The صديقون (the truthful ones) are the distinguished companions of the prophets who preceded in their belief, like Abu Bakr al-Siddiq, may Allah be pleased with him, and they were truthful in their words and actions. This is an encouragement for the believers in obedience, as they have been promised companionship with the closest of Allah's servants to Him and the highest in rank with Him. And 'how good are those as companions' contains the meaning of amazement, as if it were said: 'How good are those as companions!' And it is independent in meaning of amazement. It has been recited: 'And good' with the sin being silent. The one expressing amazement says: 'Good is your face!' 'Good is your face!' with both the opening and the closing of the letter, along with the silence. And the رفيق (companion) is like الصديق (the truthful one) and الخليط (the associate) in the equality of the singular and plural in it, and it may also be singular, indicating the type in the context of differentiation.

It is narrated that Thawban, the freedman of the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, was deeply in love with the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, and had little patience away from him. One day, he came to him with a changed face and a weakened body, and sadness was evident on his face. The Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, asked him about his condition. He said: O Messenger of Allah, I have no pain except that when I do not see you, I long for you and feel a great loneliness until I meet you. I remembered the Hereafter, and I feared that I would not see you there, because I know that you will be raised with the prophets. If I enter Paradise, I would be in a place lower than yours, and if I do not enter, that would be when I would never see you again. Then the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, said: 'By the One in Whose Hand is my soul, no servant truly believes until I am more beloved to him than himself, his parents, his family, his children, and all the people.' [This was mentioned by Al-Thalabi without a chain, and Al-Wahidi transmitted it in the reasons from Al-Kalbi, but he did not say at the end: 'Then the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, said: By the One in Whose Hand is my soul, until the end.' This was narrated by a group of the companions. Sa'id ibn Jubair said: A man from the Ansar came to the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, and said to him: You are more beloved to me than myself, my children, my family, and my wealth. If it were not for the fact that I came to you to see you, I would die, and the Ansari wept. The Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him, said to him: What makes you weep? He said: I remembered that you will die with the prophets, peace be upon them, and if we enter Paradise, we would be below you. Then Allah revealed to His Messenger, blessings and peace be upon him, (And whoever obeys Allah) - the verse. He said to him: Rejoice.' And from this route, Al-Bayhaqi narrated it in Al-Shu'ab, and Al-Tabarani transmitted it, and from him Ibn Mardawayh. And from the route of Khalid ibn Abdul Rahman from Ata ibn Al-Sa'ib from Al-Sha'bi from Ibn Abbas similarly, and Al-Tabari narrated it from the route of Ya'qub Al-Qummi from Ja'far ibn Abi Al-Mughira from Sa'id ibn Jubair similarly, as a disconnected narration. And Al-Tabarani narrated it in Al-Saghir, and Al-Wahidi connected it from the route of Abdullah ibn Imran Al-Abadi from Fudail ibn Iyad from Mansur ibn Ibrahim from Al-Aswad from Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, who said: A man came to the Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him, and said: O Messenger of Allah, by Allah, you are more beloved to me than myself - the narration is similar. And Al-Wahidi narrated it from another route from Masruq, who said: The companions of Muhammad, blessings and peace be upon him, mentioned it briefly. And from the route of Ruh from Qatadah similarly as a disconnected narration.] And this was narrated by a group of the companions. That is the subject, and the virtue is its description, and from Allah is the news. It is permissible that this is the subject, and the virtue from Allah is its news. The meaning is that what the obedient ones are given in reward [Mahamud said: 'And the meaning is that what the obedient ones are given in reward ... etc.' Ahmad said: The creed of the people of Sunnah is that the obedient one does not deserve anything from Allah for his obedience, and that whatever he is rewarded with from entering Paradise and being saved from the Fire, that is a favor from Allah, not due to a fixed right. They affirm this verse in hope. As for the Qadariyyah, they claim that the obedient one deserves a reward from Allah for his obedience, and that the reward corresponding to his obedience is a deserved reward like wages for work in this world, not a favor. Rather, the favor is what is given to the servant beyond his right in various types of reward and forms of honor. So when this verse came stating that all that the servants of Allah attain is a favor from Allah, Al-Zamakhshari was compelled to refer it back to his belief, making the favor referred to the increase that follows the reward, meaning the deserved. Then he expanded in interpretation and mentioned another aspect, which is that what is referred to are the merits of these obedient ones in their obedience and their distinction by their deeds, and he made the meaning of it being a favor from Allah that He guided them to acquire it and enabled them to do so, nothing else, meaning as for its creation, it is by their measure. This is of the first class, and the truth is that all is also a favor from Allah in every regard, because our belief, we the people of Sunnah, is that the acts of obedience and deeds by which these special ones are distinguished are the creation and action of Allah, glorified and exalted is He, and that their measure has no effect on their deeds. Rather, Allah, the Exalted, creates through their hands the acts of obedience and rewards them for it. So the obedience is then from His favor, and its reward is from His favor. So He has the favor in every case and the grace in the opening and the end. And it is enough as a proof and example to say of the leader of mankind in that: 'No one among you will enter Paradise by his deeds, but by the favor of Allah and His mercy.' It was said: Not even you, O Messenger of Allah? He said: 'Not even me, unless Allah envelops me with a favor from Him and mercy.' Say: By the favor of Allah and His mercy, in that let them rejoice. O Allah, conclude for us by following the Sunnah, and admit us by Your pure favor into Paradise.'