The Ten Who Were Given Glad Tidings of Paradise
Dr. 'Umar Al-Ashqar

Paradise and Hell in the Light of the Qur'an and Sunnah
© 1999 IIPH

The Messenger, sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam, clearly stated that ten of his Companions would be in Paradise. Ahmad reports from Sa'id ibn Zayd, and Tirmidhi reports from 'Abdul-Rahman ibn 'Awf, that the Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam, said:

"Abu Bakr will be in Paradise, 'Umar will be in Paradise, 'Uthman will be in Paradise, 'Ali will be in Paradise, Talhah will be in Paradise, Al-Zubayr will be in Paradise, 'Abdul-Rahman ibn 'Awf will be in Paradise, Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas will be in Paradise, Sa'id ibn Zayd will be in Paradise and Abu 'Ubaydah ibn al-Jarrah will be in Paradise."
Its isnad is sahih. [Sahih al-Jami' as-Saghir, 1/70, no. 50]

Imam Ahmad, Abu Dawud, Ibn Majah and Al-Diya' reported a slightly different version from Sa'id ibn Zayd:

"Ten will be in Paradise: the Prophet will be in Paradise, Abu Bakr will be in Paradise, 'Umar will be in Paradise, 'Uthman will be in Paradise, 'Ali will be in Paradise, Talhah will be in Paradise, al-Zubayr ibn al-'Awwam will be in Paradise, Sa'd ibn Malik will be in Paradise, 'Abdul-Rahman ibn 'Awf will be in Paradise and Sa'id ibn Zayd will be in Paradise.
Its isnad is sahih. [Sahih al-Jami' as-Saghir, 4/34, no. 3905]

The books of the Sunnah tell us that one day the Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam, was sitting at the well of 'Ariis, with Abu Musa al-Ash'ari acting as his gatekeeper.

Abu Bakr al-Siddiq came and asked permission to see him, and the Messenger, sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam, said, "Let him in, and give him the glad tidings of Paradise." Then 'Umar came, and he said, "Let him in and give him the glad tidings of Paradise." Then 'Uthman came and he said, "Let him in, and give him the glad tidings of Paradise because of an affliction that will befall him."
[Reported by Al-Bukhari, Muslim and Tirmidhi. See Jami al-Usul, 8/562, no. 6372. The hadith is lengthy, so we have shortened it here and quoted only that which is relevant to the current discussion.]

Ibn 'Asakir reported with a sahih isnad from Ibn Mas'ud that the Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam, said:
"My successor will be in Paradise, his successor will be in Paradise, and the third and fourth will be in Paradise." [Sahih al-Jami' as-Saghir, 4/149, no. 4311.] The "successor" refers to the one who would take over the reins of leadership after his death. These four are Abu Bakr, 'Umar, 'Uthman and 'Ali, may Allah be pleased with them all.

Tirmidhi and al-Hakim reported with a sahih isnad from 'A'ishah, radhiallahu 'anha, that the Messenger, sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam, said to Abu Bakr:
"You are free from the Fire."
[Sahih al-Jami' as-Saghir, 2/24, no. 1494]