Ten Blessed Companions One of the goals believers want to reach is entering paradise, because the Quran commands people to race to enter paradise. "Be quick in the race for forgiveness from your Lord, and for a Garden whose width is that (of the whole) of the heavens and of the earth, prepared for the righteous" (Al-i Imran 3/133). Who has gained Paradise will be apparent in the afterlife, but Allah promised it to some of the Companions while they were still in this world. The term Ashara Mubashara (the ten who were promised Paradise) designates those who were given these glad tidings by the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) while they were living in this world. 1. They were given this news of paradise on account of their services that they had always been with holy prophet (S.A.W.W) in his lifetime. 2. When Qibla changed from Masjid-e-Aqsa to Holy Kaaba these people followed him without any hesitation where as many other people objected. 3. These people risked their lives during the Battle of Uhad. When holy prophet (S.A.W.W) was being attacked by Quraish, these people made a circle around Holy Prophet (S.A.W.W) and protected him on this occasion holy prophet (S.A.W.W) gave them news of paradise. In addition to the term "Ashara Mubashara," the phrase with the same meaning - "alMubashara bil-Jannah" - was also used. They are: Hazrat Abu Bakr, Hazrat Umar, Hazrat Uthman, Hazrat Ali, Hazrat Talha , Hazrat Zubayr, Hazrat Abdurrahman ibn Awf, Hazrat Sa'd, Hazrat Saeed ibn Zayd, Hazrat Abu Ubaidah . The names of these Companions were mentioned in hadith and were, thus, fixed. Some common traits of the Ashara Mubashara: All became Muslim in the early years of Islam. They made great service to the Prophet and the Islamic cause. They migrated. They participated in the battle of Badr. They swore allegiance to the Prophet at Hudaybiya. There are many narrations in hadith sources regarding their virtues. Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddique Father Name: Abu Quhafa Tribe: Banu Taym (Quresh) Mother Name: Umm ul Khayr Selma Titles: Siddiq, Jami ul Quran Character before Islam: Belonged to a noble family of Quresh , Originally named Abdul Kabah but as he was very fond of the foals he got his name Abu Bakr. He didn’t receive any formal education. Even before Islam he led a pious life. At 18, he adopted his family business and became a successful cloth merchant. Abu Bakr was a person well-liked and known for his admirable virtues during the Age of Ignorance. When he accepted Islam, his capital was forty thousand dirham, and he spent most of it for Islam. Services to Islam: First free man to accept Islam. Worked to gain converts to Islam from powerful tribes during the Meccan period e.g. Hazrat Uthman, Talha, Zubair, Abu Ubaidah, Abdur Rehman bin Awf etc. Protected the helpless and slaves who were subject to torture by the idolaters, and he used his wealth to buy and free persecuted slaves e.g. Bilal ibn Rabbah He used to help poor and needy. The Prophet said, “ The most compassionate member of my people towards my people is Abu Bakr” (Ahmad) When the Prophet narrated the experience of Miraj he did not hesitate in believing him and got the title ‘Al Siddiq’. He was the one who migrated with the Prophet from Makkah to Madina. During that migration they stayed at the cave of Thaur (Saur). Participated in all the battles with Prophet, One of those who protected the Prophet in Uhud. Called people back when they fled the battle field in Hunain. He supported the Prophet at the time of Treaty of Hudaibiya and pacified Umar when he objected to the terms of treaty. At Tabuk expedition Abu Bakr gave all his possessions in the way of Allah. When Haj became obligatory in 9th AH he was appointed as the first Amir e Hajj When Prophet fell ill he appointed Abu Bakr to lead the prayers. Ayesha pleaded to the Prophet to replace him as he is too soft-hearted but the Prophet did not change his decision. When the Prophet died Umar was in state of shock and said that he would kill the person who said that the prophet was dead. At that time Abu Bakr gave a speech and consoled the Muslims. He was chosen as the first Caliph and served for about two years. Death: After a fortnight of illness Hazrat Abu Bakr passed away at the age of 61 on Tuesday, the 22nd Jamadi ul Akhir, 13 AH /634 AD Hazrat Umar Ibn AlKhattab Father Name: Khattab ibn e Naufal Tribe: Adi (Quresh) Mother Name: Hantamah binte Hisham Titles: Abu Hafsa, Farooq Character before Islam: When the Prophet invited people to Islam Umar became a sworn enemy of the Prophet. He never hesitated to harm Muslims and Islam at any opportunity. Some of the early Muslims were badly tortured by him. Acceptance of Islam: In the 6th Year of Islam Prophet prayed to Allah to strengthen Islam by the conversion of either Umar ibn Khattab or Umar bin Hisham (Abu Jahl). Soon his prayers were accepted and Hazrat Umar bin Khattab became a Muslim. It happened so that Umar ibn Khattab decided to kill the Prophet. While he was on his way with his sword he met Hazrat Saad bin Abi Waqas. When Saad got to know his intentions he told Umar to better take care of his own family first as his sister and her husband had both converted to Islam. Hearing that, Umar immediately went to his sister’s house and found her reading Quran. Umar beat them so severely that the sister bled profusely. When Umar calmed down he asked her what was she reciting. She asked him to purify himself, perform wudu and then recited the verses of surah Taha to him. It moved Umar so much that he went to the Prophet and accepted Islam. Services to Islam: His conversion strengthened Islam. After his support Muslims were able to pray openly. Abdullah bin Masud reported, “We have been powerful since Umar embraced Islam.” (Sahih Bukhari) Prophet gave him the title of Farooq, meaning the one who makes difference between right and wrong. Prophet said, “Allah placed truth upon the tongue of Umar and his heart” (Sahih Bukhari) During migration to Madina most of the Muslims migrated secretly but Umar declared his migration openly. Umar participated in all the battles Badar, Uhud, Trench, Khyber and Hunain etc. He took the pledge of Ridhwan at the hand of Prophet. He was unhappy about the terms of Treaty of Hudaibiya and showed his dissatisfaction, for which he always repented. At the time of conquest of Makkah when Abu Sufyan was taken as a prisoner while spying, Umar asked permission from the Prophet to kill him. Many verses of Quran were revealed to support him. He wanted the Prophet’s wives to cover themselves and it’s said that verses of Hijab were revealed after that. During Tabuk expedition he gave half of his wealth in the way of Allah. The death of Prophet was a great shock to him and he said that he will kill anyone who says that the Prophet is dead. He was later calmed down by Hazrat Abu Bakr. He was the first to pledge on the hand of Hazrat Abu Bakr and supported him throughout his life. He became the second Caliph after the death of Hazrat Abu Bakr Death: The Persian slave, Feroz Nahavandi (also known as Abu Lulu), brought a complaint to Umar about the high tax charged from him by his master Mughirah. Umar wrote to Mughirah and inquired about the tax; Mughirah's reply was satisfactory, but Umar held that the tax charged from Abu Lulu was reasonable, owing to his daily income. Umar then is reported to have asked Abu Lulu: "I heard that you make daggers; make one for me as well." In a sullen mood, Piruz said, "Verily I will make such a dagger for you, that whole world would remember it" According to traditions, before the Fajr prayers Feroz entered Masjid al-Nabawi, the main mosque of Medina where Umar led the prayers and attacked Umar during the prayers, stabbing him six times in the belly and last on the navel, that proved fatal and he died three days later. Hazrat Uthman bin Affan Father Name: Affan ibn Abi Al-Aas Tribe: Banu Ummaya (Quresh) Mother Name: Arwa binte Kurayz Titles: Ghani, Zu-Noorain Character before Islam: Uthman was a cloth merchant and one of very few people of Makkah who could read and write. He was a soft natured and kind hearted man and was very famous for his generosity. Acceptance of Islam: Uthman was one of the early converts to Islam. He accepted Islam at the invitation of Hazrat Abu Bakar. He also faced persecutions at the hands of Quresh but it wasn’t as severe as the poor Muslims. He was married to two daughters of Prophet one after another; Hazrat Ruqqaya and Hazrat Umm e Kulthoom. That’s why he was also given the title of “Dhu Noorain” the bearer of two lights. Services to Islam: He participated in almost all the battles of Islam except Battle of badr as his wife Hazrat Ruqqaya wasn’t well at that time. At the time of Treaty of Hudaibiya he was sent to Makkah to negotiate with the Quresh. As he stayed there for 3 days a rumor was spread that the people of Makkah has killed Uthman. The Prophet sought a pledge from Muslims that they would not rest until they had avenged the blood of Uthman. This pledge is known as ‘Bait e Ridhwan’. He accompanied the Prophet at conquest of Makkah People of Madinah had a great difficulty in getting drinking water as the well belonged to a Jew. Hazrat Uthman bought the well of “bi-r Rumah” from a Jew for twenty thousand dirham and dedicated it for the use of the Muslims. When the Muslim population increased in Madinah and the Mosque of Prophet became too small to accommodate them, Uthman bought the adjacent land to expand it. Uthman bore the expenses of 1/3 of the army that went for the Expedition of Tabuk. He also gave one thousand camels, 50 horses and one thousand Dinars to support the rest of the army. He was one of the scribes of Quran and a modest man. Praising his modesty the Prophet said “The most genuinely modest is Uthman” (Ahmad) Uthman swore oath of allegiance at the hand of both Abu Bakr and Umar and remained an important member of Shura. Uthman was one of the six men appointed by Hazrat Umar to become the next Caliph and thus was chosen as the third Caliph. Death: His house was sieged by the rebels and they climbed the back wall and crept inside, leaving the guards on the gate unaware of what was going on inside. The rebels entered his room and struck blows at his head. Naila, the wife of Uthman, threw herself on his body to protect him and raised her hand to deflect a sword. She had her fingers chopped off and was pushed aside. The next blow killed Uthman. After the body of Uthman had been in the house for three days, Naila, Uthman's wife, approached some of his supporters to help in his burial, but only about a dozen people responded. The body was carried to Jannat al-Baqi, the Muslim graveyard. Hazrat Ali ibn e Abi Talib Father Name: Abu Talib Tribe: Banu Hashim (Quresh) Mother Name: Fatima binte Asad Titles: Abul Hassan Abu Turab, Assad ullah Character before Islam: Ali was 30 years younger to the Prophet. He was the son of Prophet’s real uncle and care taker Hazrat Abu Talib. His mother was also from the clan of Banu Hashim. Since his birth he was taken care by Prophet Mohammad. Acceptance of Islam: When the Prophet received the first revelation, Hazrat Ali was still a kid. He there and then accepted Islam hence he is the first child to accept Islam and one of the companions who never worshipped anyone other than Allah. When the Prophet announced the message of Islam to his family, Ali though still a kid, ensured him of his support. Ali was very close to the Prophet and was married to the dearest and youngest daughter of the Prophet Fatimah. Services to Islam: Ali accepted Islam at the age of 11 and always supported the Prophet and Islam. At the time of migration, Prophet left Ali in his bed so that the Quresh might think he is still in bed and asked him to return the belongings entrusted to the Prophet to their owners. Prophet waited for Ali at Quba until he joined him and then proceeded to Madinah. At the time of establishing brotherhood the Prophet declared Ali to be his brother. The Prophet said,” Ali, you are my brother in this world and the hereafter” (Tirmidhi) Ali was very brave and one of the greatest warriors of Arabia. He fought in almost all the battles fought during the life of Prophet except for Tabuk expedition when the Prophet left him at Madinah as his deputy. He fought solo during the battle of Badr, Uhud and Khyber. He was the one who protected the Prophet during the battle of Uhud and later washed his wounds. During the battle of Trench he fought and killed those who crossed the Trench. During this a very famous warrior Amr ibn Al AbdWudd was also killed by him In Khyber, Allah’s apostle said, “ Tomorrow I will give this flag to a man through whose hands Allah will give us victory. He loves Allah and His apostle, and he is loved by Allah and His Apostle.” (Bukhari) and the next day he gave the flag to Ali and Allah granted victory to Muslims through him. He was sent as Commander of Muslim forces in the expedition to Fadak and Yemen. He defended the Prophet during the Battle of Hunain. He was the Principal Scribe of Quran in Makkah and used to write treaties and letters for the Prophet. At the expedition of Tabuk when the Prophet left Ali as his deputy in Madinah, some of the hypocrites remarked that the Prophet left Ali as he was unhappy with him. At that moment the Prophet said to Ali, “You are to me as Haroon (Aaron) was to Musa (Moses) except that there will be no Prophet after me.” (Agreed) At another moment the Prophet said, “ You pertain to me and I pertain to you”. (Tirmidhi) When Hajj became obligatory the Prophet sent Hazrat Ali to read out Surah e Taubah to the people and deliver the new teachings revealed regarding Hajj. Ali was not only a great warrior but a great scholar too. The Prophet said about him, “I am the city of knowledge and Ali is it’s gate.” He was the master of Arabic language and very eloquent. He has narrated 540 Ahadith. He was the greatest jurists of his time, the Prophet said, “The most learned in the legal matters is Ali.” (Ahmad) He was appointed as Qazi of Yemen in 10AH. Prophet blessed him with the following prayer, “ O Allah, put truth on his tongue and enlighten his heart with the light of guidance. He attended the Prophet during his illness. After his death, he gave bath to his body and performed the last funeral rights. For that reason he couldn’t even participate in the discussion over the succession at Saqeefa. He was a member of the Shura. He was among the six people who Umar had nominated for selection to the post of Caliph. Later he was elected as the fourth Caliph. Death: On 19 Ramadan 40 AH, while praying in the Great Mosque of Kufa, ‘Ali was attacked by the Kharijite Abd-al-Rahman ibn Muljam. He was wounded by ibn Muljam's poison-coated sword while prostrating in the Fajr prayer. ‘Ali ordered his sons not to attack the Kharijites, instead stipulating that if he survived, ibn Muljam would be pardoned whereas if he died, ibn Muljam should be given only one equal hit (regardless of whether or not he died from the hit). Ali died two days later on 21 Ramadan 40 A.H. at the age of 60. Hasan fulfilled Qisas and gave equal punishment to ibn Muljam upon Ali's death. Hazrat Talha bin Ubaydullah Father Name: Ubaydallah ibn Uthman Tribe: Taym (Quresh) Mother Name: Al-Saaba bint Abdullah Titles: Living Martyr & Fayyaz Acceptance of Islam: He was one of the early converts of Islam and a cousin of Abu Bakr. He accepted Islam on the invitation of Hazrat Abu Bakr at the age of 18. He too went through the torture and persecutions of Quresh. Services to Islam: He brought the family of Abu Bakr to Madinah after migration. He participated in all the battles during the life of Prophet except for Badr as the Prophet had sent him and Saeed bin Zayed to spy on the movement of Quresh. By the time they returned Muslims had already won the battle. However both of them received their share of the battle. He was a very good archer. While protecting the Prophet at Uhud he received 70 wounds on his body, lost two fingers in a sword attack, one of his arms was disabled by a spear which perched through his palm. After this the Prophet gave him the title of ‘living Martyr’. He was a successful merchant and had a lot of wealth which he spent in the way of Allah. He donated generously during Tabuk expedition and was given the name ‘Fayaz’ Talha was one of the six people who Umar nominated for Caliphate after him but he couldn’t be considered as he was out of Madinah at that time. Death: He swore allegiance to Ali as a Calpih but later turned against him and joined Hazrat Ayesha in the battle of camel. Later he and Zubair decided to withdraw and secretly escaped the battlefield but the mischief makers killed both of them. Hazrat Zubayr bin Awwam Father Name: Al-Awam ibn Khuwaylid Tribe: Bani Asad (Quresh) Mother Name: Safiyyah binte Abd Al Mutallub Acceptance of Islam: He was Hazrat Khadija’s nephew and son of Prophet’s aunt. He was one of the early converts of Islam but accepted Islam at the age of 15. Services to Islam: He migrated to Abyssinia and later to Madinah. He participated in the battle of Badr and Uhud and spied for Muslims at the battle of Trench and brought news of Banu Qurayza. The Prophet said, “There was a helper for every Prophet and my helper is Zubair”. He was one of those six companions who were nominated by Umar for his succession. He supported the three Caliphs; Abu Bakr, Umar and Uthman. Though he swore allegiance to Ali as well but later turned against him. Death: He swore allegiance to Ali as a Calpih but later turned against him and joined Hazrat Ayesha in the battle of camel. Later he and Talha decided to withdraw and secretly escaped the battlefield but the mischief makers killed both of them. Hazrat Abdur Rahman ibn Awf Acceptance of Islam: Abu Bakr spoke to 'Abd al-Rahman about Islam, then invited him to meet Muhammad, who heard his declaration of faith and taught him the Islamic prayers. This was before the Muslims had entered the house of Al-Arqam; 'Abd al-Rahman was one of the first eight men to accept Islam, just two days after Abu Bakr. He too suffered at the hands of Quresh. He migrated twice to Abyssinia. Services to Islam: After his migration to Madina Prophet established brotherhood between him and Saad bin Ar-Rabi Al-Ansari. Saad offered him half of his property and also offered to divorce one of his wives so that Abdur Rehman might marry her but Abdur Rehman replied, “ May Allah bless you in your family and property; guide me to the market.” (Bukhari) Abdur Rehman became rich businessman by selling dry yogurt and butter and used to send his own trading caravans. He fought in all the battles fought during the life of Prophet. In the battle of Uhud he was severely wounded and remained lame for the rest of his life. Prophet made him the commander of Muslim force that raided Dumat ul Jandal. He accompanied the Prophet while he went to see his son Ibrahim who was in his last breaths and consoled him when he died. He was one of those six companions who were nominated by Umar for the Caliphate. He declined the offer and was thus given the responsibility of choosing the next Caliph and he voted for Uthman, He was a generous man and once distributed forty thousand dirhams in charity. He also gifted a garden to mothers of the faithful which he bought for forty thousand dirhams. When he died all his four wives inherited 80,000 dinar each. Death: 'Abd al-Rahman died in the Levant in 33 AH (652 CE) during the reign of Hazrat Uthman. He was buried on a hill to the north-east of present-day Amman Jordan. Hazrat Sa'ad bin Abi Waqas Acceptance of Islam: He belonged to the tribe of Banu Zuhra and was Hazrat Aminah’s cousin. He was the seventeenth person to accept Islam and his age at that time was only seventeen. He also accepted Islam at the invitation of Hazrat Abu Bakr. Services to Islam: In the early days of Islam, Muslims used to go outside Makkah to pray because of the persecutions of Quresh. One day some idolaters interrupted them while they were praying and resulted in a scuffle. Saad bin Abi Waqas struck one of the idolaters and wounded him. There for he is known as the first to shed blood and the first companion to have shot the arrow in the defence of Islam. He said, “ I am the first of Arabs who shot with an arrow in the way of Allah.” He participated in all the battles fought in the time of Prophet and was known as one of the best archer. Saad was a wealthy man and was well known for his generosity. During the Farewell pilgrimage he fell ill. Prophet went to visit him and Saad expressed his desire to give 2/3 of his wealth in charity. However the Prophet stopped him and allowed him only to give 1/3 in charity saying that it’s better to leave his heirs well off than leave them dependant on others. He took pledge of Ridhwan on the hand of Prophet and participated in conquest of Makkah. He commanded Muslims forces at different expeditions in the time of Umar. Later Umar appointed him as the Governor of Nejd and Kufa but was later removed from his post by the Caliph Umar. He was one of the six people Umar nominated for caliphate after him. He was reappointed as Governor of Kufa in the time of Uthman. After the assassination of Uthman he was asked to become the next caliph but he refused. Death: He outlived all ten blessed companions and died a wealthy man at the age of eighty, around the year 674. Hazrat Abu Ubaidah bin Jarrah Acceptance of Islam: Even before his conversion to Islam, he was considered to be one of the nobles of the Quraysh and was famous among the Quraysh of Makkah for his modesty and bravery. He embraced Islam just a day after Abu Bakr. He was an honest and trust worthy man and Prophet used to call him Amin or Custodian of Muslim Ummah. Services to Islam: Abu Ubaidah too faced persecutions at the hands of Kuffar. He migrated to Abyssinia and later to Madinah. He fought all the battles in the life of Prophet. During the battle of Badr he went through a painful experience. In this battle, he was attacked by his father Abdullah ibn alJarrah, who was fighting alongside the army of Quraysh. Abu Ubaidah avoided fighting with him but eventually his father succeeded in blocking Abu Ubaidah's path. Abu Ubaidah then attacked him and killed him. The following verse of the Quran was revealed about this display of character by Abu 'Ubaidah: “You will not find a people who believe in Allah and the Last Day, loving those who resist Allah and His Messenger, even though they were their fathers or their sons, or their brothers, or their clan. God has placed faith in their hearts, and strengthened them with a spirit from Himself.” (58: 22) In the battle of Uhud Abu Ubaidah was defending the Prophet. When the Prophet was struck on the cheek, Abu Ubaidah extracted the metal link from his helmet straps out of the wounds with his own teeth, as a result his own teeth broke. At conquest of Makkah he was the commander of one of the four squadrons that entered Makkah. He also took part in the expedition that the Prophet sent to Syria before his death. Once while Prophet had sent a force of 300 hundred Muslims under the command of Abu Ubaidah to watch the caravan of Quresh. They stayed at seashore for two weeks and ran short of food. Abu Ubaidah collected all the food from soldiers and they were given just a date a day to survive. After the death of Prophet, companions gathered at Saqeefa to choose a successor. Umar asked Abu Ubaidah to stretch his hand so that people can swear allegiance to him as Prophet declared him custodian of the Ummah but he refused saying that he would not come forward in the presence of a man who the Prophet commanded to lead the Muslims in prayer. He then swore allegiance to Abu Bakr. Abu Ubaidah led Muslim army in the campaigns against Syria and Persia both during the reign of Abu Bakr and Umar. Umar wanted to nominate him as the next Caliph but he died before that. Death: The plague epidemic broke in Syria and western Iraq; it was most severe in Syria. Abu Ubaidah was there with the Muslim army. Hazrat Umar asked him to come back but he refused and wanted to live and die with his soldiers. As death hung over him, he spoke to his army: “Let me give you some advice, which will cause you to be on the path of goodness always— Establish Prayer. Fast the month of Ramadan. Give Sadaqah. Perform Hajj and Umrah. Remain united and support one another. Be sincere to your commanders and do not conceal anything from them. Don't let the world destroy you for even if man were to live a thousand years he would still end up with this state that you see me in. Peace be upon you and the mercy of God.” He then appointed Muadh bin Jabal as his successor and ordered him to lead people in prayers; after the prayers Muadh went to him and, at that moment, his soul departed. Muadh got up and said to the people: “O people, you are stricken by the death of a man. By God, I don't know whether I have seen a man who had a more righteous heart, who was further from all evil and who was more sincere to people than he. Ask God to shower His mercy on him and God will be merciful to you.” He died in 639 C.E. and was buried at Jabiya. It has been narrated that his funeral prayer was led by Muadh bin Jabal. Hazrat Saeed ibn Zayd Acceptance of Islam: He was one of the early converts of Islam. His father was a monotheist and followed the religion of Prophet Ibrahim. Saeed and Umar were cousins and Saeed was married to the sister of Hazrat Umar, Fatimah. Services to Islam: Umar accepted Islam when he heard Saeed and Fatima reciting Surah e Taha. He was a devoted companion and a brave warrior. He took part in all battles except Badr as the Prophet had sent him and Talha to spy on the movement of Quresh. By the time they returned Muslims had already won the battle. However both of them received their share of the battle. He was present during the treaty of Hudaibiya and conquest of Makkah. After the life of Prophet, he participated in many campaigns and was the commander of the infantry of the Muslim army during the reign of Umar. He was made the Governor of Damascus by Umar but he refused the offer for his love for Jihad. Later he fought as an ordinary soldier in all the battles that were waged for the cause of Islam. Death: He died in the year 51 AH and was buried in Madinah.
