Title of the Sermon: "And My Companions Are a Safeguard for My Nation"
Elements of the Sermon:
Allah and His Messenger ﷺ praised the companions.
Why are the companions a safeguard for the Ummah?
Our duty toward the companions.
Why do heretics attack the companions?
Praise be to Allah who made the stars a safeguard for the heavens, and His Prophet Muhammad ﷺ a light in the darkness. He chose his companions, making them trustworthy and protectors against innovations and whims. I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship but Allah alone, without partner, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and messenger. May Allah's blessings and peace be upon him, his family, and his companions until the Day of Judgment.
O servants of Allah,
Fear Allah as He deserves, and be mindful of Him in private and in public:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ حَقَّ تُقَاتِهِ وَلَا تَمُوتُنَّ إِلَّا وَأَنْتُمْ مُسْلِمُونَ
“O you who believe, fear Allah as He should be feared and do not die except as Muslims” [Ali Imran: 102].
On one night, after praying Maghrib with his companions, the Prophet ﷺ looked to the sky and said: “The stars are a safeguard for the heavens; when the stars disappear, what has been promised to the heavens will come to pass. I am a safeguard for my companions; when I am gone, what has been promised to my companions will come to pass. My companions are a safeguard for my nation; when my companions are gone, what has been promised to my nation will come to pass.” (Reported by Muslim).
The Prophet ﷺ was a luminous lamp for people in the darkness, a source of security and peace among his companions against trials. After his death, tribulations came, and many Arabs apostatized from the religion of Allah. However, the religion remained strong and dignified through the blessed group of the Prophet’s companions. They upheld it excellently, bringing glory to the religion, defeating apostates, and opening hearts and lands.
The Prophet ﷺ described them, saying: “My companions are a safeguard for my nation; when my companions are gone, what has been promised to my nation will come to pass.”
The companions of the Prophet ﷺ are like stars in the sky. Allah made them a safeguard for the Ummah after the passing of its Prophet ﷺ—protectors against division, disputes, innovations, and the dominance of whims.
The Prophet ﷺ said: “You will remain in goodness as long as there are those among you who saw me and accompanied me.” (Reported by Ibn Abi Asim).
Why are the companions a safeguard for the Ummah? The companions of the Prophet ﷺ are the best of people after the Prophets. Allah chose them for the companionship of His Prophet ﷺ. He praised them in His Book, and His trustworthy Prophet ﷺ affirmed their virtues. Allah said:
مُحَمَّدٌ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ وَالَّذِينَ مَعَهُ أَشِدَّاءُ عَلَى الْكُفَّارِ رُحَمَاءُ بَيْنَهُمْ تَرَاهُمْ رُكَّعًا سُجَّدًا يَبْتَغُونَ فَضْلًا مِنَ اللَّهِ وَرِضْوَانًا سِيمَاهُمْ فِي وُجُوهِهِمْ مِنْ أَثَرِ السُّجُودِ ذَلِكَ مَثَلُهُمْ فِي التَّوْرَاةِ وَمَثَلُهُمْ فِي الْإِنْجِيلِ كَزَرْعٍ أَخْرَجَ شَطْأَهُ فَآزَرَهُ فَاسْتَغْلَظَ فَاسْتَوَى عَلَى سُوقِهِ يُعْجِبُ الزُّرَّاعَ لِيَغِيظَ بِهِمُ الْكُفَّارَ وَعَدَ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ مِنْهُمْ مَغْفِرَةً وَأَجْرًا عَظِيمًا
“Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah; and those with him are forceful against the disbelievers, merciful among themselves. You see them bowing and prostrating [in prayer], seeking bounty from Allah and [His] pleasure. Their mark is on their faces from the trace of prostration. That is their description in the Torah. And their description in the Gospel is as a plant that produces its offshoots and strengthens them so they grow firm and stand upon their stalks, delighting the sowers—so that Allah may enrage by them the disbelievers. Allah has promised those who believe and do righteous deeds among them forgiveness and a great reward.” [Al-Fath: 29].
Allah promised them His pleasure during their lives:
وَالسَّابِقُونَ الْأَوَّلُونَ مِنَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ وَالْأَنْصَارِ وَالَّذِينَ اتَّبَعُوهُمْ بِإِحْسَانٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَضُوا عَنْهُ وَأَعَدَّ لَهُمْ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي تَحْتَهَا الْأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا أَبَدًا ذَلِكَ الْفَوْزُ الْعَظِيمُ
“And the first forerunners [in the faith] among the Muhajireen and the Ansar and those who followed them with good conduct—Allah is pleased with them, and they are pleased with Him, and He has prepared for them gardens beneath which rivers flow, wherein they will abide forever. That is the great attainment.” [At-Tawbah: 100].
The Prophet ﷺ praised them, saying: “The best of my Ummah is my generation, then those who follow them, then those who follow them.” (Reported by Bukhari and Muslim).
When asked who are the best of people, the Prophet ﷺ replied: “Me and those with me, then those who follow them, then those who follow them.” (Reported by Ahmad).
Allah selected them on knowledge, making them the companions of His Prophet ﷺ. Abdullah ibn Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “Indeed, Allah looked into the hearts of His servants and found the heart of Muhammad ﷺ to be the best of them, so He chose him for Himself and sent him with His message. Then He looked into the hearts of His servants after Muhammad’s and found the hearts of his companions to be the best of them, so He made them the ministers of His Prophet, fighting for His religion.” (Reported by Ahmad).
Allah made them a safeguard for this Ummah through their sincere faith in the Lord of the worlds, their belief in His noble Prophet, and their adherence to His great religion. Allah said:
لِلْفُقَرَاءِ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ الَّذِينَ أُخْرِجُوا مِنْ دِيَارِهِمْ وَأَمْوَالِهِمْ يَبْتَغُونَ فَضْلًا مِنَ اللَّهِ وَرِضْوَانًا وَيَنْصُرُونَ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ أُولَئِكَ هُمُ الصَّادِقُونَ * وَالَّذِينَ تَبَوَّءُوا الدَّارَ وَالْإِيمَانَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ يُحِبُّونَ مَنْ هَاجَرَ إِلَيْهِمْ وَلَا يَجِدُونَ فِي صُدُورِهِمْ حَاجَةً مِمَّا أُوتُوا وَيُؤْثِرُونَ عَلَى أَنْفُسِهِمْ وَلَوْ كَانَ بِهِمْ خَصَاصَةٌ وَمَنْ يُوقَ شُحَّ نَفْسِهِ فَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ
“[And for] the poor emigrants who were expelled from their homes and their properties, seeking bounty from Allah and [His] approval and supporting Allah and His Messenger. It is they who are the truthful. And [also for] those who were settled in the Home [i.e., Madinah] and [adopted] the faith before them. They love those who emigrated to them and find not any want in their breasts of what they were given but give [them] preference over themselves, even though they are in privation. And whoever is protected from the stinginess of his soul—it is those who will be successful.” [Al-Hashr: 8-9].
This faith led them to strive in the cause of Allah, sacrificing their wealth and lives. They embraced Islam despite the arrogance of ignorance and idolatry. They migrated for Allah and His Messenger, leaving Makkah and its valleys. They fought in the path of Allah, desiring Paradise and its delights. Allah said:
لَكِنِ الرَّسُولُ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مَعَهُ جَاهَدُوا بِأَمْوَالِهِمْ وَأَنْفُسِهِمْ وَأُولَئِكَ لَهُمُ الْخَيْرَاتُ وَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ
“But the Messenger and those who believed with him fought with their wealth and their lives. Those will have the good things, and it is they who will be successful.” [At-Tawbah: 88].
They faced storms of trials and severe tribulations, with enemies surrounding them from all sides. Yet they stood firm like mountains that do not bend. Allah knew the sincerity of their hearts and therefore fortified them with His angels and placed tranquility in their hearts. Allah says:
لَقَدْ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ إِذْ يُبَايِعُونَكَ تَحْتَ الشَّجَرَةِ فَعَلِمَ مَا فِي قُلُوبِهِمْ فَأَنْزَلَ السَّكِينَةَ عَلَيْهِمْ وَأَثَابَهُمْ فَتْحًا قَرِيبًا
“Certainly was Allah pleased with the believers when they pledged allegiance to you, [O Muhammad], under the tree, and He knew what was in their hearts, so He sent down tranquility upon them and rewarded them with an imminent conquest.” [Al-Fath: 18].
Despite the hardships and calamities, they responded to the call of Allah and His Messenger ﷺ. Blood flowed from their bodies; they lost their children and brothers. When they received news that the disbelievers had gathered their forces to annihilate them, they neither faltered nor weakened. They placed their trust in Allah, their Protector, the best Protector and the best Helper. Allah praised them, saying:
الَّذِينَ اسْتَجَابُوا لِلَّهِ وَالرَّسُولِ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا أَصَابَهُمُ الْقَرْحُ لِلَّذِينَ أَحْسَنُوا مِنْهُمْ وَاتَّقَوْا أَجْرٌ عَظِيمٌ * الَّذِينَ قَالَ لَهُمُ النَّاسُ إِنَّ النَّاسَ قَدْ جَمَعُوا لَكُمْ فَاخْشَوْهُمْ فَزَادَهُمْ إِيمَانًا وَقَالُوا حَسْبُنَا اللَّهُ وَنِعْمَ الْوَكِيلُ
“[They are] those who responded to Allah and the Messenger after injury had struck them. For those who did good among them and feared Allah is a great reward. Those to whom people said, ‘Indeed, the people have gathered against you, so fear them.’ But it [merely] increased them in faith, and they said, ‘Sufficient for us is Allah, and He is the best Disposer of affairs.’” [Ali Imran: 172-173].
They loved the Prophet ﷺ with all their hearts, sacrificing their souls and children for him. They revered and obeyed him, never disobeying his commands.
Urwah ibn Mas’ud, describing them at the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah while he was still a disbeliever, said: “By Allah, I have visited kings, including Caesar, Khosrow, and the Negus, but I have never seen a king as revered by his companions as Muhammad is by his companions. By Allah, when he spits, they catch his spit in their palms and rub it on their faces and skin. When he commands them, they hasten to obey. When he performs ablution, they almost fight over his leftover water. When he speaks, they lower their voices in his presence, and they do not stare at him out of reverence for him.” (Reported by Bukhari).
They were the most devout in worship and the most diligent in deeds, unmatched by those who came after them. Their weight in the scales is unparalleled; no matter how much one of us strives, we cannot reach their ranks.
The Prophet ﷺ affirmed this, saying: “Do not revile my companions. By Him in whose hand is my soul, if one of you were to spend in charity gold equal to Mount Uhud, it would not equal a handful or even half a handful of what they gave.” (Reported by Bukhari and Muslim).
They were the most knowledgeable of this Ummah, having learned faith and the Qur'an directly from the Prophet ﷺ. They took the religion fresh and pure, free from distortion or innovation. They witnessed the revelation descending upon the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and understood its meanings and implications.
The Prophet ﷺ instructed adherence to his Sunnah and the Sunnah of the rightly guided caliphs after him, making their path the standard of truth. Whoever clings to it is safe from deviation and error, for they do not unite upon falsehood.
The Prophet ﷺ said: “Whoever among you lives long will see great disputes. You must adhere to my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the rightly guided caliphs. Hold onto it with your molar teeth. Beware of newly invented matters, for every innovation is a deviation, and every deviation leads to Hell.” (Reported by Tirmidhi and Ahmad).
He also said: “The Children of Israel split into seventy-two sects, and my Ummah will split into seventy-three sects, all of which will be in Hell except one.” When asked which group that is, he replied, “What I and my companions are upon today.” (Reported by Tirmidhi).
May Allah bless me and you through the Great Qur'an, and benefit us through its verses and wise reminders. I seek forgiveness from Allah for myself and for you. Indeed, He is the Most Forgiving, Most Merciful.
The Second Sermon
Praise be to Allah, and may peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah, his family, his companions, and those who follow them.
O servants of Allah,
It is our duty toward the companions of the Prophet ﷺ to love them, supplicate for Allah's pleasure upon them, emulate them, and follow their path. For none loves them except a believer, and none hates them except a hypocrite.
The Prophet ﷺ said: “The sign of faith is love for the Ansar, and the sign of hypocrisy is hatred for the Ansar.” (Reported by Bukhari and Muslim).
As for those who revile the companions of the Prophet ﷺ, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ has warned them with curses and expulsion from the mercy of the Lord of the heavens and the earth.
The Prophet ﷺ said: “Whoever reviles my companions, upon him is the curse of Allah, the angels, and all people. Allah will not accept any obligatory or voluntary deeds from him.” (Reported by Tabarani).
These critics aim to undermine Islam by attacking its transmitters, for it was the companions who conveyed to us the Qur'an and Sunnah. If the credibility of the transmitters is tarnished, the conveyed message collapses.
May Allah have mercy on Abu Zur’ah Al-Razi, who said: “If you see a man belittling one of the companions of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, know that he is a heretic. This is because the Messenger ﷺ is the truth, the Qur'an is the truth, and the companions are the ones who conveyed to us this Qur'an and Sunnah. Their intent is to discredit our witnesses to nullify the Qur'an and the Sunnah. It is they who are more deserving of criticism, and they are indeed heretics.”
O servants of Allah,
The companions of the Prophet ﷺ are the lamps of guidance in the darkness of the night.
“Those are my forebears; bring me their like
When gatherings unite us, O Jarir!”
O Allah, grant victory to Islam and honor to the Muslims. Destroy the Jewish criminals, and send tranquility into the hearts of those who strive in Your cause. Rescue Your oppressed servants, and raise the banner of the religion by Your power, O Mighty and Strong.
O Allah, grant us safety in our homelands. Rectify our leaders and those in authority over us, and make our leadership among those who fear You, seek Your pleasure, and follow Your guidance.
Our Lord, grant us good in this world and good in the Hereafter, and save us from the torment of the Fire.
