What is Khairul-Quroon

Khairul-Quroon means the best of eras

The closure of the age of Ijtihaad coincided with the termination of the period known as Khairul Quroon which comprises of the ages of the Sahaabah, Taabieen and Tab-e-Taabieen.

Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said in this regard: “Honour my Sahaabah, for verily, they are your noblest; then those adjacent to them (Taabieen); then those adjacent to them (Tab-e-Taabieen). Thereafter falsehood will become manifest.”

The era of Nabi صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَم  and the Sahaaba رضي الله عنه spanned more than 150 years. This era of the Sahaaba رضي الله عنه is called Khairul-Quroon – the greatest of eras.

How many people died and how many more were born within a period of 150 years?

Do we have greater love for Rasoolullah صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَم   or do the Sahaaba have greater love?

Do we have a better understanding of the Sunnah or did the Sahaabah have a better understanding of the Sunnah?

It is evident that the Sahaabah had a better understanding of the Sunnat, and a greater love for Allah’s Messenger صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَم

Obedience to The Messenger صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَم   and love for him were much more in them than in anyone else.

So, as far as we are concerned, whatever these friends and close people of Rasoolullah صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَم   did, we, too, should do the same, and whatever they did not do, we should abstain therefrom.

Indeed! Consider how many times did the Sahaaba witness the birthday of Nabi صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَم  while he was still alive. 63 times! (This being the age of our Rasool صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَم  .

How many times did the anniversary of his death occur while the Sahaabah were still living? Approximately one hundred times!

Nabi صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَم   himself one day informed them after making a special note of the day and date, that, “Exactly a hundred years from

now, my last Sahaabi will die”. Thus, the death anniversary of Rasoolullah صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَم   occurred 100 times in the lives of the Sahaaba رضي الله عنه, and his

birthday occurred 63 times during his lifetime. We, therefore, have nothing further to say. Whatever practice the Sahaaba رضي الله عنه observed on the

day of the blessed birth we should do the same. And what they did on the anniversary of his demise, we must do the same. What they never did

on these occasions, we too, will not do. Remember, to do exactly as they did, is obedience. We stand to gain both ways, by doing what they

did, as well as abstaining from that which they abstained from.

This is also obedience and conformity. This too, is love for Rasoolullah صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَم  , in

fact intense love! By simply not observing any practice or function which Rasoolullah صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَم   and his illustrious Sahaaba رضي الله عنه never observed

will be considered as following them truly and conforming to their lifestyle. In both ways we are accumulating reward.