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*Companions of the Prophet Muhammad. Who were they and why are they so
important? *
MENTION is often made of the Companions of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be
upon him). Just who were they and why are they so important?
A Companion is anyone, man or woman, who met the Prophet (pbuh) - whether
for a short or long period - and who died while still Muslim. Many of the
Companions were relatives, wives, servants, or close friends of the Prophet.
The details of the Prophet's life - including his words, deeds, and
reactions to events - have been handed down to us through the Companions.
These accounts form the collection of Hadiths from which we derive the
Sunnah, which is the second basis of Islamic law after the Qur'an.
The Companions, men and women, are exemplars of faith. The earliest Muslims
suffered terrible torments at the hands of the Quraish, the ruling tribe of
Makkah. Those who emigrated from Makkah left behind their homes and
families, even all their worldly possessions, to follow the call of Islam.
Many of them were fearless. One of them ('Ali Bin Abi Talib) was willing to
take the place of the Prophet (pbuh) in his bed when the Quraish were
planning to assassinate Muhammad (pbuh) in his sleep. Another, a woman
(Nusaybah Bint Ka'b), protected the Prophet in the Battle of Uhud. Many
others fought fearlessly in the battles to defend their faith.
The Companions memorized the verses of the Qur'an as they were revealed, and
those who were lettered wrote the verses down. So many of them devoted
themselves to memorizing the entire Qur'an that when Zayd Bin Thabit was
tasked with compiling one standard copy, he was able to assure there were no
errors in writing by comparing his copy to the memorization of the
Companions. Allah promised to protect His Qur'an, and it was through the
efforts of the great Companions (and their later followers) that He did so.
Reading through the biographies of the Companions, one is struck by their
devotion. Several of them were noted for their ascetic way of life. Others
were noted for their extreme generosity. Still others were noted for their
piety and fear of Allah's wrath - even for sins they had committed before
they embraced Islam, although embracing Islam effaced their sins. Because
some of the Companions were in such close contact with the Prophet (pbuh)
and familiar with his sayings and doings, their opinions on jurisprudence
were often sought and remain recorded in books. Many of the Companions,
including his wife A'ishah, survived the Prophet by several decades and were
able to pass on their knowledge to two or three generations.
Thus we owe a great deal to the Companions of the Prophet, and we honor and
respect them all.
Compiled from various sources.
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