meeting and accompanying the noble Companions رَضِیَ اللہُ عنہم. He was very pious, devoted to worship, and a friend of Allah (Walī). Sayyidunā ꜤAlī b. Zayd  رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه  said:

(One day, I visited Sayyidunā SaꜤīd b. Musayyab رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه .) Pointing toward a man, he said, “O ꜤAlī b. Zayd! Look at this man’s face!” I went closer and saw that his face had lost all its light. Then he (رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه ) explained the reason, saying, “This man spoke disrespectfully about the third and fourth caliphs of Islam, Sayyidunā ꜤUthmān b. ꜤAffān and Sayyidunā ꜤAlī b. Abī Ṭālib رَضِیَ اللهُ عَنْهُما. I forbade him from doing so, but he did not stop. Then I supplicated, ‘O Allah! If this wretched person’s disrespect displeases You, then show me a sign regarding him.’ Immediately, the light on his face was removed.”^[1]

Dear Islamic brothers! Reflect upon this! How elevated is the rank of Sayyidunā ꜤUthmān رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ in the court of Allah. Disrespect toward him is absolutely displeasing to Allah. It is not necessary that the worldly punishment of one who disrespects Sayyidunā ꜤUthmān رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ appears openly in every case. However, it is certain that whoever disrespects Sayyidunā ꜤUthmān رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ or the noble Companions رَضِیَ اللهُ عَنْهُم and dies in that state without repenting is deserving of severe punishment in the Hereafter.

The Consequence of Speaking Ill of the Companions

Sayyidunā Ḥasan رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه   reports that the Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم  said:

Whoever departs from this world in such a state that he speaks ill of the earlier people (e.g. the Companions رَضِیَ اللہُ عنہم and ṬābiꜤīn رَحمۃُ اللہِ علیہم, Allah will appoint over him a creature that will tear at his flesh, and he will continue to feel its pain until the