Defense of Al-Aqra’ bin Haabis the Noble Companion By Shaykh Abdul Muhsin Al Badr

[Shehzad Sattar]

Defense of Al-Aqra’ bin Haabis the Noble Companion
By Shaykh Abdul Muhsin Al Badr

Translator’s note: The hadith mentioned in the question is as follows:

عن أبي هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ قَبَّلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم الْحَسَنَ بْنَ عَلِيٍّ وَعِنْدَهُ الأَقْرَعُ بْنُ حَابِسٍ التَّمِيمِيُّ جَالِسًا‏.‏ فَقَالَ الأَقْرَعُ إِنَّ لِي عَشَرَةً مِنَ الْوَلَدِ مَا قَبَّلْتُ مِنْهُمْ أَحَدًا‏.‏ فَنَظَرَ إِلَيْهِ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ثُمَّ قَالَ ‏ “‏ مَنْ لاَ يَرْحَمُ لاَ يُرْحَمُ

The Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم kissed Al-Hasan bin Ali while Al-Aqra’ bin Haabis At-Tamim was sitting beside him. Al-Aqra’ said, “I have ten children and I have never kissed anyone of them,” The Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم cast a look at him and said, “Whoever does not show mercy will not be shown mercy.”

Question: Some of the Du’at (callers) when speaking about the hardness of the heart and its heedlessness they use as a proof this hadith. And they make Al Aqra’ bin Haabis—may Allah be pleased with him—as an example for this blameworthy trait. Thus is it correct to use such as inference?

Shaykh Abdul Muhsin: Never. It is not permissible to defame his Companions in any way whatsoever. The fact that a person had some unpraiseworthy characteristics during pre-Islamic days, then Islam came and his condition was altered by Islam, and then he knew the rulings of Islam, then after that he applied them, then there is no doubt the affair is going to change.

But no matter what it is, it is not permissible to go against the noble Companions in any way whatsoever. Rather they should be mentioned with the good befitting to them. And if the person does not mention them with good, then the least he can do is remain silent. This is based upon his statement صلى الله عليه وسلم:

مَنْ كَانَ يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ ، فَلْيَقُلْ خَيْرًا أَوْ لِيَصْمُتْ

Whoever believes in Allah and the last day, let him speak good or remain silent.

Although it is obligatory that the hearts and the tongues, all of them are Saleem (proper, sound, healthy) as it relates to the rights of the Companions; may Allah be pleased with them. As Shaykh Al Islam ibn Tamiyyah—may Allah have mercy upon him—said:

وَمِنْ أُصُولِ أَهْلِ السُّنَّةِ وَالْجَمَاعَةِ سَلَامَةُ قُلُوبِهِمْ وَأَلْسِنَتِهِمْ لِأَصْحَابِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ

And it is from the foundational principles of Ahlus Sunnah wa Jamah that the hearts and tongues should be sound and proper as it relates to the Companions of the Messenger of Allah صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ.

And if something occurred from one of the Companions due to this being a practice he had during pre-Islamic times, then this should not be taken as a pretense to defame him. Rather the person asks Allah to be pleased with them and he loves them. And that which occurred from him due to what he was accustomed to in pre-Islamic days should not be a reason for something falling into the person’s hearts against him, or cause him to move his tongue to defame him. Rather his heart should be Saleem, and his tongue Saleem; as Allah the Exalted mentioned about the Muhajiroon and the Ansar in Soorah Al Hashr, and then He mentioned those who came after them with two descriptions; a sound heart and a sound tongue concerning them.


وَالَّذِينَ جَاءُوا مِنْ بَعْدِهِمْ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا اغْفِرْ لَنَا وَلِإِخْوَانِنَا الَّذِينَ سَبَقُونَا بِالْإِيمَانِ
And those who came after them say: “Our Lord! Forgive us and our brethren who have preceded us in Faith. (Soorah Al Hashr 59:10)

‏This is proof of the sound tongue, because they make Dua’a for them. Then also their hearts are sound. And they ask Allah the Exalted to keep them sound. So they supplicate to Allah to not place in their hearts any hatred for those who have believed.

وَالَّذِينَ جَاءُوا مِنْ بَعْدِهِمْ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا اغْفِرْ لَنَا وَلِإِخْوَانِنَا الَّذِينَ سَبَقُونَا بِالْإِيمَانِ
And those who came after them say: “Our Lord! Forgive us and our brethren who have preceded us in Faith.

This is the soundness of the tongues.

وَلَا تَجْعَلْ فِي قُلُوبِنَا غِلًّا لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا
And put not in our hearts any hatred against those who have believed.

This is the soundness of the hearts, thus their hearts are Saleem. And they ask Allah to keep them Saleem, and that there not occur in their hearts any jealousy, hatred, or rage for anyone from the Companions of the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم.

And in reality, the one who defames the Companions does not harm them, rather he only harms himself. He hurts himself and he does not hurt them. And the one whom this comes from earns a crime against himself. And it is upon him to distance himself from these matters and to pity himself, and to distance himself from anything that will bring him harm.

Translated by Rasheed ibn Estes Barbee‏
http://mtws.posthaven.com/defense-of-al ... in-al-badr