Period of Companions

3. THE PERIOD OF SAHABA

The sacred period of Sahaba started from the first day of revelation of the Holy Quraan to Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (Sallallhu Alaihi Wassallam) and ended at the end of the first century. Thus, the forecast of Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (Sallallhu Alaihi Wassallam) came true: “None of the people, who exist on the face of earth today, will be alive after hundred years.”

The companions of the Beloved Habbeb (Sallallahu Alaihi Wassallam) thought that these words of the Holy Prophet (Sallallhu Alaihi Wassallam) refer to a Doomsday and the world will end after hundred years. Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wassallam) actually meant that the people who were living at the time of that forecast will not survive beyond hundred years and that this particular era of human race will come to an end. The events that followed also confirm this. Among the Madinian Sahaba, Sayyiduna Sahl bin Sa’d was the last companion of the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wassallam) who passed away in 91 A.H. at the age of 91 years. Sayyiduna Sahl himself used to say: “After my death, you will not find anybody narrating a Hadith from the Holy Prophet (Sallallhu Alaihi Wassallam).” 1.

1 Isti’ab, reference: Sayyiduna Sahl bin Sa’d

2 Muqadmah Ibne-Salah, Chapter 39, p. 148

3 Isti’ab

Sayyiduna Anas bin Maalik was the last Sahabi among the companions of the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wassallam) living in Basra. He passed away in 93 A.H. at the age of 103 years. Somebody asked him whether any Sahabi survived those days. He said: “There are some Bedouins left in some villages who saw the Holy Prophet (Sallallhu Alaihi Wassallam) but there is no body who enjoyed the company of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wassallam).” 2

Reports confirm that Sayyiduna Abul Tufayl Aamir bin Wasilah was the last Sahabi who passed away in 100 A.H. in Makkatul Mukarrama. He used to assert: “Today I am the only person on the face of earth who has seen the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wassallam).” 3 2 www.GardensOfSunnah.co.uk

The Companions of the Beloved Habbeb (Sallallahu Alaihi Wassallam) did not embrace Islam under any compulsion. They were moved by the verses of the Holy Quraan, the noble conduct of Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (Sallallhu Alaihi Wassallam), his charming personality, his useful teachings, and of course the miracles he performed. They were attracted towards the Messenger of Allah voluntarily and whole-heartedly.