Refuting Tijani’s claim that the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam dispraised the SahabahThere are a number of fundamental elements which cannot be compromised in any objective research project. One of these key features is the reliability and accuracy of the collected data. Another element is faithful representation of that data. I leave it to the reader to assess Tijani’s adherence to these principles in his citing of these narrations, as well as his interpretations thereof.
Tijani’s distortion of text
Neither of the two versions of the Hadith which Tijani referenced to the Sahih collections of al Bukhari or Muslim are worded as such in those collections. As a matter of fact, the first hadith cited by Tijani appears to have been distorted and truncated. We have come to notice a recurring pattern of misdirection and manipulation of data in Tijani’s assessment of text in the past chapters; and he has not failed in maintaining that consistency here as well.
The complete narration in Sahih al Bukhari as reported by Abu Hurairah radiya Llahu ‘anhu from the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam is reproduced below:
بينا أنا نائم إذا زمرة حتى إذا عرفتهم خرج رجل من بيني وبينهم فقال هلم فقلت أين ؟ قال إلى النار والله قلت وما شأنهم ؟ قال إنهم ارتدوا بعدك على أدبارهم القهقرى . ثم إذا زمرة حتى إذا عرفتهم خرج رجل من بيني وينهم فقال هلم قلت أين ؟ قال إلى النار والله قلت ما شأنهم ؟ قال إنهم ارتدوا بعدك على أدبارهم القهقرى فلا أراه يخلص منهم إلا مثل همل النعم[2]
While I was sleeping, a group were brought close to me, and when I recognised them, a man (an angel) emerged between me and them, and said to them, “Come along.” I asked, “Where?” He said, “To the Hell-Fire, by Allah.” I asked, “What is wrong with them?” He said, “They turned back after you left.” Then behold! Another group were brought close to me, and when I recognised them, a man (an angel) emerged between me and them. He said (to them), “Come along.” I asked, “Where?” He said, “To the Hell-Fire, by Allah.” I asked, “What is wrong with them?” He said, “They turned back after you left.” So I did not see anyone of them escaping except a few who were like camels without a shepherd.
Notice the word Na’im (sleeping) which appears in al Bukhari has been substituted for the word Qa’im (standing) in Tijani’s citation of the Hadith.
The misdirection does not end here. Tijani referenced the Hadith to both al Bukhari and Muslim. The Hadith under discussion is found only in al Bukhari; Muslim does not narrate it!
Yes, such ahadith are recorded in the reliable Hadith books of the Ahlus Sunnah. Tijani, however; conveniently ignores the explanation offered by the Ahlus Sunnah throughout the centuries. Instead he applies his oblique approach to understanding texts; completely disregarding the prescribed framework of interpretation. For the sake of fairness it is my duty to present the explanations given by the Ahlus Sunnah on this hadith.Sunni interpretation of these ahadith
The scholars have offered a number of explanations on the meaning of the word Riddah as well as the intended party mentioned in the hadith. Some scholars have said that they are the people of innovation and heretical tendencies.
Qabisah says, “They are those who turned apostate during the era of Abu Bakr and remained upon disbelief until they were killed or died upon it.”
Al Khattabi says, “Not a single Sahabi turned apostate. The only ones to turn apostate were from the Bedouin Arabs who did not assist the religion at all; and that does not imply criticism against the well-known Sahabah.”
Ibn Tin says, “It is possible that they are the munafiqin or those who committed major sins.”[3]
Ibn Hajar says, “It has been said that they are a group from the Bedouin Arabs who had not wholeheartedly entered into Islam.”[4]
Further he says, “It has been said that they are the perpetrators of major sins and bid’ah but died upon Islam.”
Imam al Nawawi says, “This is from those matters about which the scholars differ. It has been said that they are the munafiqin apostates, it has also been said that they are those were in the era of the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam then turned apostate after him.”[5]
At another place he says, “It has also been said that those intended are the perpetrators of major sins and crimes who died upon tawhid; and also the people of bid’ah but remained within the fold of Islam.”[6]
Imam Ibn ‘Abdul Barr says, “Each person who innovated in the religion will be of those repelled from the Hawd; such as the Khawarij, the Rawafid, and all other people of heretical tendencies.”[7]
Abu Ishaq al Shatibi says:
The most plausible interpretation is that it refers to individuals of this Ummah. This is because of the identifying features of ghurrah and tahjil (a radiance that will appear on the limbs washed during wudu’) which will not be seen on the disbelievers. It is inconsequential whether their disbelief was from the outset or subsequent apostasy.
Furthermore, the words, “they changed after you”, were used in the hadith. Had reference been made to disbelief, the words “they disbelieved after you”, would have been used. The most accurate manner of understanding it is that they substituted the Sunnah. This applies aptly to the people of innovation. If one applied the meaning to the hypocrites it would also be plausible since the hypocrites adopted the religion to conceal their beliefs; not for the sake of worship. In so doing they have substituted true religion for alternative matters; this is the essence of innovation.
This clearly establishes that those intended by the words ‘turning back’ were the hypocrites and innovators. Therefore, it is evident that the Sahabah were not intended in the hadith.Further responses to Tijani’s reasoning
There are a few more elements in Tijani’s argument that require attention. Let us begin with his insinuation from the word ashabi (my companions) in the hadith. He asserts that this is proof that those prevented from the Hawd are none other than the Sahabah of the Messenger salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. This interpretation is farfetched since it ignores the need to harmonise between the various narrations of this hadith. An intelligent person would be consistent in his speech and the only way to understand him objectively is to reconcile all the various wordings used so that the intended party becomes clear. We are left with no choice but to analyse the various expressions found in the hadith in order to accurately determine who is intended by the word ashabi in this context.
The word Sahabah is general and unrestricted in its application in language. Through convention it later became associated with the Companions of the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. However, the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam did not qualify the meaning of this word nor did he define its application. Since the conventional understanding of this word cannot be applied to the hadith retrospectively, the only plausible meaning is that it refers to anyone whom the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam had seen or met.[18]
There is no debate about the fact that the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam had seen the munafiqin, and was aware of them during his lifetime. Similarly those Bedouin Arabs who later turned apostate were seen by him too. This undeniable fact clarifies the position of those who understood the hadith to apply to the subsequent apostates and hypocrites.Variant wordings in the Ahadith
Imam Ahmed and al Tabarani transmit a hadith which is narrated with an acceptable chain from Abu Bakrah radiya Llahu ‘anhu that the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said:
Men from those who accompanied me and saw me will come to me at the Hawd.[19]
Al Bukhari and Muslim transmit narrations in which the Messenger of Allah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam mentioned those prevented from the Hawd using the diminutive form of the noun.
Anas radiya Llahu ‘anhu relates that the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said:
ليردن على الحوض رجال ممن صاحبنى حتى إذا رأيتهم ورفعوا إلى اختلجوا دونى فلأقولن أى رب أصيحابى أصيحابى.فليقالن لى إنك لا تدرى ما أحدثوا بعدك
Men from amongst those who accompanied me will come to me at the Hawd. When I see them and they approach me they will be obstructed and I will say, “O Lord, Usayhabi! Usayhabi! (In each instance the diminutive form of the noun is used).” It will be said to me, “Indeed, you do not know what they innovated after you.”[20]
This further clarifies what is meant in the additions found in other narrations which read, “They are from my Ummah,” and in another, “Men from amongst you,” and in yet another, “A group (from amongst you)”.
It is therefore incorrect to interpret the meaning of the hadith in light of the wording of one narration alone, which in itself does not give credence to the meaning promoted by Tijani. Citing one hadith and ignoring all other variant wordings displays a lack of objectivity and academic discretion.
As for the Messenger’s salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam statement in the hadith that “he recognised them”, it does not mean, necessarily, that he knew them personally. Rather, it means that he recognised them through some distinguishing features possessed by them as clarified by the hadith of Abu Hurairah in Sahih Muslim wherein the Messenger of Allah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said:
ترد على أمتى الْحوض وأنا أذود الناس عنه كما يذود الرجل إبل الرجل عن إبله قالوا يا نبى الله أتعرفنا قال نعم لكم سيما ليست لأحد غيركم تردون على غرا محجلين من آثار الوضوء وليصدن عنى طائفة منكم فلا يصلون فأقول يا رب هؤلاء من أصحابى فيجيبنى ملك فيقول وهل تدرى ما أحدثوا بعدك
“My Ummah will come to me at the Hawd and I will ward off people from it like a man wards off the camels of another man from his camels.”
They (the companions) said, “O Messenger of Allah, will you recognise us?”
He said, “Yes, you will have distinguishing features that others besides you will not have. You will come to me Ghurr Muhajjalin[21] from the effects of wudu’. A group from amongst you will be obstructed and will not reach me and I will say, ‘O Lord, my Companions!’ An angel will respond to me and say, ‘Do you know what they did after you?’”[22]
This hadith implies that even the people of innovation and hypocrisy will be raised with the distinguishing marks of radiance from the limbs washed during Wudu’. The word minkum (from amongst you) in the hadith implies that all of them will be resurrected with the same distinguishing marks of the believers as it comes in the hadith of the Sirat (the Bridge) in which he said, “and this Ummah will remain, amongst them the munafiqin…”[23]
The abovementioned hadith points to the fact that the munafiqin will be resurrected with the believers.
After this detailed explanation we can confidently assert that it is irrational to conclude that the Sahabah will be the ones prevented from the Hawd based on the hadith for the following reasons:
The Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam was pleased with them and defended them. He salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said:
خير الناس قرني ثم الذين يلونهم ثم الذين يلونهم ثم يجيء أقوام تسبق شهادة أحدهم يمينه ويمينه شهادته
The best people are those living in my generation, and then those who will follow them, and then those who will follow the latter. Then there will come some people who will bear witness before taking oaths, and take oaths before bearing witness.[24]
In this hadith the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam affirms the superiority of the Sahabah over all the subsequent generations.
Muslim relates a hadith from Abu Burdah, from his father, that the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam raised his head to the heavens and said:
النجوم أمنة للسماء فإذا ذهبت النجوم أتى السماء ما توعد وأنا أمنة لأصحابي فإذا ذهبت أتى أصحابي ما يوعدون وأصحابي أمنة لأمتي فإذا ذهب أصحابي أتى أمتي ما يوعدون
The stars are a source of security for the sky and when the stars disappear there comes to the sky, (i.e. it meets the same fate) as it has been promised (it would plunge into darkness). And I am a source of safety and security to my Sahabah and when I would go away there would fall to the lot (of my Sahabah) what they have been promised and my Sahabah are a source of security for the Ummah and as they would go there would fall to the lot of my Ummah what (its people) have been promised.[25]
Al Nawawi says in his Sharh Muslim:
“My Sahabah are a source of security for the Ummah and as they would go there would fall to the lot of my Ummah what (its people) have been promised,” it refers to the appearance of bid’ah and innovations in the religion and sedition in it, the emergence of the horns of Shaitan, the victory of the Romans and others over the Muslims, and the violation (of the sanctity) of Makkah and Madinah and other places. This is from his miracles (his prophecies which came to pass).[26]
In addition to the narrations above the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam gave glad tidings of Jannat to some Sahabah during their lifetimes.Abdur Rahman ibn ‘Awf radiya Llahu ‘anhu said that the Messenger salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said:
أبو بكر في الجنة وعمر في الجنة وعثمان في الجنة وعلي في الجنة وطلحة في الجنة والزبير في الجنة وعبد الرحمن بن عوف في الجنة وسعد في الجنة وسعيد في الجنة وأبو عبيدة بن الجراح في الجنة
Abu Bakr is in Jannat, ‘Umar is in Jannat, ‘Uthman is in Jannat, ‘Ali is in Jannat, Talhah is in Jannat, Zubair is in Jannat, ‘Abdur Rahman ibn ‘Awf is in Jannat, Sa’d (ibn Abi Waqqas) is in Jannat, Sa’id (ibn Zaid) is in Jannat, and Abu ‘Ubaidah ibn al Jarrah is in Jannat.[27]
Imam Ahmed narrates from Jabir ibn ‘Abdullah radiya Llahu ‘anhu that the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said:
The man who witnessed Badr and Hudaybiyyah will never enter the Fire.[28]
Also, the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam passed away while being pleased with the Sahabah radiya Llahu ‘anhum.
It has also never been proven that any of the Muhajirin or the Ansar became apostate.
Imam ‘Abdul Qadir al Baghdadi says in his book al Farq bayn al Firaq:
The Ahlus Sunnah are unanimous in that those who turned apostate after the Prophet’s salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam death were from Kindah, Hanifah, Fazarah, Banu Asad, and Banu Bakr ibn Wa’il. None of them were from the Muhajirin or the Ansar; who accepted Islam before the Conquest of Makkah.
They also agree that the title of Muhajirin is only for those who migrated before the Conquest of Makkah and that they, through the grace of Allah, remained upon the straight path.[29]
An intelligent person is always understood to be coherent and consistent in what he says or does. Tijani’s assertions imply, by necessity, that the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam contradicted himself. Anyone who buys into Tijani’s ridiculous idea is actually accepting that the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam was incoherent, inconsistent, and self-contradictory in his speech. How else would the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam give glad tidings of Paradise to the Companions yet predict that they would be chased from his Hawd in the Hereafter?
Al Tabarani transmits a hadith with an acceptable chain of narrators from Abu al Darda’ radiya Llahu ‘anhu that he asked the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam afterwards:
I said, “O Messenger of Allah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, pray to Allah that I am not amongst them!”
He said, “You are not amongst them.”[30]
Did the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam not know the condition of Abu al Darda’? Did he pray for him only that he turns out to be an apostate?
If the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam was not aware of the conditions of the Sahabah in the Hereafter he would not have said about Abu Bakr radiya Llahu ‘anhu, his closest, most honoured, and beloved Companion:
You are Allah’s ‘Atiq (one who is emancipated) from the Fire.[31]
And about ‘Umar radiya Llahu ‘anhu he said:
دخلت الجنة فإذا أنا بقصر من ذهب فقلت لمن هذا القصر قالوا لشاب من قريش فظننت أني أنا هو فقلت ومن هو فقالوا عمر بن الخطاب
I entered Jannat and I was before a palace of gold. So I said, “Whose palace is this?”
They said, “A youth from the Quraysh.”
So I thought that I was him. I asked, “And who is he?”
They said, “‘Umar ibn al Khattab.”[32]
And about ‘Uthman radiya Llahu ‘anhu he said:
You are in Jannat.[33]
Over 80 of the Sahabah radiya Llahu ‘anhu including Abu Hurairah radiya Llahu ‘anhu narrate the Hadith of the Hawd. If they were renegades and apostates why would they bother to narrate this hadith of the Messenger salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam after his demise since it would implicate them in the first degree?
Let us for a moment assume the plausibility of Tijani’s interpretation. The hadith that he has cited is general which means all the Companions ought to be included. If all are subject to inclusion it stands to reason that even those Companions with whom the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam was pleased according to Tijani’s definition like ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib, Hassan, Hussain, ‘Ammar ibn Yasir, Abu Dhar al Ghifari, Salman al Farisi, Miqdad ibn Aswad, Khuzaimah ibn Thabit, and Ubayy ibn Ka’b all deserve to be included. The onus is upon Tijani to provide proof for the exclusion of the aforesaid Companions. If he says that the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam has mentioned virtues of these Companions which preclude them; our response is simply that the other Companions also have virtues which preclude them.
As for the statement, “You do not know what they innovated after you,” it is an accepted fact that the Sahabah did not substitute or innovate after the death of the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. Sayyid Muhammad Siddiq Hassan al Qanuji says in his book al Din al Khalis:
A Rafidi asked a Sunni, “What do you say concerning the Sahabah?”
He replied, “I say about them what Allah says about them in his book when he says:
رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَضُوْا عَنْهُ
Allah being pleased with them; and they with Him.
The Rafidi then said, “Indeed, they innovated after the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam.”
The Sunni then said, “Allah says:
وَمَا بَدَّلُوْا تَبْدِيْلًا
And they did not alter [the terms of their commitment] by any alteration.
And we do not believe in a Lord who informs about something not knowing that things would change thereafter.”Tijani’s claim that “most of the Sahabah substituted and changed”
Tijani said, “Most of the Sahabah substituted and changed (things within the religion), rather, most of them turned apostate after him except for a few who he referred to as Haml al Na’am.”
Refuting Tijani’s claim that “most of the Sahabah substituted and changed
Tijani is finding it increasingly difficult to hide bigotry. His failure to comprehend the Prophet’s salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam words reveal to us his myopia when processing information. The words “Haml al Na’am” refer to those who came close to the Hawd in that vision and nearly reached it but were obstructed from it. It does not refer to everyone who came to the Hawd.
In another narration the word raht [group] is used. Abu Hurairah radiya Llahu ‘anhu narrates that the Prophet salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said:
يرد على يوم القيامة رهط من أصحابي فيحلئون عن الحوض فأقول يا رب أصحابي فيقول إنك لا علم لك بما أحدثوا بعدك إنهم ارتدوا على أدبارهم القهقرى
A raht [group] from my companions will come to me on the Day of Judgement but they will be prevented from the Hawd and I will say, “O my Lord, my companions!” He will say, “Indeed you have no knowledge about what they innovated after you. Indeed they turned on their heels after you.”[34]
The word Raht, as everyone is aware, refers to a group of men who do not exceed ten in number.[35]
Lastly, I say: Tijani wants us to arrive at a particular conclusion. That conclusion is that majority of the Sahabah radiya Llahu ‘anhum turned apostate. But what are the implications of arriving at such a conclusion? It implies that this din, which we have been practicing for the last fourteen centuries, this Qur’an with us today, the Sunnah which we attempt to emulate, the salah, the pillars of the din which we have established in our lives and any other act of worship in general; all of the aforementioned is incorrect as it was transmitted to us via apostates.
This also means that the ‘murtaddin’ [apostates] who conquered the lands of the East and subjugated the lands of the West did so not to humble people to the worship of Allah but to enter them into the door of apostasy.
This also means that Musaylamah al Kadhdhab, Sujah, and others were the people of the truth as they did not turn murtadd from Islam but rather turned away from the people of apostasy be upon him, meant those who were his companions during his lifetime , However, these ultimately did not leave the world with Iman and since the Prophet, peace be upon him, did not know every hypocrite and murtadd (apostate) in his lifetime, he will - as described in the ahadith - wonder about those companions who but they were Muslims in his time. However, it is absurd to claim that this means the absolute majority of the Sahaba because the ambiguous evidence shows exactly the opposite.
So you see, even without having read any Sharh (explanation) of the hadiths (which are essential, just as it is essential to read many ayats with the explanations of when and why that ayah was narrated) , it is clear that All the ahadith about apostates mean those whom the Prophet, peace be upon him, saw as his Muslim companions during his lifetime , but who became apostates after his death, since they did not die as Muslims and are therefore still linguistic ( Lughawi) were (and are) "Sahabis", but not Shar'an. Because only those who died with Iman and saw the Prophet, peace be upon him, are accepted as Sahabi in the sense of Shar'ia It is true that the traditions often quoted by the Rawafid (about apostasy etc.) clearly speak of the generally loose term "Sahabah" (companions), more precisely "Ashaabi" (my companions) which refers to the Prophet, peace be upon him , in Al-Kauthar (a source) are presented as apostates or innovators.
But since the Muslims (unlike the Rafidah), the hypocrites and apostates (Shar'an i.e. Istilah) do not refer to them as "Sahabah", but only as "Sahabah" in the linguistic (Lughawi) sense (i.e. exactly as in the ahadith), and accordingly the meant Sahabah are notthe Muslim companions of the Prophet, peace be upon him, were, let alone the majority. This will be clarified below - with Allah subhanahu's permission.
In the Arabic language, anyone can be a "Sahabi", i.e. a companion, including a Munafiq or someone who was once a Muslim and then became an apostate. Therefore, it is correct to say, for example, that the Munafiq Ubay bin Salool was a "Sahabi" (companion) in the linguistic sense (Lughawi) (since he had accompanied the Prophet SA), but from a Shar'an/Istialahi (theological) perspective, He wasn't a Sahabi Example:
After a malicious statement from Ibn Salool reached the Prophet, Omar went to the Prophet and said: "O Messenger of Allah! Let me behead this hypocrite!" The Prophet then said to Omar, "Leave him, lest people say that Mohammad is killing his Sahabah ."
Bukhari, English Version vol.6 #430
Now do Muslims today believe that Ibn Salool is a Sahabi? Of course not, because a Sahabi in the Shari`ah is a companion who saw the Prophet, peace be upon him, and died with Imaan to Islam. Ibn Salool accordingly comes under this category because he died on Kufr. But it is correct to this day to say that Ibn Salool and also others were "Sahabah" in the linguistic (Lughawi) sense (just as mentioned in the Hadith). But after the Prophet, peace be upon him, and all the Sahabah passed away, only those who fulfilled the conditions of a (Muslim) Sahabi were called Sahabah.
The Muslims of the Sunnah do not believe that everyone who has seen the Prophet, peace be upon him, is immediately a Muslim. This is a liewhich the Rafidah, especially their "Ayatollahs", convey to the rank and file without blushing, which, however, does not correspond to the truth.
No, rather, the people of the Sunnah believe that only one (Shar'an) can be a Sahabi who has seen the Prophet, peace be upon him, and departed from the world with Iman in Islam . This is precisely the case with the absolute majority of the Sahabah and not with the minority. In the Qur'an the Sahaba are collectively promised paradise , as well as in the Mutawatir traditions.
If one has studied these basics of the Arabic language and circumstances of Islamic history even in the slightest and puts aside blind hatred, one will also understand that the Prophet, peace be upon him, meant those who were his companions during his lifetime , However, these ultimately did not leave the world with Iman and since the Prophet, peace be upon him, did not know every hypocrite and murtadd (apostate) in his lifetime, he will - as described in the ahadith - wonder about those companions who but they were Muslims in his time. However, it is absurd to claim that this means the absolute majority of the Sahaba because the ambiguous evidence shows exactly the opposite.
So you see, even without having read any Sharh (explanation) of the hadiths (which are essential, just as it is essential to read many ayats with the explanations of when and why that ayah was narrated) , it is clear that All the ahadith about apostates mean those whom the Prophet, peace be upon him, saw as his Muslim companions during his lifetime , but who became apostates after his death, since they did not die as Muslims and are therefore still linguistic ( Lughawi) were (and are) "Sahabis", but not Shar'an. Because only those who died with Iman and saw the Prophet, peace be upon him, are accepted as Sahabi in the sense of Shar'ia