Sharh as-Sunnah : Lesson 55: Point 98
Shaykh Fawzan | Dawud Burbank [Audio|English]
Imaam Barbahaaree rahimahullaah said:
And acknowledge the rights of the Ansaar and the advice given by Allaah’s Messenger sallAllaahu `alayhi wa sallam concerning them and the family of the Messenger. Do not abuse them, acknowledge their virtue and their deeds of excellence. And acknowledge the virtue of his neighbours from the people of Al-Madinah.
Shaykh Fawzan’s Explanation:
His saying, “And acknowledge the virtue of the Ansaar,” from the tribes of the Aws and the Khazraj and the companions of Allaah’s Messenger sallAllaahu `alayhi wa sallam, the most excellent of the generations. They are the most excellent of the generations because of his saying:
“The best of you is my generation.”[1]
And because Allaah chose them to be companions of his Prophet Muhammad sallAllaahu `alayhi wa sallam and because they gave the Bay`ah (pledge) to the Messenger sallAllaahu `alayhi wa sallam and they fought Jihaad along with him and they carried the knowledge from him and conveyed it to mankind. So the sahaabah (companions) are the most excellent of the generations and no-one can catch them with respect to their virtue. He sallAllaahu `alayhi wa sallam said:
“Do not abuse my companions for by the One in whose Hand is my soul, if one of you were to spend in charity the like of Mount Uhud in gold, it would not reach the handsful of one of them nor even a half of it.”[2]
Meaning; if a person were to spend in charity with the like of the mountain of Uhud, it would not equal a handsful of barley, which was given by a companion. So this shows the virtue of the companions radiyAllaahu `anhum. So this is tremendous virtue, which must be acknowledged for them radiyAllaahu `anhum.
And Allaah, the Majestic and Most High, said:
وَالسَّابِقُونَ الْأَوَّلُونَ مِنَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ وَالْأَنصَارِ وَالَّذِينَ اتَّبَعُوهُم بِإِحْسَانٍ رَّضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَضُوا عَنْهُ وَأَعَدَّ لَهُمْ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي تَحْتَهَا الْأَنْهَارُ
And the first and foremost ones from the Muhaajireen and from the Ansaar and those who followed them upon good. Allaah is pleased with them and they are pleased with Him and He has prepared for them gardens in Paradise beneath which rivers flow. (Sooratut-Towbah (9), aayah 100)
And He, the Majestic and Most High, said:
لَّقَدْ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ إِذْ يُبَايِعُونَكَ تَحْتَ الشَّجَرَةِ فَعَلِمَ مَا فِي قُلُوبِهِمْ فَأَنزَلَ السَّكِينَةَ عَلَيْهِمْ وَأَثَابَهُمْ فَتْحًا قَرِيبًا
Allaah was pleased with the believers when they gave you the pledge beneath the tree. So, He knew what was in their hearts and He sent down tranquility upon them and He rewarded them with a victory close at hand. (Sooratul-Fath (48), aayah 18)
And He, the Most High, said:
مُّحَمَّدٌ رَّسُولُ اللَّهِ ۚ وَالَّذِينَ مَعَهُ أَشِدَّاءُ عَلَى الْكُفَّارِ رُحَمَاءُ بَيْنَهُمْ ۖ تَرَاهُمْ رُكَّعًا سُجَّدًا يَبْتَغُونَ فَضْلًا مِّنَ اللَّهِ وَرِضْوَانًا ۖ سِيمَاهُمْ فِي وُجُوهِهِم مِّنْ أَثَرِ السُّجُودِ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ مَثَلُهُمْ فِي التَّوْرَاةِ
Muhammad is the Messenger of Allaah and those who are with him are stern against the disbelievers, merciful amongst themselves. You will see them bowing and prostrating seeking bounty from Allaah and His pleasure. Their sign is upon their faces from the traces of prostration. That is their description in the Towraah. (Sooratul-Fath (48), aayah 29)
Meaning, their description in the Towraat.
وَمَثَلُهُمْ فِي الْإِنجِيلِ كَزَرْعٍ أَخْرَجَ شَطْأَهُ فَآزَرَهُ فَاسْتَغْلَظَ فَاسْتَوَىٰ عَلَىٰ سُوقِهِ يُعْجِبُ الزُّرَّاعَ لِيَغِيظَ بِهِمُ الْكُفَّارَ
And their description in the Injeel is that of a plant which sends out side-shoots, which support it so that it becomes firm and strong, upright upon its stalk; it pleases those who have planted it so that the disbelievers may become enraged at them. (Sooratul-Fath (48), aayah 29)
These aayahs are with regard to the companions radiyAllaahu `anhum, which shows their virtue and their status with Allaah and with His Messenger sallAllaahu `alayhi wa sallam and they have different levels of excellence amongst themselves.
So the four Khulafaa` (Caliphs); they are the most excellent ones from the companions, then the rest of the ten who are promised Paradise then, the Muhaajiroon because Allaah mentioned them first ahead of the Ansaar and because they (the Muhaajireen) left their homes and their wealth and their homelands for the sake of Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic and they migrated in Allaah’s cause. So they have excellence over the Ansaar. Then the Ansaar radiyAllaahu `anhum because they sheltered the Messenger and they gave shelter to the Muslims and supported them and they assisted them with their wealth and they lived in harmony along with them and they loved them.
And those who were present at Badr also, they have virtue and specific excellence and those who were present at the pledge of Ridwaan; Bay`atur-ridwaan. He, the Most High, said:
لَّقَدْ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ إِذْ يُبَايِعُونَكَ تَحْتَ الشَّجَرَةِ
Allaah was pleased with the believers when they gave you (Messenger sallAllaahu `alayhi wa sallam) the pledge beneath the tree. (Sooratul-Fath (48), aayah 18)
Then those who accepted Islaam before the Conquest are more excellent than those who accepted Islaam after the Conquest of Makkah. So they have different degrees of virtue amongst them. However, overall they are more excellent than others besides them from all generations until the Hour is established. No-one can match them.
His saying, “and the council given by Allaah’s Messenger sallAllaahu `alayhi wa sallam with regard to them,” meaning: the strong advice given by the Messenger sallAllaahu `alayhi wa sallam with regard to the Ansaar. He sallAllaahu `alayhi wa sallam said:
“No-one will love the Ansaar except for a believer and
no-one will hate them except for a hypocrite (munaafiq).”[3]
And his saying, “And his neighbours from the people of Al-Madinah; acknowledge their virtue.” Meaning, the person who lives in Al-Madinah and has patience with it, hoping for reward and he has patience upon its hardships, hoping for reward and is constant upon prayer in the mosque of the Messenger sallAllaahu `alayhi wa sallam, he will have reward for that. There is no doubt about it but as for the person who lives therein and he commits evil and he commits shirk along with Allaah, the Majestic and Most High, and he propagates innovations then his punishment will be multiplied for he sallAllaahu `alayhi wa sallam said:
“Whoever commits innovations in it or who gives shelter to an innovator then upon him will be the curse of Allaah and the angels and all of mankind.”[4]
Footnotes:
[1] Reported by Al-Bukhaariyy (3,650) and Muslim (2,535) from a hadeeth of `Imraan ibn al-Husayn radiyAllaahu `anhu.
[2] Reported by Al-Bukhaariyy (3,673) and Muslim in his Saheeh (2,541) from Aboo Sa`eed al-Khudriyy radiyAllaahu `anhu.
[3] Reported by Al-Bukhaariyy (3,783) and Muslim (75) from a hadeeth of Al-Baraa` radiyAllaahu `anhu.
[4] Reported by Al-Bukhaariyy (7,300) and Muslim (1,370) from a hadeeth of `Aliyy radiyAllaahu `anhu.
Translator’s side point: Briefly with regard to the explanation of Shaykh Ahmad an-Najmee rahimahullaah, then he said with regard to the point; “And his neighbours from the people of Al-Madinah; acknowledge their virtue.” What is meant by the neighbours here are those people who are not from the Ansaar (Aws and the Khazraj) nor were they from Quraysh but they were Muslims so they have the right of Islaam and they have virtue for their having patience upon the difficulties in Al-Madinah. So it is obligatory to acknowledge the virtue of the people of virtue and Allaah is the one who grants success.
That’s the end of the first of the 2 volumes.
Ithaaful-Qaaree bit-Ta`leeqaat `alaa Sharhis-Sunnah
(A Gift To The Reader In Annotation Of Sharh As-Sunnah)
by Shaykh Saalih ibn Fowzaan al-Fowzaan hafizahullaah
Translated by Aboo Talhah Daawood Burbank, rahimahullaah
Transcribed by Saima Zaher.
Posted with kind permission from Dawud Burbank rahimahullaah
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