The following verse of the Holy Qur’an suffices as an answer to the above-presented question: Allah Almighty says in the Holy Qur’an: “The vanguard (of Islam) the first of those who forsook (their homes) and those who gave them aid, and (also) those who followed them in (all) good deeds, well-pleased is Allah with them, as are they with Him. For them hath He prepared gardens under which rivers flow, to dwell therein forever; that is the supreme felicity. Certain of desert Arabs round about you are hypocrites as well as (desert Arabs) among the Madinah folk; they are obstinate in hypocrisy. Thou knowest them not; We know them: Twice shall We punish them: and in addition shall they be sent to a grievous penalty.” (9: 100-101)

In the aforementioned verses, Allah Almighty put the Muhajirs (those who forsook their homes in Makkah and emigrated to Madinah,) and the Ansa’r (the citizens of Madinah who rendered a helping hand to the emigrants) on one scale of the balance, and the obstinate hypocrites among the desert Arabs and the hypocrites of Madinah, on the other pan of the balance.

Hence, it became incontrovertible to the Sunni Muslims that the title “Sahabah” is not bestowed except on those who met the Prophet (PBUH), believed in him and died in the state of full belief, worship and obedience to Allah Almighty. However, hypocrites cannot be referred to as Sahabah (Companions of the Prophet) simply because they concealed their disbelief and revealed Islam (Peaceful submission to the Will of Allah and His commands). Any body who dissembled and became a hypocrite during Prophet Muhammad’s era cannot whatsoever be endued the title Sahabiy.

The bona-fide companions of the Prophet (PBUH) are classified into two major categories according to the Shiite Belief. The following is the illustration:

First: the rightly guided companions who neither recanted nor retraced their steps after the demise of the Holy Prophet (Peace be upon him). Those are not less than three and no more than seven, according to the Shiite sources. Imam Al-Kalbiy narrated in Al-Ka’fiy (one of the reliable and credible Shiite Sources of Hadith) that: It was reported that Hamr’an bin A’yun said: I said to Abu Ja’far (may peace be upon him): “May God make me your ransom, what a small community we are! If we all assemble at a sheep for a meal, we cannot finish it.” Abu-Ja’far replied: “Should I tell you of a more amazing fact than that? The Muhajirs (those who emigrated from Makkah to Madinah) and the Ans’r (the inhabitants of Al-Madinah who received and helped the Muhajirs), have all renounced their religion except three of them.” (Al-Ka’fi 2/191, section, Rearing of the Believers)

Al-Ka’shiy also narrated in his book about the rightly guided companions as follows: It was reported by Hana’n bin Sadeer from his father that Ja’far (on him be peace) said: “All the people defected from their religion after the death of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) except three.” Who are those three? I interjected. He replied: “Al-Miqda’d bin Al-As-wad, Abu Dharr Al-Ghifa’riy, and Salma’n Al-Fa’risiy.”

There is a myriad of texts which indicate that the aforementioned companions of the Prophet were followed in the course of clinging to the right path after the Prophet’s demise by four others. Thus, the number of the true devoted believers reached seven, according to the Shiite standards. To confirm the aforementioned Shiite illusion, many narratives have been quoted. The following is one of them: It was reported that Al-Ha’rith bin Al-Mugheerah An-Nasiriy said: “I heard Abdul-Ma’lik bin A’yun ask Abu Abdallah [on him be peace] a number of questions until he reached the statement: So did people recant their faith?” To this, Abu Abdullah replied: “Yes, I swear by the name of God, they did defect from their faith except three of the companions of the Prophet (PBUH). Then they were shortly followed by: Al-Hussein bin Al-Mundhir (Abu Sa’sa’n), Amma’r bin Ya’ser, Shateerah and Tha’labah bin Amr (Abu-Shateerah). Thus, the number totaled seven.

All of the Shiite texts regarding this matter are unanimous that the number of the sincere devoted believers among the ranks of the Prophet’s Companions did not exceed seven. Abu-Ja’far said: “Therefore, they were only seven, and no body except those seven knew the rights of the Leader of the Believers viz. Ali bin Abi Ta’lib, save those seven committed sincere companions of the Prophet.” (Rija’l Al-Kishiy, pages 11&12)

Hence, Abu Abdullah used to swear by the name of God to prove the veracity of that unfounded claim. He said: “I swear by the name of God Almighty, no body fulfilled his pledge of allegiance and obedience to Ali bin Abi Ta’leb save seven people.” (Biha’r Al-Anwa’r 22/322)

Worthy of mention, is that those seven men, especially the first three, namely: Al-Miqda’d, Amma’r, and Abu Dharr, amazingly were not treating each other like brethren who are affiliated to one faith and creed. It was reported in the book of “Rija’l Al-Kishiy that the Leader of the Believers (Ali bin Abi Ta’leb) said: “O Abu Dharr! If it so happened that Salma’n Al-Fa’risiy revealed to you what he knew, you could instantly state:“May God’s grace be on he who kills Salma’n,” out of jealousy. It was also reported that Abu Baseer said: “I heard Abu Abdallah [on him be peace] say: “God’s Messenger (Peace be upon him) said: “O Salma’n! If your knowledge were to be exposed to Miqda’d bin Al-Aswad, he would have become an infidel. O Miqda’d! If your knowledge were to be revealed to Salma’n, he would have forsaken Islam.” (Rija’l Al-Kishiy, page 11)

Hence, they dealt with each other by utmost disguise and concealment of their thoughts, knowledge and agenda. It was reported by Ja’far that his father said: I mentioned disguise and concealment once in front of Ali [on him be peace], so he said: “If it so happened that Abu Dharr knew what was in the heart of Salma’n, he would obviously murder him.” He mentioned this of them despite the fact that Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) had established brotherhood between both of them in Madinah. Therefore, what do you think of the rest of human-folk? Even those seven sincere devoted companions of the Holy Prophet did fein ignorance of each other and concealed whatever they knew in awe of being envied. We confer from the Shiite narratives that the companions of the Holy Prophet who did not recant after his death were seven in number; viz. Al-Miqda’d bin Al-Aswad, Amma’r bin Ya’ser, Abu Dharr Al-Ghifa’riy, Salma’n Al-Fa’risy, Al-Hussein bin Al-Mun’dhir (Abu Sa’sa’n), Tha’labah bin Amru (Abu Umrah, the Helper inhabitant of Madinah) and Shateerah.

The second category comprises the hypocrite and dissembler companions. Their hypocrisy was two pronged; either as spawn of their own vested interests and great desire for the luxury of this ephemeral world or hypocrisy in belief as a result of hatred geared against Islam. Regarding this category, whether you consider it one or two categories, in Islamic perspective, they are an ignominious, despised and held in indignation as one clique conspiring against Islam. According to the Shiite Belief, the rest of the Prophet’s Companions fall under the second category except the aforementioned seven of them.

Under the influence of such classification, a question presents itself as follows: If only a few of the companions were sincere and good and the majority of them were over-ridden by hypocrisy and their own vested interests, then which type of Prophet’s Companions does the Holy Qur’an praise explicitly and profusely a couple of times?

I do not expect anyone to answer that: the Holy Qura’n, in its continual praise of the companions was referring only to a minority of them who do not exceed seven. That is simply because if there happens to be in a corrupt and wicked society, a small minority of righteous men, it cannot wholly be judged as a good, righteous and prosperous society.

Therefore, how can the Holy Qura’n praise the rightly guided companions of the Holy Prophet and give them glad tidings that their abode is Paradise beneath which rivers flow, while they are of a mean and debased caliber? From where did this classification come? Did it come from the Holy Qur’an or from the Sunnah (traditions and narratives of the Holy Prophet)? Or they are rather mere false fancies and caprices of the Shiite Adherents!

Another question that can be presented is: Had the hypocrites, as many as we have earlier stated, ran the state after the sorrowful demise of the Holy Prophet (PBUH), and as such held high ranking positions in the state portfolios. Then how comes that Islam spread all over the world and eventually the flags of disbelief hang half-mast high due to the collapse of the infidel empires of Persia and Rome?

I would like herein to draw the attention of the reader to the following fact: Hypocrites during the era of Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) were not an anonymous community; they were rather an uncovered and dishonored cabal. Some of them were exposed personally and others were unmasked by their taints and ill qualities mentioned in the Holy Qur’an. God Almighty unveiled the marks of the hypocrites in both chapters of the Holy Qur’an viz. “At-Tawbah” which was known as “the Revealer and Destroyer, due to the fact that it exposed their tainted qualities and intrigues. Thereafter, the status of the believers among the rightly guided companions of the Holy Prophet was mentioned with God Almighty’s certification. In addition to that, chapter “Al-Munafiqoon”, was revealed primarily to address the ring leader of the hypocrites, Abdallah bin Ubayy bin Salool and his henchmen, as mentioned by At-Tabrisiy, one of the most reputed Shiite Interpreters of the Holy Qur’an. (Muj’maa Al-Baya’n Fiy Tafseer Al-Qur’an, page 85)

As far as Surat (chapter) At-Tawbah is concerned, it did obliterate the traces of the hypocrites and revealed many of their marks and ill qualities in many verses therein. Allah Almighty says in the Holy Qur’an: “Those who believe in Allah and the Last Day ask thee for no exemption from fighting with their goods and persons… until: “And indeed Hell surrounds the Unbelievers (on all sides) (9: 49)

It is enough for us to mention herein that Allah Almighty, revealed to His entire believing folk all the characteristics, marks and the true state of the hypocrites’ affairs, after they had been secretly plotting and intriguing against Islam and Muslims. Allah the Omniscient says in the Holy Qur’an: “Or do those in whose hearts is a disease, think that Allah will not bring to light all their rancour? Had We so willed, we could have shown them up to thee, and thou shouldst have known them by their marks: But surely thou wilt know them by the tone of their speech! And Allah knows all that ye do.” (47: 29-30)

Therefore, this meaning is confirmed in the interpretation of Al-Ayashi (one of the resounded Shiite Scholars) of the following verse: “For Allah loves those who turn to Him constantly, and He loves those who keep themselves pure and clean.” (2: 222)

It was reported that Salma’n said: “I was once with Abu Jaafar (on him be peace), when Hanra’n bin Aayun entered and inquired about many things. When Hamra’n was about to depart, he said to Abu Jaafar (on him be peace): “Explain to us, may Allah prolong your life and make us enjoy your company, the wisdom behind the fact that whenever we come to you, no body vacates but with a tender heart and think no more about the gains of this fleeting world. Moreover, we do not heed and give much concern to what people possess of the material things of this transient world. However, after we depart from you and intermingle with the laity and men of trade in their hustle and bustle, suddenly our hearts become pawns of love for the world.” He said: “Then Abu Jaafar (on him be peace) replied: “Indeed our hearts are susceptible to temptation; sometimes they easily defy inclination towards worldly gains and sometimes it is hard for them to resist any temptation.”

Then Abu Jaafar (on him be peace) went on to say: “Verily the rightly guided and sincere companions of the Holy Prophet (Peace be upon him) said to him: “O messenger of God! We are afraid that we might be bearing some traits of hypocrisy!” He replied: “Why should you fear that?” They said: “In your presence when you admonish us we feel apprehensively dreaded, as such we forget all the worldly interests as though we are witnessing the hereafter, paradise and Hell-fire. But when we depart from you and enter our houses that we find fragrant with the scent of our children, spouses and presence of wealth, we tend to forget everything as though nothing had happened. Don’t you think that the aforementioned qualities might be among the signs of hypocrisy?