Before the Victory
Al-Risala (English), November 1988, p. 16
By Maulana Wahiduddin Khan
Maulana Wahiduddin Khan is named as the default author of the periodical; a piece that carries another writer’s byline is credited to that writer.
Before the Victory
1988 11 November 16-17 Before the Victory (447) The greatness of the Companions was in no way mystical in origin. It was simply that they believed in the Prophet and made sacrifices in the path of their faith before his prophethood had been set with the seal of universal credence.
Prior to the establishment of his moral supremacy, the status of a prophet in the eyes of the world is no higher, or no lower, than that of any other, ordinary human being. At a time when his prophethood has not become public, or still awaits establishment as an authentic, historical fact, the only ones who are able to recognise him as a prophet, and make sacrifices on his behalf, are those who immediately grasp the essence of his message. It requires rare courage to follow a prophet at such a time, amounting, as it so often does, to degrading oneself in the eyes of society, and making sacrifices for which one receives no credit.
In the chapter of the Quran named after the Prophet Hud, it is mentioned that those who were sceptical of the Prophet justified their disbelief by saying that they did not see anything special about the Prophet. The Prophet’s rejoinder to this was to point to the clear proofs with which he had been sent. This exchange shows that if people were reluctant to accept the message of the prophets, it was because their observation of them was superficial: they expected them to bask in an aura of worldly grandeur, and, when they did not, they felt too disappointed to examine the rational proofs, which were, in fact, the greatest things which the prophets had to offer them.
The Companions of the Prophet were men of great perception who recognized the Prophet when there was nothing besides abstract proofs to confirm the truth of his message. It is this quality which makes them so unique in the annals of human history. According to a certain Hadith, the Prophet said: “Do not malign my Companions, for were anyone of you to spend in charity the equivalent of Mount Uhud in gold, this would not equal just half that amount spent by one of them.
The greatness of the Companions was in no way mystical in origin. Nor did their deeds excel those of others because they were carried out in an ambience of sanctity. It was simply that they believed in the Prophet and made sacrifices in the path of their faith before his prophethood had been set with the seal of universal credence. They gave of their wealth before the victory and took part in the fighting” thus receiving “greater honour than others who gave and fought thereafter.” (Quran, 57:10)
