Merits of the Sahabah

Sahabi (Companion) is anyone that met the Prophet (pbuh) while believing in him, and dying upon that condition.

The Companions (Sahabah) of the Prophet (pbuh) are the best from all those that accompanied the prophets, due to the statement of Allah's Messenger (pbuh): "The best of people are my Companions." [1]

The best among the Sahabah are the Muhajirun (those who performed the migration from Makkah to Madinah), due to their combining between migrating and giving support (in Allah's Cause). Then after them, are the Ansar.

The best among the Muhajirun are the four righteous Khalifahs: Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman and Ali.

Abu Bakr - He is "As-Siddiq" 'Abdullah bin Uthman bin Amir from the Tribe of Taym bin Marrah bin Kaab. He was the first male to believe in the Messenger of Allah (pbuh). He was his companion in the migration (Hijrah) and his deputy during times of prayer and Hajj. He was his Khalifah (designated successor) for his nation. Five of those who were given the glad tidings of Paradise accepted Islam through his hands.

They are Uthman, Az-Zubair, Talha, Abd-ur-Rahman bin Awf and Saad bin Abi Waqqas. He died in Jumadal-Al-Akhirah, in the 13th year of Hijrah, when he was 63 years old. The above five along with Abu Bakr, Ali bin Abi Talib and Zayd bin Harithah form the eight that were the first of people to accept Islam. Ibn Ishâq stated this and what he meant by it, was that they were the first from amongst the males, after (the advent of) the Message.

Umar - He is Abu Hafs "Al-Faruq" 'Umar Ibn Al-Khattab from the tribe of Adiyy bin Kaab bin Lua. He accepted Islam in the sixth year after the Prophet (pbuh) was sent, after nearly forty men and eleven women (had accepted Islam). The Muslims were overjoyed by that occasion and Islam spread in Makkah afterward. Abu Bakr entrusted him with the leadership of the Muslim nation, and so he rose to the hardship of the Khilafah in the best manner. This was until he was killed and died as a martyr in Dhul-Hijjah of the year 23 H, at the age of 63.

Uthman - He is Abu Abdilah "Dhun-Nurain" 'Uthman bin Affan from the tribe of Umayyah bin Abd-ish-Shams bin Abd Manaf. He accepted Islam after the Prophet's entrance into Dar-ul-Arqam. He was a rich and generous man. He was given the Khilafah after Umar Ibn Al-Khattab (ra), due to the agreement of the members of the governing body. He remained Khalifah until he was killed and martyred in Dhul-Hijjah in the year 35 H. He was 90 years old at the time of his death, according to one of several opinions.

Ali - He is Abul-Hasan Ali bin Abi Talib. The name of Abu Talib was Abd Manaf bin Abd-il-Muttallib. He was the first from the youth to accept Islam. The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) gave him the banner on the Day of Khaibar and Allah granted victory at his hands. He was given the Khilafah after the murder of Uthman. Thus, he became the Khalifah, governing until he was killed himself, and martyred in the month of Ramadan in the 40 H, at the age of 63.

The best of these four is Abu Bakr, then Umar, then Uthman, then Ali. This is based on the report of Ibn Umar (ra):
"We used to make preference between the people during the time of the Prophet (pbuh). So we preferred Abu Bakr, then Umar Ibn Al-Khattab, then Uthman bin Affan." [2]

It is also based on (the hadith) in Abu Dawud:
"We used to say, while the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) was alive: The best of the Prophet's ummah after him, is Abu Bakr, then Umar, then Uthman." At-Tabarani added to this in his report: "The Prophet would hear that and he would not oppose it."

I did not find the wording that the author mentions, in which there is the addition of Ali bin Abi Talib. [3]

The most deserving from them of the Khilafah, after the Prophet, was Abu Bakr (ra). This is since he was the best of them and foremost to them in accepting Islam. Also, the Prophet (pbuh) preferred him to lead the prayer. Furthermore, the Sahabah agreed upon his superiority and upon giving him the oath of allegiance (bayah). And it is not befitting for Allah to unite them in agreement upon an error. Then Umar, since he was the best of the Sahabah after Abu Bakr and because Abu Bakr entrusted the Khilafah to him. Then Uthman, due to his merits and due to his election by the Majlis Ash-Shura (governing body).
They are the ones mentioned in this verse from a poem:
"Ali, Uthman, Saad and Talha. Zubair and Dhu Awf -- members of the governing body."

Then comes Ali, due to his merits and the consensus of the Muslims of his time upon it. These four are the rightly guided Khalifahs, whom the Prophet (pbuh) said concerning them:
"Stick to my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the rightly-guided Khalifahs after me. Bite onto it (the Sunnah) with your molar teeth."

And he (pbuh) said: "The Khilafah after me will endure for thirty years." Ahmad, Abu Dawud and At-Tirmidhi reported this hadîth and Al-Albani said that its chain of narration was hasan. Thus, the last part of it, was the Khilafah of Ali. This is as the author has stated and it is as if he places the Khilâfah of Al-Hasan subordinate to his father's or just doesn't acknowledge it (i.e. Al-Hasan's Khilafah) at all, due to his yielding it.

The Khilafah of Abu Bakr (ra) endured for two years, three months and nine nights, from the 13th of Rabi-ul-Awwal 11 H to the 22nd of Jumadal-Akhirah 13 H.

The Khilafah of Umar (ra) lasted ten years, six months and three days, from the 23 rd of Jumadal-Akhirah 13 H to the 26th of Dhul-Hijjah 23 H.

The Khilafah of Uthman (ra) lasted twelve years minus 12 days, from the month of Muharram 24 H to the 18th of Dhul-Hijjah 35 H.

The Khilafah of Ali (ra) lasted four years and nine months from the 19th of Dhul-Hijjah 35 H to the 19th of Ramadan 40 H. Combined, the Khilafah of these four (Companions) lasted twenty-nine years, six months and four days.

Thereafter, Al-Hasan bin Ali (ra) was given the oath of allegiance on the day that his father, Ali died. Then, in the month of Rabi'-ul-Awwal 41 H, the command was given to Muawiyah (ra) and due to that, the signs which the Prophet (pbuh) spoke of in his statement: "The Khilafah after me will endure for thirty years"and his statement: "Indeed, this son of mine is a Sayyid (noble) and perhaps it will be that Allah will bring peace between two large parties (i.e. that of Al-Hasan and Muawiyah) through him" [4] came to pass.

Al-Hasan was the grandson of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) and the fruit of his offspring. He was the Amir-ul-Muminin (Commander of the Believers), son of the Amir-ul-Muminin Ali bin Abi Talib. He was born on the 15 th of Ramadan in the third year after Hijrah. He died while in Madinah and was buried in the graveyard Al-Baqi' in Rabi-ul-Awwal 50 H.

Al-Husayn was the grandson of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) and the fruit of his offspring. He was the son of Ali bin Abi Talib. He was born in Shaban in the fourth year after Hijrah and was killed at Karbala on the tenth of Muharram 61 H.
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FOOTNOTES

[1] Sahih Al-Bukhari: Book of the Virtues of the Companions of the Prophet (no.3651 ) and Sahîh Muslim: Book of the Virtues of the Companions (no. 2533) from the hadith of Ibn Masud (ra). It is also reported on the authority of Imran bin Husayn (ra) in Al-Bukhari (no.2561 ,3650 , 6438 &6695 ) and Muslim (no.2535 ). Abu Hurairah (ra) also reported it in Muslim (no.534 ) as well as others. Furthermore, this is a mutawatir hadith. Al-Hafidh Ibn Hajr stated the correctness of it being mutawâtir in the introduction to his Al-Isabah.

[2] Sahih Al-Bukhari: Book of the Virtues of the Companions (no.3655 ). And in another wording found in Al-Bukhari (no.3697 ), it states:
"During the lifetime of the Prophet, we used to not put anyone equal to Abu Bakr, then (the same was with) Umar, then (the same was with) Uthman. Then we left the (remaining) Companions of the Prophet alone, not distinguishing between any of them."

[3] Isnaduhu Sahih: This is an authentic hadith reported by Abu Dawud (4628), At-Tirmidhi (3707) and Ibn Abi Asim in As-Sunnah (1190). Its chain of narration (isnad) is authentic as has been stated by Al-Albani in his checking to As-Sunnah (2/567). As for the addition that Shaikh Ibn Al-Uthaimin has mentioned, which is found in At-Tabarani, which is:
" The Prophet would hear that and he would not oppose it", then it is an authentic addition, which is established in many paths of narration found in Ibn Abi Asim (1194, 1195, 1196 & 1197), Ahmad (2/14) and others with authentic chains. Refer to the checking of Ibn Abi Asim's As-Sunnah (2/568-569) as well as Fath-ul-Bari (7/16-17)

[4] Sahih Al-Bukhari: Book of Peace Making (no.2704 ) from the hadith of Abu Bakrah (ra).