Assalaamu alaykum wa rahmatullaahi wa barakaatuhu, Shaykh. I heard that there are people of Paradise other than the ten who were promised it. Please tell me who they are? Are all the Companions of Prophet Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, people of Paradise? What about the wives of Prophet Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam? They are the Mothers of the Believers; hence, must we say that they are women of Paradise for sure, or is it a matter of the Unseen and is it so that only Allaah, The Exalted, knows about it? May Allaah reward you, Shaykh.

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.

Some of the Companions other than the famous ten were promised Paradise, and it was stated in religious texts. It would be difficult to list all of them here. Nevertheless, we mention, as an example, Bilaal, ‘Abdullah ibn Salaam, the woman who suffered epilepsy, and Ja‘far ibn Abi Taalib. There are also others who were promised Paradise in (authentic) religious texts, may Allah be pleased with them all.

We bear witness that the Companions of the Prophet, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, who died as believers, in general, will be among the people of Paradise. Allah, The Exalted, says (what means): {And the first forerunners (in the faith) among the Muhaajireen and the Ansaar and those who followed them with good conduct - 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 attainment.} [Quran 9:100]

However, we cannot say that an individual Companion will be in Paradise unless it is stated in a religious text. Some of the Companions may have committed sins, as in the story of Kirkirah, the servant of the Prophet, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, who stole a cloak from the spoils of war before they were divided among the army, and the Prophet, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said that he will be thrown into Hellfire. His story was detailed in Saheeh Al-Bukhaari. There is no doubt that he shall be admitted to Paradise after receiving his due punishment for his sins, Allah willing.

The wives of the Prophet, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, are also considered among the people of Paradise. Allah, The Exalted, says (what means): {We will give her her reward twice and We have prepared for her a noble provision.} [Quran 33:31] Ibn Katheer said about this verse, "It refers to Paradise, for they will be in the dwellings of the Messenger of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, in the highest reaches of ‘Illiyeen, above the dwellings of all the people, in Al-Waseelah, which is the closest of the dwellings of Paradise to the Throne (of Allah).” [Tafseer Ibn Katheer]

For more benefit, please refer to fatwa 4625.

Allah knows best.