Answer
Short Answer:
Prophet Muhammad said:
“Abu Bakr will be in Paradise, ^Umar will be in Paradise, ^Uthman will be in Paradise, ^Ali will be in Paradise, Talhah will be in Paradise, Al-Zubayr will be in Paradise, ^Abdul-Rahman ibn ^Awf will be in Paradise, Sa^d ibn Abi Waqqas will be in Paradise, Sa^id ibn Zayd will be in Paradise and Abu ^Ubaydah ibn al-Jarrah will be in Paradise”. [Sahih al-Jaami as-Saghir 1/70 no, 40]
- Also, there are many others beside the Ten. See for example, for women, “Great Women of Islam” by Mahmoud Ahmad Ghadanfar which list the 11 wives of the Prophet and 16 others.
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Assalamo alaykum,
Thank you for your question.
Some shared characteristics of the 10 Companions Given Paradise
- All became Muslim in the early years of Islam.
- They made great service to the Prophet and the Islamic cause.
- All of them migrated.
- They participated in the battle of Badr.
- They took the oath of allegiance to the Prophet at Hudaybiya.
- There are many narrations in ahadith regarding their virtues.
Introduction
The objective of every practicing Muslim is to be granted Paradise in the next life. The Quran commands people to race to enter Paradise.
“And hasten towards forgiveness from your Lord and a Paradise as vast as the heavens and the earth, prepared for those mindful of Allah.” [Quran 3:133]
Who will be successful will be apparent in the afterlife, but Allah promised Paradise to the Companions while they were still in this world.
Allah tells us:
“And why should you not spend in the cause of Allah, while Allah is the ‘sole’ inheritor of the heavens and the earth? Those of you who donated and fought before the victory ‘over Mecca’ are unparalleled. They are far greater in rank than those who donated and fought afterwards. Yet Allah has promised each a fine reward And Allah is All-Aware of what you do.” [Quran, 57:10].
In this verse Allah is promising Paradise to all the Companions.
Ten Companions, who had many admirable traits, were given the good news of Paradise by the Prophet, but, in general, there are also those who were promised Paradise individually while here on earth. The term Ashara Mubashara (the ten who were promised Paradise) designates those who were named in a list, in the hadith, and were given these glad tidings by the Prophet Muhammad while they were living in this world. .
Who Were the 10 Companions Given Paradise?
The Prophet Muhammad said in a famous hadith, narrated by ‘Imran bin Husayn:
“Verily the best among you (to follow) is my generation (the Messenger Muhammad and his Companions, then those who follow, and then those who follow them” (Sahih Muslim, the Virtues of the Sahabah, chapter 52 hadith no. 2535)
Prophet Muhammad said:
“Abu Bakr will be in Paradise, ^Umar will be in Paradise, ^Uthman will be in Paradise, ^Ali will be in Paradise, Talhah will be in Paradise, Al-Zubayr will be in Paradise, ^Abdul-Rahman ibn ^Awf will be in Paradise, Sa^d ibn Abi Waqqas will be in Paradise, Sa^id ibn Zayd will be in Paradise and Abu ^Ubaydah ibn al-Jarrah will be in Paradise”. [Sahih al-Jaami as-Saghir 1/70 no, 40]
Imam Ahmad also narrated the same in his Musnad.
The Companions named above were famously known as Al-Asharah fil-Jannah the ten in Paradise). They were the greatest Companions of The Prophet and this is their order.
Why Such Glad Tidings?
We were not given specific reasons why these ten companions were given paradise. So, if we are not given specifics it is wrong for us to try to apply something which was not said. It is sufficient for us to know the general position.
If we were to look at the lives of these ten individuals we would find each one of them was an outstanding personality. That should be enough for us. We all need role models. What better role models can there be for us than the Prophet and his Companions? Everyone is not an Abu Bakr for example, nor indeed, any other Companion, but we can try to emulate them as best we can.
Others Given Glad Tidings of Paradise
With this is mind, I have chosen just one example, and that of a woman, from among the many who were given the good news of Paradise. Once the Prophet addressed his companions as follows, He who wants to marry a woman of Paradise should marry Umm Ayman.
Umm Ayman was a servant that the Prophet inherited from his father. Her name was Baraka bint Thalaba. Thus, he indicated that she was a woman of Paradise. When Umm Ayman heard these words of the Messenger of Allah about her, she became very happy. Is there any happiness greater than this for a Muslim.
All of the Muslims who participated in the Battle of Badr have the distinction of going to Paradise and of being foremost in Islam. The hadith naming the Ten Companions also gives the ten in a preferred sequence, with Abu Bakr leading.
However, as I indicated there are many others beside the Ten. See for example, for women, “Great Women of Islam” by Mahmoud Ahmad Ghadanfar. Published by Darussalam which list the 11 wives of the Prophet and 16 others.
With so many exemplary Companions surely each one of us can follow them even if only to a limited extent.
Conclusion
The Prophet did not limit the news of Paradise to just these ten as indicated by the addition concerning Umm Ayman. There are also other ahadith showing similar news was given individually to others. Surely this is justification for our belief that anyone is capable of receiving the glad tidings of Paradise if we do our best for Allah, and Allah knows best.
And Allah knows best.
I hope this helps. Please keep in touch.
Walaikum Assalam Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh.
(From Ask About Islam archive)
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