“The best generation is the generation in which I was sent, then those who follow them, then those who follow them.”

This is established through several routes of transmission in the two Sahīh collections. They also record that he, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

“Do not revile my Companions. By Him in whose hand is my soul, were any of you to spend gold equal to Mount Uhud, it would not equal a double handful given by one of them, nor even half of that.”

The earliest forerunners among the Emigrants and the Helpers are superior to the rest of the Companions. The Most High says:

“Those of you who spent and fought before the victory are not equal to those who did so afterward. They are greater in rank than those who spent and fought afterward. Yet Allah has promised the finest reward to all.”

The Most High also says:

“The earliest forerunners among the Emigrants and the Helpers, and those who followed them in righteousness—Allah is pleased with them, and they are pleased with Him.”

The earliest forerunners are those who spent and fought before the victory. The victory here means the Treaty of al-Hudaybiyah, for it marked the beginning of the conquest of Mecca. On that occasion, Allah Most High revealed:

“Indeed, We have granted you a clear victory, so that Allah may forgive you your past and future sins.”

They said, “O Messenger of Allah, is this a victory?” He replied, “Yes.”

The best of the earliest forerunners are “the four caliphs,” and the best of them is Abū Bakr, followed by Umar. This is the position known from the Companions, those who followed them in righteousness, the leading scholars of this community, and its overwhelming majority. This is supported by evidence that we have set out at length in “Minhāj