ALI: THE BEST OF THE SAHABAH

ID BOOK

‘ALĪ: THE BEST OF

THE ṢAḤĀBAH

Explicit Testimonies

of Ṣaḥīḥ Sunnī Aḥādīth

TOYIB OLAWUYI

Copyright © 2014 Toyib Olawuyi

All rights reserved.

ISBN-13: 978-1492390497

ISBN-10: 1492390496

DEDICATION

This research is dedicated to Amīr al-Mūminīn ‘Alī b. Abī Ṭālib, ṣalawātullāh

wa salāmuhu ‘alaihi, who is my mawlā and the mawlā of all believers.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Special thanks to the following brothers and sisters for their

encouragement: Shaykh Muhammad Nura Dass, Ahmad Olawuyi, Ali

Baker, Tural Islam, Syed Jarry Haider, Syed Mansab Ali Jafri, Jaffer Abbas,

Agbonika Salihu, Jibreel Ibn Mikael, Syeda Umme Rabab Bukhari, Aneela

Sultan, Nasir Hasan, and Hassan Bokhari. May Allāh bless them all and all

our loving brothers and sisters from the Shī’ah Imāmiyyah and the Ahl al-

Sunnah wa al-Jamā’ah.

PREFACE

The question of who the best of the Sahabah, radhiyallah ‘anhum, was has always been a thorny issue within the Ummah, especially among the Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama’ah. Even the Sahabah disputed with one another over the topic. Specifically, the debate often revolves around Abu Bakr and ‘Ali, ‘alaihi al-salam, only. It is very difficult to see anyone - whether Sunni or Shi’i – arguing that ‘Umar, ‘Uthman, Talhah, Zubayr or some other Sahabi – was the best of the Sahabah. Rather, the exact point of contention is, and always was: was Abu Bakr their best or ‘Ali?

Expectedly, most of the Ahl al-Sunnah consider Abu Bakr to have been the best of the Sahabah, then ‘Umar, then ‘Uthman, and then ‘Ali. By contrast, the Shi’ah believe that Amir al-Muminin ‘Ali was the best, then al-Hasan, then al-Husayn, and then Sayyidah Faṭimah, ‘alaihim al-salam. There is a minority among Sunnis – including some Sahabah and a lot of Sufis – who share the Shi’i view on the matter.

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