The regard of the Companions' for the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaih wa sallam)

 There is a Tradition in Khasaais-e-Kubra on the authority of Hadhrat Ibn Abdul Samad.  He says:  Once we went to the house of Hadhrat Anas bin Malik (May Allah be well pleased with him).  He called out to his slave girl:  Spread the meal-cloth, we all want to eat.  The meal-cloth was spread.

 

Then he said:  Bring the towel.

 

The slave girl brought a towel, which was dirty.  He then ordered her to heat the oven.  When the fire was blazing, Hadhrat Anas (May Allah be well pleased with him) put the towel in the oven.  After some time when it was removed, it was pure white like milk.

 

We saw this unbelievable incident and requested Hadhrat Anas (May Allah be well pleased with him):  Our intellects have given up.  You please explain the secret behind this.  He said:  This is that towel with which the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) used to wipe His hands and mouth.  When it becomes dirty, we wash it with fire, because fire cannot burn the thing which has touched the faces of the Prophets (May peace be upon them).

 

Here we face a highly confounding issue.  Every thing has to work as per its nature.  No matter how much you request and plead before fire, it will not abandon its nature of burning.

 

We Muslims answer to this that fire has been created by Almighty Allah and has placed the attribute of burning in it.  When Almighty Allah has the power to create it, He also has the power to nullify its effects.  Thus, when Hadhrat Ibraheem (May peace be upon him) was cast into fire, Almighty Allah ordered fire to become cool:

 

We said: ‘O fire, be cool and become absolute safety for Ibrahim (Abraham).’  Surah Ambiya (21:69)

 

This shows that the attribute of burning was nullified or suspended so much so that it became as comfortable as a comfortable garden.  Thus, when one accepts the power of Almighty Allah, this argument between science and philosophy all end automatically.  Almighty Allah can do whatever He wants to with His limitless Power.  Nothing can go disobey Him.  As far as those are concerned who don’t believe in the power of Almighty Allah, we have nothing to say to them, as this book is not for such arguments but is addressed to those special people who believe in the power of Almighty Allah and the Prophethood of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam).  Thus, every Muslim has to believe that fire cannot disobey Almighty Allah.  It burns those things which it is ordered to burn.  However, as the custom of Allah is expressed that the task of burning is taken through fire only, then all Muslims should safeguard themselves from it.  If a Muslim jumps into it or casts his/her possessions into it, that Muslim will be considered a sinner and will be considered to have attempted/committed suicide or to have destroyed one’s possessions.

 

        What is also to be considered here is does the Shariah permit the method which Hadhrat Anas (May Allah be well pleased with him) used to “wash” the towel?  If any scholar is asked about putting one’s possessions into fire, no scholar will issue such an edict.  Instead, they will say that destroying one’s possessions is forbidden.  Then how can a great Companions like Hadhrat Anas (May Allah be well pleased with him) cast such a precious towel into fire?  It cannot be established through any Tradition that the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) gave him the towel and told him that the method of washing it is to put it into fire.  If the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) had said so, Hadhrat Anas (May Allah be well pleased with him) would have said so as the Companions were bound to convey to others what they had heard from the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam).  For this reason, the Companions considered themselves duty-bound to convey to others what the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) had said.  On the contrary, we see in this Tradition that Hadhrat Anas (May Allah be well pleased with him) didn’t say anything of the sort that the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) had taught him that method.

 

Thus, we learn from these signs that Hadhrat Anas (May Allah be well pleased with him) had himself invented that method.  That sacred towel was dearer to him than his own life.  The first time he had decided to cast that towel into the fire, how his heart must have trembled!  Did he not think that fire burns away such clothes within minutes?  If, Allah forbid, that towel was burned, then that will become a lifelong regret and great bounty of Allah will cease to exist, which will be a source of blame for all Muslims.  But in my opinion, these thoughts didn’t even cross his mind.  Instead he must have had complete certainty that fire will not burn that sacred towel as it has touched the sacred hands and cheeks of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam).  He must have cast the towel into fire without any hesitation.

 

These were the beliefs of the Companions that before the honor of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam), nothing mattered to them.  The honor of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) is very high, they didn’t give any importance to fire against His towel even….

 

Some Muslims of our times also kowtow to science and in their opinion, forget about His relics, even the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) has no value, Allah protect us.  The way the disbelievers of that age said that He is a man like us, they also repeat this.  We will leave them to their beliefs.

 

It was result of the greatness and honor of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) that was in the hearts the Companions, that no emperor nor any army awed them.  This was the reason that a small band of people, in spite of their lack of equipment, faced great empires and sultanates and came out victorious.

 

Thus, as long as the love and honor of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) was in the hearts of Muslims, it led to many incredible achievements in Islam and when this started ebbing away, we are facing regress and dishonor.