The ten to whom Paradise was promised

The Islamic prophet Muhammad, in a Hadith accepted by Sunni Muslims, specified ten of his companions who were promised paradise. Those companions named in this Hadith are referred to by Sunnis as The Ten Promised Paradise (Arabic: العشرة المبشرون بالجنة; al-`Ashara al-Mubasharîn bi-l-Janna). The authenticity of this Hadith is rejected by the Shias.

The Hadith

Narrated Sa'id ibn Zayd:
AbdurRahman ibn al-Akhnas said that when he was in the mosque, a man mentioned Ali (may Allah be pleased with him). So Sa'id ibn Zayd got up and said: I bear witness to the Apostle of Allah (peace be upon him) that I heard him say: Ten persons will go to Paradise: The Prophet (peace be upon him) will go to Paradise, AbuBakr will go to Paradise, Umar will go to Paradise, Uthman will go to Paradise, Ali will go to Paradise, Talhah will go to Paradise: az-Zubayr ibn al-Awwam will go to paradise, Sa'd ibn Malik will go to Paradise, and AbdurRahman ibn Awf will go to Paradise. If I wish, I can mention the tenth. The People asked: Who is he: So he kept silence. The again asked: Who is he: He replied: He is Sa'id ibn Zayd.
— Collected by Abu Dawood, Sunan Abu Dawood^[1]

Abdul Rahman bin `Awf said: The prophet (s) said: Abu Bakr in Paradise, Omar in Paradise, 'Uthman in Paradise, Ali in Paradise, Talha in Paradise, al- Zubair (bin al-'Awwam) in Paradise, AbdulRahman bin `Awf in Paradise, Saad (bin Abi Waqqass) in Paradise, Saeed (bin Zaid), and Abu 'Ubaida bin al- Jarrah in Paradise."
— Tirmidhi^[2]

Muslim view

Muslims put different weight on this Hadith, the majority of the Sunnis, viewing it as very favourable.

Sunni view

This Hadith was narrated in three collections by Tirmidhi, Abu Dawood, and Ibn Majah.

The Sunni canon of Hadith, called the Six major Hadith collections, includes: Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim, Sunan Abu Dawood, Al-Sunan al-Sughra, Sunan al-Tirmidhi and Sunan ibn Majah. Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim are considered the most reliable of these collections.^[3]

Sunnis say that Muhammad's companions were sorted into twelve groups and of these the ten promised paradise were ranked first.^[4]

A hadith attributed to 'Amir b. Sa'd reports:^{[citation needed]}

that he heard his father (Sa'd b. Abi Waqqas) say: never heard Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) say unto one living and moving about that he was in Paradise except to 'Abdullah b. Salim.

Sunnis tend to view this as Sahih and have included it in Sahih Muslim^[5].

Shia view

Shia Muslims note that Ali is put together with nine other Sahaba who never supported him in his conflicts: Talha and Zubair were generals in the armies against him in the Battle of the Camel and Umar and Abu Bakr were the caliphs before Ali during the succession to Muhammad even though he (Ali) gave them his firm oath of allegiance. In contrast, companions like Ammar ibn Yasir, Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr and Malik al-Ashtar, who staunchly defended Ali, are not included in the list. Nor is Abu Talib mentioned, the uncle of Muhammad who defended the Muslims in the early years of the prophethood. Abu Talib is not considered to have converted to Islam, however.^[6]

References

^ Sunan Abu Dawood, 40:4632
^ Tirmidhi, Hadith 3747
^ Muqaddimah Ibn al-Salah, pg. 160 Dar al-Ma’aarif edition; al-Tirmithi, under #3748; al-Tirmithi, Volume 5, Page 605, Hadith 3748; Abu Daoud, #4649 and #4650
^ Twelve Ranks of the Companions
^ Sahih Muslim, 031:6067
^ Lings, Martin (2006). Muhammad: His Life Based on the Earliest Sources. Inner Traditions.

External links

[1] Sunan Abu Dawood, 40:4632

[2] Tirmidhi, Hadith 3747

[3] Muqaddimah Ibn al-Salah, pg. 160 Dar al-Ma’aarif edition; al-Tirmithi, under #3748; al-Tirmithi, Volume 5, Page 605, Hadith 3748; Abu Daoud, #4649 and #4650

[4] Twelve Ranks of the Companions

[5] Sahih Muslim, 031:6067

[6] Lings, Martin (2006). Muhammad: His Life Based on the Earliest Sources. Inner Traditions.

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