A SHI'ITE VIEW OF THE COMPANIONS
The topic in this article is how the Shia view the companions of the
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HF). In this part we shall look at Allah's (SWT)
opinion, as stated in the Quran, with regards to the
companions as well as
the Prophet's (PBUH&HF) opinion through authentic Sunni traditions.
============
Introduction
============
The Shia do not have a unique opinion towards the companions of the
Prophet. Based on the relative authenticity and interpretations of the
transmitted traditions, some arrive at different
conclusions for the second
faction of the companions mentioned below. Which tradition is more
authentic and what is its correct meaning, is something debatable. However,
here, I provide what is considered to be a typical Shi'ite position in this
regard.
The Shia divide the companions into three factions: First, are those who
believed in Allah (SWT), believed in the Prophet (PBUH&HF), and gave all
they could for the sake of Islam. These are the highest in rank. These
companions ALWAYS supported the Prophet and were WITH him. They never
disobeyed him in every other issue, nor did they ever accused him of
talking non-sense! (may Allah protect us). Examples include, but are not
limited to, Ali Ibn Abi Talib (AS), Abu Dhar al-Ghifari, Salman al-Farsi,
Miqdad, Amar Ibn Yasir, Jabir Ibn Abdillah al-Ansari, ... may Allah (SWT)
be pleased with them.
The second group, are those who were Muslims, but were not
sincere in
their acts.
The third group, are those who became apostate after the death of Prophet
as al-Bukhari recorded (see below), or those who neither believed in Allah
(SWT), nor the Prophet (PBUH&HF) in the first place, but managed to
infiltrate the Islamic isles to be included among the Muslims. These are
the hypocrites, like Abu Sufyan, his son Muawiyah, and his grandson Yazid.
Yazid, when he became caliph, said:
"Hashimite played with the throne, but no revelation was revealed, nor
was there a true message!!!"
Sunni references:
- History of al-Tabari, Arabic, 13, p2174
- Tadhkirat al-Khawas, Sibt Ibn al-Jawzi al-Hanafi, p261
"Hashimite" is the clan and tribe of the Prophet (PBUH&HF), and this is an
intentional pun suggesting that the Prophet (PBUH&HF) was a liar, not a
true prophet. The "throne (sovereignty)" is an allusion to the control of
the affairs of
Mecca and the entire region, meaning that the tribe of
Hashim controlled the entire region by virtue of the Message of Islam and
that Muhammad (PBUH&HF) is the chosen Prophet, but really there was no
revelation and there was no message!!! That is Yazid's opinion of Allah
(SWT), Islam, and the Prophet (PBUH&HF). His father, Muawiyah, and his
grandfather, Abu Sufyan, were no better. At the beginning the reign of
Uthman when Umayad occupied the prominent positions, Abu Sufayn said:
"O Children of Umayyah! Now that this kingdom has come to you, play
with it as the children play with a ball, and pass it from one to
another in your clan. We are not sure whether there is a paradise or
hell, but this kingdom is a reality."
Sunni references:
- al-Isti'ab, by Ibn Abd al-Barr, v4, p1679
- Sharh Ibn Abil Hadid, v9, p53 which quotes the last sentence as follows:
"By him in whose name
Abu Sufyan swears, there is neither punishment nor
reckoning, neither Garden nor Fire, neither Resurrection nor Day of
Judgment!"
Then Abu Syfyan went to Uhud and kicked at the grave of Hamza (the uncle of
the Prophet who was martyred in the Battle of Uhud in fighting against Abu
Sufyan) and said: "O Abu Ya'la! See that the kingdom which you fought
against has finally come back to us." (Sharh Ibn Abil Hadid, v16, p136).
Now let us see what his son, Muawiyah, said when he took over the
Caliphate:
"I didn't fight you to pray, fast, and pay charity, but rather to be
your leader and control you!!!"
This is an indication that Muawiyah never cared about any of Islam's
mandates, nor Allah's (SWT) orders; rather his war was politically
motivated to gain control of the whole region and take over the Caliphate.
It is no wonder or surprise! Muawiyah poisoned Imam al-Hasan (AS), the
greater
son of Fatimah (AS) -- the daughter of the Prophet (PBUH&HF).
Sunni references:
- Tadhkirat al-Khawas, Sibt Ibn al-Jawzi al-Hanafi, pp 191-194
- Ibn Abd al-Barr, in his "Seera"
- Abu Nu'aym
- Also reported by the traditionists such as al-Suddi and al-Sha'bi.
Then Yazid, the Muawiyah's son, slaughtered Imam al-Husain (AS), in the
desert of Karbala in Iraq, and ordered that Imam al-Husain's (AS) head be
carried on a spear and displayed in towns for people to see it! May Allah
avenge the Prophet's family!!! May Allah avenge the Prophet's family!!!
May Allah avenge the Prophet's (PBUH&HF) family!!!
==============
The Holy Quran
==============
Now let us look at the Holy Quran for different categories:
The first faction of the companions are characterized by Allah (SWT) in
this verse:
"Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah; and those who are with him are
strong against
the unbelievers, (but) compassionate amongst each
other. Thou wilt see them bow and prostrate themselves (in prayer),
seeking Grace from Allah and (His) Good Pleasure. On their faces are
their marks, (being) the traces of their prostration. This is their
similitude in the Taurat (Torah); And their similitude in the Gospel
is: Like a seed which sends forth its blade, then makes it strong; it
then becomes thick, and it stands on its own stem, (filling) the
sowers with wonder and delight. As a result, it fills the Unbelievers
with rage at them. Allah has promised those among them who believe
and do righteous deeds Forgiveness, and a great Reward. [48:29]"
These companions (May Allah (SWT) be Pleased With Them), the Shia and the
Sunnis have NO quarrel about. As such, they will not be discussed here.
However, note what Allah (SWT) in His (SWT) infinite wisdom states in
the
last line: "Allah has promised those among them who believe and do
righteous deeds Forgiveness, and a great Reward." Now, note "...those
among them..." Why didn't Allah (SWT) say "Allah has promised ALL OF
THEM?" Because not all of them were righteous! That's what the Shia are
trying to convey to the world! The Sunnis, whenever they bless the Prophet
(PBUH&HF), they also bless ALL the companions, with NO exception. Why did
Allah (SWT), their Creator (SWT), make an exception, while the Sunni
Muslims don't? This is a sign for those who reflect...
Moreover, the verse specifies those who were WITH the Prophet, which means
those who were obedient to him and did not oppose/discredit him. Certainly
the hypocrites walked with the Prophet and used to attach themselves to
him, yet NO Muslim ever entitle them to the above verse which states "those
who were WITH him".
As for the second faction of the
companions, Allah (SWT) said:
"O ye who believe! What is the matter with you, that when ye are asked
to go forth in the Cause of Allah, ye cling heavily to the earth? Do
ye prefer the life of this world to the Hereafter? But little is the
comfort of this life, as compared with the Hereafter. Unless ye go
forth, He will punish you with a grievous penalty, and put others in
your place; But Him ye would not harm in the least, For Allah hath
power over all things."[9:38-39]
This is a clear indication that some of the companions were lazy during the
call to Jihad and other activities, and, thus, deserved the above reprimand
by Allah (SWT). This is not the only instance where Allah (SWT) threatened
to replace them:
"... If you turn back (from the path), He will substitute in your
stead another people; then they would not be like you! [47:38]"
Could you tell
me Who Allah is referring by "you" in the above verse? Allah
also said:
"O you who believe! Do not raise your voices above the voice of
prophet ... lest your deeds become null while you do not perceive."
(Quran 49:2).
Authentic Sunni traditions confirm that there have been some companions who
used to oppose the Prophet's order and quarrel with him in several
occasions:
a) There was the issue of the captives of the battle "Badr" that the
Prophet ordered their freedom for payment of the ransom money (Fidyah),
and these companions went against it.
b) There was the battle of "Tabook" that the Prophet ordered to slaughter
the camels, to save their lives, and the same people went against it.
c) There was the treaty of "Hudabiyyah" that the Prophet wanted to make
peace with people of Mecca, and the very same companions went against it
and they even cast doubt about
the prophethood of Muhammad (PBUH&HF).
d) There was the battle of "Hunain" where they accused the Prophet of
injustice in distributing the war booty.
e) There was the appointment of "Usamah Ibn Zayd" who was assigned as the
leader of Islamic army by the Prophet, and these companions disobeyed
the order to follow him.
f) There was a tragic Thursday when the Messenger of Allah wanted to state
his will, and the very same companions accused him of talking non-sense
and prevented him to do so.
And there are many more of such reports which can be even found in Sahih al-
Bukhari.
As for the third faction of the companions, there is a whole chapter in the
holy Quran addressing them: "al-Munafiqun --The Hypocrites -- Ch. 63", and
beside that there are many other verses in this regard as well. Allah (SWT)
states in the Quran:
"Muhammad is no more than a Messenger: many
were the Messengers that
passed away before him. If he died or were slain, will ye then turn
back on your heels? If any did turn back on his heels, not the least
harm will he do to Allah; But Allah (on the other hand) will swiftly
reward those who (serve Him) with gratitude. [3:144]"
This verse was revealed when some of the companions ran away from the
battle of Uhud, when they falsely heard that Prophet was killed. Although
they were forgiven by Prophet later, but the above verse gives a
possibility that some of the companions may abandon Islam if the Prophet
(PBUH&HF) dies. But Allah (SWT) makes exceptions: "...those who (serve Him)
with gratitude." Again, Allah (SWT) states:
"O ye who believe! If any from among you turn back from his faith,
soon will Allah produce a people whom He will love as they will love
Him, --Lowly with the Believers, Mighty against the
Rejecters,
fighting in the way of Allah, and never afraid of the reproaches of
such as find fault. That is the Grace of Allah, which He will bestow
on whom He pleaseth. And Allah encompasseth all, And He knoweth all
things. [5:54]"
========================
The Authentic Traditions
========================
Before giving more straightforward verses from Quran for this third group,
let me give you some traditions from Sahih al-Bukhari which confirms
apostasy for them. Since al-Bukhari has CONFIRMED the authenticity of the
following tradition, I hope you do not consider him a "Kafir" after reading
these traditions.
NOTE: As usual, the numbers match the Arabic-English
version of Sahih al-Bukhari which is available in almost
every places. The first number before the point indicates
the volume number, and the number after the point
indicates the tradition number (NOT the page number). For
example Hadith 8.578 indicates volume 8, tradition #578.
Sahih al-Bukhari Hadith: 8.578
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 al-Bukhari Hadith: 8.584
Narrated Anas:
The Prophet said, "Some of my companions will come to me at my Lake
Fount, and after I recognize 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." (also Sahih Muslim, part 15, pp 53-54)
Sahih al-Bukhari Hadith: 8.585
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 recognize, and they will recognize 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 al-Bukhari Hadith: 8.586
Narrated Ibn al-Musaiyab:
"Some men from my companions will come to my Lake-Fount and they will
be driven away from it, and I will say, 'O Lord, my companions!' It
will be said, 'You have no knowledge of what they innovated after you
left: they turned APOSTATE as
renegades (reverted from true Islam)."
(also Sahih Muslim, part 10, p64, also P59)
Here is the original Arabic text of above Hadith (8.586) of al-Bukhari:
| | | | . || |
_,|_7,_p | . _o | |_7 _p q_7_|| _|_c > _,
(_S. (_) (_| . / (_/ / (_S /:
| | | | : | . . | .
_,|_7,_p | .__, |_, | q_o |_9 4_,_c . q_|_7_,_9
(_S. . / : (_| / (_) / :
/ | ^ | | / | | | | /. | | : .
(_) ]_e_, |q_, ]_7 | |_o_, (_)_| o_|_c |_| (_)_, | | q_o_,_9
. / . ( (_| / :
: : || | | | | : | . |
_o_8_o_|| o_8 |_, > | _|_c |q ]_, | o_8_,
|
(_S / ( / . (_S / / (
^^^^^^^^^^^
Sahih Bukhari Hadith: 8.587
Narrated Abu Huraira:
The Prophet said, "While I was sleeping, a group (of my followers were
brought close to me), and when I recognized 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 recognized 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 al-Bukhari Hadith: 8.592
Narrated Asma 'bint Abu Bakr:
The Prophet said, "I will be standing at the Lake-Fount so that I will
see whom among you will come to me; and some people will be taken away
from me, and I will say, 'O Lord, (they are) from me and from my
followers.' Then it will be said, 'Did you notice what they did after
you? By Allah, they kept on turning on their heels (turned away from
true Islam).' " The sub-narrator, Ibn Abi Mulaika said, "O Allah, we
seek refuge with You from turning on our heels, or being put to trial
in our religion."
Sahih al-Bukhari Hadith: 9.172
Narrated Asma':
The Prophet said, "I will be at my Lake-Fount (Kauthar) waiting for
whoever will come to me. Then some people will be
taken away from me
whereupon I will say, 'My followers!' It will be said, 'You do not
know they turned APOSTATES as renegades (deserted their religion).'"
(Ibn Abi Mulaika said, "Allah, we seek refuge with You from turning on
our heels from the (Islamic) religion and from being put to trial").
Sahih al-Bukhari Hadith: 9.173
Narrated 'Abdullah:
The Prophet said, "I am your predecessor at the Lake-Fount (Kauthar)
and some men amongst you will be brought to me, and when I will try to
hand them some water, they will be pulled away from me by force
whereupon I will say, 'O Lord, my companions!' Then the Almighty will
say, 'You do not know what they did after you left, they introduced
new things into the religion after you.'" ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Sahih al-Bukhari Hadith: 9.174
Narrated Sahl bin
Sa'd:
I heard the Prophet saying, "I am your predecessor at the Lake-Fount
(Kauthar), and whoever will come to it, will drink from it, and
whoever will drink from it, will never become thirsty after that.
There will come to me some people whom I know and they know me, and
then a barrier will be set up between me and them." Abu Sa'id al-
Khudri added that the Prophet further said: "I will say those people
are from me. It will be said, 'You do not know what changes and new
things they did after you.' Then I will say, 'Far removed (from
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
mercy), far removed (from mercy), those who changed after me!' "
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Sahih al-Bukhari Hadith: 8.434
Narrated 'Uqba bin 'Amir:
The Prophet went out and offered the funeral prayer for the
martyrs of
the (battle of) Uhud and then ascended the pulpit and said, "I am your
predecessor and I am a witness against you. By Allah, I am now looking
at my Tank-lake (Al-Kauthar) and I have been given the keys of the
treasures of the earth (or the keys of the earth). By Allah! I am not
afraid that you become polytheist after me, but I am afraid that you
will start competing for it (i.e., the pleasures and treasures of this
world).
| / ^ : | / | .| .| | | || . |
]_e_, |q_) _w_, . | o_)_,_|_c .__9|_7| |_o 4_|_|| q _, |
(_S . / / (_) ( : / (_S
| . | . |. : | / | .| .| . / |
|_8_,_9 |q_w_9 |_,_, . | o_)_,_|_c .__9|_7| _,_)_| q
: / (_) ( : (_S
/
Sahih al-Bukhari Hadith: 3.555
Narrated Abu Huraira:
The Prophet said, "By Him in Whose Hands my soul is, I will drive some
people out from my (sacred) Fount on the Day of Resurrection as
strange camels are expelled from a private trough."
Sahih al-Bukhari Hadith: 4.375
Narrated Anas bin Malik:
... The Prophet said to the Ansar: "You will find after me some great
selfishness (UTHRAH). Then be patient till you meet Allah and meet His
Apostle at al-Kauthar (i.e. a fount in Paradise)." (Anas added:) But
we did not remain patient.
Note: In English translation of Sahih al-Bukhari 'Uthrah' (selfishness) has
been translated to another word, but the rest are the same.
Sahih al-Bukhari Hadith: 5.488
Narrated al-Musaiyab:
I met al-Bara bin 'Azib and said (to him). "May you live prosperously!
You enjoyed the company of the
Prophet and gave him the Pledge of
allegiance (of al-Hudaibiya) under the Tree (of al-Hudaybiyah)." On
that, al-Bara' said, "O my nephew! You do not know what we have done
after him (i.e. his death)."
=========
These traditions, nonetheless, indicate the Prophet's (PBUH&HF) knowledge
and awareness that some of his companions will change after him (PBUH&HF),
and, therefore, will be condemned to hell. This is another reason why the
Shia maintain that the Prophet (PBUH&HF) MUST have had a special vicegerent
to trust the affairs of the Ummah (Nation) to -- a vicegerent that will NOT
mutilate the religion and will remain steadfast until he meets his Creator
(SWT).
It is a known fact that the companions quarreled after the death of the
Prophet (PBUH&HF), and wars were waged. The fact, again and again, that
the companions were divided is illuminated by Allah (SWT) in the
following
verse:
"Let there be among you an Ummah inviting to all that is good,
enjoining what is right, and forbidding what is wrong. They are
the ones to attain felicity. Be not like those who are divided
amongst themselves and fall into disputations after receiving Clear
Signs: For them is a dreadful Chastisement. On the Day when some faces
will be (lit up with) white, and some faces will be (in the gloom of)
black: To those whose faces will be black, (will be said): Did ye
reject Faith after accepting it? Taste then the Chastisement for
rejecting Faith." [3:104-106]
The above verse shows among the companion there were a group (Ummah) who
will remain righteous. The verse emphasizes that this Ummah is AMONG THEM
so it does not cover all of them. However. the latter part the verse
describes the thrid group who were apostatized (turned back on)
their
faith after the Prophet (PBUH&HF) died. The verse indicates that on the
Day of Judgment, there will be two factions: one with white-lit faces, and
the other with black-lit faces; that's another hint that the companions
will be divided.
Here are some more verses from the Quran that address the third group of
companions and their actions:
"They swear by Allah that they said nothing (evil), but indeed they
uttered blasphemy, and they uttered it after accepting Islam: and they
meditated a plot which they were unable to carry out: this revenge of
theirs was (their) only return for the bounty with which Allah and His
Messenger had enriched them! If they repent, it will be best for them:
But if they turn back (to their evil ways), Allah will punish them
with a grievous chastisement in this life and in the Hereafter: They
shall have none on earth to protect or
help them. [9:74]"
"So He hath put as a consequence hypocrisy into their hearts, (to
last) till the Day whereon they shall meet Him: because they broke
their Covenant with Allah, and because they lied (again and again).
[9:77]"
"The Arabs are the worst in unbelief and hypocrisy, and most fitted
to be in ignorance of the command which Allah hath sent down to His
Messenger: But Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise. [9:97]"
"Hast thou not turned thy thought to those who declare that they
believe in the revelations that have come to thee and to those before
thee? Their (real) wish is to resort together for judgment (in their
disputes) to the Evil (Tagut) though they were ordered to reject him.
But Satan's wish is to lead them astray far away (from the Right).
[4:60]"
"In their hearts is a disease; and Allah has increased their
disease:
And grievous is the chastisement they (incur), because they lied (to
themselves). [2:10]"
Now let us look at the following verse:
"Has not the time arrived for the Believers that their hearts in all
humility should engage in the remembrance of Allah and of the Truth
which has been revealed (to them), and that they should not become
like those to whom was given The Book aforetime, but long ages passed
over them and their hearts grew hard? For many among them are
rebellious transgressors. [57:16]"
There may be some translations which state that the above verse is meant to
address the Jews and the Christians. That is not true, because it
contradicts the verse itself. First, Allah (SWT) is addressing the
companions and THEN comparing them to the Jews and the Christians. How
then could it be that Allah (SWT) tells the Jews and the Christians: "Has
not
the time arrived for the Believers that their hearts in all humility
should engage in the remembrance of Allah..." and then tell them: "...and
that they should not become like those to whom was given The Book
aforetime..." Why would Allah (SWT) compare the Christians (or the Jews)
to themselves? Does that make sense? No, and Allah (SWT) doesn't
contradict Himself (SWT). Rather, the verse was revealed as a questioning
by Allah (SWT) regarding some of the the Muhajiroon (the Immigrants), who
17 years after the Quran was revealed, had still not fully believed in
their HEARTS. Allah (SWT), as a result, showed disapproval. Again, at the
end, Allah points out that among them are many rebellious transgressors.
=========
As we mentioned, there are some verses in Quran which admired the first
faction among the companions. Nevertheless, these verses do not include ALL
the companions. Quran often uses the phrase
"believers among them" or
"those who preceded in belief among them" which shows it does not address
the whole companions. In fact some hypocrites were among the companions.
If hypocrites were known among the companions they would be no longer
hypocrites and would become known enemy.
Moreover, when Allah states I WAS pleased with them till today, it does not
imply that they will also be good tomorrow. It is inconceivable that Allah
will give a permanent immunity to some people who supposedly have done some
good things earlier, but they shed the blood of thousands of innocent
Muslims later after the departure of Prophet. If it were so, it would mean
that a companion could cancel all the Quranic rules and the instructions
of the Prophet. However, as I mentioned, Shia do not discredit all the
companions. There were companions who are in great respect for us. These
are those whom Allah admired in the Holy Quran. As
you might have noticed,
those verses in the Holy Quran do not include all the companions. When
Allah states:
9:100 And those who preceded (in belief), FROM AMONG Immigrants and
Helpers and those who followed them in what was good, Allah * WAS *
satisfied with them; He has prepared for them gardens under which
rivers flow to dwell therein for ever. That is the great felicity.
9:101 And (however) among the ARABS AROUND YOU ARE HYPOCRITES, and
also among the people of Madina (there are some who) persist
in hypocrisy whom you (O Muhammad) DO NOT KNOW. We, We know
them, and We shall punish them twice; then they will be sent to
a painful doom.
The above verses show that:
1- Allah WAS satisfied with them, but may not be applicable later.
2- Allah addressing those who preceded in belief from among them, thus
it means He is not
addressing all of the companions.
3- Immediately in the next verse, Allah talks about the hypocrites
arround Prophet who pretend to be his sincere companions and even
Prophet does not know them according to the above verse. This is in
conformity with the traditions of Sahih al-Bukhari mentioned above
that Allah will say to His Prophet that "You do not know what these
companions have done after you left them."
Of course, there are verses in Quran in which Allah uses past tense verb,
but it is intended as present and/or future tense verb. However it is not
always the case. There are many verses in Quran in which Allah clearly
states that He changes His decisions in time based on our actions at each
instant of time. Allah is not in the domain of time, but He has ability
to change his decision in the dimension of time. Of course He previously
know what He will to change later,
and He has the foreknowledge of every
thing. He does not treat a believer in a bad manner today, even though
He knows that this believer will become apostate tomorrow.
To clarify this point, please see verses of Quran such as 8:65-66, 7:153,
16:110, 16:119, 13:11, in which Allah clearly states He changes His
decision based on our behavior. You can locate many verses like these in
Quran.
Thus Allah's judgment about human beings changes in time according to our
actions. If we do something good, He will get please with us, and then if
we do something bad, He gets angry from us, and so on. Companions are not
exempt from this rule. Any body who does good deeds, Allah was pleased
with him, no matter if he was companion or not.
Allah is JUST. He does not discriminate between companion and others who
live at this time. No body is guaranteed to go to paradise if he or she
does wrong things, kills
innocents,... . Otherwise Allah is not just.
Allah states in Quran that "Every body is responsible for what he has
done." (Quran 74:38).
Allah Also states: "Fulfill your propmise, so that I fullfill My Promise."
(Quran 2:40). Thus even if we assume for the sake of argument that the
verse 9:100 implies "all" the companions have been promised Paradise,
the verse 2:40 clearly states that if those people break their convenant
after the death of the messenger of Allah and kill innocents, then Allah
will not fulfill His promise for them either.
Let us also look at the following Quranic verses which clearly shows that
even a person with high virtues who deserves paradise, can BURN OUT all his
good deeds (Habt of Amal) at once! So never judge people for their early
good work (if any!). We should always look at the final result of each
person. Even prophet didn't know what will be his destiny till he died
(i.e.,
till he passed his final exam!) because he had freedom to do wrong
things too.
Allah said: "(O Prophet) If you ascribe a partner to Allah, your work will
BURN OUT, and you will be among the losers." (Quran 39:65)
If prophet's deeds are in danger of BURNING, it is clear how to judge for
the companions. Of course prophet did not burn out his deeds, but there was
potential of danger of burning for him too.
Allah also said: "And if any of you turn back from their faith and die in
disbelief, their works BURN OUT and will be of no use in this world and
Hereafter, and they will be companions of Fire for ever." (Quran 2:217)
He, Exalted, also said: "Those who become unbeliever after they have been
believer, and grow violent in disbelief, their repentance will not be
accepted and such people are those who go astray." (Quran 3:90)
He also said: "On that day (Doomsday) some faces will be bright and
some
faces will be dark. To those whose faces will be dark (will be said:) Did
you reject faith after accepting it? Taste the penalty for rejecting
faith!" (Quran 3:106)
Allah also said: "Those who believe, then reject faith, then believe
(again), and then reject faith (again) and go on in disbelief, Allah will
not forgive them nor guide them on the way." (Quran 4:137)
So it is quite possible for a believer whom Allah is satisfied with him,
to become unbeliever tomorrow. Otherwise if somebody is promised that
Allah is satisfied with him for ever and unconditionally (no mater he
kills innocents or does any other wrong thing later), then it means that he
is no longer under the test of Allah, which is in contradiction with several verses of Quran.
