Ihyaaud Deen An Effort to Revive Deen in Totality
Hazrat Abu Hurairah (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) is a famous Sahaabi of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam). He embraced Islam in the year 7 A.H. and remained with Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) till the end of his life. Though he spent only a few years with Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), Allah Ta‘ala blessed him with the honour of being the Sahaabi who reported the most Ahaadith from Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam).
Among the special virtues of Hazrat Abu Hurairah (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) is that Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) made the following dua for him, “O Allah! Make this servant of yours and his mother beloved to Your believing servants, and make all the believers beloved to them.”
Hazrat Abu Hurairah (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) mentions, “(On account of the dua of Rasulullah [sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam],) there is no true believer whom Allah Ta‘ala has created (or will create) except that on hearing of me or on seeing me, he will have love for me in his heart.” (Saheeh Muslim #6396 and Musnad Ahmad #8259)
Hence, having love for Hazrat Abu Hurairah (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) and the Sahaabah of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) is a sign of one possessing imaan, and having hatred and enmity for Hazrat Abu Hurairah (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) and the Sahaabah of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) is a sign of one lacking imaan.
Furthermore, when the Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum) were the beloved companions of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), then expressing love for them is a means of one acquiring the love and happiness of Allah Ta‘ala and Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam). Conversely, showing enmity or hatred for the Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum) is a means of one attracting the wrath and punishment of Allah Ta‘ala.
Below is an eye-opening incident which explains the dreadful outcome of a person who reviled this great Sahaabi, Hazrat Abu Hurairah (radhiyallahu ‘anhu):
Sheikh Muhammad Dhiyaa-ur-Rahmaan A’zami (rahimahullah) wrote the following incident in a letter on the 16th of Muharram 1420, and permitted the reader of the letter to quote it from him. He wrote:
One day, I was in my office at the Muslim World League in Makkah Mukarramah when Sheikh Abdul Hakeem Hammaadah Misri came to see me. At that time, I was the head of the Department to Combat Christianization and Destructive Doctrines, while he (Sheikh Abdul Hakeem) was appointed as the head of the Department of Memorizing the Qur’aan in the Muslim World League.
I had prepared my Master’s Thesis around the year 1396-1397 A.H, and in this thesis, I had written in defence of the eminent Sahaabi, Abu Hurairah (radhiyallahu ‘anhu). Since Sheikh Abdul Hakeem knew that I had written in defence of this Sahaabi, he came to tell me the following eye-opening incident from his own life:
When Sheikh Abdul Hakeem was in Egypt, he wished to meet a person named Mahmood Abu Rayyah (this was just before Abu Rayyah passed away). Sheikh Abdul Hakeem had heard that Abu Rayyah (who held Shi’ah beliefs) would criticize and speak against the Ahaadeeth of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), and when deriding the Hadith, he would target Abu Hurairah (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) in specific (as he is one of the most prolific narrators of Ahaadeeth from the Sahaabah [radhiyallahu ‘anhum]).
Hoping to meet Abu Rayyah and discuss why he was speaking against the Ahaadeeth of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) and the great Sahaabi, Abu Hurairah (radhiyallahu ‘anhu), Sheikh Abdul Hakeem decided to go to his home.
Upon reaching the home of Abu Rayyah, Sheikh Abdul Hakeem met his children and explained the reason for his coming. However, the children of Abu Rayyah did not wish to let Sheikh Abdul Hakeem see their father. They explained to him that they would not allow him to see their father as he was sick and did not want to meet anyone.
Nevertheless, despite their refusal, Sheikh Abdul Hakeem persisted, until eventually, they reluctantly allowed him to enter their father’s room.
When Sheikh Abdul Hakeem entered the room, he was confronted by a most frightful and scary sight – he saw that Abu Rayyah’s face had turned black, whereas he was an Egyptian who had fair skin. In fact, his face had become so black that it now resembled a black coal. His eyes were wide open, staring and transfixed, and signs of terror and fright were evident on his face. He was calling out in a raised voice, filled with anguish, “Oh Abu Hurairah! Oh Abu Hurairah! Oh Abu Hurairah!”
Sheikh Abdul Hakeem says, “As he was calling out, his gaze was fixed on the wall across from him. It seemed (Allah Ta‘ala knows best) as though Abu Hurairah (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) had appeared to him on that wall, and Abu Hurairah (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) was extremely displeased and upset with him.”
Sheikh Abdul Hakeem continues, “On seeing that terrifying sight, I hastily left the room as I could not manage to remain in the room with him in that condition for more than a few seconds. I said to myself, ‘This is the frightful outcome, in this world, of those who criticize the Ahaadeeth of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) and revile his Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum), that Allah Ta‘ala punishes them in this world, and as for the Hereafter, then the punishment which awaits them will be far worse and more disgraceful.’”
After mentioning this incident, Sheikh Muhammad Dhiyaa-ur-Rahmaan A’zami (rahimahullah) said, “I make dua to Allah Ta‘ala to bless us all with the tawfeeq to follow the sunnah of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), to honour and respect the Ahaadeeth of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), and to show deep love for Hazrat Abu Hurairah (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) and all the Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum).”
