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The Sahaaba and the Qur’aan
~ Ustaadh Yahya Raaby حفظه الله
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
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Allah revealed the Qur’aan to us; so that we take lessons from it, implement it in our lives, reflect upon it and live our lives by it.
Allah says in Surah Sad, ayah 29
كِتَابٌ أَنْزَلْنَاهُ إِلَيْكَ مُبَارَكٌ لِيَدَّبَّرُوا آيَاتِهِ وَلِيَتَذَكَّرَ أُولُو الْأَلْبَابِ
[This is] a blessed Book which We have revealed to you, [O Muhammad], that they might reflect upon its verses and that those of understanding would be reminded.
The sahaabah were these people - people of understanding. Their hearts and minds رضي الله عنهم أجمعين were connected to the book of Allah.
‘Abdallah as Sulami narrates that the sahaabah of the messenger ﷺ would not go past 10 verses of the book of Allah, except that they would learn, memorise, understand and implement these verses.
They were people who were attached to the Qur’aan, and Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى praised them in many places in His book:
Surah Fath, ayah 18
لَقَدْ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ إِذْ يُبَايِعُونَكَ تَحْتَ الشَّجَرَةِ فَعَلِمَ مَا فِي قُلُوبِهِمْ فَأَنْزَلَ السَّكِينَةَ عَلَيْهِمْ وَأَثَابَهُمْ فَتْحًا قَرِيبًا
Certainly was Allah pleased with the believers when they pledged allegiance to you, [O Muhammad], under the tree, and He knew what was in their hearts, so He sent down tranquillity upon them and rewarded them with an imminent conquest
And in ayah 29…
مُحَمَّدٌ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ۚ وَالَّذِينَ مَعَهُ أَشِدَّاءُ عَلَى الْكُفَّارِ رُحَمَاءُ بَيْنَهُمْ ۖ تَرَاهُمْ رُكَّعًا سُجَّدًا يَبْتَغُونَ فَضْلًا مِنَ اللَّهِ وَرِضْوَانًا ۖ سِيمَاهُمْ فِي وُجُوهِهِمْ مِنْ أَثَرِ السُّجُودِ ۚ
Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah ; and those with him are forceful against the disbelievers, merciful among themselves. You see them bowing and prostrating [in prayer], seeking bounty from Allah and [His] pleasure. Their mark is on their faces from the trace of prostration.
And there are many sahaabah that Allah praised individually in the Qur’aan:
Abu Bakr as Siddique رضي الله عنه
He gave his wealth for the sake of Islaam, he aided the Da’wah with his wealth and Allah mentioned him in the Qur’aan:
Surah Layl, ayah 17-21
وَسَيُجَنَّبُهَا الْأَتْقَى الَّذِي يُؤْتِي مَالَهُ يَتَزَكَّىٰ وَمَا لِأَحَدٍ عِنْدَهُ مِنْ نِعْمَةٍ تُجْزَىٰ إِلَّا ابْتِغَاءَ وَجْهِ رَبِّهِ الْأَعْلَىٰ وَلَسَوْفَ يَرْضَىٰ
“But the righteous one will avoid it -
[He] who gives [from] his wealth to purify himself.
And not [giving] for anyone who has [done him] a favour to be rewarded.
But only seeking the countenance of his Lord, Most High.
And he is going to be satisfied.”
Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه was honoured to accompany the messenger of Allah ﷺ in his migration. Before the migration, the Prophet ﷺ went to Abu Bakr, and he informed him that Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى had granted him permission to perform hijrah, so Abu Bakr asked the messenger if he could accompany him. The Messenger ﷺ allowed him to, and he cried out of joy.
In this migration, he aided the Prophet.
Madinah is the north of Makkah, however the prophet and Abu Bakr went to the south first so that Quraysh wouldn’t follow them. They hid in a cave and whilst they were sitting, the messenger ﷺ fell asleep on the lap of Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه.
Whilst the prophet was sleeping, Abu bakr stuck his feet and hands in the holes of the cave so that nothing comes out to harm the messenger whilst he’s sleeping.
As Abu bakr was sitting there with the Messenger of Allah asleep on his lap, he was bitten by a scorpion and was in agony. However he didn’t move or do anything to wake the prophet but the tear that dropped from his eye fell on to the messenger and woke him up ﷺ.
The prophet ﷺ said to him: “Why did you not wake me?” He replied, “O messenger of Allah I did not want to wake you”
Look at the great mercy he had towards the Messenger of Allah…
Sa’ad ibn Abi Waqqas رضي الله عنه
Verses were revealed because of him.
When he accepted Islaam رضي الله عنه , his mother tried to force him to leave the religion, and he loves his mother dearly. She said to him, “i will not eat, I will not drink, and I will not seek shade in Makkah (which was extremely hot), until you leave the religion of Muhammad “
So sa’ad refused, and his mother stopped eating and drinking until she became very weak; when he saw his mother he would say to her:
“O mother, I will not leave the religion of Muhammad ﷺ for anything, verily Allah and His messenger are more beloved to me than anything. O mother, if you had a thousand lives and each life went out one after the other, I will never leave my religion”
When his mother saw how firm he was, she began to eat, drink and seek shade once again. And because of this situation, Allah revealed the ayah…
Surah Luqmaan, ayah 14-15
وَوَصَّيْنَا الْإِنْسَانَ بِوَالِدَيْهِ حَمَلَتْهُ أُمُّهُ وَهْنًا عَلَىٰ وَهْنٍ وَفِصَالُهُ فِي عَامَيْنِ أَنِ اشْكُرْ لِي وَلِوَالِدَيْكَ إِلَيَّ الْمَصِيرُ
And We have enjoined upon man [care] for his parents. His mother carried him, [increasing her] in weakness upon weakness, and his weaning is in two years. Be grateful to Me and to your parents; to Me is the [final] destination.
Ibn Rajab al Hanbali رحمه الله mentions that this is the highest form of being dutiful to your parents; that you are grateful and you show gratitude to Allah on behalf of your parents. I.e you do righteous deeds on their behalf, even while they are alive. You seek forgiveness for them and make du’a for them - this is the highest form of being dutiful to your parents.
وَإِنْ جَاهَدَاكَ عَلَىٰ أَنْ تُشْرِكَ بِي مَا لَيْسَ لَكَ بِهِ عِلْمٌ فَلَا تُطِعْهُمَا ۖ وَصَاحِبْهُمَا فِي الدُّنْيَا مَعْرُوفًا ۖ وَاتَّبِعْ سَبِيلَ مَنْ أَنَابَ إِلَيَّ ۚ ثُمَّ إِلَيَّ مَرْجِعُكُمْ فَأُنَبِّئُكُمْ بِمَا كُنْتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ
But if they endeavour to make you associate with Me that of which you have no knowledge, do not obey them but accompany them in [this] world with appropriate kindness and follow the way of those who turn back to Me [in repentance]. Then to Me will be your return, and I will inform you about what you used to do.
Thaabit ibn Qays رضي الله عنه
He heard the verse
إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ كُلَّ مُخْتَالٍ فَخُورٍ
Indeed, Allah does not like everyone self-deluded and boastful.
Then he locked himself in his house and began to cry; the prophet ﷺ heard about this and went to him - he asked him why are you doing this and Thaabit responded:
“O Messenger of Allah, I heard the verse that Allah does not love every boastful and proud individual, and I am someone who loves beautiful clothes and shoes and I like to look good; i am afraid that I am from these people”.
The Messenger ﷺ laughed and said: “You are not from these people. You will live honourable, and you will die honourable and you will enter Jannah”
On another occasion, Thaabit Ibn Qays heard the verse:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تَرْفَعُوا أَصْوَاتَكُمْ فَوْقَ صَوْتِ النَّبِيِّ وَلَا تَجْهَرُوا لَهُ بِالْقَوْلِ كَجَهْرِ بَعْضِكُمْ لِبَعْضٍ أَنْ تَحْبَطَ أَعْمَالُكُمْ وَأَنْتُمْ لَا تَشْعُرُونَ
O you who have believed, do not raise your voices above the voice of the Prophet or be loud to him in speech like the loudness of some of you to others, lest your deeds become worthless while you perceive not.
Thaabit ibn Qays was a person who had a loud voice, and so when he heard this ayah he did the same this - locked himself in his home and began to cry. And when the prophet ﷺ found out about this he went to him and asked him why are you doing this. He replied,
“O Messenger of Allah, I heard the ayah where Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى said don’t raise your voices over the voice of the messenger of Allah, and I am a person with a loud voice, I have spoken loudly in your presence many times o messenger of Allah. I am afraid that my deeds have become void and destroyed because of this”
The Messenger of Allah then said to him: “This is not regarding you. Rather, you will live honourable, die as a martyr and you will enter Jannah” and Thaabit رضي الله عنه rejoiced because of these glad tidings the prophet ﷺ gave him, ad he never raised his voice ever again.
This is how the sahaabah were when they heard the speech of Allah ﷻ, they acted and responded straight away - and this is why they were the best of people after the prophets and the messengers; because of how they were with the Qur’aan, and this is what raised them.
Umar ibn al-Khattab reported: The Prophet ﷺ said,
"Verily, Allah elevates some people with this Qur'an and abases others.”
{Sahih Muslim}
And Allah raised them with the Qur’aan, and he honoured them.
Follow the example of the Sahaabah and be a person of the Qur’aan.
Allah describes two matters as ‘Thaqiil - heavy’ in the Qur’aan:
The Qur’aan
إِنَّا سَنُلْقِي عَلَيْكَ قَوْلًا ثَقِيلًا
Indeed, we have revealed to you heavy speech.
The Day of Ressurection
وَيَذَرُونَ وَرَاءَهُمْ يَوْمًا ثَقِيلًا
And they leave behind [abandon] a heavy day
“Whoever wants to be saved on the heavy day, he must hold on to the heavy book”
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تمت بحمد الله