It is narrated from the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) in an authentic tradition
that: “Glad tidings to you and after you give glad tidings to people after you that
one who testifies truly that there is no god, except Allah, will enter Paradise.”1
Thus, these ten individuals who are given glad tidings, if they were really
believers and had remained attached to the Quran and Sunnah, they would
definitely be folks of Paradise like other Muslims and righteous persons.
At this point, there are some other companions than these persons regarding
who are also given glad tidings of Paradise and Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) has
himself informed them of their being inmates of Paradise among them being
Ammar bin Yasir. It is narrated by Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) from Jibraeel
that: “Convey to him glad tidings of Paradise! Hellfire is unlawful on Ammar.”
And he said: “It is unlawful on Hellfire to consume the blood and flesh of
Ammar or to touch him.”2
And the following authentic tradition is narrated from Holy Prophet
(s.a.w.a.) that: “Glad tidings to you O progeny of Yasir; your promised abode is
Paradise.”
And the following authentic tradition is narrated from Holy Prophet
(s.a.w.a.) that: “Paradise is eager for four persons: Ali Ibne Abi Talib (a.s.),
Ammar bin Yasir, Salman Farsi and Miqdad.”
And it is mentioned in another traditional report that: “Paradise is eager for
three persons: Ali, Ammar and Bilal.”
And the following authentic tradition is narrated from Holy Prophet
(s.a.w.a.) that: “Hasan and Husain are two chiefs of the youths of Paradise.”3
And everyone has consensus on authenticity of this tradition.
And it is narrated from Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) that: “Hasan, Husain, their
grandfather, their father and mother, and their paternal uncle, their paternal aunt,
their maternal uncles and they themselves; all those who love them would be in
Paradise.”4
And the following authentic tradition is narrated from Holy Prophet
(s.a.w.a.) that: “Indeed, Ja’far bin Abi Talib is in Paradise; and he is having two
wings, with which he can fly wherever he wants.”5
Thus, this hooting, excitement and jumping up and down regarding the
tradition of the ten, who are given glad tidings of Paradise [Ashra Mubashira]
and that this report became the ground for every nobility for these men, and this
report became the special centre of attention, and when one of those was
mentioned it was invariably reminded that he is one of the ten Ashra Mubashira,
and glad tidings of Paradise were restricted to only these ten. And why traditional
reports, which mention other than them are ignored? Like the verse:
ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَكَانُوا۟ يَتَّقُونَ (٦٣) لَهُمُ ٱلْبُشْرَىٰ فِى ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا وَفِى ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ ۚ لَا تَبْدِيلَ لِكَلِمَـٰتِ ٱللَّهِ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ هُوَ ٱلْفَوْزُ ٱلْعَظِيمُ (٦٤)
“Those who believe and guarded (against evil): They shall have
good news in this world’s life and in the hereafter; there is no
changing the words of Allah; that is the mighty achievement.”6
Thus, why the glad tidings are restricted only to these ten persons? And why
belief in it was considered necessary? As Ahmad – leader of Hanbalis – wrote in
a letter to Musaddad bin Musrahad:
And it is that I testify that these ten persons: Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, Ali,
Talha, Zubair, Saad, Saeed, Abdur Rahman, Abu Ubaidah are in Paradise, thus
whoever Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) testifies that he is in Paradise, we testify that he
is in Paradise. And it cannot be said: So and so is in Paradise and so and so in
Hell, except those ten persons, regarding whom Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) has
testified that they are in Paradise.7
What are all these statements for? Perhaps you know for what they are, and
we also know.
And it is upon us to investigate this report from the aspect of chains of
narrators and text: