It is well established in the minds of all Muslims that the companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him) were the best of Muslim generations. Indeed, both individually and as a solid community they provided a clear example of dedication to the cause of Islam, which is difficult to attain by anyone else. Certainly all of them were not of the same standard. Yet even those of them who embraced Islam after it was well established in Madinah, or when it became a major force in Arabia, held in awe by all Arabs, benefited by direct guidance given by the Prophet. This is something that no other generation could have. What it meant was that they could receive divine guidance on the problems they faced, either as a community or as individuals. Surah 58 starts with the following verse: “God has heard the words of the woman who pleads with you concerning her husband, and complains to God. God has heard what you both had to say.” Clearly, this concerned the personal problem of an individual woman who pleaded her case requesting guidance from the Prophet with regard to her position with her husband. The surah goes on to provide this guidance and states rulings that apply in similar cases.

People in that generation appreciated this privilege and realized that it was due only to the fact that the Prophet lived among them and was accessible to them at every moment of day and night. When the Prophet passed away, they realized that this source of light and guidance was no longer available to them. They had to rely on what they learned from the Prophet and refer to the Qur’an, God’s book that contains guidance for all mankind.

When the people of Makkah finally ended their opposition to Islam, two years before the Prophet’s death, and when the tribe of Thaqeef followed suit a year later, the number of the Prophet’s companions was large indeed. Those who offered the pilgrimage with him a few months before his death were estimated to exceed 100,000. The whole of Arabia had accepted Islam by that time, but the Prophet’s companions were only those who met him in person and followed his faith. Yet we normally associate this honorable title with those of them who responded early to the call of Islam. There is no doubt that those who became Muslim after Makkah had fallen to Islam were not equal to those who fought for Islam during its days of weakness. God says in the Qur’an: “Those of you who gave and fought (for God’s cause) before the victory are not like others: they are higher in rank than those who gave and fought afterward, although God has promised the ultimate good to all of them.” (57: 10) Those early Muslims, the ones who followed the Prophet when he was still in Makkah and who emigrated with him to Madinah, i.e. the Muhajirin, and the people of Madinah who welcomed him and gave him their full support, i.e. the Ansar, are indeed the ones we think of when we refer to the Prophet’s companions. This is in line with what the verse we have quoted states.

Abu Saeed Al-Khudri, one of the Ansari companions of the Prophet, quotes him as saying: “Do not verbally abuse my companions. By Him who holds my soul in His hand, should any of you spend in God’s cause the equivalent of Mount Uhud in gold, he would not attain the measure of any of them, nor half that measure.” (Related by Ahmad, Muslim and Abu Dawood).

In this Hadith the Prophet is giving clear instructions that no one may level verbal abuse on any of his companions. It is clear that the Prophet was saying this to some people who would heed his instructions, which means that they were Muslims, and as such they were among his companions. There were a few cases of friction between some of the Prophet’s companions, and this Hadith might have concerned such a case. We may think that the case involved one of the early companions of the Prophet and one who was at the time a newcomer to Islam. In their disagreement the latter might have insulted the other, and the Prophet took issue with the abuser. He thus defined the status of those of his companions who were in long association with him.

These were the ones who attained a special grade to which no one else can aspire. The Prophet tells us that when any of these spent for God’s cause a reasonable measure, his action was better than anyone else spending a limitless amount for the same cause. The measure specified by the Prophet was known as Mudd, which is estimated as four times the fill of the cupped hands of an average man. Compared with a mountain of gold, this is an insignificant amount. Yet the Prophet gives the higher status to these ones because of the fact that they followed him at the time when he was facing stiff opposition from many quarters. They risked their lives and their families for the cause of Islam. They were ready to sacrifice their all at any time. They had little, lived in poverty, and were always under threat of extermination, yet they were so dedicated to the cause that they never hesitated to undertake any task assigned to them or to make any sacrifice required of them. They never wavered, nor entertained any thoughts of deserting the cause. Hence, their status was the highest of all Muslims.