Affectionate Relations Between the Companions and the Ahl al-Bayt
The best example of those who follow the Sharia revealed to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) are the noble Companions (may Allah be pleased with them all). They are the ones who implemented the teachings of the Quran and Hadith in their lives in the most excellent manner. For this reason, the Prophet (peace be upon him) declared the believers of his time (the Companions) to be the best of people. Abdullah ibn Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
> سُئِلَ النَّبيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عليه وسلَّمَ: أيُّ النَّاسِ خَيْرٌ؟ قَالَ: قَرْنِي، ثُمَّ الَّذِينَ يَلُونَهُمْ، ثُمَّ الَّذِينَ يَلُونَهُمْ، ثُمَّ يَجِيءُ قَوْمٌ تَسْبِقُ شَهَادَةُ أحَدِهِمْ يَمِينَهُ، ويَمِينُهُ شَهَادَتَهُ (صحيح البخاري:6658)
> Translation: The Prophet (peace be upon him) was asked, “Which people are the best?” He replied, “My generation, then those who follow them, then those who follow them. After that, a people will come whose testimony will precede their oath, and their oath will precede their testimony.” (Sahih al-Bukhari: 6658)
While the Prophet (peace be upon him) declared the Companions to be the best of people, Allah Almighty also forgave their human errors, accepted their good deeds, expressed His pleasure with them, and gave them glad tidings of Paradise. Allah says:
> وَالسَّابِقُونَ الْأَوَّلُونَ مِنَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ وَالْأَنصَارِ وَالَّذِينَ اتَّبَعُوهُم بِإِحْسَانٍ رَّضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَضُوا عَنْهُ وَأَعَدَّ لَهُمْ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي تَحْتَهَا الْأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا أَبَدًا ۚ ذَٰلِكَ الْفَوْزُ الْعَظِيمُ (التوبة:100)
> Translation: “And the foremost to embrace Islam of the Muhajirun and the Ansar and also those who followed them exactly (in Faith). Allah is well-pleased with them as they are well-pleased with Him. He has prepared for them Gardens under which rivers flow (Paradise), to dwell therein forever. That is the supreme success.” (At-Tawbah: 100)
From these two pieces of evidence, it is not difficult to understand that the Companions, including the Ahl al-Bayt, are the best people of this Ummah and exemplary believers. However, it is unfortunate that some people, based on unfounded and false narratives or disputes among the Companions, have targeted these pure personalities (the Companions), spoken ill of them, and even spread misconceptions in the Ummah in the name of the Ahl al-Bayt. One such misconception is that some Companions did not love the Ahl al-Bayt but harbored enmity towards them. I will address this specific misconception to clarify that all the Companions lived together in harmony, loved each other, and their relationships were extremely affectionate. If an ordinary person says this without evidence, it may not be believed, but when Allah, the Lord of the worlds, testifies to it, then believers will have complete certainty, and there will be no room for doubt. However, for those whose hearts are filled with disbelief and hypocrisy, even a hundred proofs are insufficient. Allah says:
> مُّحَمَّدٌ رَّسُولُ اللَّهِ ۚ وَالَّذِينَ مَعَهُ أَشِدَّاءُ عَلَى الْكُفَّارِ رُحَمَاءُ بَيْنَهُمْ ۖ تَرَاهُمْ رُكَّعًا سُجَّدًا يَبْتَغُونَ فَضْلًا مِّنَ اللَّهِ وَرِضْوَانًا (الفتح:29)
> Translation: “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.” (Al-Fath: 29)
In another place, Allah specifically mentions their mutual love and brotherhood:
> وَاذْكُرُوا نِعْمَتَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ إِذْ كُنتُمْ أَعْدَاءً فَأَلَّفَ بَيْنَ قُلُوبِكُمْ فَأَصْبَحْتُم بِنِعْمَتِهِ إِخْوَانًا (آل عمران:103)
> Translation: “And remember the favor of Allah upon you – when you were enemies and He brought your hearts together and you became, by His favor, brothers.” (Aal Imran: 103)
Allah testifies to their noble character and faith (“أولئك كتب في قلوبهم الإيمان” – “Those are the ones upon whose hearts Allah has inscribed faith”), forgives them, and gives them glad tidings of forgiveness and Paradise. He also testifies to their merciful and affectionate relationships, stating that the Companions—whether Muhajirun, Ansar, or Ahl al-Bayt—all loved each other deeply and treated one another with compassion. Indeed, Allah has said that He has placed love and affection in their hearts for one another, making them brothers. Tell me, how can enmity remain in a heart where Allah has placed love? And how can someone whom Allah has made loving become hateful?
Therefore, my Muslim brothers! After Allah’s testimony, if anyone speaks ill of any Companion, saying that such-and-such Companion did not love the Ahl al-Bayt or harbored enmity towards them, it is not just a lie but a slander against Allah, who testifies to the Companions’ mutual compassion and affectionate relationships. May Allah protect us from such thoughts.
And remember, speaking ill of any Companion, attributing false things to them, harboring enmity towards them, or slandering Allah is no small matter. Such people are not Muslims but hypocrites. We must identify such hypocrites and expose their hypocrisy so that innocent people do not fall prey to their deceit and unknowingly develop enmity towards the Companions instead of love.
Now, with evidence, I present some facts before you so that your mind remains clear on this topic and you can truly love all the Companions, including the Ahl al-Bayt. It is narrated from Umm al-Mu’minin Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her):
> أنَّ فَاطِمَةَ عَلَيْهَا السَّلَامُ، والعَبَّاسَ، أتَيَا أبَا بَكْرٍ يَلْتَمِسَانِ مِيرَاثَهُمَا، أرْضَهُ مِن فَدَكٍ، وسَهْمَهُ مِن خَيْبَرَ، فَقالَ أبو بَكْرٍ: سَمِعْتُ النبيَّ صَلَّى اللهُ عليه وسلَّمَ، يقولُ: لا نُورَثُ ما تَرَكْنَا صَدَقَةٌ، إنَّما يَأْكُلُ آلُ مُحَمَّدٍ في هذا المَالِ واللَّهِ لَقَرَابَةُ رَسولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عليه وسلَّمَ أحَبُّ إلَيَّ أنْ أصِلَ مِن قَرَابَتِي (صحيح البخاري:4035)
> Translation: Fatimah (peace be upon her) and Abbas came to Abu Bakr seeking their inheritance from the land of Fadak and his share from Khaybar. Abu Bakr said, “I heard the Prophet (peace be upon him) say, ‘We do not leave inheritance; what we leave is charity.’ However, the family of Muhammad will continue to receive provisions from this wealth. By Allah, maintaining good relations with the relatives of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) is dearer to me than maintaining relations with my own relatives.” (Sahih al-Bukhari: 4035)
From this hadith, Abu Bakr’s immense love for the Ahl al-Bayt is evident. It also dispels the misconception that he did not give Fatimah (may Allah be pleased with her) her share of Fadak because he was following the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) instruction that what a prophet leaves behind is not to be inherited but is charity for the poor and needy. This demonstrates Abu Bakr’s honesty and his love for the Prophet (peace be upon him). And anything that is a sign of love for the Prophet is also a sign of love for the Ahl al-Bayt, not enmity.
This issue is also confirmed in Shia books. The great Shia scholar Muhammad ibn Ya’qub al-Kulayni mentions in his book Al-Kafi that Abu Abdullah Ja’far al-Sadiq narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
> وإن العلماء ورثة الأنبياء إن الأنبياء لم يورثوا دينارا ولا درهما ولكن ورثوا العلم فمن أخذ منه أخذ بحظ وافر (الكافي 1/34)
> Translation: “Indeed, the scholars are the heirs of the prophets. The prophets do not leave behind dinars or dirhams, but they leave behind knowledge. Whoever takes from it has taken a great share.” (Al-Kafi 1/34)
Al-Kafi is one of the four most authentic books of the Shia, and Shia scholars believe that all its hadiths are authentic. Thus, even from Shia sources, it is proven that a prophet’s legacy is not to be distributed. Therefore, the Shia’s outcry over the Fadak issue is nothing but enmity and hatred towards Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him).
Regarding love for the Ahl al-Bayt, consider this statement of the first Caliph. It is narrated from Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both):
> قالَ أبو بَكْرٍ: ارْقُبُوا مُحَمَّدًا صَلَّى اللهُ عليه وسلَّمَ في أهْلِ بَيْتِهِ (صحيح البخاري:3751)
> Translation: Abu Bakr said, “Be mindful of Muhammad (peace be upon him) in regards to his family.” (Sahih al-Bukhari: 3751)
When Fatimah (may Allah be pleased with her) was on her deathbed, Abu Bakr sent his wife Asma bint Umays to care for her, and she remained there until Fatimah’s passing and participated in her funeral preparations. If Abu Bakr had enmity towards Fatimah, he would not have sent his wife to care for her, and if Fatimah had hatred for him, she would not have allowed his wife to stay until her death but would have sent her back. Furthermore, after Abu Bakr’s death, Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) married his widow, Asma bint Umays. These facts clearly demonstrate the love between the family of Abu Bakr and the Ahl al-Bayt.
Regarding the second Caliph, Umar al-Farooq (may Allah be pleased with him), historical accounts show that he took special care of the stipends for the Ahl al-Bayt. When several granddaughters of Khosrow were captured after the conquest of Persia, Umar gave one of them to Husayn ibn Ali (may Allah be pleased with him), who married her. From her, Zain al-Abidin Abu Bakr Ali ibn Husayn was born. He was the only male survivor of the Battle of Karbala because he was ill and could not participate. He is the fourth Imam of the Twelver Shia. Thus, the mother of the fourth Imam of the Twelver Shia was gifted by Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), and Zain al-Abidin’s kunya (Abu Bakr) is also named after the first Caliph. Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) married his daughter Umm Kulthum to Umar. Similarly, Umar’s prayer for rain through the Prophet’s uncle, Abbas, is a sign of his love for the Ahl al-Bayt. It is narrated from Anas (may Allah be pleased with him):
> أنَّ عُمَرَ بنَ الخَطَّابِ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عنْه، كانَ إذَا قَحَطُوا اسْتَسْقَى بالعَبَّاسِ بنِ عبدِ المُطَّلِبِ، فَقالَ: اللَّهُمَّ إنَّا كُنَّا نَتَوَسَّلُ إلَيْكَ بنَبِيِّنَا فَتَسْقِينَا، وإنَّا نَتَوَسَّلُ إلَيْكَ بعَمِّ نَبِيِّنَا فَاسْقِنَا، قالَ: فيُسْقَوْنَ (صحيح البخاري:3710)
> Translation: When there was a drought, Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) would ask Abbas ibn Abdul Muttalib to pray for rain. He would say, “O Allah, we used to seek intercession through our Prophet, and You would grant us rain. Now we seek intercession through the uncle of our Prophet, so grant us rain.” And then it would rain. (Sahih al-Bukhari: 3710)
Regarding the Companions’ love for the Ahl al-Bayt and their sorrow over the martyrdom of Husayn (may Allah be pleased with him), consider this incident involving Umar’s son, Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with them both). Abu Nu’aym narrated that I was with Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) when a man asked him about killing a mosquito while in ihram. Ibn Umar asked, “Where are you from?” He replied, “From Iraq.” Ibn Umar said, “Look at this man! He asks about the expiation for killing a mosquito, while the people of his land killed the grandson of the Prophet (peace be upon him) without hesitation.” I heard the Prophet (peace be upon him) say:
> هُما رَيْحَانَتَايَ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا (صحيح البخاري:5994)
> Translation: “These two (Hasan and Husayn) are my fragrant flowers in this world.” (Sahih al-Bukhari: 5994)
When the third Caliph, Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him), was besieged by rebels, Hasan (may Allah be pleased with him) was present with a sword to protect and defend him. However, Uthman’s love for the Ahl al-Bayt was such that, even in his own distress, he did not want any harm to come to them. He urged Hasan to return home so that he would not be harmed, and thus his father would not suffer. Despite these historical facts, hypocrites ignore them and, based on unverified stories, slander the Rightly Guided Caliphs and other Companions.
Now, let us hear what Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) and his son Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyyah believed about the Rightly Guided Caliphs. It is narrated from Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyyah:
> عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ ابْنِ الحَنَفِيَّةِ، قَالَ: قُلتُ لأبِي: أيُّ النَّاسِ خَيْرٌ بَعْدَ رَسولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عليه وسلَّمَ؟ قَالَ: أبو بَكْرٍ، قُلتُ: ثُمَّ مَنْ؟ قَالَ: ثُمَّ عُمَرُ، وخَشِيتُ أنْ يَقُولَ: عُثْمَانُ، قُلتُ: ثُمَّ أنْتَ؟ قَالَ: ما أنَا إلَّا رَجُلٌ مِنَ المُسْلِمِينَ (صحيح البخاري:3671)
> Translation: Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyyah said, “I asked my father (Ali), ‘Who is the best person after the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him)?’ He said, ‘Abu Bakr.’ I asked, ‘Then who?’ He said, ‘Then Umar.’ I feared he might say Uthman next, so I said, ‘Then you?’ He replied, ‘I am just a man among the Muslims.'” (Sahih al-Bukhari: 3671)
This is not an ordinary reference; it is a hadith from Sahih al-Bukhari. From this hadith, we learn of the love the Ahl al-Bayt had for the Companions, especially the first three Caliphs, because one only praises someone when they have love and respect for them. Umm al-Mu’minin Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) also narrated several hadiths about the virtues of the Ahl al-Bayt, particularly the famous hadith in Sahih Muslim (Hadith No. 2424), where the Prophet (peace be upon him) covered Hasan, Husayn, Fatimah, and Ali (may Allah be pleased with them all) with his cloak and recited the verse of purification concerning the Ahl al-Bayt.
Now, let us look at the names of the children in Ali’s household, as people often name their children based on love and respect. Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) married several times; Allama Ibn Kathir mentions nine wives in Al-Bidayah wa al-Nihayah, and from them, he had twenty-eight children. Among them, three were named after the first three Caliphs: Abu Bakr, Umar, and Uthman. All three were martyred in the Battle of Karbala. Hasan (may Allah be pleased with him) had sons named Abu Bakr and Umar, who were also martyred in Karbala, and Husayn (may Allah be pleased with him) had a son named Umar.
Regarding family ties, the Prophet (peace be upon him) married Aisha, the daughter of Abu Bakr, and Hafsa, the daughter of Umar, and he married his daughters Ruqayyah and Umm Kulthum to Uthman and Fatimah to Ali. Thus, the first and second Caliphs l were the Prophet’s fathers-in-law, and the third and fourth Caliphs were his sons-in-law. Consider how deep the relationship was between the Prophet’s household and the families of Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, and Ali.
The fourth Imam of the Twelver Shia, Zain al-Abidin, has been mentioned earlier. The sixth Imam, Ja’far al-Sadiq, to whom the Shia attribute their jurisprudence, was related to Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) as she was the sister of his grandfathers (Muhammad ibn Abu Bakr and Abdur Rahman ibn Abu Bakr). Thus, there was a blood relationship between the Ahl al-Bayt and the family of Abu Bakr. Ja’far al-Sadiq famously said: “Abu Bakr gave birth to me twice.” (Reference: Shia book, Bihar al-Anwar by Allama Majlisi: 29/651)
“Twice” refers to his mother, Umm Farwah, who was the granddaughter of Abu Bakr, and his grandmother, Asma bint Abdur Rahman, who was also Abu Bakr’s granddaughter.
I have mentioned only a few family ties as evidence, but the truth is that the Companions lived in perfect harmony based on mutual love and Islamic brotherhood. They intermarried, and there was no enmity or jealousy among them. If there were any disagreements due to human nature, they did not affect their Islamic brotherhood and love.
For more information on the similarities in names and family ties between the Ahl al-Bayt and the Companions, see the Arabic book *”الاسماء والمصاھرات بين أهل البيت والصحابة”* by Sayyid ibn Ahmed ibn Ibrahim. Its Urdu translation is available on kitaabosunnat.com and IslamHouse.com under the title “آل بیت اور صحابہ کرام کے تعلقات اسماء اور قرابت داری کی روشنی میں” (Relations Between the Ahl al-Bayt and the Companions in Light of Names and Family Ties).
In Surah Ash-Shura, verse 23, the Prophet (peace be upon him) asked the believers to love his relatives. We pray to Allah to grant us the ability to have such love for the Ahl al-Bayt and to guide the Nasibis and Rafidis to the straight path. Ameen.
🖋️ Sheikh Maqbool Ahmed Salafi, may Allah preserve him
Jeddah Da’wah Center — Hayy al-Salamah
