. Nowadays, some people are busy day and night spreading the mistakes of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) among the masses in new ways. These people use these wars as a basis to even insult some Companions, yet they call themselves Ahl al-Sunnah, while their approach is completely contrary to the conduct of Ahl al-Sunnah. The stance of Ahl al-Sunnah is that such wars among the Companions should not even be mentioned among the public; rather, prayers for mercy and forgiveness should be made for them. Here are some sayings of the Salaf al-Salih to clarify that in every era, the position of the people of truth has been the same.
(1) Shihab ibn Khurash ibn Hawshab
said:
” أدركت من أدركت من صدر هذه الأمة وهم يقولون: اذكروا محاسن أصحاب رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ما تأتلف عليه القلوب، ولا تذكروا الذى شجر بينهم فتحرشوا الناس عليهم “
The first people of this Ummah whom I found all used to say: Mention the virtues of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) so that hearts may soften, and do not mention their internal wars lest you incite people against them.
(2) Imam Al-‘Awam ibn Hawshab (may Allah have mercy on him)
said:
” اذكروا محاسن أصحاب محمد عليه السلام تأتلف عليه القلوب، ولا تذكروا مساويهم ، فتحرشوا الناس عليهم “
Mention the virtues of the Companions of Muhammad (peace be upon him) so that hearts may soften, and do not mention their (ijtihadi) mistakes lest you incite people against them.
(3) Imam Abu Bakr Al-Marwazi
said that Imam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on him)
was asked:
”ما تقول فيما كان من على ومعاوية رحمهما الله؟ فقال أبو عبد الله : ما أقول فيها إلا الحسنى رحمهم الله أجمعين“
What do you say about the dispute between Sayyiduna Ali and Sayyiduna Mu’awiyah (may Allah be pleased with them)? He replied: I say good things about them; may Allah have mercy on them all.
(4) Imam Abdur Rahman ibn Abi Hatim
said:
”سألت أبى وأبا زرعة عن مذاهب أهل السنة فى أصول الدين ، وما أدركا عليه العلماء فى الأمصار ، وما يعتقدان من ذلك ، فقالا: أدركنا العلماء فى جميع الأمصار حجازا وعرافا وشاما ويمنا فكان من مذهبهم: الإيمان قول وعمل ، يزيد وينقص ، والقرآن كلام الله غير مخلوق بجميع جهاته ، والقدر خيره وشره من الله عز وجل، وخير هذه الأمة بعد نبيها عليه الصلاة والسلام أبو بكر الصديق ، ثم عمر بن الخطاب ، ثم عثمان بن عفان، ثم على بن أبى طالب عليهم السلام، وهم الخلفاء الراشدون المهديون ، وأن العشرة الذين سماهم رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم وشهد لهم بالجنة على ما شهد به رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم وقوله الحق ، والترحم على جميع أصحاب محمد والكف عما شجر بينهم.“
I asked my father (Abu Hatim Ar-Razi) and Abu Zur’ah Ar-Razi Khayal about the principles of religion concerning the madhahib of Ahl al-Sunnah and what creed the scholars of all cities adhered to, and what their own creed was. They replied: We found the scholars of all cities of Hijaz, Iraq, Egypt, Sham, and Yemen adhering to this creed. Then Imam Ibn Abi Hatim mentioned several points, one of which was that prayers for mercy should be made for all the Companions of Muhammad (peace be upon him), and complete silence should be maintained regarding their differences.
(5) Imam Yahya ibn Hassan
said:
” وتذاكروا ، ما كان بين أصحاب النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم : وما جرى من الكلام بينهم ، فقال: ليس لنا أن نقول ما قالوا فى أنفسهم ، ثم قال: قال حماد بن زيد: كيف بحديث شهاب بن خراش، عن عمه: تذاكروا محاسن أصحاب النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم كي تأتلف عليهم قلوب الناس ، ولا تذكروا مساوبهم .“
Mention the virtues and merits of the Companions of the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) and the events that occurred among them. Then he himself said: We have no right to comment on their internal matters. Then he said that Hammad (ibn Zayd, may Allah have mercy on him) said: Shihab ibn Khurash narrated a fine statement from his uncle: Mention the virtues of the Companions of the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) so that people’s hearts soften towards them and do not mention their faults.
(6) Imam Muhammad ibn Husayn Al-Ajuri
said:
”ينبغي لمن تدبر رسمناه من فضائل أصحاب رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم وفضائل أهل بيته رضي الله عنهم أجمعين أن يحبهم ويترحم عليهم ويستغفر لهم ، ويتوسل إلى الله الكريم لهم ويشكر الله العظيم إذ وفقه لهذا، ولا يذكر ما شجر بينهم و ولا ينقر عنه ولا يبحث ، فإن عارضنا جاهل مفتون قد خطيء به عن طريق الرشاد فقال: لم قاتل فلان لفلان ولم قتل فلان لفلان وفلان؟ . قيل له ما بنا وبك إلى ذكر هذا حاجة تنفعنا ولا اضطررنا إلى علمها . فإن قال: ولم؟ قيل له: لأنها فتن شاهدها الصحابة رضي الله عنهم فكانوا فيها على حسب ما أراهم العلم بها وكانوا أعلم بتأويلها من غيرهم، وكانوا أهدى سبيلا ممن جاء بعدهم لأنهم أهل الجنة، عليهم نزل القرآن وشاهدوا الرسول صلى الله عليه وسلم وجاهدوا معه وشهد لهم الله عز وجل بالرضوان والمغفرة والأجر العظيم، وشهد لهم الرسول صلى الله عليه وسلم أنهم خير قرن . فكانوا بالله عز وجل أعرف وبرسوله صلى الله عليه وسلم وبالقرآن وبالسنة ومنهم يؤخذ العلم وفى قولهم نعيش، وبأحكامهم نحكم وبأدبهم نتأدب ولهم نتبع وبهذا أمرنا . فإن قال: وإيش الذى يضرنا من معرفتنا لما جرى بينهم والبحث عنه؟ . قيل له: ما لا شك فيه وذلك أن عقول القوم كانت أكبر من عقولنا، وعقولنا أنقص بكثير ولا نأمن أن نبحث عما شجر بينهم فنزل عن طريق الحق ونتخلف عما أمرنا فيهم . فإن قال: وبم أمرنا فيهم؟ . قيل: أمرنا بالاستغفار لهم والترحم عليهم والمحبة لهم والاتباع لهم ، دل على ذلك الكتاب والسنة وقول أئمة المسلمين، وما بنا حاجة إلى ذكر ما جرى بينهم، قد صحبوا الرسول صلى الله عليه وسلم وصاهرهم وصاهروه ، فبالصحبة يغفر الله الكريم لهم، وقد ضمن الله عز وجل فى كتابه أن لا يخزي منهم واحدا وقد ذكر لنا الله تعالى فى كتابه أن وصفهم فى التوراة والإنجيل، فوصفهم بأجمل الوصف ونعتهم بأحسن النعت، وأخبرنا مولانا الكريم أنه قد تاب عليهم ، وإذا تاب عليهم لم يعذب واحدا منهم أبدا رضي الله عنهم ورضوا عنه أولئك حزب الله ألا إن حزب الله هم المفلحون . فإن قال قائل: إنما مرادى من ذلك لأن أكون عالما بما جرى بينهم فأكون لم يذهب على ما كانوا فيه لأني أحب ذلك ولا أجهله . قيل له: أنت طالب فتنة لأنك تبحث عما يضرك ولا ينفعك ولو اشتغلت بإصلاح ما لله عزوجل عليك فيما تعبدك به من أداء فرائضه واجتناب محارمه كان أولى بك. وقيل : ولا سيما فى زماننا هذا مع قبح ما قد ظهر فيه من الأهواء الضالة . وقيل له: اشتغالك بمطعمك وملبسك من أين هو؟ بك، وتكسبك لدرهمك من أين هو؟ وفيما تنفقه؟ أولى بك. وقيل: لا يأمن أن يكون بتنقيرك وبحثك عما شجر بين القوم إلى أن يميل قلبك فتهوى ما لا يصلح لك أن تهواه ويلعب بك الشيطان فتسب وتبغض من أمرك الله بمحبته والاستغفار له وباتباعه فتزل عن طريق الحق وتسلك طريق الباطل فإن قال: فاذكر لنا من الكتاب والسنة وعمن سلف من علماء المسلمين ما يدل على ما قلت لترد نفوسنا عما تهواه من البحث عما شجر بين الصحابة رضي الله عنهم . قيل له: قد تقدم ذكرنا لما ذكرته مما فيه بلاغ وحجة لمن عقل ، ونعيد بعض ذكرناه ليتيقظ به المؤمن المسترشد إلى طريق الحق: قال الله عز وجل: ﴿محمد رسول الله والذين معه أشداء على الكفار رحماء بينهم ترا هم ركعا سجدا يبتغون فضلا من الله ورضوانا سيماهم فى وجوههم من أثر السجود ذلك مثلهم فى التوراة ومثلهم فى الإنجيل كزرع أخرج شطأه فآزره فاستغلظ فاستوى على سوقه يعجب الزراع ليغيظ بهم الكفارة﴾ الفتح : 29 . Then He promised them forgiveness and a great reward, and Allah Almighty said: ﴿Indeed, Allah has accepted the repentance of the Prophet and the Muhajirin and the Ansar who followed him in the hour of hardship﴾
And He said: ﴿And the foremost in faith among the Muhajirin and Ansar and those who followed them with good conduct – Allah is pleased with them﴾
and so on until the end of the verse. And He said: ﴿The Day when Allah will not disgrace the Prophet and those who believed with him. Their light will proceed before them and on their right﴾
and He said: ﴿You are the best nation﴾
and He said: ﴿Indeed, Allah is pleased with the believers﴾
until the end of the verse. Then Allah praised those who came after the Companions, who sought forgiveness for the Companions and asked their Generous Lord not to place rancor in their hearts against them. Allah praised them in the best manner, saying: ﴿And those who came after them say, “Our Lord, forgive us and our brothers who preceded us in faith and put not in our hearts [any] resentment toward those who have believed. Our Lord, indeed You are Kind and Merciful.”﴾ And the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: The best people are my generation, then those who follow them, then those who follow them. And Ibn Mas’ud said: Allah looked into the hearts of the servants and found the heart of Muhammad (peace be upon him) the best of all hearts, so He chose him for Himself and sent him with His message. Then He looked into the hearts of the servants after the heart of Muhammad (peace be upon him) and found the hearts of his Companions the best of hearts, so He made them the ministers of His Prophet (peace be upon him) fighting for His religion. Muhammad ibn Husayn (may Allah have mercy on him) said: Whoever hears this from Allah Almighty and the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), if you are a servant seeking good, take admonition from what Allah has admonished you with, and if you follow your desires, I fear for you that you will be among those of whom Allah said: ﴿And who is more astray than one who follows his desire without guidance from Allah?﴾
and you will be among those of whom Allah said: ﴿And if Allah had known any good in them, He would have made them hear, and if He had made them hear, they would have turned away while they were refusing﴾
. And it is said to him: Whoever comes to the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) to disparage some of them, praise some, and condemn others, then this person is seeking fitnah and has fallen into fitnah because it is obligatory upon him to love all of them and seek forgiveness for all of them (may Allah be pleased with them). May Allah be pleased with them and benefit us through their love. We will add more clarification so that your heart becomes safe and sound towards all the Companions and you abandon the investigation and criticism of their disputes.
(7) Imam Abu Uthman Isma’il ibn Abdul Rahman As-Sabuni
said:
”ويرون الكف عما شجر بين أصحاب رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ، و تطهير الألسنة عن ذكر ما يتضمن عيبا لهم و نقصا فيهم ، ويرون الترحم على جميعهم“
It is obligatory for the muhaddithin in every respect to refrain from disputes among the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), and it is necessary to purify the tongue from anything that causes them any defect or fault. They consider it necessary to pray for mercy for all the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them).
(8) Imam Ibn Qudamah Al-Maqdisi said:
”ومن السنة تولى أصحاب رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ومحبتهم وذكر محاسنهم ، والترحم عليهم ، والإستغفار لهم والكف عن ذكر مساوئهم وما شجر بينهم . واعتقاد فضلهم و معرفة سابقتهم“
Friendship with the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), loving them, mentioning their virtues, praying for mercy and forgiveness for them, refraining from mentioning their faults, avoiding discussing their differences, and believing in their excellence are among the Sunnah.
(9) Imam Muhammad ibn Abdullah Al-Andalusi
said:
ومن قول أهل السنة أن يعتقد المرء المحبة لأصحاب النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم وأن ينشر محاسنهم وفضائلهم ، ويمسك عن الخوض فيما دار بينهم
Among the sayings of Ahl al-Sunnah is that a person should hold the belief of love for the Companions of the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him), spread their virtues and merits, and refrain from delving into their internal differences.
(10) Imam Abu Bakr Al-Isma’ili
said:
”والكف عن الوقيعة فيهم، و تأول القبيح عليهم ، ويكلونهم فيما جرى بينهم على التأويل إلى الله عزوجل .“
One should refrain from the differences among them (the Companions) and interpret their mistakes, leaving the interpretation of their disputes to Allah.
(11) Sheikh ‘Uday ibn Musafir said:
”والكف عن ما شجر بين أصحاب رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم و نشر محاسنهم والكف عن ما جرى بينهم و أن الله قد غفر لهم و علم نبيه أنهم سيقتتلون . “
One should refrain from mentioning the disputes among the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), spread their virtues, and avoid mentioning their internal differences. Indeed, Allah has forgiven them, and Allah informed His Prophet that they would fight among themselves.
(12) Imam Ibn Batta
said:
” نكف عما شجر بين أصحاب رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فقد شهدوا المشاهد معه ، و سبقو الناس بالفضل، فقد غفر الله لهم ، وأمرك بالإستغفار لهم ، والتقرب إليه بمحبتهم فرض ذلك على لسان نبيه، وهو يعلم ما سيكون منهم و أنهم سيقتتلون، وإنما فضلوا على سار الخلق ، لأن الخطأ والعمد قد وضع عنهم من كل ما شجر بينهم مغفور لهم“
We refrain from any speech about the differences among the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), because they were present shoulder to shoulder with the Prophet (peace be upon him) in battles and surpassed people in virtue. Allah Almighty has forgiven them and commanded you to seek forgiveness for them and draw near to Allah through their love. This was made obligatory through the tongue of your Prophet (peace be upon him), although Allah knew what would happen among them and that they would fight among themselves. They were given superiority over all creation because their mistakes and errors were forgiven, and whatever fighting occurred among them is forgiven.
(13) Shaykh al-Islam Imam Ibn Taymiyyah said:
”ويتبرؤون من طريقة الروافض الذين يبغضون الصحابة ويسبونهم . وطريقة النواصب الذين يؤذون أهل البيت بقول أو عمل . ويمسكون عما شجر بين الصحابة، ويقولون: إن هذه الآثار المروية فى مساويهم منها ما هو كذب ، ومنها ما قد زيد فيه ونقص وغير عن وجهه، والصحيح منه هم فيه معدورون: إما مجتهدون مصيبون، وإما مجتهدون مخطئون . وهم مع ذلك لا يعتقدون أن كل واحد من الصحابة معصوم عن كبائر الإثم وصغائره؛ بل يجوز عليهم الذنوب فى الجملة. ولهم من السوابق والفضائل ما يوجب مغفرة ما يصدر منهم – إن صدر – ، حتى إنهم يغفر لهم من السيئات ما لا يغفر لمن بعدهم؛ لان لهم من الحسنات التى تمحو السيئات ما ليس لمن بعدهم . وقد ثبت بقول رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم أنهم خير القرون، وأن المد من أحدهم إذا تصدق به كان أفضل من جبل أحد ذهبا ممن بعدهم . ثم إذا كان قد صدر من أحدهم ذنب، فيكون قد تاب منه، أو أتى بحسنات تمحوه، أو غفر له؛ بفضل سابقته ، أو بشفاعة محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم الذى هم أحق الناس بشفاعته ، أو ابتلي ببلاء فى الدنيا كفر به عنه فإذا كان هذا فى الذنوب المحققة؛ فكيف الأمور التى كانوا فيها مجتهدين: إن أصابوا فلهم أجران، وإن أخطؤوا؛ فلهم أجر واحد، والخطأ مغفور . “
They (Ahl al-Sunnah) are opposed to the Rawafid who harbor hatred for the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) and curse them, and also opposed to the Nasibis who harm the Ahl al-Bayt verbally and practically. The Ahl al-Sunnah remain silent regarding the wars among the Companions. They say that the narrations about the mistakes of the Companions are partly fabricated, some exaggerated, some diminished, and some distorted from their original form. Whatever is authentic, they are excused in it. So those who perform ijtihad are either correct or mistaken, and the Ahl al-Sunnah do not believe that every Companion is infallible from minor or major sins. Rather, they believe that mistakes are possible, but they have such good deeds and virtues that make seeking forgiveness for their mistakes obligatory. Even their mistakes will be forgiven which will not be forgiven for anyone after them because they have such virtues that erase mistakes, and this honor is not for those who come after them. The saying of the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) is established that indeed they are the best of times. And spending one dirham from any one of them is better than spending a mountain of gold after them. When any one of them made a mistake, he repented or did a good deed that erased that sin, or was forgiven due to the virtue of his good deeds, or due to the intercession of the Prophet (peace be upon him), then they are more deserving of his intercession. Or they were tested in this world in such a way that the mistake was erased. So if this is the case for their proven mistakes, then what about the matters in which they performed ijtihad? If their ijtihad was correct, they have two rewards, and if they erred in ijtihad, they have one reward, and their mistakes are forgiven.
(14) Allama An-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him)
said:
”مذهب أهل السنة والحق إحسان الظن بهم والإمساك عما شجر بينهم وتأويل قتالهم وأنهم مجتهدون متأولون لم يقصدوا معصية ولا محض الدنيا بل اعتقد كل فريق أنه المحق ومخالفه باغ فوجب عليه قتاله ليرجع إلى أمر الله وكان بعضهم مصيببا وبعضهم مخطئا معذورا فى الخطأ لأنه لاجتهاد والمجتهد إذا أخطأ لا إثم عليه وكان على رضى الله عنه هو المحق المصيب فى تلك الحروب هذا مذهب أهل السنة . “
The creed of Ahl al-Sunnah and the people of truth is to have good opinion of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), to refrain from mentioning their disputes, to interpret their fighting because they were mujtahids who did not intend to disobey Allah or seek worldly gain. Each party believed they were right and that the opponent was a rebel, so fighting was obligatory to bring them back to Allah’s command. Some of them were right and some were mistaken, but even those mistaken were excused because they performed ijtihad. Imam Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) was on the right in these wars; this is the stance of Ahl al-Sunnah.
(15) Imam adh-Dhahabi (may Allah have mercy on him)
said:
”الكف عن كثير مما شجر بين الصحابة ، وقتالهم – رضي الله عنهم أجمعين – وما زال يمر بنا ذلك فى الدواوين، والكتب ، والأجزاء ، ولكن أكثر ذلك منقطع ، وضعيف، وبعضه كذب، وهذا فيما بأيدينا وبين علمائنا، فينبغي طيه وإخفاؤه، بل إعدامه ، لتصفو القلوب، وتتوفر على حب الصحابة، والترضى عنهم، وكتمان ذلك متعين عن العامة ، وآحاد العلماء ، وقد يرخص فى مطالعة ذلك خلوة للعالم المنصف ، العري من الهوى، بشرط أن يستغفر لهم ، كما علمنا الله – تعالى – حيث يقول: ﴿والذين جاءو من بعدهم يقولون ربنا اغفر لنا ولإخواننا الذين سبقونا بالإيمان ولا تجعل فى قلوبنا غلا للذين آمنوا﴾ الحشر: 10 The people have precedents and deeds that expiate what occurred from them, and jihad that wipes away sins, and purified worship. We are not among those who exalt any one of them, nor do we claim their infallibility, but we affirm that some are better than others.
The many disputes and quarrels among the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) should be refrained from being mentioned. These matters have always been present in our registers, books, and volumes, but most of them are disconnected or weak, and some are fabricated. What is before us and our scholars must be wrapped up, concealed, or even erased so that hearts become pure and love for the Companions increases and satisfaction with them grows. These particular contentious matters must be kept hidden from the general public and common scholars, but a just scholar who is not a follower of desires is permitted to study them in private, provided he seeks forgiveness for them as Allah has taught us. Allah Almighty says: ﴿وَالَّذِينَ جَاءُوْ مِنْ بَعْدِهِمْ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا اغْفِرْ لَنَا وَلِإِخْوَانِنَا الَّذِينَ سَبَقُونَا بِالْإِيمَانِ وَلَا تَجْعَلْ فِي قُلُوبِنَا غِلَّا لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا﴾ “And those who came after them say: Our Lord, forgive us and our brothers who preceded us in faith and put not in our hearts any hatred toward those who have believed.”
Thus, good deeds and acts expiate their differences, and jihad wipes away their mistakes, and worship wipes away their sins. We do not exaggerate about any one of them, nor do we claim their infallibility. We believe some are better than others.
(16) Imam Al-Qurtubi (may Allah have mercy on him)
said:
”لا يجوز أن ينسب إلى أحد من الصحابة خطأ مقطوع به ، إذ كانوا كلهم اجتهدوا فيما فعلوه وأرادوا الله عز وجل، وهم كلهم لنا أئمة، وقد تعبدنا بالكف عما شجر بينهم ، وألا نذكرهم إلا بأحسن الذكر ، لحرمة الصحبة ولنهى النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم عن سبهم، وأن الله غفر لهم، وأخبر بالرضا عنهم . “
It is not permissible to attribute definite error to any Companion, as whoever acted among them was a mujtahid and sought only Allah’s pleasure. They are all our Imams, and we are bound to refrain from their disputes. We will mention them in the best manner because the Companions deserve respect, and the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) forbade speaking ill of them. Undoubtedly, Allah has forgiven them and informed us of His pleasure with them.
(17) Hafiz Ibn Hajar Asqalani (may Allah have mercy on him)
said:
”اتفق أهل السنة على وجوب منع الطعن على أحد من الصحابة بسبب ما وقع لهم من ذلك ولو عرف المحق منهم لأنهم لم يقاتلوا فى تلك الحروب إلا عن اجتهاد وقد عفا الله تعالى عن المخطء فى الاجتهاد بل ثبت أنه يؤجر جرا واحدا وأن المصيب يؤجر أجرين .“
There is consensus among Ahl al-Sunnah on the obligation not to disparage any one of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them). Regarding their differences, even if it becomes clear who was right, because these wars were fought based on ijtihad, Allah has forgiven those who erred in ijtihad. It is also established that the one who errs in ijtihad will receive a reward, and the one who is correct in ijtihad will receive double the reward.
Some people especially insult Sayyiduna Amir Mu’awiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) because he fought Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) for the caliphate. Therefore, we will mention a few points specifically about Amir Mu’awiyah (may Allah be pleased with him). Observe:
”يعلى بن عبيد الحنفي نا أبى قال جاء أبو مسلم الخولاني و أناس معه إلى معاوية فقالوا له أنت تنازع فليا أم أنت مثله؟ فقال معاوية: لا و الله إني لأعلم أن عليا أفضل مني و أنه لأحق بالأمر مني ولكن ألستم تعلمون أن عثمان قتل مظلوما و أنا بن عمه و إنما أطلب بدم عثمان فاتتوه فقولوا له فليدفع إلى قتلة عثمان و أسلم له فأتوا عليا فكلموه بذلك فلم يدفعهم إليه“
Ya’la ibn Ubaid al-Hanafi narrates from his father that Abu Muslim al-Khawlani and others came to Sayyiduna Mu’awiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) and asked: Do you want to fight Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) or do you consider yourself like him? Amir Mu’awiyah replied: No, by Allah! I know that Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) is superior to me and more deserving of the caliphate, but do you not know that Sayyiduna Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) was unjustly martyred, and I am his uncle’s son? I demand the retribution for Sayyiduna Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him). Go and tell Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) to hand over the killers of Sayyiduna Uthman to me, and then I will pledge allegiance to him. So they went to Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) and spoke to him about this, but Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) did not hand over the killers.
(1) Imam Abu Nu’aym As-Sibhani said:
فلم يختلف أحد من أهل العلم فى كل زمان أن أصحاب رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فيما اختلفوا فيه واجتهدوا فيه من الر أى مأجورون ومحمودون، وإن كان الحق مع بعضهم دون الكل، ولا يعنف من قال بقول بعضهم وترك قول بعض ، وأنه عنده مصيب الحق الذى أمر به من طريق الر أى والاجتهاد .
No scholar at any time has differed that indeed the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) when they differed, they performed ijtihad according to their opinion and were rewarded and praised, although the truth was with some of them, not all. Whoever took the opinion of one and abandoned the other is not disliked; indeed, that Companion is closer to the truth. Whoever issued a fatwa based on his ijtihad and opinion.
(2) Imam Abu ‘Umar wa ‘Uthman ibn Sa’id ad-Dani said:
” و من قولهم: أن يحسن القول فى السادات الكرام ، أصحاب محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم ، و أن تذكر فضائلهم، وتنشر محاسنهم، ويمسك عما سوى ذلك مما شجر بينهم لقوله صلى الله عليه وسلم : ﴿إذا ذكر أصحابي فأمسكوا﴾ يعني: إذا ذكروا بغير الجميل، و لقوله صلى الله عليه وسلم : ﴿الله الله فى أصحابي﴾ ، و يجب أن يلتمس لهم أحسن المخارج ، وأجمل المذاهب ، لمكانهم من الإسلام، وموضعهم من الدين و الإيمان ، و أنهم أهل الر أى والاجتهاد، وأنصح الناس للعباد، قال الله تعالى فيهم: ﴿ونزعنا ما فى صدورهم من غل إخوانا على سرر متقبلين﴾
The saying of Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jama’ah is that you speak well of the noble Sayyids, i.e., the Companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him), mention their virtues and spread their good deeds, and refrain from their internal disputes because the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “When my Companions are mentioned, you should stop,” meaning when they are mentioned with evil, stop. He also said: “Fear Allah concerning my Companions.” It is obligatory to seek the best justification for them due to their status in Islam. Indeed, they are the most well-wishers for the servants, and Allah said about them: “We will remove whatever rancor was in their hearts. They will be brothers, sitting on thrones facing each other.”
(3) Imam Ibn Kathir (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
”و أما ما شجر بينهم بعده عليه الصلاة و السلام، فمنه ما وقع عن غير قصد، كيوم الجمل، ومنه ما كان عن اجتهاد، كيوم صفين، و الاجتهاد يخطي و يصيب، ولكن صاحبه معدور و إن أخطأ ، و مأجور أيضا ، و أما المصيب فله أجران اثنان ، و كان على وأصحابه أقرب إلى الحق من معاوية و أصحابه رضي الله عنهم أجمعين“
Among the differences that occurred after the Prophet (peace be upon him) were some unintentional, like the Battle of Jamal, and some due to ijtihad, like the Battle of Siffin. Ijtihad can be correct or incorrect, but the one who performs ijtihad is excused even if he errs. He receives a reward, and if the ijtihad is correct, he receives double the reward. Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) and his companions were closer to the truth than Sayyiduna Mu’awiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) and his companions. May Allah be pleased with them all.
Praise be to Allah! We have established in this article from the Tabi’in to Hafiz Ibn Hajar that in every era, all muhaddithin and scholars unanimously agreed that the disputes among the Companions should not be disclosed to the public, and there is consensus on this. However, in this era, some people are busy day and night spreading the disputes of the Companions among the public, claiming that Imam Muslim wrote in the introduction of Sahih Muslim that he wrote Sahih Muslim for the public and that he mentioned the disputes of the Companions in Sahih Muslim; therefore, it is proven that there is no harm in mentioning the disputes of the Companions to the public.
Firstly, I did not find anywhere in the introduction of Sahih Muslim that Imam Muslim wrote that he wrote Sahih Muslim for the public. Rather, Imam Muslim wrote:
”حين سألتني تجسم ذلك أن لو عزم لى عليه، وقضي لي تمامه، كان أول من يصيبه نفع ذلك إياي خاصة قبل غيري من الناس لأسباب كثيرة يطول بذكرها الوصف إلا أن جملة ذلك أن ضبط القليل من هذا الشأن، وإثقانه ، أيسر على المرء من معالجة الكثير منه، ولا سيما عند من لا تمييز عنده من العوام، إلا بأن يوقفه على التمييزغيره إلخ “
“When you troubled me about this matter, if it is within my power and it is destined for me to complete it, then I will benefit from it more than others for many reasons, which would be lengthy to explain. But the summary is that memorizing and solidifying a few hadiths of this standard is easier for a person than collecting many, especially for a person from the common people who is not well known, unless a skilled person informs him about the difference between authentic and weak hadiths, etc.”
Several points require attention:
Deriving from this that spreading the disputes of the Companions among the public and believing that this was Imam Muslim’s methodology is wrong for several reasons:
1. No muhaddith has derived this meaning.
2. This meaning is against the consensus of the Ummah.
3. Imam Muslim’s stance on the disputes of the Companions was the same as other muhaddithin. The evidence is the sayings of Imam Abu Hatim and Imam Abu Zur’ah mentioned earlier, who said they found all scholars of Sham, Iraq, Hijaz, Yemen, and Egypt commanding silence regarding the disputes of the Companions. These three Imams were contemporaries, and if Imam Muslim’s belief was contrary to theirs, he would have certainly mentioned it.
4. These narrations were not only mentioned by Imam Muslim but also by other muhaddithin, and this meaning contradicts the explicit statements of these muhaddithin, so it is rejected.
Similarly, there are all kinds of people among the public, so when such statements are presented to them, some speak ill of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them). We have heard such people say that they do not love Amir Mu’awiyah but do not harbor hatred either.
نعوذ بالله من ذلك
However, it is obligatory for us to love all the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), including Amir Mu’awiyah (may Allah be pleased with him), and it is part of our faith. Holding hatred or not loving any one Companion of the Prophet (peace be upon him) is forbidden.
All the books written on the beliefs of Ahl al-Sunnah have declared loving all the Companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him) as part of faith. On the contrary, there are two groups who have deviated from the straight path and gone astray: one is the Rawafid group who speak ill of Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, and Amir Mu’awiyah (may Allah be pleased with them) and disassociate from them; the other is the Nasibi group who harbor hatred for Ali (may Allah be pleased with him). Both are misguided, and the path of Ahl al-Sunnah is the middle path: they love all the Companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him), remain silent about their differences, and pray for their forgiveness and mercy. May Allah grant us all the ability to follow the Qur’an and Sunnah.
وما علينا إلا البلاغ المبين
