Sharh Riyad as-Saliheen by Ibn Uthaymeen — Volume 1 (شرح رياض الصالحين) — Page 863

Line-by-line translation · المعاني

أَمَّا كَونُهُ طَعْنًا فِي الشَّرِيعَةِ فَلِأَنَّ الَّذِينَ نَقَلُوا إِلَيْنَا الشَّرِيعَةَ، هُمُ الصَّحَابَةُ، وَإِذَا كَانُوا مُرْتَدِّينَ، وَالشَّرِيعَةُ جَاءَتْ مِنْ طَرِيقِهِمْ، فَإِنَّهَا لَا تُقْبَلُ؛ لِأَنَّ الْكَافِرَ لَا يُقْبَلُ خَبَرُهُ، بَلِ الْفَاسِقُ أَيْضًا؛ كَمَا قَالَ تَعَالَى: ﴿يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِن جَاءَكُمْ فَاسِقٌ بِنَبَإٍ فَتَبَيَّنُوا﴾.

As for this being an attack on the Sharia, it is because the Companions are the ones who transmitted it to us. If they were apostates, the Sharia—having reached us through them—would be unacceptable, as the testimony of a disbeliever or a corrupt person is rejected. As the Almighty says: 'O you who have believed, if there comes to you a disobedient one with information, investigate.'

وَأَمَّا كَوْنُهُ طَعْنًا بِرَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ: فَيُقَالُ: إِذَا كَانَ أَصْحَابُ النَّبِيِّ بِهَذِهِ الْمَثَابَةِ مِنَ الْكُفْرِ وَالْفُسُوقِ، فَهُوَ طَعْنٌ بِالرَّسُولِ، لِأَنَّ الْقَرِينَ عَلَى دِينِ قَرِينِهِ، وَكُلُّ إِنْسَانٍ يُعَابُ بِقَرِينِهِ إِذَا كَانَ قَرِينُهُ سَيِّئًا؛ يُقَالُ: فُلَانٌ لَيْسَ فِيهِ خَيْرٌ؛ لِأَنَّ قُرَنَاءَهُ فُلَانٌ وَفُلَانٌ وَفُلَانٌ مِنْ أَهْلِ الشَّرِّ، فَالطَّعْنُ فِي الْأَصْحَابِ طَعْنٌ بِالْمُصَاحِبِ.

Regarding the claim that this attacks the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, consider this: if the Prophet’s companions were truly guilty of such disbelief and corruption, it would implicate the Messenger himself. People are judged by their associates; a man is often criticized for the company he keeps. If someone’s friends are known evildoers, he is assumed to be no better. Therefore, to attack the companions is to attack the one they accompanied.

وَأَمَّا كَوْنُهُ طَعْنًا بِاللهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ فَظَاهِرٌ جِدًّا: أَنْ يَجْعَلَ أَفْضَلَ الرِّسَالَاتِ وَأَعَمَّهَا وَأَحْسَنَهَا عَلَى يَدِ هَذَا الرَّجُلِ الَّذِي هَؤُلَاءِ أَصْحَابُهُ، وَأَيْضًا أَنْ يَجْعَلَ أَصْحَابَ هَذَا النَّبِيِّ الَّذِي هُوَ أَفْضَلُ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ صَلَوَاتُ اللهِ وَسَلَامُهُ عَلَيْهِ، مِثْلَ هَؤُلَاءِ الْأَصْحَابِ الَّذِينَ زَعَمَتِ الرَّافِضَةُ أَنَّهُمُ ارْتَدُّوا عَلَى أَدْبَارِهِمْ؛ وَلِهَذَا نَعْتَقِدُ أَنَّ هَذِهِ فِرْيَةٌ عَظِيمَةٌ عَلَى الصَّحَابَةِ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُمْ، وَعُدْوَانٌ عَلَى اللهِ وَرَسُولِهِ وَشَرِيعَةِ اللهِ؛ وَلَا شَكَّ أَنَّنَا نُكِنُّ الْحُبَّ لِجَمِيعِ أَصْحَابِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ، وَلِآلِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ.

The implication that this attacks Allah, Lord of the Worlds, is glaringly obvious. It suggests that He would entrust the most perfect and comprehensive message to a man whose companions were of such character, or that He would choose such people to surround the best of all prophets, peace and blessings be upon him—the very people the Rafida claim turned their backs on the faith. We believe this is a grave slander against the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, and an affront to Allah, His Messenger, and His law. We hold deep love for all the Prophet’s companions and his believing family.

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Vocabulary · المفردات (16 verbs · 47 nouns)

• نَقَلَ — to transfer
• جَاءَ — to come
• قَبِلَ — to accept
• كَوْن — being
• طَعْن — criticism
• شَرِيعَة — law