The Sunnite Notion of the So-Called Followers and the Followers of these Followers

Published in May 18, 2018

Translated by: Ahmed Fathy

Introduction:

1- The imams of the Sunnite religion typically divine human beings into four categories: the companions, their followers, the followers of these followers, and the misguided ones. Such silly notion is made part of the Sunnite religion by inventing this hadith ascribed falsely to Muhammad: (... The best era of all eras is my era, and then the one that follows it and also the one following the one that followed my era, as most people are among the misguided ones in the other eras ...). This silly hadith is often quoted by Sunnite authors in the Middle-Ages to 'prove' the existence of these three categories of hadiths-narrators: the companions, their followers, and the followers of these followers, as we find in the book of history titled (Al-Tabakat Al-Kobra) by the historian Ibn Saad; other Sunnite writers, historians, scholars, and fabricators of hadiths followed this notion of Ibn Saad (and others) in later eras, and this notion is now part and parcel of the Sunnite religion and its tenets. 

2- This laughter-inducing silly hadith is nonsensical balderdash, and we prove this within the following points.

2/1: The Quran tells us that Muhammad never knew the metaphysical realm of the future and the invisible; this means he never spoke about the future at all; see 6:50, 7:188, 46:9, and 72:25-28.

2/2: This silly hadith confines good people to certain generations of the so-called (the companions, their followers, and the followers of these followers); it is as if the preceding and the next eras, generations, centuries are bound to include nothing but misguided people and no good people ever emerged from among them! This silly notion results in the points below.

2/2/1: This means that the imams/fabricators of hadiths (who invented, propagated, and spread this hadith) as well as all Sunnite imams/authors of the Second Abbasid Era and of later eras until now are misguided people. 

2/2/2: This means that the ancient eras of previous prophets contained no good people; this is false; of course, there were good believers who followed God's Message conveyed by these prophets/messengers; God has said the following to Muhammad about the previous prophets: "Those are they to whom We gave the Book, and wisdom, and prophethood. If these reject them, We have entrusted them to others who do not reject them. Those are they whom God has guided, so follow their guidance. Say, "I ask of you no compensation for it; it is just a reminder for all humankind."" (6:89-90). Thus, this laughter-inducing hadith we have quoted above is false and its unknown author has rejected and disbelieved in the Quran as he considers ancient prophets, whose guidance is followed by Muhammad as per God's command, as bad, misguided people.  

3- Thus, this silly hadith makes ancient prophets as disbelievers, whereas it makes disbelievers and hypocrites who were Muhammad's contemporaries as the best people in the best era! Are they good people for merely living in Arabia during Muhammad's lifetime?! This false, silly Sunnite hadith assumes that contemporaries (or companions) of Muhammad are the best people ever, and then their followers and those who followed these followers! Would the rest of Arabs in later eras be deemed as misguided ones? Of course, the misguided and the guided types of people exist in all eras. This silly hadith considers those aggressive Arabs who fought against Muhammad and the hypocrites of the Yathreb city-state as the best people ever! This is sheer ignorance on the part of the fabricator and the propagators of such a hadith and on the part of those who believe such nonsense.

4- Such division of human beings in this silly hadith contradicts the Quran in two issues: the issue of time and the issue of following. We provide some details in the points below.

Firstly: the issue of time: the division of human beings in the Quran is NOT as per their eras or epochs, but as per their beliefs and deeds:

1- This silly hadith we have quoted above assumes that all human beings  are misguided and bad in all eras until the end of days after the eras of (1) Muhammad and his contemporaries/companions, (2) the followers of these companions, and (3) the followers who followed the followers of these companions. This means that there is no good persons since the third century A.H.! This silly division contradicts the Quranic division of all human beings (since Adam until the last human being on earth at the end of days), as per their beliefs and deeds, into three categories: two in Paradise (the monotheistic Forerunners whose deeds are the best in quality and quantity and those on the Right who are monotheists with less good deeds or with good and bad deeds who repented before their death) and one in Hell (those on the Left or disobedient inners/disbelievers).

2- Each person upon dying is informed of his/her fate and category as per these verses within the Quranic Chapter 56: "But if he is one of those brought near.Then happiness, and mercy, and Garden of Delights. And if he is one of those on the Right. Then, "Peace upon you," from those on the Right. But if he is one of the deniers, the mistaken. Then a welcome of Inferno. And burning in Hell." (56:88-94).

3- The Quranic Chapter 56 mentions the same division of categories elsewhere: "And you become three classes. Those on the Right - what of those on the Right? And those on the Left - what of those on the Left? And the Forerunners, the Forerunners. Those are the nearest. In the Gardens of Bliss. A throng from the ancients. And a small band from the latecomers." (56:7-14); "And those on the Right - what of those on the Right? In lush orchards. And sweet-smelling plants." (56:27-29); "For those on the Right. A throng from the ancients. And a throng from the latecomers. And those on the Left - what of those on the Left? Amid searing wind and boiling water. And a shadow of thick smoke." (56:38-43).

4- Hence, a minority of all human beings in all eras will be among those Forerunners and those on the Right; the vast majority of human beings will be among those on the Left, as they are disbelievers and polytheists: "But most people, for all your eagerness, are not believers." (12:103); "And most of them do not believe in God unless while being polytheists." (12:106).

5- The same division applies to all Quran-believing people: "Then We passed the Book to those of Our servants whom We chose. Some of them wrong their souls, and some follow a middle course, and some are in the foremost in good deeds by God's leave; that is the greatest bounty." (35:32).

6- The same division applies to the People of the Book: "Had they observed the Torah, and the Gospel, and what was revealed to them from their Lord, they would have consumed amply from above them, and from beneath their feet. Among them is a moderate community, but evil is what many of them are doing." (5:66); "They are not alike. Among the People of the Book is a community that is upright; they recite God's Verses throughout the night, and they prostrate themselves. They believe in God and the Last Day, and advocate righteousness and forbid evil, and are quick to do good deeds. These are among the righteous. Whatever good they do, they will not be denied it. God knows the righteous." (3:113-115).

7- The same division applies to contemporaries of Muhammad; among them were (1) sinners, disbelievers, and hypocrites (both overt ones and those adamant in hypocrisy), (2) those repentant ones who corrected their faith, and (3) those Forerunners with great deeds and deep faith: "The Forerunners - the first of the immigrants and the supporters, and those who followed them in righteousness. God is pleased with them, and they are pleased with Him. He has prepared for them Gardens beneath which rivers flow, where they will abide forever. That is the sublime triumph. Among the Desert-Arabs around you there are some hypocrites, and among the inhabitants of the city too. They have become adamant in hypocrisy. You do not know them, but We know them. We will torment them twice; then they will be returned to a severe torment. Others have confessed their sins, having mixed good deeds with bad deeds. Perhaps God will redeem them. God is Forgiving and Merciful." (9:100-102).

8- The term (Forerunners) mentioned in 9:100 does NOT refer only to a certain era; rather, the term refers to those early believers who were among the first one to embrace real, monotheistic faith and to perform any good deeds to please the Lord God; they are some Meccans who immigrated to Yathreb and some of the Yathrebians (or the supporters) who embraced Islam in a later stage; this category includes those who follow the same degree of great faith and good deeds within any other eras until the end of days; this is not confined to the 1^st and 2^nd centuries A.H. Thus, the Quranic verses 9:100-102 refute the silly Sunnite hadith we have quoted above.  

Secondly: the issue of following:

 The term Forerunners indicates those with deep faith and excellent deeds; in all eras, there are those who followed their footsteps in faith and deeds. This is the real meaning of following. We provide some details in the points below.

1- The idea of following is about adhering to the Quran as the Only Discourse in Islam and applying its sharia legislations within piety regarding one's behavior and good deeds.

2- Muhammad is first one commanded by God to follow the Quranic Revelation; let us quote few verses about this topic among so many other verses: "Say, "...I only follow what is inspired in me..."" (46:9); "Say, "I do not say to you that I possess the treasuries of God, nor do I know the future, nor do I say to you that I am an angel. I only follow what is inspired to me."..." (6:50); "Follow what was revealed to you from your Lord. There is no God but He..." (6:106).

3- Believers are commanded in the Quran to follow only the Quran and nothing else besides it: "Follow what is revealed to you from your Lord, and do not follow other allies beside Him. Little you remember." (7:3); the same meaning is repeated in the last one among the Quranic Ten Commandments: "This is My Path, straight, so follow it. And do not follow the other paths, lest they divert you from His Path. All this He has enjoined upon you, that you may became the pious ones." (6:153).

4- Believers are not to follow (or to believe in) Muhammad as a person but to follow the Quranic Light he conveyed by God's leave, as God has given him the Quran as the source of guidance and mercy for all human beings: "...Those who believe with him, and respect him, and support him, and follow the Light that came down with him - these are the successful." (7:157); "This too is a Blessed Book that We have revealed; so follow it, and be righteous, that you may receive mercy." (6:155); "While those who believe, and work righteousness, and believe in what was sent down to Muhammad - for it is the Truth from their Lord - He remits their sins, and relieves their concerns." (47:2).

Thirdly: the so-called companions of Muhammad and the issue of following:

1- Some of them followed the Quranic Light and some of them were among the dwellers of Yathreb who helped poor immigrants; there are some people who followed their footsteps in faith and good deeds: "Those to whom the people have said, "The people have mobilized against you, so fear them." But this only increased them in faith, and they said, "God is enough for us; He is the Excellent Protector." So they came back with grace from God, and bounty, and no harm having touched them. They pursued what pleases God. God possesses immense grace." (3:173-174); "To the poor immigrants who were driven out of their homes and their possessions, as they sought the favor of God and His approval, and came to the aid of God and His Messenger. These are the sincere. And those who, before them, had settled in the homeland, and had accepted faith. They love those who emigrated to them, and find no hesitation in their hearts in helping them. They give them priority over themselves, even if they themselves are needy. Whoever is protected from his natural greed-it is they who are the successful. And those who came after them, saying, "Our Lord, forgive us, and our brethren who preceded us in faith, and leave no malice in our hearts towards those who believe. Our Lord, You are Clement and Merciful."" (59:8-10).

2- God asserts in the Quran that the vast majority of human beings are misguided and misguiding; those misguided/misguiding people formed the majority of people around Muhammad and they could have misguided him if he had followed them: "If you were to obey most of those on earth, they would divert you from God's Path. They follow nothing but assumptions, and they only conjecture." (6:116). 

3- Those misguided/misguiding people who formed the majority of people around Muhammad dominated Arabia after Muhammad's death and they committed the crimes of the Arab conquests and Arab civil war within the era of the four pre-Umayyad caliphs, who are praised in history because history is usually written by rulers and dictated by tyrants. 

4- When those misguided/misguiding people who formed the majority of people around Muhammad dominated Arabia after the death of Muhammad, the Forerunners among the companions did not participate in the crimes known as Arab conquests; they wither in fear because they adhered to True Islam only (i.e., the Quran) and sought only to enter into Paradise in the Hereafter. History never mentions the names of such peaceful believers who are among the Forerunners; yet, the Quran mentions their description; this verse applies to them "That Home of the Hereafter - We assign it for those who seek no superiority on earth, nor corruption. And the outcome is for the pious ones." (28:83). History mentions only the names of those corrupt ones who sought superiority on earth and they committed grave injustices and massacres. The misguided/misguiding companions/contemporaries of Muhammad are referred to in the Quran (within chapters revealed shortly before the death of Muhammad) as the hypocrites and those adamant in hypocrisy.

5- The Quranic Chapter 47 mentions the features of both types of companions: those who were misguided/misguiding persons and those guided believers who followed the Quranic Truth.

5/1: Both types of companions are contrasted here: "That is because those who disbelieve follow falsehoods, while those who believe follow the Truth from their Lord. God thus cites for the people their examples." (47:3); "Is he who stands upon evidence from his Lord, like someone whose evil deed is made to appear good to him? And they follow their own desires?" (47:14).

5/2: This comparison continues here as the misguided/misguiding ones ridiculed the Quran: "Among them are those who listen to you, but when they leave your presence, they say to those given knowledge, "What did he say just now?" Those are they whose hearts God has sealed, and they follow their own desires. As for those who are guided, He increases them in guidance, and He has granted them their righteousness." (47:16-17).

5/3: In fact, they followed their whims and desires: "That is because they pursued what displeases God, and they disliked His approval, so He nullified their works." (47:28).

5/4: They deserve being cursed by God: "Those are they whom God has cursed. He made them deaf, and blinded their sight. Will they not ponder the Quran? Or are there locks upon their hearts? Those who reverted after the guidance became clear to them-Satan has enticed them, and has given them latitude. That is because they said to those who hated what God has revealed, "We will obey you in certain matters." But God knows their secret thoughts." (47:23-26).

5/5: God says the following about how the moment of their death: "How about when the angels take them at death, beating their faces and their backs?" (47:27); this applies to those on the Left upon dying: "But if he is one of the deniers, the mistaken. Then a welcome of Inferno. And burning in Hell." (56:92-94).

Lastly:

1- The silly Sunnite hadith we have quoted above in this article is derived from deifying the so-called companions and the sinful four pre-Umayyad caliphs; the Sunnite religion divides people in a wrong way that deliberately contradicts the Quran. 

2- The imams of the Sunnite religion make the so-called companions of Muhammad, their followers, and those who followed these followers (i.e., within both the era of the four pre-Umayyad caliphs and the Umayyad Era) as the references and sources of the Sunnite religion, despite the fact that such generations (as the case in all eras until the end of days) had a majority of misguiding/misguided people. those Arabs in the era of the four pre-Umayyad caliphs and the Umayyad Era spent their lives in sinning after Muhammad's death: i.e., within the crimes and struggles of the Arab conquests and civil wars and many of them were addicted to wine and sex; they never had time to write down fabricated hadiths spread orally by orators employed by the Umayyad caliphs. The full-fledged form of the Sunnite religion emerged during the Abbasid Era; authors/fabricators invented series of narrators (or Isnad in Arabic, as per the Sunnite terminology) to thousands of hadiths they have invented and ascribed to falsely to Muhammad; such Isnad includes names of so many of the so-called companions of Muhammad, their followers, and those who followed these followers and their progeny! This entailed the Sunnite authors in the Abbasid Era to spread the silly, erroneous notion that such persons of such generations are to be deemed infallible; it is as if they never told lies at all and they were truthful all the time! This quite ridiculous!        

3- Those polytheistic Sunnites have disregarded the fact that God says in the Quran that the hypocritical companions told lies all the time and especially to Muhammad; see 9:42, 9:107, 63:1, 58:18, 59:11, 4:62, 4:81, and 4:105-113.

4- The imams of the Sunnite religion have established their religion based on lies and falsehoods and they have ascribed its narratives/hadiths to hypocritical inveterate liars (this is the Quranic description of them) deemed by them as infallible! For sure, the Forerunners among the companions/contemporaries of Muhammad whose excellent faith and deeds are praised by the Lord God in the Quran never fabricated hadiths/lies and never ascribed such falsehoods to Muhammad; they must have followed the Quran as the Only Source of Islam. 

5- The Sunnites are misguided and misguiding human beings; on the Last Day, those misguided and misguiding companions will disown such Sunnite followers: "Those who were followed will then disown those who followed them, and they will see the torment, and ties between them will be severed. Those who followed will say, "If only we can have another chance, we will disown them, as they disowned us." Thus God will show them their deeds, as regrets to them, and they will not come out of the Fire." (2:166-167).

6- Would our readers desire to be among such followers?!