article The Ten Most Virtuous Companions

In general, after the four guided Caliphs [Abu Bakr, ‘Umar , ‘Uthman and ‘Alee], the remaining six most virtuous companions from the ten whom the Messenger -صلى الله عليه و سلم - passed away while being pleased with were:

Whoever would like to read about their biographies should read the book authored by al ‘Allaamah ibn Jareer at Tabaree which he called ‘Ar Riyaad an Nadrah fee Manaaqib al ‘Asharah.’ [more about this reference here ].

From amongst the evidence of their virtues is what ‘Abdur Rahmaan ibn ‘Awf narrated upon the authority of the Messenger of Allah -صلى الله عليه و سلم - who said:

“Abu Bakr is in Jannah, ‘Umar is in Jannah, ‘Uthman ibn ‘Afaan is in Jannah, ‘Alee is in Jannah, Talha is in Jannah, Az Zubayr is in Jannah, ‘Abdur Rahmaan ibn ‘Awf is in Jannah, Sa’d ibn Waqaas is in Jannah, Sa’eed ibn Zayd is in Jannah and Abu ‘Ubaydah ibn al Jaraah is in Jannah.” [Narrated by at Tirmidhi: 3748 and authenticated by al-Albani in Saheeh at Tirmidhi 2946]

Abu Dawud and at Tirmidhi collected a Hadeeth on the authority of Rabaah ibn al Haarith who said:

‘I was in the presence of some person in al Koofah, and a lot of the people of Koofah were at his gathering. Sa’eed ibn Zayd entered upon us and that person welcomed him and offered him a seat close to him. A man of the people of Koofah named Qays ibn ‘Alqamah then entered upon them while insulting someone continuously. Sa’eed said:

Who is this man insulting?

They said: He is insulting ‘Alee.

He then said [to his host]: ‘Do not let me find the companions of the Messenger of Allah being insulted in your presence while you stay silent and do nothing to change it. I heard the Messenger of Allah -صلى الله عليه و سلم - say:

“Abu Bakr is in Jannah, ‘Umar is in Jannah, ‘Uthman is in Jannah, ‘Alee is in Jannah, Az Zubayr is in Jannah, ‘Abdur Rahmaan ibn ‘Awf is in Jannah ,Talha is in Jannah, Sa’d is in Jannah, and Abu ‘Ubaydah ibn al Jaraah is in Jannah.”

He did not mentioned the tenth.

The people then said: ‘Who is the tenth then?’

He responded: ‘Sa’eed ibn Zayd.’ – meaning himself. ‘By Allah, that one of them was in a battle with the Messenger of Allah -صلى الله عليه و سلم - where his face changes, is better than your actions even if you were given the life span of Nooh!” [collected by at Tirmidhi: 3748: Abu Dawud: 4649, Ibn Maajah: 134 and authenticated by al-Albani in Saheeh at Tirmidhi: 2947]

There is no problem that their lives had ended, as Allah made it that the reward for their virtuous deeds would not end until the Day of Resurrection. The wretched person is the one who hates them, the content person is the one who loves them, may Allah cause us to die while we love them, Aameen.

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[1] Their names can be memorized with the following poem.