First example – The Salafi belief that some of the Sahabah were adulterers and drunkards
Let us present the Salafi belief regarding the Sahaba from the pen of a revered Salafi Imam Imam Ibn Uthamin. In his book ‘Sharh al-Aqyda al-Tahawyia’ under the chapter ‘The stance of Ahlul Sunnah wal Jama’ah in relation to the Sahabah’ stated:
“There is no doubting that some of them stole, drank alcohol, launched a charge against chaste women, performed adultery whilst being married and performed adultery whilst being single, but all these are forgivable on account of their virtues and good deeds, and some of them were punished so as to purify them.”
Comment
It is really strange to see that on the one hand the Salafies believe that the Sahaba performed all of the above cited evil deeds but then seek solace by suggesting that the punishments some of them received coupled with good deeds will render their sins forgivable, in other words ‘the slate will be wiped clean’!
Second example – The Salafi belief that some of the Sahaba were Kaafirs
Imam of Wahabi cult Muhamad bin AbdulWahab records in Risala Kashf al-Shubahat, page 33:
“Allah declared that they were Kafir though they were living with Allah’s messenger (pbuh) and they were performing jihad with him, prayed, paid alms, fasted, performed pilgrimage, and ascribed to oneness”
Third example – Nasibi Hadith works on the kufr of the Sahaba
We read the following traditions in Sahih Bukhari:
Narrated ‘Abdullah:
The Prophet said, “I am your predecessor at the Lake-Fount”. ‘Abdullah added: The Prophet said, “I am your predecessor at the Lake-Fount, and some of you will be brought in front of me till I will see them and then they will be taken away from me and I will say, ‘O Lord, my companions!’ It will be said, ‘You do not know what they did after you had left.’
Sahih Bukhari, Volume 8 Hadith 578
Narrated Anas:
The Prophet said, “Some of my companions will come to me at my Lake Fount, and after I recognise them, they will then be taken away from me, whereupon I will say, ‘My companions!’ Then it will be said, ‘You do not know what they innovated (new things) in the religion after you.”
Sahih Bukhari, Volume 8 Hadith 584 (also Sahih Muslim, part 15, pp 53-54)
Narrated Abu Hazim from Sahl bin Sa’d:
The Prophet said, “I am your predecessor (forerunner) at the Lake-Fount, and whoever will pass by there, he will drink from it and whoever will drink from it, he will never be thirsty. There will come to me some people whom I will recognise, and they will recognise me, but a barrier will be placed between me and them.” Abu Hazim added: Nu’man bin Abi ‘Aiyash, on hearing me, said. “Did you hear this from Sahl?” I said, “Yes.” He said, ” I bear witness that I heard Abu Said al-Khudri saying the same, adding that the Prophet said: ‘I will say: They are my companions. Then it will be said to me, ‘You do not know what they innovated (new things) in the religion after you left’. I will say, ‘Far removed, far removed (from mercy), those who changed after me.” Abu Huraira narrated that the Prophet said, “On the Day of Resurrection a group of companions will come to me, but will be driven away from the Lake-Fount, and I will say, ‘O Lord (those are) my companions!’ It will be said, ‘You have no knowledge as to what they innovated after you left; they turned apostate as renegades (reverted from the true Islam)”
Sahih Bukhari, Volume 8 Hadith 585
Narrated Abu Huraira:
The Prophet said, “While I was sleeping, a group (of my followers were brought close to me), and when I recognised them, a man (an angel) came out from amongst (us) 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 APOSTATE as renegades after you left.’ Then behold! (Another) group (of my followers) were brought close to me, and when I recognised them, a man (an angel) came out from (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 APOSTATE as renegades after you left. So I did not see anyone of them escaping except a few who were like camels without a shepherd.”
Sahih Bukhari, Volume 8 Hadith 587
Comment
Faced with such explicit traditions the Nawasib often try to re-define Sahaba here, namely that the words don’t refer to the Sahaba per se but in fact refer to the Ummah as a whole throughout history (i.e. that the vast bulk of the Ummah will be in the fire). To counter this we suggest Nawasib check the Arabic it says the words “Sahaba”. We are yet to find any Arabic dictionary that states the word Sahaba has the connotation of ‘Ummah’.
Further proofs come from the wording of the traditions. In addition 8: 587 ‘They turned APOSTATE as renegades after you left.’ When you LEAVE somebody, you do so having already BEEN WITH THEM, (i.e. he had been amongst them). The words “after you left” clearly indicate that the group being referred to are those who survived the Prophet (S) i.e. the Sahaba. This is absolutely logical, when a parent dies, they leave behind them their children – they have survived their parents-they don’t leave behind all their descendants until the day of resurrection.
Moreover in tradition 8: 585 Rasulullah (s) says “There will come to me some people whom I will RECOGNIZE” and in 8: 587 “While I was sleeping, a group (of my followers were brought close to me), and when I RECOGNIZED them.” Now in both of these hadith our infallible Prophet (S) refers to a group “whom I will recognise” – I can only recognise someone if I have SEEN that person – common sense Rasulullah (s)’s surprise is because he is seeing those who he sat with (companions) being lead into the fire.
These authentic traditions make it clear that the vast bulk of Sahaba
(1) Innovated
(2) Became Kaffir
(3) Only a few will be saved from the fire!
These are the Sahaba who are kaffirs and yet the Shi’as are called kaffirs for repeating the words of the Prophet (s). If calling the Sahaba kaffir makes you one then this is the view espoused by your beloved Shaykh Bukhari.
Fourth example – The Prophet (s) cited the existence of twelve hypocrites in the shape of the Sahaba
We read in Sahih Muslim, Book 038, Number 6688:
Qais reported: I said to ‘Ammar: What is your opinion about that which you have done in case (of your siding with Hadrat ‘Ali)? Is it your personal opinion or something you got from Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him)? ‘Ammar said: We have got nothing from Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) which people at large did not get, but Hudhaifa told me that Allah’s Apostle (may peace be upon him) had especially told him amongst his Companions, that there would be twelve hypocrites out of whom eight would not get into Paradise, until a camel would be able to pass through the needle hole. The ulcer would be itself sufficient (to kill) eight. So far as four are concerned, I do not remember what Shu’ba said about them.
Comment
Nawasib vigorously argue that there is a distinction between a Sahabi and a Munafiq. They insist that Sahaba are believers and Munafiqeen are not, that is the end of the matter. We suggest that they mull over the testimony of Ammar (ra) who said: ‘Allah’s Apostle (may peace be upon him) had especially told him amongst his Companions, that there would be twelve hypocrites’. As we can see hypocrites were placed within the same category as the Sahaba. This reference proves that not all those that sat in the midst of the Prophet (s) were true believers. They may all have been Sahaba due to their sitting in the company of the Prophet, but this included believers and hypocrites, twelve of whom the Prophet (s) made a special reference to. When the Prophet (s) refers to hypocrites as Companions what is the legal basis upon which these Nawasib assert that all the Sahaba were believers and should be afforded respect?
The fact is there existed in the midst of the Prophet (s) individuals who were prima facie Sahaba as they sat in the midst of Rasulullah (s) but their hearts were not pure they were not true believers, we for example know that Hudhayfa had the moniker “the possessor of the secret of the Prophet (s)” since he knew the identities of those hypocrites who whilst outwardly Muslims that sat in the presence of the Prophet, tried to assassinate him upon his return from Tabuk. People had assumed they were Sahaba, and indeed continued to so, such was the uncertainly over who these persons that Umar would revert to Hudhayfa before offering funeral prayers. Ibn Imad al-Hanbali in his book ‘Shadraat al-Dhahab fi Akhbaar min Dhahab’ Volume 1 page 209:
وتوفي في تلك السنة حذيفة بن اليمان العبسي صاحب السر المكنون في تمييز المنافقين ولذلك كان عمر لا يصلي على ميت حتى يصلي عليه حذيفة يحشى أن يكون من المنافقين
In that year Hudhayfa bin al-Yamaan al-Absi died, the one who had the ability to distinguish the hypocrites, which is hence why Umar would not offer his prayers over the deceased until Hudhayfa prayed over him as he was fearful that the deceased might be a hypocrite.
Shadraat al-Dhahab, Volume 1 page 209
Fifth example – The Salafi belief inferring that the majority of the Sahaba and Tabayeen were hypocrites and Kafirs
All Muslims are aware of the prophetic traditions according to which one that hates or fights Ali bin Abi Talib (as) is hypocrite and Kaafir. Keeping this in mind let us present the testimony of the Imam of the Salafies Ibn Tamiyah that in effect places the majority of the Sahaba and Tabayeen (who they describe as the ‘Salaf Saliheen’) were hypocrites and infidels. Ibn Tamiyah wrote:
“Verily plenty of Sahaba and Tabayeen used to hate, abuse and fight against Ali.”
Minhaj al Sunnah, Volume 7, page 137-138
Comment
When the Prophet stated that a sign of hypocrisy was hatred of Imam Ali (as), why do Nawasib refuse to deem those that hated Ali (as) to be Munafiqs? If many Sahaba hated Imam Ali (as) why don’t the Ahle Sunnah disassociate themselves from these deviant individuals? On the one hand the Salafis insist on being described as Ahle Sunnah, and on the other hand they are prepared to ignore the Fatwa of the Prophet (s) against those that hare Ali (as). Rather than hate those that hate Ali (as), you will see Nawasib bring such people close to their hearts, hatred of Ali (as) is not frowned upon, on the contrary there status as Sahabi exempts them from the words of Muhammad (s), such men should not be cursed they should be praised and given the epithet (ra).
Sixth example – The Sunni belief that some of the Sahabah went astray and became Fasiq
Imam Saaduddin Taftazni records in In Sharh al Maqasid, Volume 2 page 306 Allamah:
The battles (between the Sahaba) as its recorded in history books & narrated by reliable narrators serve as proof that some companions left the right path and became Zaalim and Fasiq because they became affected by jealousy, hatred, stubbornness, a desire for power and indulgence because the companions were not infallible , nor was every individual that saw Rasulullah (s), good”.
Sharh al-Maqasid Volume 2 page 306
Seventh example – Nasibi belief that some of the Sahaba issued takfeer against one another
Imam Dhahabi stated in his book Marifat al-Ruwah, page 4:
“Some of the Sahaba issued Takfeer against one another”
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