Third Aspect: The Companions cannot be reached in regard to virtuous actions and good deeds pertaining to the hereafter. Because, just as in certain conditions in a frightening and important post, a soldier may gain in one hour's watch the virtue of a year's worship, and by being hit by a bullet may rise in one minute to a station similar to a degree of sainthood which can only by gained in at least forty years; so too, the Companions' service in the establishment of Islam and propagating the decrees of the Qur'an and their declaring war on the whole world for Islam was so elevated that others cannot reach one minute of it in a year. It may even be said that in that sacred service all their minutes were like that one minute of the martyred soldier. All their hours were like the one hour's watch of a faithful soldier in some terrifying post in which the acts are few, but the recompense great and value high.

Indeed, since the Companions formed the first rank in the establishment of Islam and spreading of the lights of the Qur'an, in accordance with the rule 'the cause is like the doer,' a share of all the good works of all the Islamic community passes to them. The Islamic community saying "O God! Grant blessings to our master Muhammad and to his Family and Companions" shows that the Companions receive a share of the good works of their whole community.

Furthermore, just as an insignificant characteristic in the root of a tree takes on a large form in the tree's branches, and is larger than the largest branch; and just as a small protuberance at the beginning gradually forms a mass; and just as an excess the size of a needle point at a central point may become more than a metre at the circumference of the circle, just like these four examples, since the Companions were from the roots and foundations of the luminous tree of Islam, and were at the beginning of luminous lines of the structure of Islam, and were from among the leaders of the Islamic community and were the first of their number, and since they were close to the centre of the Sun of Prophethood and Lamp of Reality, a few of their actions were many and their small acts of service, great. To reach their level necessitates being a true Companion.

O God! Grant blessings to our master Muhammad, who said: "My Companions are like the stars, whichever of them you follow, you will be rightly guided," ⁶and, "The best of centuries is my century,"⁷and to his Family and Companions, and grant them peace.

Glory be unto You! We have no knowledge save that which You have taught us; indeed, You are All-Knowing, All-Wise.<sup>8

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6. al-'Ajlunl, Kashf al-Khafa , i, 132, No: 381.
7. Bukhari. Shahada, 9; Fada'il Ashab al-Nabl, 1; Ayman, 10. 27; Tirmidhi, Fitan, 45.
8. Qur'an, 2:32.</sup>