Question: It must be brought to the notice of the Ulama-e-Ahle Sunnat that today Sunnis sit in the companionship of corrupt sects and have become misled in faith due to a few laws. Even though there are numerous laws explained in your books, this servant has not seen anything relating to this that is why I felt it necessary to query this issue. There issue is that there is a person who refers to Hazrat Ameer Muawiyah (radi Allahu anhu) as a miserly person. He says that Ameer Muawiyah (radi Allahu anhu) fought with Hazrat Ali and the family of the Prophet Sall Allaho Alaihi Wa Sallam (Hazrat Imam Hassan radi Allahu anhu) and stole the khilaafat from them and he martyred thousands of Sahaba-e-Kiraam to achieve this. Bakr says that he is aware of Ameer Mu’wiyah’s (radi Allahu anhu) wrongs and he can not be called and Ameer.

Amar on the other hand says that Hazrat Ameer Muawiyah (radi Allahu anhu) is from amongst the senior Sahaba-e-Kiraam and the slightest disrespect to him is to be misled. There is another person, who calls himself a Sunni and also claims to have some knowledge (The truth is that he is actually completely ignorant) says that all the Sahaba especially Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddique (radi Allahu anhu), Hazrat Umar Farouk-e-Azam (radi Allahu anhu) and Hazrat Usman Zul Noorain (radi Allahu anhu) (Allah forbid) were greedy and miserly, as they kept the blessed bier of the Prophet Sall Allaho Alaihi Wa Sallam and then were each engrossed in their own schemes of how to become Khalifa. 

Now what is the ruling about these four persons? Can we regard them as being Ahle Sunnat Wa Jamaat or not? What is your (Aala Hazrat’s) view on this issue? Please present a simple yet well supported answer.

The Answer: Almighty Allah described the Sahaba of the Prophet Sall Allaho Alaihi Wa Sallam in two categories in Surah Hadeed. One group are those who accepted Islam before the Victory at Makkah and who spent their wealth in the way of Allah sincerely and made Jihad. The second group refers to those who accepted Islam after the Victory at Makkah. Almighty Allah mentioned in the Holy Quran about both the groups “Wa Kul’la Wa’d Allahu Husna” wherein Almighty Allah promised both groups good things. In giving this promise of giving them good things, Almighty Allah says in the Holy Quran, “They have been kept a great distance away from Hell. They will not even hear its sound. These are the ones who will live forever in the way they desire. The most difficulty moments of Qiyaaamat will not cause them any sadness, The Angels will welcome them by saying, This is that day of yours which you have been promised.”

Almighty Allah has mentioned the above as the status and excellence of every Sahabi. Now, if anyone says ill about any sahabi, then he wants to belie the word of Allah. To present false and incorrect narrations regarding some of their dealings against that, which Allah has mentioned, is not the manner of the Muslims. In the same verse, Almighty Allah even answered such people by promising good to both the groups of the Sahaba-e-Kiraam (radi Allahu ta’ala anhum). Almighty Allah also says, “Allah knows well, whatever you are to do.” (In other words Allah knows everything and has still promised both groups his Mercy and blessings). Now after this, whoever barks or says such things, will go to jahanum (Hell). Allama Shahabud’deen Khufaji states as follows in Naseemur Riyaz, the commentary of Shifa Shareef by Qaadi Iyaaz as follow: “One who slanders Hazrat Ameer Muawiyah (radi Allahu anhu) is a dog from amongst the dogs of Hell.” 

Amongst the four statements (presented in the question), only Amar’s statement is correct and true. Zaid and Bakr are liars and the fourth person is the worst and most evil of all three as he is a raafdhi (Shia). To Appoint an Imam (Caliph) is the most difficult task of all difficult tasks. All the issues of the world and religion have connection to this and if the blessed Janazah of the Prophet Sall Allaho Alaihi Wa Sallam had to be kept even until Qiyaamat, then there would have been still no possibility of any harm at all. The blessed bodies of the Ambia (alaihimus salaatu was salaam) never become disintegrated. Hazrat Sulaiman (alaihis salaam) remained standing for one entire year after passing away. He was only laid to rest in his blessed grave after one year. 

Now, the Blessed Janaazah of the Prophet Sall Allaho Alaihi Wa Sallam was in the room of Ummul Mo’mineen Siddiqa (radi Allahu anha), and it is the same place where the blessed Rauza-e-Anwar is today. The Janaazah Mubaarak was not going to be taken out of that Hujrah. It was a small Hujrah and all the Sahaba wished to be part of the Janaazah Salaah, so small groups of Sahaba-e-Kiraam came in one after the other. They partook in the Janaazah Salaah and went out (and the next group came in). This chain of actions ended on the third day. 

Now, if this practice of the Sahaba had to take three years, then the blessed janaaza would have been kept their for three years and this, would have been the reason for the (so-called) delay in placing the Prophet Sall Allaho Alaihi Wa Sallam to rest in his blessed Rauza Mubaarak. If according to this Iblees (cursed person) this was being greedy (power hungry), then the strongest objection would be on Ummul Mo’mineen Siddiqa and Hazrat Ali (Radi Allahu anhum). They were not greedy. The issue of burial and kaffan is the right of the family members. Why did Hazrat Ali and Ummul Mo’mineen then just wait and do nothing for three days? They are the ones who did this for the Prophet Sall Allaho Alaihi Wa Sallam. They should have done the last rites as well. (All this is being just given as example to allow the ignorant to understand that these could be the objections that they would have to make on great people like Hazrat Ali and Ummul Mo’mineen). Now, it can be established that the objections by these people are baseless and cursed and the issue of not resting the Prophet Sall Allaho Alaihi Wa Sallam in his blessed grave quickly had religious benefits in it and Hazrat Ali (radi Allahu anhu) and all the Sahaba-e-Kiraam were pleased with this.

These evil cursed people (May Allah destroy them) are not just hurting the Sahaba, but they are causing discomfort to the Prophet Sall Allaho Alaihi Wa Sallam. It has been mentioned in the Hadith Shareef as follows: “Anyone who has hurt my sahaba has hurt me and one who has hurt me has caused Allah displeasure and one who displeases Allah, it is soon that Allah will seize him.”

والله تعالٰی اعلم

كتبه عبده المذنب احمد رضا عفى عنه

بمحمّد