Assalamu Alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh,

The Companions of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ (the Sahabah) are the best generation of this Ummah. Allah praised them in the Qur’an, and the Prophet ﷺ affirmed their excellence in many authentic hadith. Love for them is part of faith, while hatred towards them is hypocrisy. In this post, we will explore Quranic verses and authentic narrations highlighting their rank and why they remain role models for all Muslims.

Allah the Most High declared His pleasure with the earliest Muslims who sacrificed everything for His cause:

“And the first forerunners among the Muhajirun and the Ansar and those who followed them with good conduct – Allah is pleased with them and they are pleased with Him.” (Qur’an 9:100, Quran.com)

This verse establishes their lofty status and guarantees Allah’s pleasure for the sincere followers of their path.

Similarly, Allah commands the later generations of believers:
“And those who came after them say: Our Lord, forgive us and our brothers who preceded us in faith, and put not in our hearts any resentment toward those who have believed. Our Lord, indeed You are Kind and Merciful.” (Qur’an 59:10, Quran.com)

The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ explicitly confirmed the superiority of his Companions:

“The best of my nation is my generation, then those who follow them, then those who follow them.” (Sahih al-Bukhari 3650, Sahih Muslim 2533, Sunnah.com)

This hadith establishes that the Sahabah are the best of people after the Prophets. Following their way is guidance, while opposing them is misguidance.

It was reported that Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) was asked: “Who are the best people after the Messenger of Allah ﷺ?” He replied: “Abu Bakr.” They asked: “Then who?” He said: “Umar.” They asked: “Then who?” He said: “Uthman.” When asked about himself, he said: “I am only a man among the Muslims.” (Sahih al-Bukhari 3671, Sunnah.com)

Furthermore, Umar ibn al-Khattab (RA) said: “During the lifetime of the Prophet ﷺ, we used to consider the best of people to be Abu Bakr, then Umar, then Uthman.” (Sahih al-Bukhari 3697, Sunnah.com)

The Prophet ﷺ gave glad tidings of Jannah to ten companions by name:

“Abu Bakr is in Paradise, Umar is in Paradise, Uthman is in Paradise, Ali is in Paradise, Talhah is in Paradise, al-Zubayr ibn al-‘Awwam is in Paradise, Abdur Rahman ibn Awf is in Paradise, Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas is in Paradise, Sa’id ibn Zayd is in Paradise, and Abu ‘Ubaydah ibn al-Jarrah is in Paradise.” (Jami‘ at-Tirmidhi 3747, Sunnah.com)

This authentic narration highlights their guaranteed success with Allah’s mercy.

The Prophet ﷺ warned against belittling or insulting the Sahabah:

“Do not revile my Companions, for if one of you were to spend gold equal to Mount Uhud, it would not equal a handful of what they spent, nor even half of it.” (Sahih al-Bukhari 3673, Sahih Muslim 2540, Sunnah.com)

This hadith affirms their incomparable rank.

The Prophet ﷺ advised the Ummah to stick to the guidance of the rightly guided Caliphs:

Narrated Al-'Irbad bin Sariyah: "One day after the morning Salat, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) exhorted us to the extent that the eyes wept and the hearts shuddered with fear. A man said: 'Indeed this is a farewell exhortation. [So what] do you order us O Messenger of Allah?' He said: 'I order you to have Taqwa of Allah, and to listen and obey, even in the case of an Ethiopian slave. Indeed, whomever among you lives, he will see much difference. Beware of the newly invented matters, for indeed they are astray. Whoever among you sees that, then he must stick to my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the rightly guided Khulafa', cling to it with the molars.'"

Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2676

https://sunnah.com/tirmidhi:2676

The Sahabah were the best of this Ummah, chosen by Allah to support His Messenger ﷺ.

As seekers of knowledge, we must honor their legacy, study their lives, and follow their path sincerely, as Allah and His Messenger have commanded.

Assalamu Alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh,
I am Zayd Haji, a student at Zad Academy.

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, his family, companions, and all those who follow them until the Day of Judgment.
In this blog, I will summarize a lesson from Zad Academy about major works of Tafsir (Qur’anic exegesis), focusing on their methodologies, authenticity, and contributions to Islamic scholarship.

The Qur’an is the divine revelation sent for the guidance of humanity. Allah says:
“This is the Book about which there is no doubt, a guidance for those conscious of Allah.” (Qur’an 2:2, Quran.com)

To correctly understand the Qur’an, scholars devoted their lives in compiling Tafsir, drawing from the authentic Sunnah, statements of the Sahabah (companions), and reliable reports. The Prophet ﷺ emphasized the importance of knowledge when he said:
“When Allah intends good for someone, He gives him understanding of the religion.” (Sahih al-Bukhari 71, Sunnah.com)

Thus, Tafsir books remain critical in preserving the proper context, meanings, and rulings derived from the Qur’an.

Imam al-Alawi (d. 516 AH) authored a summarized Tafsir that became widely acknowledged for its authenticity and reliability. He purified his Tafsir from weak and fabricated narrations, especially removing the Isra’iliyyat (Judeo-Christian reports) that had entered into earlier works.

His methodology was based on:

• Authentic narrations from the Prophet ﷺ and his companions.

• Avoidance of weak hadiths and baseless stories.

• Presenting commentary in a concise and practical manner.

Allah reminds us of the responsibility of transmitting knowledge truthfully:
“And do not mix the truth with falsehood or conceal the truth while you know [it].” (Qur’an 2:42, Quran.com)

Another major contribution in Tafsir literature is Tafsir al-Qurtubi, authored by Imam al-Qurtubi (d. 671 AH) from Andalusia (modern-day Spain). His Tafsir focused on the legal and jurisprudential (Fiqh) rulings derived from the Qur’an. While he was primarily a Maliki scholar, he openly discussed opinions from all major schools of Islamic law, showing fairness and breadth of scholarship.

His methodology involved:

• Grouping verses dealing with legal or thematic issues.

• Explaining reasons for revelation (Asbab al-Nuzul).

• Addressing linguistic analyses and contextual details.

• Comparing scholarly opinions with evidence from Qur’an and Sunnah.

This made his Tafsir not just a commentary, but an encyclopedic work in Qur’anic legal rulings.

The comparison of scholars such as Imam al-Alawi, Imam al-Qurtubi, and earlier authorities like Ibn Jarir al-Tabari shows the diversity of approaches to Tafsir. Some focused on narrations, others on Fiqh rulings, while all remained committed to preserving the meanings of Allah’s speech.

The Prophet ﷺ said:
“The most truthful speech is the Book of Allah, and the best guidance is the guidance of Muhammad.” (Sahih Muslim 867, Sunnah.com)

Therefore, Tafsir plays a vital role in linking Muslims to authentic understanding, free from innovations and distortions.

• Reliability in Tafsir depends on strict adherence to Qur’an and authentic Sunnah.

• Weak and fabricated narrations must be removed to preserve purity of interpretation.

• Scholars throughout history sought to clarify, authenticate, and transmit these works for the benefit of future generations.

• Students must approach Tafsir sincerely, with the intention of seeking Allah’s pleasure and acting upon knowledge.

Allah says:
“And say, ‘My Lord, increase me in knowledge.’” (Qur’an 20:114, Quran.com)

From Imam al-Alawi’s purification of Tafsir literature to Imam al-Qurtubi’s focus on Qur’anic rulings, these works remain essential for Muslims striving to understand their faith deeply. The methodologies of great scholars teach us the importance of preserving authenticity, sincerity, and balance in Islamic scholarship.

Seerah 01-05: The Early Revelation of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ | ZAD Academy Audio | Blogpost by Zayd Haji

Assalamu Alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh,
I am Zayd Haji, a student at Zad Academy.

The life of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ can be divided into two important phases: the Meccan period and the Madinan period. Each stage had unique lessons and challenges, shaping the message of Islam. This blog post explores the preparation, first revelation, and the early prophetic experiences of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, derived from authentic sources of the Qur’an and Hadith.

The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was born into Mecca and lived for 40 years before receiving the divine revelation. Although orphaned at an early age, Allah Himself protected and nurtured him. His father passed away before his birth, his mother when he was six, and his grandfather at eight. Despite these hardships, Allah preserved him from idolatry, immorality, and the common practices of ignorance prevalent in Mecca.

“Did He not find you an orphan and give you refuge? And He found you lost and guided you.” (Qur’an 93:6-7, Quran.com)

From his youth, the Prophet ﷺ was known as Al-Amin (the trustworthy). His people trusted him with their belongings and respected his wisdom. However, the Prophet ﷺ never worshipped idols nor engaged in their practices, distancing himself from shirk.

Seeking closeness to Allah, the Prophet ﷺ would spend days in the Cave of Hira reflecting upon creation and the Oneness of God. This period of reflection was part of Allah’s divine preparation for the great responsibility of prophethood.

As Allah says:
“Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alternation of the night and the day are signs for those of understanding.” (Qur’an 3:190, Quran.com)

The Prophet ﷺ’s fitrah (pure nature) inclined him to worship the Creator alone, though he did not yet know the exact way until the revelation began.

When the Prophet ﷺ was in the cave at the age of 40, the Angel Jibreel (Gabriel) appeared and commanded him, “Iqra” (Read/Recite). The Prophet ﷺ replied, “I cannot read.” This happened three times until Jibreel revealed the first verses of the Qur’an:

“Recite in the name of your Lord who created. Created man from a clinging substance. Recite, and your Lord is the most Generous – Who taught by the pen – Taught man that which he knew not.” (Qur’an 96:1-5, Quran.com)

Startled by the experience, the Prophet ﷺ rushed home to Khadijah (may Allah be pleased with her), who comforted and reassured him. She reminded him of his noble character, saying Allah would never disgrace one who helps the poor, supports the needy, and maintains kinship ties.

After a brief pause in revelation, the Prophet ﷺ once again encountered Angel Jibreel in his full majestic form, filling the horizon. The second revelation confirmed his mission, not only as a prophet but as a messenger sent to warn humanity:

“O you who covers himself with a garment, arise and warn. And glorify your Lord. And purify your garments. And avoid uncleanliness.” (Qur’an 74:1-5, Quran.com)

The Prophet ﷺ never faltered in conveying the message, for Allah assured him:
“Your companion [Muhammad] has not strayed, nor has he erred. Nor does he speak from [his own] inclination. It is not but a revelation revealed.” (Qur’an 53:2-4, Quran.com)

• The early life of the Prophet ﷺ teaches us that Allah prepares His chosen ones with patience, trials, and protection.

• Seclusion and reflection are paths toward spiritual clarity.

• The Qur’an is a direct source of guidance revealed through Allah’s mercy, and it must remain central in our lives.

• Supporting others, helping the poor, and maintaining honesty bring Allah’s support and blessings.

The Prophet ﷺ said:
“The most beloved of deeds to Allah are those that are most consistent, even if they are few.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 6464, Sunnah.com)

By following his example of sincerity, consistency, and devotion, we too can strengthen our faith and relationship with Allah.