Those Who Were With Prophet Muhammad

Published in April 13, 2018

Translated by: Ahmed Fathy

Introduction about the so-called companions/contemporaries of Muhammad:

1- The heritage books of traditions of the Sunnite Muhammadans use the term (companions) to describe the contemporaries of Muhammad; i.e. those who were with him or surrounding him during his lifetime in Mecca and in Yathreb, in Arabia. The Sunnite religion of Satan consider all these (companions) as infallible persons; this means that they are deified and made holy as ''saints''. This means that the Sunnite term (companions) contradicts the Quran; the Quranic term "companion" simply means any person in general (believer or disbeliever) who accompanies someone else (believer or disbeliever) in the same time and place. Hence, Muhammad is described in the Quran as the companion of the polytheistic Arabs. Besides, there are tens of Quranic verses that talk about the contemporaries of Muhammad who were hypocrites and disbelievers/polytheists and about blaming some believers for certain deeds and stances. Thus, all such contemporaries are companions of Muhammad and he was their companion in the Quranic sense, and they were never infallible. Muhammad himself was not infallible; some Quranic verses blame, reproach, and rebuke him for certain deeds and stances, and some other Quranic verses direct and command him; e.g., he has been commanded to consult others in Yathreb within Shura consultation. Moreover, the Sunnite myth of the infallibility of the so-called companions is refuted by the historical facts of the Arab conquests and the Arab civil war, and both crimes contradict the Quranic sharia legislations, as we have proven in many of our previous writings.      

2- In addition, we have written a lot before about Islam/belief in terms of behavior; i.e., peaceful demeanor and adherence to nonviolence, security, and safety, and how this means that any peaceful persons in this life (anytime and anywhere) are Muslims/believers in terms of their behavior regardless of their beliefs, sects, and denominations. Yet, if those peaceful people desire to enter into Paradise in the Hereafter, they must adhere to monotheism (submission only to the Lord God) within their hearts/minds and beliefs and also to piety within performing good deeds; as per the Quran, only the pious ones will enter into the Paradise.  

3- We find in the Quran the only real description of the history, stances, and behaviors of those contemporaries/companions who were with Muhammad. 

3/1: There were believers in terms of peaceful behavior only and not in terms of monotheistic belief; their hearts/minds were filled with polytheism as they sanctified and deified mausoleums and idols/allies/saints, in utter disregard for these verses that are addressed to them in Yathreb: "...except what is recited to you. So stay away from the abomination of idols...Being true to God, without associating anything with Him. Whoever associates anything with God - it is as though he has fallen from the sky, and is snatched by the birds, or is swept away by the wind to a distant abyss." (22:30-31). Even until shortly before Muhammad's death, these believers in terms of peaceful behavior stuck to their polytheistic ways, as we know from these verses addressed to them: "O you who believe! Wine, gambling, idolatry, and mausoleums are abominations of Satan's doing. Avoid them, so that you may prosper. Satan wants to provoke strife and hatred among you through wine and gambling, and to prevent you from the remembrance of God, and from prayer. Will you not desist?Obey God and obey the Messenger, and be aware. If you turn away - know that the duty of Our messenger is clear communication." (5:90-92). Hence, the Quran has repeatedly addressed those believers in terms of peace to combine their peaceful behavior with the belief/faith in terms of their hearts within the Quranic monotheism and repentance: "Whoever desires the reward of this world-with God is the reward of this world and the next. God is All-Hearing, All-Seeing." (4:136); "O you who believe! Protect yourselves and your families from a Fire, whose fuel is people and stones. Over it are angels, fierce and powerful. They never disobey God in anything He commands them, and they carry out whatever they are commanded." (66:6); "O you who believe! Repent to God with sincere repentance. Perhaps your Lord will remit your sins, and admit you into gardens beneath which rivers flow, on the Day when God will not disappoint the Prophet and those who believed with him. Their light streaming before them, and to their right, they will say, "Our Lord, complete our light for us, and forgive us; You are capable of all things."" (66:8); "Believe in God and His Messenger, and spend from what He made you inherit. Those among you who believe and give will have a great reward. What is the matter with you that you do not believe in God, when the Messenger calls you to believe in your Lord, and He has received a pledge from you, if you are believers?" (57:7-8). 

3/2: There were truthful believers in terms of belief/faith in their hearts proven by their deeds: "Those who believed, and those who immigrated and fought for the sake of God - those look forward to God's mercy. God is Forgiving and Merciful." (2:218).

3/3: The contradictions in the behaviors and stances of the companions/contemporaries of Muhammad were prominent in times of the self-defense wars when Yathreb was being attacked; e.g., when Yathreb was sieged by the confederates of polytheistic troops, the stances of the hypocrites and of those who were sick at heart were exposed, whereas the faith/belief of faithful believers increased: "When the hypocrites and those in whose hearts is sickness said, "God and His Messenger promised us nothing but illusion."" (33:12); "God already knows the hinderers among you, and those who say to their brethren, "Come and join us." Rarely do they mobilize for battle." (33:18); "And when the believers saw the confederates, they said, "This is what God and His messenger have promised us; and God and His messenger have told the truth." And it only increased them in faith and submission. Of the believers are men who are true to what they pledged to God. Some of them have fulfilled their vows; and some are still waiting, and never wavering." (33:22-23).

4- While bearing the above points in mind, we thus explain further in the following points what is really meant by the phrase (those who were with Prophet Muhammad).

Firstly: those who were not with Muhammad:

1- Those who were not with Muhammad (as they were against him) are the disbelievers who denied the Quran though they knew it is the true guidance; they refused to join Muhammad or to be with him: "And they say, "If we follow the guidance with you, we will be snatched from our land."..." (28:57).

2- Another type of those who were not with Muhammad (as they were against him) are also the hypocrites in Yathreb who refused to participate in the military self-defense endeavors under many pretexts and lame excuses: "When a chapter is revealed, stating: "Believe in God and strive with His messenger," the rich ones among them ask you for exemption. They say, "Allow us to stay with those who stay behind."They prefer to be with those who stay behind. Their hearts were sealed, so they do not understand." (9:86-87). This means that they refused to be with Muhammad and preferred to be with those who stay behind (i.e., women, children, and elderly people). Their punishment was that they will never be with Muhammad and they will not fight with him any attackers and aggressors; these hypocrites were deprived of the honor of being with God's prophet: "If God brings you back to a party of them, and they ask your permission to go out, say, "You will not go out with me, ever, nor will you ever fight an enemy with me. You were content to sit back the first time, so sit back with those who stay behind."" (9:83).

Secondly: those who were with Muhammad in this world:

 We will tackle them within several angles in the points below.

Quranic preaching addressing Muhammad about those who were with him:

 Muhammad used to feel awkward by the presence of the poor, weak believers around him as he hoped to convince the affluent Qorayish men (who despised the poor, weak men) to believe in the Quran; God has commanded Muhammad to be patient with the company of the poor, weak believers: "And bear patiently with those who pray to their Lord morning and evening, desiring His Presence. And do not turn your eyes away from them, desiring the glitter of this world. And do not obey him whose heart We have made heedless of Our remembrance-so he follows his own desires-and his priorities are confused." (18:28); this means he was told to let the poor, weak believers be with him.

Quranic preaching addressing those who were with Muhammad:

1- God has commanded them to attend the Shura consultation meetings with Muhammad as a religious duty which was disregarded by some poor, weak believers who were typically passive and marginalized; God has warned against avoiding such meetings with Muhammad and they should remain with him and never leave unless after excusing themselves first: "The believers are those who believe in God and His Messenger, and when they are with him for a matter of common interest, they do not leave until they have asked him for permission. Those who ask your permission are those who believe in God and His Messenger. So when they ask your permission to attend to some affair of theirs, give permission to any of them you wish, and ask God's forgiveness for them. God is Forgiving and Merciful. Do not address the Messenger in the same manner you address one another. God knows those of you who slip away using flimsy excuses. So let those who oppose his orders beware, lest an ordeal strikes them, or a painful torment befalls them." (24:62-63).

2- This preaching is addressed to those believers who were with Muhammad and also to all believers in all locations and eras: "O you who believe! Be conscious of God within piety, and be with the truthful ones." (9:119). Thus, all pious believers wish to be with the truthful ones in Paradise; God's prophets are the truthful ones who brought the Message of Truth from God to people: "But he who promotes the truth, and testifies to it - these are the pious ones. They will have whatever they please with their Lord. Such is the reward for the charitable ones. God will acquit them of the worst of their deeds, and will reward them according to the best of what they used to do." (39:33-35). By the way, it is a laughter-inducing fact that the Shiites misinterpret the verse 9:119 by propagating the myth that being with the truthful ones means to be with the deified household members of Ali, his wife, and his progeny! This is indeed very silly!  

Quranic preaching addressing both Muhammad and those who were with him:

1- God has told Muhammad and those who were with him to lessen the time dedicated to their long acts of worship done every night: "Your Lord knows that you stay up nearly two-thirds of the night, or half of it, or one-third of it, along with a group of those with you. God designed the night and the day. He knows that you are unable to sustain it, so He has pardoned you. So read of the Quran what is possible for you. He knows that some of you may be ill; and others travelling through the land, seeking God's bounty; and others fighting in God's cause. So read of it what is possible for you, and observe the prayers, and give regular charity, and lend God a generous loan. Whatever good you advance for yourselves, you will find it with God, better and generously rewarded. And seek God's forgiveness, for God is Forgiving and Merciful." (73:20).

2- God has addressed this warning to Muhammad and those who were with him: "So be upright, as you are commanded, along with those who repented with you, and do not transgress. He is Seeing of everything you do. And do not incline towards those who do wrong, or the Fire may touch you; and you will have no protectors besides God, and you will not be saved. Perform the prayer at the borders of the day, and during the approaches of the night. The good deeds take away the bad deeds. This is a reminder for those who remember. And be patient. God will not waste the reward of the charitable ones." (11:112-115).

Thirdly: those who will be with Muhammad in Paradise:

1- Not everyone who were with Muhammad or were among his companions/contemporaries will be with him in Paradise, as we infer from this verse: "Muhammad is the messenger of God. Those with him are stern against the disbelievers, yet compassionate amongst themselves. You see them kneeling, prostrating, seeking blessings from God and approval. Their marks are on their faces from the effects of prostration. Such is their description in the Torah, and their description in the Gospel: like a plant that sprouts, becomes strong, grows thick, and rests on its stem, impressing the farmers. Through them He enrages the disbelievers. God has promised those among them who believe and perform good deeds forgiveness and a great reward." (48:29). Thus, the phrase (those among them) indicates clearly that not all of Muhammad's companions/contemporaries will be with him in Paradise; this will be the bliss for only those among them (i.e., some, and not all, of them) who believe and perform good deeds.

2- Thus, believers who performed good deeds and strove alongside with Muhammad for God's sake and serving His cause will be rewarded in Paradise with Muhammad: " When a chapter is revealed, stating: "Believe in God and strive with His Messenger," the rich ones among them ask you for exemption. They say, "Allow us to stay with those who stay behind." They prefer to be with those who stay behind. Their hearts were sealed, so they do not understand. But the Messenger and those who believe with him struggle with their possessions and their lives. These have deserved the good things. These are the successful. God has prepared for them Gardens beneath which rivers flow, wherein they will abide forever. That is the great victory." (9:86-89). Those who refused to participate in the self-defense military endeavors who have been rebuked and warned in the following verses will not be with Muhammad in Paradise: "O you who believe! What is the matter with you, when it is said to you, "Mobilize in the cause of God," you cling heavily to the earth? Do you prefer the present life to the Hereafter? The enjoyment of the present life, compared to the Hereafter, is only a little. Unless you mobilize, He will torment you in the most painful manner, and will replace you with another people, and you will not harm Him at all. God has power over all things." (9:38-39).

3- Those who were with Muhammad during his lifetime with their pious souls/hearts, their faith, and their striving and jihad will see in the Hereafter that their good deeds will turn into Light inside Paradise; God has advised the believers who were with Muhammad during his lifetime to repent sincerely to be among the winners in Paradise and its Light: "O you who believe! Repent to God with sincere repentance. Perhaps your Lord will remit your sins, and admit you into Gardens beneath which rivers flow, on the Day when God will not disappoint the prophet and those who believed with him. Their Light streaming before them, and to their right, they will say, "Our Lord, complete our Light for us, and forgive us; You are capable of all things."" (66:8).

4- This Light will never be granted to the hypocrites who were inside Yathreb during Muhammad's lifetime; they were not with him within piety and faith: "On the Day when you see the believing men and believing women - their Light radiating ahead of them, and to their right: "Good news for you today: Gardens beneath which rivers flow, dwelling therein forever. That is the great triumph." On the Day when the hypocritical men and hypocritical women will say to those who believed, "Wait for us; let us absorb some of your Light." It will be said, "Go back behind you, and seek Light." A wall will be raised between them, in which is a door; within it is mercy, and outside it is torment. They will call to them, "Were we not with you?" They will say, "Yes, but you cheated your souls, and waited, and doubted, and became deluded by wishful thinking, until the command of God arrived; and arrogance deceived you regarding God." "Therefore, today no ransom will be accepted from you, nor from those who disbelieved. The Fire is your dwelling and it is your abode - what an evil fate!"" (57:12-15).

5- Before the hypocrites died, the chance to repent was available for them to be spared from entering into Hell, if their repentance would be linked to making amends, sincerity, and monotheism of adhering to God and His religion, and in case of sincere repentance, they will be with the faithful, monotheistic believers on the Last Day: "The hypocrites will be in the lowest level of the Fire, and you will find no helper for them. Except those who repent, and reform, and hold fast to God, and dedicate their religion to God alone. These are with the believers; and God will give the believers a great reward." (4:145-146).

6- Eventually, we assert here that this is a general rule that includes all pious monotheistic believers in all times and climes; they will be one company in Paradise: "Whoever obeys God and the Messenger - these are with those whom God has blessed - among the prophets, and the truthful ones, and the witnesses, and the good ones. Excellent are those as companions." (4:69).

7- This is available, within all eras and locations, for all those who willingly adhere to piety, righteousness, and uprightness.