Prophet Muhammad's (peace on him) Companions &

The First Three Generations of Muslims

Prophet Muhammad peace on him, said: "The best of my nation is my generation then those who follow them and then those who follow them." (Saheeh Bukhaaree)

Ahl as-Sunnah believe that the Caliph after the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) is Abu Bakr; then 'Umar; then 'Uthman, then 'Ali, and that whoever contests the Caliphate of any one of these Imams is indeed more lost than an ass.  Ahl as-Sunnah do not think that each of the Sahabah (May Allah be pleased with them) is infallible of committing grave sins or light sins, but that they are liable to commit general offenses. Nevertheless, to them belongs priority in accepting Islam and in doing good deeds which qualify them for forgiveness of what they may have committed, to the extent that their offenses are forgiven. The same offenses will not be forgiven of those who come after them because they (as-Sahabah (May Allah be pleased with them) have a credit of good deeds which erase the bad deeds, a credit the generations after them do not have. It has been confirmed by the saying of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him): "That they are the best of all generations," (hadith al-Bukhari and Muslim)

[Ahl as-Sunnah] urge people to mend the relations with those who have broken with them, to give to those who have deprived them, and to forgive those who have done injustice to them. They order people to keep filial piety, to be good to other relatives, to be good neighbors, to treat orphans, wayfarers and the poor kindly and to be gentle and humane to the slave. They forbid bragging, arrogance and transgression. They prevent people from feeling superior over others, rightly or wrongly. And they bid people use high manners and prohibit them from pursuing trifles. All that they say or do of the above, or of other than it, in all of it they follow the Book (The Qur'an) and the Sunnah. Their "path" is the religion of Islam, for which Allah sent Muhammad (peace be upon him).

But for all this, the Prophet (peace be upon him) foretold: "That his 'Ummah will split into seventy-three factions, all of them in Hell except one: The Jama'ah (the Community)." (Reported by Ahmad Ibn Hanbal)

 And (the Prophet) (peace be upon him) said in another hadith: "They are those who will follow what I am and what my companions are today." (at-Tirmidhi)

The Advice of Abu Dharr al-Ghafaari

The following is one of his admonitions narrated by Sufyaan ath-Thawree, raHimahullaah, as related in al-Hilyah of Abu Na`im:

"O people, I am Jandab'ul Ghafaari. Come here and hearken to the good advice of your compassionate older brother. " Immediately, people hastened and stood around him to hear what he had to say. Abu Dharr then said, "Do you see, when one of you plans to travel, doesn't he prepare himself and takes with him the needed provisions that will suffice him until he reaches his destination?" The people replied, "Indeed, he does." Abu Dharr continued, "In this regard, the road to the Day of Reckoning is the furthest of your ultimate destinations. Take with you what benefit you most." The people asked, "And what do you consider as most beneficial for such a journey?"

Abu Dharr replied:

1) Make a pilgrimage to Mecca for your dire needs;

2) Fast in the hottest day in contemplation of the horrific age-old standing of the Day of Resurrection;

3) Pray two rak`at in the darkness of the night in contemplation of one's bewilderment, loneliness, and darkness of his grave;

4) Either say something good, or remain silent pondering on awesome age-long standing in the grim silence of the Day of Resurrection;

5) Spend your money in charity, so perhaps you can escape its trials;

6) Make this world a setting for two types of conferences: One to seek the benefits of the hereafter, and the other to seek what is permissible. Should there be a third criteria of meetings, they will be of harm and of no benefit to you; and finally,

7) Look to your money and divide it in two categories: One dirham you spend on your family, the second you spend for your benefits in the hereafter, and should there be left a third dirham, it will be of harm and of no benefit to you."

Abu Dharr then shouted at the top of his voice: "O people! Your craving to accumulate what is beyond your reach will surely destroy you."

"The best words in their best order in any language cannot adequately depict the way God's Messenger (peace be upon him) looked at the dirham and dinar, wealth and property, and the world and all that it stands for. Indeed, even the disciples who had served their time at the feet of the Prophet's companions (may Allah be pleased with them) or the disciples of such disciples never regarded fortunes and treasures fit enough for the dusthole. Their pure and pious lives, their indifference to wealth and worldly possessions, the way they showered bounty on one and all and preferred others over their own selves, their contentedness with the barest minimum and their heroic selflessness and self-denial take one's breath away. One can only picture to oneself the nobleness of heart and openhanded generosity as well as self-abnegation and unearthly disposition of the great teacher who had enlarged the minds of all the later godly souls."
 
-IslamToday.com