1.

The Sahabah's Panel for Questions on Islamic Law

Although all the Sahabah, along with their engagement in Jihad and propagation of faith, were devoted
to acquiring and further spreading of knowledge, yet there was a panel of Sahabah who were exclusively
entrusted with Fatwa, even during the life time of the Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam). The panel
comprised the following Sahabah:

Hadhrat Abu Bakr, Hadhrat 'Umar, Hadhrat Usman, Hadhrat Ali, Hadhrat Abdur Rahman bin 'Auf.
Hadhrat Ubayy bin Kaab, Hadhrat Abdullah bin Mas'ood, Hadhrat Ma'aaz bin Jabal, Hadhrat Ammaar bin
Yaasir, Hadhrat Huzaifah, Hadhrat Salman Farsi, Hadhrat Zaid bin Thabit, Hadhrat Abu Musa, Hadhrat
Abu Darda (Radhiyallaho anhu). To give Fatwa during the lifetime of the Prophet (Sal- lallaho alaihe
wasallam) was a big privilege for these Sahabah, and speaks of their deep and dependable knowledge.

2. Death of Musailamah and Compilation of Quran

Musailamah was an imposter who called himself a Prophet, even during the life time of the Prophet
(Sallal laho alaihe wasallam). After the death of the Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam), people of the
weak faith, especially among wandering Arabs, began to desert Islam and become renegades.
Musailamah took advantage of the situation and succeeded in causing a large number of people to fall a
prey to his seduction.

Abu Bakr (Radhiyallaho anho) decided to put a stop to this onslaught on Islam. A fierce battle was fought
with him, in which the Muslims triumphed with the help of Allah, and Musailamah was killed. A good
number of Sahabah, including many Huffaz, however, lost their lives. After this battle, Hadhrat Umar
(Radhiyallaho anho) went to Hadhrat Abu Bakr (Radhiyallaho anho) and said:

"Many Huffaz have been slain in this battle. I am afraid we are likely to lose a good portion of the Qur'an
if we fight a few more battles and suffer loss of Hufaaz at this rate. I, therefore, suggest that the Qur'an
may be compiled and preserved in the form of one complete book."

Hadhrat Abu Bakr (Radhiyallaho anho) remarked:

"How can I venture on a thing that was not done in the life of the Prophet (Sall'alkaho alaihe
wasallam)?"

But Hadhrat Umar (Radhiyallaho anho) pressed his point so much that Hadhrat Abu Bakr (Radhiyallaho
anho) agreed to it. He sent for Hadhrat Zaid bin Thabit (Radhiyallaho anho) and informed him of what
had passed between him and Umar (Radhiyallaho anho), and then said:

"You are young and intelligent. Everybody considers you trustworthy. Moreover you were charged by
the Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam) with the writing of the Qur'an during his life time. I, therefore,
request you to go to the people and collect the Qur'an from them and compile it in the form of a book."

Hadhrat Zaid (Radhiyallaho anho) says:

They explained to me their point, till Allah made the truth dawn on me, and I also was convinced of the
importance of the task. I then started going to the people and collecting the Qur'an from those who had
written it and from those who had learnt it by heart, till the final collection was ready."

Look at the spirit of the Sahabah as regards their strictly following the Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe
wasallam). Shifting of a mountain from its position was not so difficult for them as doing a thing that
they had not seen the Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam) doing. Allah gave them the honour of doing
the greatest service to Islam by compiling the Qur'an, which is the source-book of Islam. Hadhrat Zaid
(Radhiyallaho anho) was so particular and cautious that he would accept the fragments only when these
were proved to be written during the Prophet's time and after they were duly corroborated by the
recitation of those who had preserved the Qur'an in their hearts. No doubt, he had to go from door to
door and person to person, but Allah caused, thanks to his labours, every word revealed by Him to be
collected and compiled. He was constantly assisted by Hadhrat Ubayy bin Ka'ab (Radhiyallaho anho),
whom the Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam) had declared a great expert in Qur'anic knowledge. The
Muslims of all times are highly indebted to the Sahabah for their marvellous achievement.

3. Hadhrat Ibn Mas'ood's (Radhiyallaho anho) Cautiousness About Hadith

Hadhrat Abdullah bin Mas'ood (Radhiyallaho anho) is one of those eminent Sahabah who were
entrusted with the task of issuing Fatwa, even during the Prophet's (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam) time. He
had been in the fold of Islam since its advent and was one of the emigrants to Abyssinia. He
accompanied the Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam) in all his campaigns and worked as his attendant.
He carried the shoes of the Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam), provided him with a pillow when he
needed one, and brought him water for his Wudhu. He was therefore called "The Keeper of the shoes",
"The Keeper of Pillow" and "The Manager for Wudhu". The Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam) once
said:

"Abdullah bin Mas'ood (Radhiyallaho anho) is the only person whom I can safely appoint as an Amir
without consulting anybody." He was permitted by the Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam) to visit him
at all times. The Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam) is reported to have said:

(1) "If you want to recite the Qur'an as it was revealed to me, then copy the recitation of Abdullah bin
Mas'ood."

(2) "Believe in what Abdullah bin Mas'ood (Radhiyal- iaho anho) narrates about me."

Hadhrat Abu Moosa Ash'ari (Radhiyallaho anho) says: "Abdullah bin Masood (Radhiyallaho anho) and his
mother visited the Prophet's (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam) house so often and were so at home there that
the people of Yemen, who had come to see the Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam), took him as one of
the Ahlul Bait (family member.)" Though he was so near to the Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam), yet
he was very cautious about narrating the words of the Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam). Hadhrat
Abu 'Amir Shaibani (Radhiyallaho anho) says: "I stayed with Abdullah bin Mas'ood (Radhiyallaho anho)
for one year. I never heard him attributing any words direct to the Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam).
Whenever he intended doing so, he would shiver with fear."

Hadhrat 'Amr bin Maimoon (Radhiyallaho anho) says: "I have been visiting Abdullah bin Mas'ood
(Radhiyallaho anho) every Thursday for one year: I never heard him attributing any words direct to the
Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam). Once he was narrrating Hadith. When he uttered the words 'The
Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam) said so,' then his body began to shiver, his eyes became full of
tears, his forehead sweated, his veins swelled and he said 'InshaAllah' the Prophet said so, or something
like that, it might be something less or something more." Look at the Sahabah's caution and care about
Hadith. The Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe waaallam) said "A person who attributes anything to me, which I
have not said, is making his abode in the Hell."

This is why the Sahabah, though speaking and doing everything according to the instructions and
example of the Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam), were afraid of attributing any words to the Prophet
(Sallallaho alaihe wasallam), lest they should be different from what the Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe
wasallam) had actually uttered. On the other hand, we go on quoting Ahadith without being sure of
their authenticity and fear not the serious consequences of attributing wrongly anything to the Prophet
(Sallallaho alaihe wasallam). It may be mentioned that the Fiqah Hanifiyah is based mostly on the
Ahadith narrated by Hadhrat Abdullah bin Mas'ood (Radhiyallaho anho).

4. Hadhrat 'Ubayy bin Ka'ab (Radhiyallaho anho) Teaches Hadith

Hadhrat Ubayy bin Ka'ab (Radhiyallaho anho) is one of the most eminent Sahabah and was an expert in
the recitation of the Qur'an. Very few Arabs were literate before Islam, and he was one of these. The
Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam) used to dictate the revealed Quran to him. He memorized the
Qur'an during the life time of the Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam) and had thorough understanding
of it. The Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe wasalam) is reported to have said :

"Hadhrat Ubayy bin Ka'ab (Radhiyallaho anho) is the greatest Qari of my Ummat.”

He used to finish the Qur'an once in Tahajjud in eight nights. Once the Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe
wassalam) said to him:

"Allah has commanded me to recite the Qur'an to you."

He said: "0, Prophet of Allah! Did Allah mention me by my name?" The Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe
wasallam) replied: "Yes, He mentioned you by your name." Tears began to roll down his cheeks with
excessive joy. Hadhrat Jundub bin Abdullah (Radhiyallaho anho) says:

"When I went to Madinah to acquire knowledge, I found that people were sitting in groups, and each
group was entrusted to a teacher. In one of the groups I saw a person teaching Hadith, clad in two
sheets of cloth and looking like a traveller. I asked the people, 'Who is this person?' They said, 'He is our
esteemed Imam, Hadhrat Ubayy bin Ka'ab (Radhiyallaho anho).' When he finished teaching, I followed
him to his house. He was staying in a very old and dilapidated building, with little or no furniture. I
noticed Hadhrat Ubayy (Radhiyallaho anho) living in a very simple and ascetic life.”

Hadhrat Ubayy (Radhiyallaho anho) says:

"Once the Prohet (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam) tested me in my knowledge of the Qur'an. He asked me,
'Ubayy, which is the most august verse of the Qur'an?' I said, 'Allah and His Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe
wasallam) know best.' He again asked me the same question and I gave the same modest and respectful
reply. When he put the same question once again, I replied, 'The most august verse in the Qur'an is
Ayatul Kursi (11: 255).' My reply made him very happy. He said, 'May Allah bless you through your
knowledge.”

Once the Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam) was leading Salaat when he missed one verse. Ubayy
(Radhiyallaho anho) pointed out the correction from behind. On finishing Salaat, the Prophet (Sallallaho
alaihe wasallam) inquired 'Who corrected me?' He was told that it was Hadhrat Ubayy (Radhiyallaho
anho). He remarked, 'I also thought that it was he." In spite of his devotion to knowledge and his special
job of writing the Qur'an, he took part in all the battles by the side of the Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe
wasallam). He did not miss a single campaign or expedition led by the Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe
wasallam).