Book 62: The Merits of the Companions of the Holy Prophet (sa)
Sahih al-Bukhari
Sahih al-Bukhari 3649
Ali bin Abdullah narrated to us that Sufyan (bin Uyainah) told us. He narrated from Amr (bin Dinar) that he said: I heard Hazrat Jabir bin Abdullah (ra). He used to say: Hazrat Abu Sa'id Khudri (ra) narrated to us; he said: The Messenger of Allah (saw) said: “A time will come upon people when people will go out in troops to make an attack, and they will ask: ‘Is there anyone among you who was in the company of the Messenger of Allah (saw)?’ They will say to them: ‘Yes.’ Then (through his blessing) they will be given victory. Then a time will come upon people when people will go out in troops to make an attack, and it will be asked: ‘Is there anyone among you who was in the company of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (saw)?’ They will say: ‘Yes.’ And (through his blessing) they will be given victory. Then a time will come upon people when people will go out in troops to make an attack, and it will be asked: ‘Is there anyone among you who was with someone who had been in the company of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (saw)?’ They will say: ‘Yes.’ And they will be given victory.”
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Sahih al-Bukhari 3650
Ishaq (bin Rahawaih) narrated to us that Nadr told us. Shu'bah narrated from Abu Jamrah. (He said:) I heard Zahdam bin Mudarrib. He said: I heard Hazrat Imran bin Husain (ra). He used to say: The Messenger of Allah (saw) said: “The best of the centuries of my Ummah is my century, then that of those who come immediately after them, then that of those who come immediately after them.” Hazrat Imran (ra) used to say: I do not know whether he mentioned two centuries or three centuries after his own century. (Then he said:) “Then after you there will be people who will bear witness without being called to bear witness, and who will betray trust and will not be considered trustworthy, and who will make vows and will not fulfil them. And obesity will be widespread among them (from consuming unlawful wealth).”
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Sahih al-Bukhari 3651
Muhammad bin Kathir narrated to us that Sufyan (Thauri) told us. He narrated from Mansur, Mansur from Ibrahim, Ibrahim from Abidah (bin Qais Salmani), and Abidah from Hazrat Abdullah (bin Mas'ud) (ra), that the Prophet (saw) said: “The best people are those of my century, then those who come immediately after them, then those who come immediately after them. Then there will come people the testimony of one of whom will precede his oath, and his oath will precede his testimony.” Ibrahim said: (Our elders) used to beat us for bearing witness and making covenants, and in those days we were young.
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Sahih al-Bukhari 3652
Abdullah bin Raja narrated to us that Isra'il told us. He narrated from Abu Ishaq, and Abu Ishaq from Hazrat Bara (ra). He said: Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) bought a camel saddle from Hazrat Azib (ra) for thirteen dirhams, and Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) said to Hazrat Azib (ra): Tell (your son) Bara (ra) to carry my saddle along with me. Hazrat Azib (ra) said: I will not tell him until you relate to us what you and the Messenger of Allah (saw) did when the two of you left Mecca and the idolaters were searching for you. He said: We set off from Mecca and travelled all night and the next day too. He said fa-ahyaina lailatana, or he used the words sarAina lailatana. When it was exactly midday, I looked around to see whether any shade could be seen, so that we could go there and rest, and a rock came into view. I went there and saw that its shade remained. I prepared the place. Then I spread a bed there for the Prophet (saw). Then I said to him: Prophet of Allah! Lie down. So the Prophet (saw) lay down. Then I went off to look around: could any of the pursuers be seen? And I saw a shepherd of goats driving his goats towards that same rock. He too wanted from that rock what we had wanted. I asked him: Boy, whose are you? He said: I belong to a man of the Quraish. He named him and I recognised him. I said: Is there any milk in your goats? He said: Yes. I said: Will you milk some milk for us? He said: Yes. So I told him to milk. He held the leg of one of his goats between his shin and thigh. Then I told him to clean its udder by shaking off the dust. Then I told him to shake his palms clean as well. Hazrat Bara (ra) struck one palm on the other to show: like this. He shook his hands and milked a bowlful of milk for me, and I had kept a small water skin for the Messenger of Allah (saw). Its mouth was tied with a cloth, and I poured so much water into the milk that it became cool right to the bottom. I took it to the Prophet (saw), and I reached him at a time when he had woken up. I said: O Messenger of Allah (saw)! Drink. And he drank so much that I was pleased. Then I said: O Messenger of Allah (saw)! The time to move on has come. He said: “Yes.” And we set off from there, and the people were searching for us, and none of them found us except Suraqah bin Malik bin Ju'shum, who was riding his horse. I said: O Messenger of Allah (saw)! These searchers have caught up with us. He said: “Do not worry. Allah is with us.”
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Sahih al-Bukhari 3653
Muhammad bin Sinan narrated to us that Hammam told us. He narrated from Thabit, Thabit from Hazrat Anas (ra), and Hazrat Anas (ra) from Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra). He used to say: I said to the Prophet (saw), while I was in the cave: If any of them were to look beneath his feet, he would surely see us. He said: “Abu Bakr (ra)! What do you think of two persons with whom the third is Allah?”
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Sahih al-Bukhari 3654
Abdullah bin Muhammad narrated to us that Abu Amir told us. Fulaih (bin Sulaiman) narrated to us. He said: Salim Abun Nadr narrated to me. He narrated from Busr bin Sa'id, and Busr from Hazrat Abu Sa'id Khudri (ra). He said: The Messenger of Allah (saw) addressed the people and said: “Allah has given a servant the choice of preferring the world or preferring the bounty that is with Allah, and that servant has preferred the bounty that is with Allah.” (Abu Sa'id (ra)) used to say: On hearing this Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) wept, and we wondered at his weeping, since the Messenger of Allah (saw) was speaking of a servant who had been given a choice (and Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) wept on hearing it). In reality the one meant was the Messenger of Allah (saw) himself, who had been given the choice, and Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) had the most knowledge (of this) among us (Companions). (That is why he wept.) The Messenger of Allah (saw) said: “Of all people, the one who has done me the greatest favour, by his companionship and by spending his wealth, is Abu Bakr (ra). And if I were to take anyone besides my Lord as an intimate friend, I would take Abu Bakr (ra). But the brotherhood of Islam and its love are with him. Let no one's door remain open for entering the mosque; let all be closed, except that the door of Abu Bakr (ra) will remain open.”
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Sahih al-Bukhari 3655
Abdul Aziz bin Abdullah narrated to us that Sulaiman told us. He narrated from Yahya bin Sa'id, Yahya from Nafi', and Nafi' from Hazrat Ibn Umar (ra). He said: In the time of the Prophet (saw) we used to rank people as better than one another, and we considered Hazrat Abu Bakr to be the best of all, then Hazrat Umar bin Khattab, then Hazrat Uthman bin Affan (ra).
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Sahih al-Bukhari 3656
Muslim bin Ibrahim narrated to us that Wuhaib told us that Ayyub narrated from Ikrimah, Ikrimah from Hazrat Ibn Abbas (ra), and Hazrat Ibn Abbas (ra) from the Prophet (saw). He said: “If I were to take anyone {from my Ummah} as an intimate friend, I would take Abu Bakr (ra). But he is my brother and my companion.”
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Sahih al-Bukhari 3657
Mu'alla bin Asad and Musa bin Isma'il Tabudhaki narrated to us. Both of them said: Wuhaib, narrating from Ayyub, told us the same, and in it are these words: “If I were to take an intimate friend, I would take him as an intimate friend, but the brotherhood of Islam is more excellent.” Qutaibah narrated to us that Abdul Wahhab, narrating from Ayyub, told us the same.
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Sahih al-Bukhari 3658
Sulaiman bin Harb narrated to us that Hammad bin Zaid told us. He narrated from Ayyub, and Ayyub from Abdullah bin Abi Mulaikah. He said: The people of Kufah wrote to (Hazrat Abdullah) bin Zubair (ra) about (the inheritance of) the grandfather. He replied: The man about whom the Messenger of Allah (saw) said: “If I were to take anyone of this Ummah as an intimate friend, I would take him”, that man treated the grandfather as being in the place of the father. By this he meant Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra).
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Sahih al-Bukhari 3659
Humaidi and Muhammad bin Abdullah narrated to us. Both of them said: Ibrahim bin Sa'd narrated to us. He narrated from his father, his father from Muhammad bin Jubair bin Mut'im, and Muhammad from his father. He said: A woman came to the Prophet (saw). He told her to come to him again. She said: But what if I come and do not find you? As though she were saying: What if you have died? The Holy Prophet (saw) said: “If you do not find me, come to Abu Bakr (ra).”
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Sahih al-Bukhari 3660
Ahmad bin Abit Tayyib narrated to us that Isma'il bin Mujalid told us that Bayan bin Bishr narrated to us. He narrated from Wabarah bin Abdur Rahman, and he from Hammam. He said: I heard Hazrat Ammar (bin Yasir) (ra). He used to say: I saw the Messenger of Allah (saw) in such an early period that with him there were only five slaves, two women and Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra).
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Sahih al-Bukhari 3661
Hisham bin Ammar narrated to us that Sadaqah bin Khalid told us that Zaid bin Waqid narrated to us. He narrated from Busr bin Ubaidullah, he from A'idhullah Abu Idris, and Abu Idris from Hazrat Abud Darda (ra). He said: I was sitting with the Prophet (saw). Meanwhile Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) came towards us holding up one end of his garment (lower garment). He was holding it up so far that his knees were bare. The Prophet (saw) said: “Your companion has come from a quarrel with someone.” He came, said As-salamu alaikum and said: O Messenger of Allah (saw)! Something happened between me and Ibn Khattab (ra), and I said something to him in haste. Then I regretted it and asked him to forgive me, but he would not accept, so I have come to you. He said three times: “Abu Bakr! May Allah cover your fault and forgive you.” Then Hazrat Umar (ra) too regretted it and came to the house of Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra). He asked: Is Abu Bakr (ra) here? They said: No. Then he came to the Prophet (saw), and when he came and said As-salamu alaikum, the face of the Prophet (saw) began to change, and Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) became afraid, and he sat down on his knees. He said twice: O Messenger of Allah (saw)! By Allah! It is I who was more at fault. The Prophet (saw) said: “O people! Allah sent me to you and you said: You are a liar. And Abu Bakr (ra) said: He is truthful. And he showed sympathy to me with his life and his wealth. So will you leave my companion alone for me or not?” He said it twice. After that Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) was never hurt again.
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Sahih al-Bukhari 3662
Mu'alla bin Asad narrated to us that Abdul Aziz bin Mukhtar told us. He said: Khalid Hadhdha narrated from Abu Uthman. He said: Hazrat Amr bin As (ra) narrated to me that the Prophet (saw) sent him as commander over the army of Dhat-us-Salasil, and I came to him. I said: Who among people is dearest to you? He said: “Aishah (ra).” I said: Among men? He said: “Her father.” I said: Then who? He said: “Then Umar bin Khattab (ra)”, and in the same way he counted several men.
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Sahih al-Bukhari 3663
Abul Yaman narrated to us. Shu'aib informed us that it is narrated from Zuhri. He said: Abu Salamah bin Abdur Rahman bin Auf told me that Hazrat Abu Hurairah (ra) said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (saw). He used to say: “While a shepherd was among his goats, a wolf attacked him and carried off one of the goats. The shepherd went after it, and the wolf turned to look at him and said: ‘Who will be its keeper in the time of the beasts of prey, the day when it will have no shepherd but me?’ And once a man was driving a cow along. He had loaded a burden on it. The cow turned to look at him and spoke to him, saying: ‘I was not created for this work; rather, I was created for tilling.’” The people said: Holy is Allah! The Prophet (saw) said: “I, Abu Bakr and Umar bin Khattab (ra) believe this.”
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Sahih al-Bukhari 3664
Abdan narrated to us that Abdullah (bin Mubarak) told us. He narrated from Yunus, and Yunus from Zuhri. He said: Ibn Musayyab told me that he heard Hazrat Abu Hurairah (ra). He used to say: I heard the Prophet (saw). He used to say: “Once while I was asleep, I saw myself at a well on which there was a bucket. I drew from that well as much water as Allah willed. Then Ibn Abi Quhafah (ra) took the bucket and drew out one or two buckets of water with it, and there was some weakness in his drawing, and Allah will cover that weakness of his and forgive him. Then the bucket became a huge leather bucket, and Ibn Khattab (ra) took it, and I have never seen among people so strong a man drawing out water as Umar (ra) drew it. He drew out so much that the people drank their fill and settled down in their resting places.”
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Sahih al-Bukhari 3665
Muhammad bin Muqatil narrated to us that Abdullah (bin Mubarak) told us, and Musa bin Uqbah informed us. He narrated from Salim bin Abdullah, and Salim from Hazrat Abdullah bin Umar (ra). He said: The Messenger of Allah (saw) said: “Whoever walks dragging his garment out of pride, Allah will not look at him on the Day of Resurrection.” Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) said: One side of my garment keeps slipping down unless I take particular care of it. The Messenger of Allah (saw) said: “You do not do it out of pride.” Musa (bin Uqbah) said: I asked Salim: Did Hazrat Abdullah (bin Umar) (ra) mention: whoever walks dragging his lower garment? He said: What I heard from him was: whoever (walks dragging) his garment.
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Sahih al-Bukhari 3666
Abul Yaman narrated to us. Shu'aib told us that it is narrated from Zuhri. He said: Humaid bin Abdur Rahman bin Auf told me that Hazrat Abu Hurairah (ra) said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (saw). He used to say: “Whoever gives a pair of anything in the way of Allah will be called from the gates of Paradise. (The angels will say:) ‘O servant of Allah! (Come this way.) This gate is good.’ Whoever is among those who pray will be called from the gate of Prayer. And whoever is among those who strive (Jihad) will be called from the gate of Jihad. And whoever is among those who give charity (Sadaqah) will be called from the gate of charity, and whoever is among those who fast will be called from the gate of fasting, whose name will be Rayyan.” On hearing this Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) said: The one who is called from these gates will have no further need. And he said: O Messenger of Allah (saw)! Will anyone be called from all these gates? He said: “Yes, I hope so. Abu Bakr! You too will be among these people.”
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Sahih al-Bukhari 3667
Isma'il bin Abdullah narrated to us that Sulaiman bin Bilal told us. He narrated from Hisham bin Urwah. He said: Urwah bin Zubair told me. He narrated from Hazrat Aishah (ra), the wife of the Prophet (saw), that the Messenger of Allah (saw) died while Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) was at Sunh. Isma'il said: that is, in the outskirts. On hearing this news Hazrat Umar (ra) stood up and said: By Allah! The Messenger of Allah (saw) has not died. Hazrat Aishah (ra) used to say: Hazrat Umar (ra) used to say: By Allah, this was the very thing that had come into my heart. And he said: Allah will most certainly raise him so that he may cut off the hands and feet of some men. Meanwhile Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) came and removed the cloth from the face of the Messenger of Allah (saw) and kissed him. He said: May my father and mother be sacrificed for you. You are pure and clean both in life and in death. By Him in Whose hand is my life, Allah will never make you taste two deaths. Saying this, Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) went out and said: O you who are swearing, be calm! When Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) began to speak, Hazrat Umar (ra) sat down.
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Sahih al-Bukhari 3668
Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) praised and glorified Allah and said: Listen! Whoever used to worship Muhammad (saw), let him hear that Muhammad (saw) has certainly died. And whoever used to worship Allah, let him remember that Allah is Living and will never die. And Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) recited this verse: ‘Surely thou wilt die, and surely they too will die.’ (Qur’an 39:31) Then he also recited this verse: ‘And Muhammad is only a Messenger. Verily, all Messengers have passed away before him. If then he dies or be slain, will you turn back on your heels? And he who turns back on his heels shall not harm Allah at all. And Allah will certainly reward the grateful.’ (Qur’an 3:145) Sulaiman used to say: On hearing this the people wept so much that they were sobbing. Sulaiman used to say: And the Ansar gathered with Hazrat Sa'd bin Ubadah (ra) in the house of the Banu Sa'idah and said: Let there be one leader (Amir) from us and one leader from you. Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra), Hazrat Umar bin Khattab (ra) and Hazrat Abu Ubaidah bin Jarrah (ra) went to them. Hazrat Umar (ra) began to speak. Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) silenced him. Hazrat Umar (ra) used to say: By Allah! I wanted to speak because I had prepared a speech which I liked very much. I feared that Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) would not be able to reach it, that is, would not be able to speak like that. Then after that Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) spoke, and he gave a speech which surpassed in eloquence the speeches of all people. In the course of his speech he said: We are the leaders and you are the ministers. Hearing this, Hubab bin Mundhir (ra) said: Certainly not. By Allah, certainly not! By Allah, we will not do this. There will be one leader from us and one leader from you. Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) said: No, rather we are the leaders and you are the ministers, for these people of Quraish are (in lineage) the highest of all the Arabs, and in noble descent they are the most ancient of the Arabs. So pledge allegiance (Bai'at) to Umar (ra) or Abu Ubaidah (ra). Hazrat Umar (ra) said: No, rather we will pledge allegiance to you, for you are our chief and the best of us and the dearest of us to the Messenger of Allah (saw). Saying this, Hazrat Umar (ra) took the hand of Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) and pledged allegiance to him, and the people too pledged allegiance to him. Someone said: You have killed Sa'd bin Ubadah (ra). At this Hazrat Umar (ra) said: Allah has killed him.
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