Minhaj as-Sunnah - Ibn Taimiya - (8/388)

Minhaj as-SunnahIbn Taimiya

Moreover, one says, “He kept company with him for an hour,” and “He kept company with him for a year and a month.” Thus, companionship applies to both short and long periods. When used without qualification, it cannot be restricted without evidence; rather, it must be understood in the sense common to all its uses.

Undoubtedly, merely seeing another person does not warrant saying that one has kept company with him. This applies, however, when one sees him as a follower, taking him rather than anyone else as an example, and forming a particular attachment to him (1). Hence, no account is taken of the unbelievers and hypocrites who saw the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—for they did not see him as someone who sought him out to believe in him and become one of his followers and supporters: those who believe what he reports (2), obey what he commands, remain loyal to him, oppose his enemies, and love him more than themselves, their wealth, and everything else.

[Abū Bakr] was distinguished (3) from the other (4) believers by having seen him with this disposition toward him. In this respect, he was his Companion.

A second proof is the authentic report in the two Sahīh collections, narrated by Abū Hurayrah from the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—who said:

“I wish I could see my brothers.”

They asked, “O Messenger of Allah, are we not your brothers?”

He replied, “Rather, you are my Companions. My brothers are those who come after me, believe in me, and have not seen me.” (5)

(1) Bihi (to him) is omitted from (s) and (b). (2) m: fīmā akhbara bihi (in what he reported). (3) b: wa-imtāzā (and the two were distinguished), which is an error. (4) n, m, s: wa-imtāzū ‘an sā’ir… (and they were distinguished from the other…); b: wa-imtāzā ‘an sā’ir… (and the two were distinguished from the other…). The text is incomplete; perhaps the reading I have supplied makes the passage coherent. (5) This hadith was cited earlier. 7

وَأَيْضًا فَإِنَّهُ يُقَالُ: صَحِبَهُ سَاعَةً وَصَحِبَهُ سَنَةً وَشَهْرًا فَتَقَعُ عَلَى الْقَلِيلِ وَالْكَثِيرِ فَإِذَا أُطْلِقَتْ مِنْ غَيْرِ قَيْدٍ لَمْ يَجُزْ تَقْيِيدُهَا بِغَيْرِ دَلِيلٍ؛ بَلْ تُحْمَلُ عَلَى الْمَعْنَى الْمُشْتَرَكِ بَيْنَ سَائِرِ مَوَارِدِ الِاسْتِعْمَالِ. وَلَا رَيْبَ أَنَّ مُجَرَّدَ رُؤْيَةِ الْإِنْسَانِ لِغَيْرِهِ لَا تُوجِبُ أَنْ يُقَالَ: قَدْ صَحِبَهُ وَلَكِنْ إِذَا رَآهُ عَلَى وَجْهِ الِاتِّبَاعِ لَهُ وَالِاقْتِدَاءِ بِهِ دُونَ غَيْرِهِ وَالِاخْتِصَاصِ بِهِ (١) ، وَلِهَذَا لَمْ يُعْتَدَّ بِرُؤْيَةِ مَنْ رَأَى النَّبِيَّ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - مِنَ الْكُفَّارِ وَالْمُنَافِقِينَ فَإِنَّهُمْ لَمْ يَرَوْهُ رُؤْيَةَ مَنْ قَصَدَهُ لِأَنْ يُؤْمِنَ بِهِ، وَيَكُونَ مِنْ أَتْبَاعِهِ وَأَعْوَانِهِ الْمُصَدِّقِينَ لَهُ، فِيمَا أَخْبَرَ (٢) الْمُطِيعِينَ لَهُ فِيمَا أَمَرَ الْمُوَالِينَ لَهُ الْمُعَادِينَ لِمَنْ عَادَاهُ الَّذِي هُوَ أَحَبُّ إِلَيْهِمْ مِنْ أَنْفُسِهِمْ وَأَمْوَالِهِمْ وَكُلِّ شَيْءٍ. وَامْتَازَ (٣) [أَبُو بَكْرٍ] عَنْ سَائِرِ (٤) الْمُؤْمِنِينَ بِأَنْ رَآهُ وَهَذِهِ حَالُهُ مَعَهُ فَكَانَ صَاحِبًا لَهُ بِهَذَا الِاعْتِبَارِ. وَدَلِيلٌ ثَانٍ مَا ثَبَتَ فِي الصَّحِيحَيْنِ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - أَنَّهُ قَالَ: " «وَدِدْتُ أَنِّي رَأَيْتُ إِخْوَانِي " قَالُوا: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَوَلَسْنَا إِخْوَانَكَ قَالَ: " بَلْ أَنْتُمْ أَصْحَابِي، وَإِخْوَانِي الَّذِينَ يَأْتُونَ بَعْدِي يُؤْمِنُونَ بِي وَلَمْ يَرَوْنِي» " (٥) .

(١) بِهِ: سَاقِطَةٌ مِنْ (س) ، (ب) (٢) م: فِيمَا أَخْبَرَ بِهِ. (٣) ب: وَامْتَازَا، وَهُوَ خَطَأٌ (٤) ن، م، س: وَامْتَازُوا عَنْ سَائِرِ. .، ب: وَامْتَازَا عَنْ سَائِرِ. . وَالْكَلَامُ نَاقِصٌ؛ وَلَعَلَّ مَا أُثْبِتُهُ تَسْتَقِيمُ بِهِ الْعِبَارَةُ. (٥) سَبَقَ هَذَا الْحَدِيثُ فِيمَا مَضَى ٧