The companions themselves have admitted that they changed the sunnah (custom of the Prophet (PBUH&HF)) many times: Sahih al-Bukhari narrates in v3, p32, under the category of The Battle of Hudaiybiyah that: Ala Ibn al- Masib said: I met al-Bara Ibn Azib, so I said may you be happy all the time, for you were the companion of the Prophet (PBUH&HF) and you have made a pact (bayah) with him (PBUH&HF) under the tree.
So al-Bara said: O son of my brother, you know not of what we have changed after his (PBUH&HF) death!!! This is a direct confession by a very close companion that they have changed the religion of Allah (SWT) and violated His (SWT) orders.
Again, who are the companions to change the religion of Allah (SWT)? This is the same reason that the Islamic Ummah (Nation) is still living in deplorable conditions where the most basic of human rights is not even granted.
This is a sign for those who reflect.
It is also narrated in Sahih al-Bukhari, v2, p201, after a long tradition that: Umar, when he was stabbed and Ibn Abbas was offering some form of consolation, said:
By Allah (SWT), if I had enough gold to fill the entire earth, I would offer it to ransom myself from Allahs (SWT) punishment before I see Him (SWT).
If Umar was such a faithful companion, why would he wish to ransom himself from Allah (SWT)? Could it be because he committed many injustices and he will on the Day of Judgment be held accountable for them? Question for yourself.
Abu Bakr was no different: It is narrated in The History of al-Tabari (Tarikh al-Tabari),, p41 that: Abu Bakr said when he saw a bird on a tree: How happy are you O bird! You eat of the fruit and you lay on the tree, and there is no punishment or reward for you! I wish I was a tree on the side of the road, so that a camel might eat me and excrete me, and I was never a born human!!! Would you believe, by Allah (SWT), that if a man was of such spiritual purity, as the Sunnis claim Abu Bakr to be, he would wish that he was never born, let alone be a human? Indeed, Abu Bakr realized that his time has come and all his actions will be scrolled before him in an open book, and that is when his loss will be manifested; thus, he wished he was never born a human! Allah (SWT) says in His (SWT) Holy Quran: Behold! Verily on the friends of Allah there is no fear, nor shall they grieve; those who believe and (constantly) guard against evil;-- for them are Glad Tidings, in the life of the Present and in the Hereafter: No change can there be in the Words of Allah. This is indeed the supreme Triumph.
[10:62-64] Also, Allah (SWT) says: In the case of those who say, Our Lord Is Allah, and further, stand straight and steadfast, the angels descend on them (from time to time): Fear ye not! (they suggest), Nor grieve! But receive the Glad Tidings of the Garden (of Bliss), the which ye were promised! We are your protectors in this life and in the Hereafter: Therein shall ye have all that you shall desire; therein shall ye have all that ye ask for! -- A hospitable gift from One Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful! [41:30-32] The question is that if these Glad Tidings from Allah (SWT) are for ALL of the believers of mankind, and that they should have . no fear, nor shall they grieve.
, why then were Abu Bakr and Umar fearful? It should be that they, if they were true believers, should be the least fearful of us, for they were the companions of the Seal of Prophethood (PBUH&HF) himself! But Allah (SWT) is the Most Truthful when He (SWT) says: Every soul that hath sinned, if it possessed all that is on earth, would fain give it in ransom: They would declare (their) repentance when they see the Chastisement: But the judgment between them will be with justice, and no wrong will be done unto them.
[10:54] Again, Allah (SWT) says: Even if the wrong-doers had all that there is on earth, and as much more, (in vain) would they offer it for ransom from the pain of the Chastisement on the Day Of Judgment: but something will confront them from Allah, which they could have never counted upon! For the evils of their deeds will confront them and they will be (completely) encircled by that which they used to mock at! [39:47-48] These are the so-called companions that the Sunnis strike as an example of spiritual purity and guidance!!! By Allah (SWT), they shall answer for their deception of the Muslims all these years, and their concealment of the truth.
Again, you might wonder, if the companions were of such high honor and spiritual elevation, why did they kill Uthman Ibn Afan, the third Caliph that destroyed Islam? Keep in mind that Aisha, the wife of the Prophet (PBUH&HF), herself called for the death of Uthman -- check The History of al- Tabari (Tarikh al-Tabari), v4, p407.
Also check The History of Ibn Atheer (Tarikh Ibn Atheer), v3, p206.
Did you know also that the Muslims during the reign of Uthman were so infuriated by him, that when he died, he was NOT buried in the same area as the other companions? Nor was he washed or Islamically prepared for burial! If this is a rightly guided caliph, I seriously question what is a MISGUIDED Caliph then? Then we hear of Aisha, the wife of the Prophet (PBUH&HF), who, along with the other wives, was ordered by Allah (SWT) to: .
stay quietly in your houses, and make not a dazzling display, like that of the former times of Ignorance; and establish regular prayer, and give Zakat and obey Allah and His Messenger .
[33:33] Why, then, if Aisha was ordered to stay in her home after the death of the Prophet (PBUH&HF), did she go out and ride a camel and wage war against al- Imam Ali Ibn Abi Talib (AS), whom she NEVER liked? (This is known as The Battle of the Camel) This is a sign for those who reflect.
Side Comments: Responses to Sunni Brothers Some Sunni brothers, in response to my article when it was first posted, have forwarded two contentions: FIRST, they have defended the motives of Abu Bakr and Umar in the traditions I quoted above, such the saying of Umar that: .
By Allah (SWT), if I had enough gold to fill the entire earth, I would offer it to ransom myself from Allahs (SWT) punishment before I see Him (SWT).
Or the saying of Abu Bakr that: How happy are you O bird! You eat of the fruit and you lay on the tree, and there is no punishment or reward for you! I wish I was a tree on the side of the road, so that a camel might eat me and excrete me, and I was never a born human!!! The Sunni brothers contended that it is the spiritual purity of a believer to wish that he was never born, as Abu Bakr did; or that small sins in the eyes of a true believer warrant that he wishes to ransom himself with the treasures of the Earth from the flames of the hellfire, as Umar did, to prove his sincerity and faith.
The Sunni brothers also asserted that the Prophet (PBUH&HF) asked forgiveness for himself (PBUH&HF).
The SECOND objection was that the verses I quoted from the Book of Allah (SWT) are NOT addressing Abu Bakr and Umar, and that those companions addressed are NOT to be equated with the ranks of Abu Bakr and Umar.
My response to their FIRST contention was as follows: As for the Prophet (PBUH&HF) asking forgiveness for himself, then that doesnt mean that he wishes that he (PBUH&HF) was never born; and that doesnt invalidate his (PBUH&HF) infallibility.
His (PBUH&HF) asking for forgiveness is a sign of piety and an admittance of infirmity (weakness) before Allah (SWT). It is not that he (PBUH&HF) has committed a grievous sin, and is now asking for forgiveness; for if the Prophet (PBUH&HF) was a sinner, who in the community will punish him (PBUH&HF)? Or who is qualified to punish him (PBUH&HF)? -- for they are all sinners, and a sinner cannot punish a sinner.
Or if he (PBUH&HF) was a sinner, what kind of idiot would follow him (PBUH&HF), and believe him (PBUH&HF) to be a GUIDED Messenger (PBUH&HF) sent by He (SWT) Who created the Universe? Furthermore, if he (PBUH&HF) was a sinner, that would mean that Allah (SWT), by sending a sinful Messenger, approves of sin! (May Allah (SWT) Forbid Such A Ludicrous Contention!) And we know that Allahs (SWT) JUSTICE and His (SWT) abhorrence of sin and evil are among the First and Foremost articles in our faith.
As such, Allah (SWT) will NOT send a sinful Messenger. Purified be ALL the Prophets and Messengers of Allah (SWT) from such claims that scratch their character by claiming that they are sinners.
Or have we become like the Jews and the Christians, where the Bible states that the Prophet Lot (AS) was drunk and lay naked before his (AS) children!? This is a sign for those who reflect!!! As for Abu Bakr and Umar, I render the following: To ask forgiveness is one thing, and to wish that you were never born, or to wish to ransom yourself with all the gold of the earth, is another matter altogether.
Indeed, to wish that you were never born is an insult to Allah (SWT), because you are claiming that Allahs (SWT) Justice and Mercy are not enough for you.
It is also an insult because there is an underlying implication that your entry into hell is not really your fault; such an insinuation means that your entry into hell is an act of injustice by Allah (SWT)! (May Allah (SWT) Forbid Such A Ludicrous Contention!) If one truly believes, he realizes that not the LEAST INJUSTICE will be done to him; and he will NOT enter hell unless he TRULY DESERVES it.
Such is the Justice of Allah (SWT).
Not like people who wish they were never born to hide their OWN guilt and sins.
A true believer submits to Allah (SWT) in totality, and admits that he is weak and sinful; then he asks for forgiveness.
He doesnt insult Allah (SWT) by wishing that he was never born.
Indeed, the concept of sin and repentance has always baffled me, until Allah (SWT) guided me.
Listen to what the Shia say about repentance (tawbah): al-Tawbah (Repentance) is the mechanism by which Allah (SWT) regulates evil in society.
By giving each person a chance to repent, the sinner is assured that he is NOT COMPELLED to keep on sinning.
That regulatory mechanism ensures that the feelings of guilt that usually accompany acts of sin, are not turned into feelings of desperation and uselessness, thereby leading to more sin and the destruction of society.
It (tawbah -- repentance) is a great mercy from Allah (SWT) indicating His (SWT) infinite wisdom.
I add, that sin itself is part of your own creation.
Not that Allah (SWT) has forced you to sin, and then punishes you for it; but, rather, Allah (SWT) has made you an erring human being, then He (SWT) tests you to see whether you will admit your error (sin), or claim that you didnt commit any sin and it wasnt your fault, thereby fostering a level of arrogance detested by Allah (SWT).
Indeed, to sin and admit your guilt SINCERELY with the true belief that it was all your fault (when it really is), and then ask for forgiveness from Allah (SWT) is much more favorable than insulting Allah (SWT) by wishing that you were never born.
I would also add that erring is part and parcel of the learning process, which is an innate feature of our composition and existence.
If we dont make mistakes, we will never learn, and if we never learn, we will never evolve and grow.
It is the arrogance that has polluted the minds of many individuals that has precluded our growth -- for we err and sin, yet we refuse to acknowledge our fault therein! Enough is what al-Imam Zayn al-Aabidin (AS), the son of al- Imam al-Husain (AS), said in his (AS) supplication (dua): O Allah, for even if I enter the hellfire, I will tell the people there of my love of Thee!!! What does this eloquent, beautiful, and striking statement mean? It is by Allah (SWT), one of the most beautiful and touching prayers I have ever heard! Heres what it means before you jump to conclusions on your own: al-Imam Zayn al-Aabidin (AS) is saying: O Allah, my belief in You is such that I dont doubt Your Justice; for even if You throw me into hell, it is because I deserve that and it is due to what I have done in this earthly existence.
Nonetheless, even if I enter the hellfire, I will tell the people there of my love to (and faith in) Thee, such that You havent done ANY injustice to me, and I love You for Your Justice, Mercy, and Greatness.
That is what a true believer says, EVEN if hes entering the hellfire!!! He doesnt wish he wasnt born! My response to their SECOND contention is as follows: (The second contention, in case you forgot, was that the verses I quoted from the Book of Allah (SWT) are NOT addressing Abu Bakr and Umar, and that those companions addressed are NOT to be equated with the ranks of Abu Bakr and Umar.
ASSUMING that these verses are NOT addressing Abu Bakr and Umar (and Allah (SWT) knows best who He (SWT) is addressing), they (the verses), nonetheless, illustrate an important point: NOT ALL the companions are considered equal in the sight of Allah (SWT). As such, my question is: why do the Sunnis claim that ALL the companions were righteous? Why, when Allah (SWT), Himself, has acknowledged that CERTAIN companions are NOT righteous, do the Sunnis stubbornly object to the Shias view of the companions? It is indeed ironic that Allah (SWT), our CREATOR Who (SWT) knows us BEST, makes a statement about His (SWT) Own creatures, yet the Sunnis refuse to abide by that (statement), and claim they know better! At the expense of repetition, I reiterate my previous statement: If Allah (SWT) has made a CLEAR distinction among the companions, why do the Sunnis refuse to acknowledge that? Furthermore, my Sunni brothers, by suggesting (themselves) that these verses address companions other than Abu Bakr and Umar, have advocated and strengthened the Shias claim: NOT ALL the companions were righteous; and, as such, there is a favoritism extended by Allah (SWT) to some companions, but NOT to others.
Similarly, as Allah (SWT) favors CERTAIN companions, so do the Shia take the same stance.