Shias allege Sahaba didnt attend Prophets funeral?

[Ghulam Mustufa]

Assalamu 'Alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu



This is one of 20 shia questions posted on one of their websites which allege that the Ahl as-Sunnah Wal Jamaah are unable to answer. The question has not been edited or altered in any way.

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QUESTION 8.

Allah (swt) sent 124,000 Prophet's to guide mankind. Is there any proof that on the deaths of any one of these Prophet's his companions failed to attend his funeral preferring to participate in the selection of his successor? If no such precedent exists then why did the Prophet (saaws)'s companions follow this approach?

"the Sahaba viewed the appointment of the Imam as so important that they preferred it to attending the Prophet's funeral" - taken from Sharh Fiqa Akbar, by Mulla Ali Qari, p 175 (publishers Muhammad Saeed and son, Qur'an Muhall, Karachi).

[Imam]

Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem

Wa'alaykum 'Assalam wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu


All Praise be to Allah who is the Lord of the Worlds, and may Endless Blessings be showered upon His Most Beloved, and Final Messenger of Islam, Hadrat Muhammad Mustafa, His Household and his Noble Companions Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa 'aalihi wa 'saabihi wa Sallam


As the questioner suggests, there is no proof that on the deaths of any one of these Prophet's his companions failed to attend his funeral preferring to participate in the selection of his successor. Nor is there any proof that any of the companions of the Beloved Messenger of Allah Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam, followed this approach. The assertion that the Ennobled Companions Radi Allahu anhum followed this approach is a mere fallacy.


In the book called 'Tarikh-e-Tibri', which is the most authentic book of history, by 'Allama Jarir at Tibri, he states on page 541, under the heading 'The funeral prayer of the Beloved Messenger of Allah Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam':


'Now all the people chance by chance prayed the funeral prayer of the Messenger of Allah Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam. After the men, the women prayed, after them, the children prayed, then the slaves prayed. No one person lead the prayer for these prayers. After this on the night of Wednesday, at midnight, they .. Hadrat Muhammad Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam, were offered to the earth...'


The book from which this extract has been taken, is known to be:


'one of the most authentic sources of the books of the history of Islam. It is known that this book has been the most reliable, and the most authentic, from ancient times, to this very day, of the history, of the religion of Islam. All the following scholars (mu'arrikhin) have made selections, from this source.'


From the above, it is clear that all those Companions of the Beloved Messenger of Allah Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam if, whether they were men or women, child or slave, were all present at the funeral prayer of the Beloved Messenger of Allah Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam. To single out certain Noble Companions of the Messenger of Allah Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam, claiming that 'so and so was not present', and 'so and so was not present', is not to state the greatness of such personalities, but in essence is to look at them in a demeaningful, disparaging, belittling, and in a diminishing way. This then is not preferred by the Almighty. As He Himself has stated:

'Radi Allahu anhu wa radu anhu'

'Allah is pleased with them, and they pleased with Allah'.

So why should we then criticise, that which has already been pleasurable to Allah the Almighty, and debate that, which is out of our bounds?....


May Allah the Almighty give us all the tawfiq to have correct belief in relation to Allah the Almighty, His Messengers, and all those who came after Him, whether they were the Companions, or the People of the House, and may Allah the Almighty forgive all our sins, through their blessing.



Wallahu A'lamu Biththawaab



M. Waseem Ashrafi

[Imam]

Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem

Wa'alaykum 'Assalam wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu


All Praise be to Allah who is the Lord of the Worlds, and may Endless Blessings be showered upon His Most Beloved, and Final Messenger of Islam, Hadrat Muhammad Mustafa, His Household and his Noble Companions Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa 'aalihi wa 'saabihi wa Sallam


As the questioner suggests, there is no proof that on the deaths of any one of these Prophet's his companions failed to attend his funeral preferring to participate in the selection of his successor. Nor is there any proof that any of the companions of the Beloved Messenger of Allah Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam, followed this approach. The assertion that the Ennobled Companions Radi Allahu anhum followed this approach is a mere fallacy.


In the book called 'Tarikh-e-Tibri', which is the most authentic book of history, by 'Allama Jarir at Tibri, he states on page 541, under the heading 'The funeral prayer of the Beloved Messenger of Allah Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam':


'Now all the people chance by chance prayed the funeral prayer of the Messenger of Allah Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam. After the men, the women prayed, after them, the children prayed, then the slaves prayed. No one person lead the prayer for these prayers. After this on the night of Wednesday, at midnight, they .. Hadrat Muhammad Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam, were offered to the earth...'


The book from which this extract has been taken, is known to be:


'one of the most authentic sources of the books of the history of Islam. It is known that this book has been the most reliable, and the most authentic, from ancient times, to this very day, of the history, of the religion of Islam. All the following scholars (mu'arrikhin) have made selections, from this source.'


From the above, it is clear that all those Companions of the Beloved Messenger of Allah Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam if, whether they were men or women, child or slave, were all present at the funeral prayer of the Beloved Messenger of Allah Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam. To single out certain Noble Companions of the Messenger of Allah Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam, claiming that 'so and so was not present', and 'so and so was not present', is not to state the greatness of such personalities, but in essence is to look at them in a demeaningful, disparaging, belittling, and in a diminishing way. This then is not preferred by the Almighty. As He Himself has stated:

'Radi Allahu anhu wa radu anhu'

'Allah is pleased with them, and they pleased with Allah'.

So why should we then criticise, that which has already been pleasurable to Allah the Almighty, and debate that, which is out of our bounds?....


May Allah the Almighty give us all the tawfiq to have correct belief in relation to Allah the Almighty, His Messengers, and all those who came after Him, whether they were the Companions, or the People of the House, and may Allah the Almighty forgive all our sins, through their blessing.



Wallahu A'lamu Biththawaab



M. Waseem Ashrafi