as Allah Almighty has said: ﴿يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَكُونُوا مَعَ الصَّادِقِينَ﴾[1]; “O you who believed! Fear Allah and be with the truthful.” Likewise, there is no one among people unless he is considered more righteous than another one of them, while it is certainly not obligatory for each of them to follow another for this reason.

Yes, undoubtedly, the early Muslims who saw and obeyed the Prophet possessed virtue; as Allah Almighty has said about them: ﴿وَالسَّابِقُونَ الْأَوَّلُونَ مِنَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ وَالْأَنْصَارِ وَالَّذِينَ اتَّبَعُوهُمْ بِإِحْسَانٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَضُوا عَنْهُ وَأَعَدَّ لَهُمْ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي تَحْتَهَا الْأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا أَبَدًا ۚ ذَلِكَ الْفَوْزُ الْعَظِيمُ﴾[2]; “And the first forerunners among the Muhajirin and the Ansar and those who followed them in goodness—Allah is pleased with them and they are pleased with Him, and He has prepared for them gardens beneath which rivers flow, wherein they will abide forever. That is the great triumph.” However, to be fair, proving virtue for them does not necessitate negating virtue from later generations; it does not even prove their superiority over later generations, as a group of future Muslims who did not see the Prophet and yet obeyed him might be more virtuous than them; considering that obeying the Prophet without seeing him is more difficult[3]. Nevertheless, the superiority of the early Muslims over later generations, if proven, only means that their reward in the Hereafter is greater, and it does not prove that it is necessary for later generations to follow them; as Allah Almighty has said: ﴿انْظُرْ كَيْفَ فَضَّلْنَا بَعْضَهُمْ عَلَى بَعْضٍ ۚ وَلَلْآخِرَةُ أَكْبَرُ دَرَجَاتٍ وَأَكْبَرُ تَفْضِيلًا﴾[4]; “See how We preferred some of them over some others. And undoubtedly, the Hereafter is greater in giving rank and preference.”

[The Impossibility of Following the Predecessors]

From here, it is understood that following the first three generations of Muslims has no basis in Islam and cannot be justified by any explanation. This is regardless of its impossibility in reality; because the first three generations of Muslims were various individuals and groups with contradictory statements and actions, to the extent that they considered the statements and actions of each other to be incorrect and fought over them. It is clear that, in this case, following them is impossible;

↑[1] . At-Tawbah/ 119

↑[2] . At-Tawbah/ 100

↑[3] . As has been narrated that the Prophet said: «وَدِدْتُ أَنِّي لَقِيتُ إِخْوَانِي»; “I wish I could meet my brothers.” His companions then said: “Are we not your brothers, O Messenger of Allah?” He replied: «أَنْتُمْ أَصْحَابِي، وَلَكِنْ إِخْوَانِي الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا بِي وَلَمْ يَرَوْنِي»; “You are my companions, but my brothers are those who will believe in me without having seen me.” Then he said: «أَيُّ الْخَلْقِ أَعْجَبُ إِيمَانًا؟»; “Which of creation has the most remarkable faith?” They said: “The angels.” He said: «وَمَا لَهُمْ لَا يُؤْمِنُوا وَهُمْ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِمْ؟!»; “And why should they not believe when they are with their Lord?!” They said: “Then the Prophets.” He said: «النَّبِيُّونَ يُوحَى إِلَيْهِمْ، فَكَيْفَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ؟!»; “The Prophets receive revelation, so how could they not believe?!” They said: “Then the companions.” He said: «الصَّحَابَةُ يَكُونُونَ مَعَ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ، فَكَيْفَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ؟! وَلَكِنَّ أَعْجَبَ النَّاسِ إِيمَانًا قَوْمٌ يَجِيؤُونَ مِنْ بَعْدِكُمْ، فَيَجِدُونَ كِتَابًا مِنَ الْوَحْيِ، فَيُؤْمِنُونَ بِهِ، وَيَتَّبِعُونَهُ، فَهُمْ أَعْجَبُ الْخَلْقِ إِيمَانًا»; “The companions are with the Prophets, so how could they not believe?! But the most remarkable in faith among people are those who will come after you; then they will find a book from revelation, believe in it, and follow it. They are the most remarkable of creation in faith”—and in another narration: «أُولَئِكَ أَعْظَمُ الْخَلْقِ مَنْزِلَةً، وَأَعْظَمُ الْخَلْقِ إِيمَانًا عِنْدَ اللَّهِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ»; “They are the greatest of creation in rank and the strongest in faith in the sight of Allah on the Day of Judgment.” (See Sirah ibn Ishaq, p. 282; Musnad of Ahmad, vol. 20, p. 38; Musnad of al-Bazzar, vol. 1, p. 413). It has also been narrated from some of his companions: «تَغَدَّيْنَا مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَقُلْنَا: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، هَلْ أَحَدٌ خَيْرٌ مِنَّا؟ أَسْلَمْنَا مَعَكَ، وَجَاهَدْنَا مَعَكَ، فَقَالَ: نَعَمْ، قَوْمٌ يَكُونُونَ مِنْ بَعْدِكُمْ، يُؤْمِنُونَ بِي وَلَمْ يَرَوْنِي» (Musnad of Ahmad, vol. 28, p. 184; Musnad of al-Darimi, vol. 3, p. 1803); “We had lunch with the Messenger of Allah . Then we said: ‘O Messenger of Allah! Is there anyone better than us? We embraced Islam with you and fought alongside you.’ So he said: ‘Yes, a people who will come after you; they will believe in me without having seen me.’”

↑[4] . Al-Isra/ 21