The Ten Granted Paradise

Book excerpt: Dr. Nakshawani in the following work not only corrects the widespread misconception that the Shi’i intellectual tradition despises and curses all Companions, but also clarifies the reason for which some Companions were considered people of Paradise in the Shi’i (and usually the Sunni) tradition. In a few places, the author notes reasons for which the Shi’i tradition does not venerate certain Companions. Discussing controversial history as it relates to Companions and the ahl al-bayt remains a difficult enterprise, where methods and premises, let alone conclusions, substantially differ from scholar to scholar. As an expert of the Shi’i tradition, Dr. Nakshawani presents relevant Shi’i narratives for non-specialists who would otherwise be unaware of them. Thus, the following biographies fill a gap in knowledge about Companions not only revered in the Shi’i tradition, but according to the collective memory of pro-Alid Sunni and Shi’i authors, granted Paradise.