The Companions Of Our Beloved Prophet Muhammad(Peace Be Upon Him)

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The Companions constitute the first pure and blessed channel through which the Qur'an and the Sunnah were transmitted 

to later generations. God is the All-Trustworthy and Inspirer of Trust.

The Qur'an was entrusted to the Companions, who memorized and recorded it so that it could be transmitted. This blessed community, was the living embodiment of almost all laudable virtues and sought nothing but the good pleasure

 of God.

In addition to the Qur'an, they absorbed the Sunnah, lived disciplined lives in strict accordance with the Prophet's example, and exerted all their efforts to both represent and transmit it with complete accuracy.

According to Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani, scholars define a Companion as "a believer who saw and heard the Messenger at least once and died as a believer."

The main companions of our beloved Prophet Muhammad(Peace Be Upon Him) are the four Rightly Guided Caliphs:

1. Hadrat  Abu Bakr(May Allah Be Pleased With Him)
2. Hadrat  umar(May Allah Be Pleased With Him)
3. Hadrat  Uthman(May Allah Be Pleased With Him)
4. Hadrat  Ali(May Allah Be Pleased With Him)

1. The First Caliph Of Islam Hadrat Abu Bakr(May Allah Be Pleased With Him) :

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Abu Bakr was two years younger than the Prophet. From early years, Abu Bakr was known for good and upright nature. He was honest and truthful. He came of a noble family. These things won him respect among the people. His goodness also won him the friendship of young Muhammad (Peace be Upon him).

Abu Bakr's closeness to the Prophet and his boundless devotion to Islam won him universal respect. Not only was he the first man to accept Islam, he was also the foremost among Muslims to uphold the cause of Islam.  Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) named him “as-Siddiq” because of his Truthfulness and sincere personality regarding Faith not having even slightest doubt. Of course Abu Bakr's faith was so strong that nothing could shake it.

"No one has been a better companion to me than Abu Bakr," said the holy Prophet in his last sermon.A great reward indeed! Abu Bakr had earned it. All his life he stood by the side of the Prophet. He did not care for his life. He did not care for his riches. He did not care for what others said about him. His only ambition was to serve the Prophet more than anyone else. The cost did not matter. The ambition was fulfilled. And Abu Bakr got his reward in full. The Messenger of Allah was well pleased with him. He gave him the first place among the Companions. Abu Bakr was to be the first man to fill the place of the Prophet. He was also to lie in eternal rest by the prophet's side.

2. The Second Caliph Of Islam Hadrat umar(May Allah Be Pleased With Him):

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Omar was twelve years younger than the Holy Prophet. In early youth, Omar got training in methods of warfare. He also learnt the art of public speaking. From the outset, he showed unusual courage and frankness of manner. Eager to learn, he was earnest and thorough in whatever he undertook. These qualities won him a name in the country rather at an early age. As a trader, he had to travel to other lands. These travels brought him a wide knowledge and a deep understanding of men and things. 

When Umar embraced Islam Great was the joy of the Holy Prophet and his followers. Loud shouts of "Allah is Great" rented the air of Mecca. Soon everyone knew that Omar was no longer an enemy of Islam. It was a great day for Islam because one of its bitterest enemies had become its staunch follower. 

 No Meccan would dare to stop Omar in whatever he does. These things earned for Omar the title of Farooq. Farooq is the one who makes a difference. Omar's acceptance of Islam had made a big difference for Islam and Muslims. 

3. The Third Caliph Of Islam Hadrat Uthman(May Allah Be Pleased With Him):

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 Hadrat Uthman was one of the few persons of Mecca who knew reading and writing. When he grew up, he started business in cloth which made him very rich. He used his money in good ways and always helped the poor. He was a soft natured and kind hearted man. He did not hesitate to spend any amount of money on seeing a man in trouble in order to remove his misery. For his noble qualities the Meccans had great respect for him and due to these qualities he was given the title as “Ghani”. He was also given the title of  "Dhun-nurain" i.e., the man with two lights because he married the two daughters of prophet(Pleased Be Upon Him)

Hadrat Uthman  accepted Islam when Abu Bakr (May Allah Be Pleased With Him) preached to him. He was one of those Muslims who accepted Islam in its very early days. 

He was a very prominent Muslim to serve Islam by all means. He participated in almost all the battles with the non-believers in which the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) had also taken part. Hadrat Uthman had a beautiful handwriting because of which the Holy Prophet(Peace Be Upon Him) appointed him as one of the scribes of the "Wahy"(Revelation). His style of writing was well recognised among the Companions. He  was a very pious Companion and a man of high character. He was the most modest of all the Companions.The Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) said "Even the angels have regard for the modesty of Uthman".

4. The Fourth Caliph Of Islam Hadrat Ali(May Allah Be Pleased With Him):

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Ali is the cousin of prophet(peace Be Upon Him). He took him in his childhood from his father, Abu Talib, and brought up him like his own son. When the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) started revelations Hadrat Ali was about ten years old. The Holy Prophet disclosed his mission before Ali and he accepted it immediately, thus he became the first youth to enter the folds of Islam.

Hadrat Ali  was a very brave man. He participated in almost all the battles against the non-believers during the time of the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him). The stories of his bravery are famous in history. He is named as "Dhulfiqar" as well “Asadullah”(The Lion Of Allah) after his bravery. Ali  was not only a great warrior but a great scholar as well. The Holy Prophet said about him: ”I am the city of knowledge and Ali is its gate." He was one of the great jurists among the Companions. The Holy Prophet appointed him as the Qadi (Judge) of Yemen during his life time. He was a master of Arabic and his writings were as effective as his speech.

When the Holy Prophet started to preach openly, he invited all of his family members to a feast and announced his mission before them. Nobody listened to him, but young Ali stood up and said. "Though my eyes are sore, my legs are thin and I am the youngest of all those present here yet I will stand by you, 0 Messenger of Allah." Hearing this all the leaders of Quraish laughed but Ali proved his words to be true after supporting the Holy Prophet in his mission from the beginning till the end.

The Messenger declares: "My Companions are like stars; whomever of them you follow, you will be guided to the True Path."

Reference :

 http://www.infinitelight.org/content/view/778/15/

http://www.turntoislam.com/forum/showthread.php?t=27345

http://alquraan.net/khulafa/Abu_Bakr.html

http://ourislamonline.tripod.com/usmanghani.htm

Questions:

         1. Who got the name “As-Siddiq” because of his Truthfulness and sincere   personality?

 2. Who was the one who distinguishes truth from falsehood?

 3. Who got the title Dhun Nurain  and why?

 4. Who compiled the first Quran?

 5. Whom did Bibi Fatima marry & who are their children?