I want to know whether Waraqah ibn Nawfal was a Sahaabi?

Praise
be to Allah

There is a difference of opinion as to whether Waraqah ibn
Nawfal ibn Asad ibn ‘Abd al-‘Uzza ibn Qusayy al-Qurashi al-Asadi – the
paternal cousin of Khadeejah, the wife of the Prophet (blessings and peace
of Allah be upon him) – was one of the Sahaabah. 

-1 –

Some of the scholars listed him among the Sahaabah, such as
at-Tabari, al-Baghawi, Ibn Qaani‘, Ibn as-Sakan and others, as it says in
al-Isaabah (6/607) 

az-Zarkali (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 

Among the historians are some who regarded him as being one
of the Sahaabah. Al-Baghdadi said: Abu’l-Hasan Burhaan ad-Deen Ibraaheem al-Biqaa‘i
wrote a book about Waraqah’s belief in the Prophet and his being a Companion
of his, which he called Badhl al-Nus-h wa’sh-Shafaqah li Ta‘reef bi
Suhbat as-Sayyid Waraqah. 

End quote from al-I‘laam (8/115) 

Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 

What appears to me to be the case – and Allah knows best – is
that he is to be regarded as a Sahaabi, so one should say “Radiya Allahu
‘anhu (may Allah be pleased with him)” when mentioning him. End quote. 


www.islamport.com 

Shaykh Saalih al-Fawzaan was asked: 

What is more appropriate with regard to Waraqah ibn Nawfal if
mention is made of him? Can we say “Radiya Allahu ‘anhu (may Allah be
pleased with him)”? 

He (may Allah preserve him) replied: 

Undoubtedly, yes, he is a Sahaabi and we should say “Radiya
Allahu ‘anhu (may Allah be pleased with him).” End quote. 

http://www.sahab.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=118154

According to this view, Waraqah ibn Nawfal was the first man
to believe in the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). 

Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 

Hence we say: The first woman to believe in him was Khadeejah
and the first man to do so was Waraqah ibn Nawfal. 

End quote. Majmoo‘ Fataawa wa Rasaa’il Ibn ‘Uthaymeen
(8/613)

-2-

Some of the scholars say that he was not a Sahaabi, but he
believed in the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and died
during the cessation of revelation. 

Ibn Katheer (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 

We have noted above that Waraqah ibn Nawfal believed in the
revelation that existed at his time, and died during the cessation of
revelation, may Allah be pleased with him. 

End quote from al-Bidaayah wa’n-Nihaayah (3/25). 

Adh-Dhahabi quoted the hadith of ‘Urwah, according to which
he said: Waraqah ibn Nawfal passed by Bilaal when he was being tortured; his
back was on the hot sand and he was saying, “One, One.” Waraqah said: “One,
One, O Bilaal. Patience, O Bilaal. Why are you torturing him? For by the One
in Whose hand is my soul, if you kill him, I will surely pray for mercy for
him. 

Then adh-Dhahabi said: This report is mursal. If Waraqah
lived until this time, then he would be regarded as one of the Sahaabah. But
the man died during cessation of revelation, after Prophethood began but
before the message was proclaimed, as it says in as-Saheeh.

End quote from Siyar A‘laam an-Nubala’ (1/129). 

Al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) said, after
quoting the hadith about the beginning of creation: 

The apparent meaning of this report indicates that he
affirmed his Prophethood, but he died before the Messenger of Allah
(blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) began to call people to Islam. So
he is like Buhayra, and the issue of describing him as one of the Sahaabah
is subject to discussion. End quote. 


Al-Isaabah
(6/607) 

-3-

Some of the scholars refrained from taking a stance, and
mentioned the difference of opinion. 

Ibn Mandah said: There is a difference of opinion as to
whether he became Muslim. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbaas narrated from him, but I do
not know of anyone who said that Waraqah became Muslim. The Prophet
(blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did not definitively say that he
became Muslim, and ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbaas did not hear from him. 

End quote from Tareekh Dimashq (63/4) 

Al-Karmaani said: If you were to ask me, what do you say
about Waraqah? Do you deem him to have been a believer? I would say that he
was undoubtedly a believer in ‘Eesa (peace be upon him). As for whether he
believed in our Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), it is
not known whether the religion of ‘Eesa had been abrogated at the time of
his death or not. If it is proven that it had been abrogated at that time,
then the more correct view is that faith is to believe and he believed, and
he did not say anything to contradict that.

End quote from ‘Umdat al-Qaari (1/168) 

Shaykh ‘Abd ar-Razzaaq ‘Afeefi (may Allah have mercy on him)
was asked about Waraqah ibn Nawfal and whether he is to be regarded as a
Sahaabi or one of the people of the interval between Prophets? 

The Shaykh (may Allah have mercy on him) replied: 

If it is proven that he became Muslim at the time of the
Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), then he is a Sahaabi.
But his words “It is an-namoos al-akbar (i.e., Jibreel)” do not clearly
indicate that he became Muslim, because he said, “If I live until your
time,” and he did not live until that time.

End quote from Fataawa ash-Shaykh ‘Abd ar-Razzaaq ‘Afeefi
(p. 313) 

What is more likely to be the case – and Allah knows best –
is that he was a believer and a monotheist, but he is not regarded as one of
the Sahaabah, because he died cessation of revelation, after Prophethood
began but before the message was proclaimed. 

Al-Haakim (4211) narrated from ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be
pleased with her) that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon
him) said:

“Do not revile Waraqah, for I saw that he will be in the
Garden (Paradise), or will have two gardens.” Al-Haakim classed it as saheeh
according to the conditions of the two shaykhs [al-Bukhaari and Muslim]. It
was also quoted by al-Albaani in as-Saheehah (405). Ad-Daaraqutni
thought it most likely to be mursal, as it says in al-‘Ilal (14/157) 

If it is saheeh, then this may indicate that the Sahaabah
were not certain that he was to be regarded as one of the companions of the
Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). If he had been a Sahaabi,
there would have been no need to tell the people not to criticise him (may
Allah have mercy on him). 

And Allah knows best.