Beautiful Hadeeth

On the Authority of Abu Musa Al Ash’aree رضي اللّه عنـه said:

“We prayed Maghrib with the Messenger (صلّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلّم) and we said,’ let us sit so as to pray with him the Isha prayer’, so we sat. Then he صلّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلّم came out to us and said : “You have remained here?” So we said: O Messenger of Allaah we prayed Maghrib with you, and we said: ‘we will stay with you until we pray Isha.’ He said: “You have done well.” Then he (صلّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلّم) raised his head to the sky, and he used to raise his head often to the sky and said: “The stars are a protection for the sky, and when the stars are gone whatever happens to the sky happens to it, and I am a safety for my companions, and when I go away whatever is promised for them will come to pass, and my companions are a safety for my Ummah and when my companions go away whatever is promised to my Ummah will come to pass.”

(Narrated in Saheeh Muslim)

Sheikh Saleem Al Hilali said: the Prophet (صلّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلّم) made the relation between his companions and the ones who come after them like the relation between him and his companions, and like of that between the stars to the sky. And this comparison shows that it is compulsory to follow the way of the companions in terms of understanding the religion which resembles the Ummah returning to the Prophet (صلّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلّم) because the Sunnah is the expounder of the Qur’an, and the Prophet’s companions are those who have conveyed and explained the Sunnah of the rest of the Ummah.

And also the Prophet (صلّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلّم) is free from error and does not speak from desire, his speech comes from revelation and guidance, and also his companions are all trustworthy and they do not speak anything except the truth, and they do not know anything except the truth. And also Allaah سُبحانه وتعالى has made the stars decoration for the sky and missiles for the Devils: Allaah سُبحانه وتعالى has said:

“We have decorated the skies with the stars for beauty.. And to protect it from every rebellious devil.”

(Surah Saafaat verse 6-7)

And also the companions of the Prophet (صلّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلّم) are a decoration for this nation and are the best of all generations, as the Prophet (صلّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلّم) said in a hadeeth that is widespread in terms of narration:

“The best of nations is my generation”, and in another narration: “The best of people are from my generation.”

And the companions were guardians of this religion refuting the misinterpretations of the ignorant ones, those who fabricate lies and those who went astray by trying to distort the religion.., those who have followed their desires, and have separated to the right and left becoming various deviant groups.

And also the stars are a light for the people on earth and it guides mankind through the darkness of land and sea. As Allaah سُبحانه وتعالى says:

“And by the stars mankind guides himself.”

(Surah Nahl verse 16)

And the companions of the Prophet صلّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلّم are used as guidance through the darkness of desires and doubts, and whoever turns away from their understanding then he is deluded, in compounded darkness.

Therefore the understanding of the companions is a safety from all evil and what leads to it, and if it were that their understanding wasn’t to be used as proof then the understanding of those who are after them would have been a safety and a protection for the companions, and this is impossible.