Imam Muslim recorded a saying narrated by Abu Hurayrah, the Prophet’s Companion that the Prophet of Islam once said, “I wish to see my Ikhwan (brothers).” The companions said, “Are we not your brothers, O Messenger of God?” The Prophet replied, “You are my companions.

Our Ikhwan will come later.” Ad-Darimi, a traditionist of the 9th century, narrated that Abu Ubaydah ibn al-Jarrah once asked of the Prophet, “O Messenger of God, are there any of the Muslims better than us? We believed in you. We did Jihad with you.” The Prophet replied, “Yes, those Muslims are better who will believe in me without even seeing me.” (Jame Al-Usool fi Ahaadith Ar-Rasool, 9/206-7)

The expression he used for such people was lam yarauni, meaning ‘they who did not see me.’ But this cannot be taken in just the literal sense. For when a prophet becomes a legendary personality in later periods of history, believing in just the existence of such a glorious personality cannot be a matter of great credit. Therefore, it is necessary to take these words in the sense of their contemporary relevance. This means that while the people of the Prophet’s time accepted his mission by seeing and listening to him, the Ikhwan would accept his mission without meeting him personally.