View source for Companions of the Prophet

{{Short description|Close friends or disciples of Muhammad}}
{{redirect|Sahabi|the surname|Sahabi (name)}}
{{More footnotes needed|date=October 2022}}
{{Infobox religious biography
| name               = Ṣaḥāba
| other_names        = ''Companions of the Prophet''
| image              = Mohammed im kreis seiner gefährten.jpg
| religion           = [[Islam]]
| period             = Early Islamic period
[[Late antiquity]]
| successor          = [[Tabi'un|Tabi'in]]
| caption            = Muhammad and his companions ([[Ottoman Empire|Ottoman]] era)
}}
[[File:Shahnameh3-1.jpg|thumb|[[Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas]] leads [[Rashidun Caliphate]] forces in the [[Battle of al-Qadisiyyah]] (image {{c.|1523–1535}})]]
[[File:Khalili Collection Islamic Art mss 0152.1.1.jpg|thumb|A caravan led by [[Abd Allah ibn Jahsh]] returns from a raid by companions of Muhammad (image {{c.|1594–1595}})]]

The '''Companions of the Prophet''' ({{langx|ar|اَلصَّحَابَةُ|translit=aṣ-ṣaḥāba|lit=the companions}}) were the Muslim disciples and followers of the [[Islamic prophet]] [[Muhammad]] who saw or met him during his lifetime.<ref name="Encyclopedia Britannica">{{cite book |author=Encyclopaedia Britannica |author-link=Encyclopaedia Britannica |title=Britannica Concise Encyclopedia |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ea-bAAAAQBAJ&pg=PA441 |year=2008 |publisher=Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc. |isbn=978-1-59339-492-9 |page=441}}</ref>  The companions played a major role in Muslim battles, society, [[hadith]] narration, and governance during and after the life of Muhammad. The era of the companions began following the death of Muhammad in 632 CE, and ended in 110 AH (728 CE) when the last companion [[Abu al-Tufayl]] died.

Later Islamic scholars accepted their testimony of the words and deeds of Muhammad, the occasions on which the [[Quran]] was revealed and other important matters in [[History of Islam|Islamic history]] and practice. The testimony of the companions, as it was passed down through trusted chains of narrators (''[[Isnad|asānīd]]''), was the basis of the developing [[Islamic culture|Islamic tradition]]. From the traditions (''[[hadith]]'') of the life of Muhammad and his companions are drawn the Muslim way of life (''[[sunnah]]''), the code of conduct (''[[sharia]]'') it requires, and Islamic [[jurisprudence]] (''[[fiqh]]'').

The two largest [[Islamic schools and branches|Islamic denominations]], the [[Sunni Islam|Sunni]] and [[Shia Islam|Shia]], take different approaches to weighing the value of the companions' testimonies, have different ''hadith'' collections and, as a result, have different views about the ṣaḥābah.<ref name="britannica"/>

The second generation of [[Muslims]] after the ṣaḥāba, born after the death of Muhammad, who knew at least one ṣaḥāba, are called ''[[tabi'un|Tābi'ūn]]'' (also "the successors"). The third generation of Muslims after the ''Tābi'ūn'', who knew at least one ''Tābi'', are called ''[[tabi' al-Tabi'in]]''.<ref name="ODI-301">{{cite book |last1=Esposito |first1=John L. |title=The Oxford Dictionary of Islam |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6VeCWQfVNjkC |date=2003 |publisher=[[Oxford University Press]] |page=301 |isbn=9780195125597 |access-date=9 March 2019}}</ref> The three generations make up the ''[[salaf]]'' of Islam.

== Etymology ==
The term sahaba means "companions" and derives from the verb {{lang|ar|صَحِبَ}} meaning "accompany", "keep company with", "associate with". "Al-ṣaḥāba" is definite plural; the indefinite singular is masculine {{lang|ar|صَحَابِيٌّ}} (''{{Transliteration|ar|ALA|ṣaḥābiyy}}''), feminine {{lang|ar|صَحَابِيَّةٌ}} (''{{Transliteration|ar|ALA|ṣaḥābiyyah}}'').

== Types ==
In Islam, companions of Muhammad are classified into categories including the [[Muhajirun]] who accompanied Muhammad from [[Mecca]] to [[Medina]], the [[Ansar (Islam)|Ansar]] who lived in Medina, and the Badriyyun who fought at the [[Battle of Badr]].<ref name="britannica">{{cite encyclopedia |encyclopedia=Encyclopedia Britannica |entry=Companions of the Prophet |entry-url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/Companions-of-the-Prophet}}</ref>{{efn|[http://tanzil.net/#3:103 Qur'an, 3:103]}}{{efn|[http://tanzil.net/#48:29 Qur'an, 48:29]}}{{efn|[http://tanzil.net/#8:72 Qur'an, 8:72]}}

Two important groups among the companions are the '''Muhajirun''' "migrants", those who had faith in Muhammad when he began to preach in Mecca and who departed with him when he was persecuted there, and the '''Ansar''', the people of [[Medina]] who welcomed Muhammad and his companions and stood as their protectors.{{efn|[http://tanzil.net/#9:100 Qur'an, 9: 100]}}{{efn|[http://tanzil.net/#9:117 Qur'an, 9: 117]}}

[[List of Sahabah|Lists of prominent companions]] usually include 50 or 60 names of the people thought to be most closely associated with Muhammad. However, there were clearly many others who had some contact with Muhammad, and many of those names and biographies were recorded in religious reference texts such as [[ibn Sa'd]]'s early ''Book of the Major Classes''. [[Al-Qurtubi]]'s ''Istīʻāb fī maʻrifat al-Aṣhāb'' (d. 1071 CE) consists of 2770 biographies of male and 381 biographies of female ṣaḥābah.

According to an observation in [[al-Qastallani]]'s ''[[Al-Muwahib al-Ladunniyyah]]'', an untold number of persons had already converted to Islam by the time Muhammad died. There were 10,000 by the time of the [[Conquest of Mecca]] and 70,000 during the [[Expedition of Tabuk]] in 630. Some Muslims assert that they were more than 200,000 in number: it is believed that 124,000 pilgrims witnessed the [[Farewell Sermon]] Muhammad delivered after making [[Farewell Pilgrimage]] to Mecca.{{who|date=June 2023}}

==Definitions==
===Sunni===
The most widespread definition of a companion is someone who met Muhammad, believed in him, and died a [[Muslim]]. The Sunni scholar [[ibn Hajar al-Asqalani]] (d. 852 H) said,
{{blockquote|The most correct of what I have come across is that a Sahâbî (Companion) is one who met the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, whilst believing in him, and died as a Muslim. So, that includes the one who remained with him for a long or a short time, and those who narrated from him and those who did not, and those who saw him but did not sit with him and those who could not see him due to blindness.<ref>Source: Al-Isâbah (1/4-5) of al-Hâfidh lbn Hajar.</ref>}}

Anyone who died after [[apostasy in Islam|rejecting Islam]] and becoming an apostate is not considered a companion. Those who saw Muhammad but held off believing in him until after his death are not considered ṣahābah, only tābiʻūn (if they saw the companions).

According to Sunni scholars, Muslims of the past should be considered companions if they had any contact with Muhammad, and they were not liars or opposed to him and his teachings. If they saw him, heard him, or were in his presence even briefly, they are companions. All companions are assumed to be just (''ʻudul'') unless proven otherwise; that is, Sunni scholars do not believe that companions would lie or fabricate hadith unless they are proven liars, untrustworthy or opposed to Islam.<ref>[[Muhammad ibn Ahmad]] (died 1622), also known as "Nişancızâde", ''Mir'ât-i kâinât'' (in [[Turkish language|Turkish]]):{{blockquote|Once a male or female Muslim has seen Muhammad only for a short time, no matter whether he/she is a child or an adult, he/she is called a Sahaba with the proviso of dying with as a believer; the same rule applies to blind Muslims who have talked with the Prophet at least once. If a disbeliever sees Muhammad and then joins the Believers after the demise of Muhammad, he is not a Sahaba; nor is a person called a Sahaba if he converted to Islam afterward although he had seen Muhammad as a Muslim. A person who converts to Islam after being a Sahaba and then becomes a Believer again after the demise of Muhammad is a Sahaba.}}</ref>

Some Quranic references are important to Sunni Muslim views of the reverence due to all companions;<ref>"Sharh al-`Aqeedah at-Tahaawiyyah", by [[al-Tahawi]], pp. 526–528.</ref><ref>"Al-I`tiqad `ala Madhhab al-Salaf Ahl al-Sunna wa al-Jama`a", by [[Al-Bayhaqi]], pp. 109–113.</ref><ref>"Al-Tajrid fi Asma' al-Sahaba", by [[Al-Dhahabi]], p. 57.</ref><ref>[http://www.ahlelbayt.com/articles/ahlel-bayt/word-games Word Games With Verse 33:33] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210307081940/http://www.ahlelbayt.com/articles/ahlel-bayt/word-games |date=2021-03-07 }}, By: Ibn al-Hashimi.</ref><ref>[http://www.ahlelbayt.com/articles/ahlel-bayt/mother Mothers of the Believers], By: Ibn al-Hashimi.</ref><ref>[http://www.ahlelbayt.com/articles/ahlel-bayt/ifq Al-Ifk: Quran Defends Aisha], By: Ibn al-Hashimi.</ref>{{efn|[http://tanzil.net/#48:10 Qur'an, 48:10]}}{{efn|[http://tanzil.net/#8:74 Qur'an, 8:74]}}{{efn|[http://tanzil.net/#8:75 Qur'an, 8:75]}}{{efn|[http://tanzil.net/#57:10 Qur'an, 57:10]}} It sometimes admonishes them, as when [[Aisha]], wife of Muhammad and daughter of the first Sunni [[caliph]] [[Abu Bakr]], was accused of infidelity.{{Efn|[http://tanzil.net/#24:11 Qur'an, 24:11–16]..."Indeed, those who came with falsehood are a group among you. Do not think it bad for you; rather it is good for you. For every person among them is what [punishment] he has earned from the sin, and he who took upon himself the greater portion thereof – for him is a great punishment. Why, when you heard it ..."}}{{efn|[http://tanzil.net/#9:101 Qur'an, 9:101] "And among those around you of the bedouins are hypocrites, and [also] from the people of Madinah. They have become accustomed to hypocrisy. You, [O Muhammad], do not know them, [but] We know them. We will punish them twice [in this world]; then they will be returned to a great punishment"}}

Differing views on the definition of a companion were also influenced by the debate between the [[Traditionalist theology (Islam)|Traditionalists]] and the [[Muʿtazila]] with the traditionalists preferring to extend the definition to as many people as possible and the Mu'tazilites preferring to restrict it.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://brill.com/view/title/8258 |title=The Companions of the Prophet - A Study of Geographical Distribution and Political Alignments |last=Jabali |first=Fu'ad |publisher=Brill |year=2003 |isbn=978-90-04-12923-8 |pages=46}}</ref>

===Shia===
The Shia<ref name="Jabali">{{cite web |last1=Jabali |first1=Fu'ad |title=A STUDY OF THE COMPANIONS OF THE PROPHET: GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRlBUTION AND POLITICAL ALIGNMENTS (1999) |url=http://www.nlc-bnc.ca/obj/s4/f2/dsk1/tape9/PQDD_0018/NQ55342.pdf |website=nlc-bnc.ca}}</ref><ref name="noormags">{{cite web |last1=Taqi poor |first1=Hussain |title=reviewing of the article "Companions of the Prophet" authored by linda L. Kim |url=https://www.noormags.ir/view/fa/articlepage/692830/%D8%A8%D8%B1%D8%B1%D8%B3%DB%8C-%D9%85%D9%82%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%87-%D8%A7%D8%B5%D8%AD%D8%A7%D8%A8-%D9%BE%DB%8C%D8%A7%D9%85%D8%A8%D8%B1-%D8%B5?q=%D8%B5%D8%AD%D8%A7%D8%A8%D9%87%20%D8%A7%D8%B2%20%D9%86%D8%B8%D8%B1%20%D9%82%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%86%20%D9%88%20%D8%A7%D9%87%D9%84%20%D8%A8%DB%8C%D8%AA%20%D8%B9%D9%84%DB%8C%D9%87%D9%85%20%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B3%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%85&score=39.710552&rownumber=10 |website=noormags}}</ref> as well as some modern-day Sunni scholars like [[Javed Ahmad Ghamidi]] and [[Amin Ahsan Islahi]] follow a stricter definition, believing that not every Muslim who met Muhammad should be considered a companion. In their view, the Qurʻan requires companions to demonstrate a high level of faith; thus, only those individuals who had substantial contact with Muhammad should be considered, e.g., those that lived with him, took part in military campaigns, or proselytized.<ref>''Fundamentals of Hadith Interpretation'' by Amin Ahsan Islahi.</ref> 
 
This stricter definition means that the Shia consider each ṣaḥābiyy differently, depending on what they accomplished. They do not accept that the testimony of nearly all ṣaḥābah are an authentic part of the chain of narrators for a hadith. The Shia further argue that the righteousness of ṣaḥābah can be assessed by their loyalty towards Muhammad's family after his death, and they accept hadith from the [[Imamate in Shia doctrine|Imams of the Ahl al-Bayt]], believing them to be cleansed from sin through their interpretation of the Qurʻan{{efn|[http://tanzil.net/#33:33 Qur'an, 33:33]}} and the [[Ahl al-Kisa#Hadith of Kisa|hadith of the Cloak]].

Shia Muslims believe that some of the companions are accountable for the loss of the caliphate by [[Ali]]'s family.<ref name="Encyclopedia Britannica"/> As verses 30-33 from [[Al-Aḥzāb]], Shias believe their argument {{where|date=July 2018}} that one must discriminate between the virtues of the companions by verses relating to Muhammad's wives.{{efn|[http://tanzil.net/#33:30 Qur'an, 33:30–33]}} Therefore they believe Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, Muawiya, Hafsa, Ayesha and Umm Habiba were all hypocrites.

=== Baháʼí Faith ===
The [[Baháʼí Faith]] recognizes the companions of Muhammad. They are mentioned in the [[Kitáb-i-Íqán]], the primary theological book of the Baháʼí religion.<ref>{{cite book |url=http://reference.bahai.org/en/t/b/KI/ki-1.html |title=The Kitáb-i-Íqán |author=Bahá'u'lláh |author-link=Bahá'u'lláh |date=189x |publisher=US Baháʼí Publishing Trust |edition=1989 pocket-size |access-date=2014-12-29 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150108183525/http://reference.bahai.org/en/t/b/KI/ki-1.html |archive-date=2015-01-08 |via=Bahá'í Reference Library}}</ref>

==Hadith==

===Sunni views===
According to the ''[[History of the Prophets and Kings]]'', after the death of the [[Prophets and messengers in Islam|Islamic prophet]] Muhammad, [[Abu Bakr]], [[Umar]] and [[Abu Ubaidah ibn al-Jarrah|Abu Ubaydah ibn al-Jarrah]] and the [[Ansar (Islam)|Anṣār]] of [[Medina]] held consultations and selected Abu Bakr as the first caliph. Then [[Abd al-Rahman ibn Awf]] and [[Uthman]], companion and son-in-law of Muhammad and also essential chief of the [[Banu Umayyah]], selected Umar as the second caliph after the death of Abu Bakr and the other Anṣār and [[Muhajirun]] accepted him.<ref name="Fitzpatrick">{{cite book |last1=Fitzpatrick |first1=Coeli |last2=Walker |first2=Adam Hani |author-link2=Adam Hani Walker |title=Muhammad in History, Thought, and Culture: An Encyclopedia of the Prophet of God &#91;2 volumes&#93; |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2AtvBAAAQBAJ&pg=PA566 |year=2014 |publisher=ABC-CLIO |isbn=978-1-61069-178-9 |page=566}}</ref><ref name="Afsaruddin">{{cite web |last1=Afsaruddin |first1=Asma |title=Companions of the Prophet (2008) |url=http://www.oxfordislamicstudies.com/article/opr/t236/e1101 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190919043405/http://www.oxfordislamicstudies.com/article/opr/t236/e1101 |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 19, 2019 |website=oxford islamic studies}}</ref> Sunni Muslim scholars classified companions into many categories, based on a number of criteria. The hadith quoted above{{efn|[https://sunnah.com/bukhari Sahih al-Bukhari, 3:48:820]}}{{efn|[https://sunnah.com/muslim Sahih Muslim, 31:6150]}} shows ranks of ''ṣaḥābah, tābi'īn,'' and ''tābi' at-tābi'īn.'' [[Al-Suyuti]] recognized eleven levels of companionship.

The [[List of expeditions of Muhammad|general involvement in military campaign with Muhammad]] by the ṣaḥāba was highlighted by the [[Tabi' al-Tabi'in|third generation scholar]] named [[Abd Allah ibn al-Mubarak|Ibn al-Mubarak]], who was once asked to choose between [[Mu'awiya I|Mu'awiya ibn Abi Sufyan]], who was a companion, and [[Umar II|Umar ibn 'Abd al-'Aziz]], who was famous for his piety. Ibn al-Mubarak simply responded: "''...dust particles in Mu'awiya's nose (while fighting in Hunayn under Muhammad) were better than six hundred Umar (ibn 'Abd al-'Aziz)..."''<ref name="Muslimah.or.id">{{cite web |last1=Nur Baits |first1=Ammi |title=Muawiyah, Gerbang Kehormatan Sahabat (2)|trans-title=Muawiyah, the Gate of Honor for Companions(2); quoting various sources including Al-Bidayah wa An-Nihayah, Ibnu Katsir, 8:139 |url=https://muslimah.or.id/5494-muawiyah-gerbang-kehormatan-sahabat-2.html |website=Muslimah.or.id |date=10 March 2014 |access-date=22 November 2021}}</ref>

===Shia views===
Following the [[Saqifah|consultation of companions]] about the successor of Muhammad, Shi'i scholars, therefore, deprecate hadith believed to have been transmitted from alleged unjust companions and place much more reliance on hadith believed to have been related by Muhammad's family members, the [[Ahl al-Bayt]], and by the companions who supported [[Ali]]. The Shia claim that Muhammad announced his successor during his lifetime at Da'wat Dhu al-Ashira,<ref>{{cite book |last1=Burton |first1=Sir Richard |title=The Jew the Gypsy and El Islam |date=1898 |location=San Francisco}}</ref> then many times during his prophethood and finally at the [[event of Ghadir Khumm]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Razwy |first1=Sayed Ali Asgher |title=A Restatement of the History of Islam & Muslims |page=276}}</ref>

Shias consider that any hadith where Muhammad is claimed to have absolved all ṣaḥābah from sin is a false report by those who opposed the Ahl al-Bayt.<ref name="noormags 02">{{cite web |last1=Hadi |first1=Muhammad |title=Companions of the Prophet in view of Quran and Imams |url=https://www.noormags.ir/view/fa/articlepage/300525/%D8%B5%D8%AD%D8%A7%D8%A8%D9%87-%D8%A7%D8%B2-%D9%86%D8%B8%D8%B1-%D9%82%D8%B1%D8%A2%D9%86-%D9%88-%D8%A7%D9%87%D9%84-%D8%A8%DB%8C%D8%AA-%D8%B9%D9%84%DB%8C%D9%87%D9%85-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B3%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%85?q=%D8%B5%D8%AD%D8%A7%D8%A8%D9%87%20%D8%A7%D8%B2%20%D9%86%D8%B8%D8%B1%20%D9%82%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%86%20%D9%88%20%D8%A7%D9%87%D9%84%20%D8%A8%DB%8C%D8%AA%20%D8%B9%D9%84%DB%8C%D9%87%D9%85%20%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B3%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%85&score=355.3409&rownumber=1 |website=noormags}}</ref>

== See also ==
* [[List of Sahabah]]
* [[List of non-Arab Sahabah]]
* [[The ten to whom Paradise was promised]]
* [[Apostles]]
* [[Apostles of Baháʼu'lláh]]
* [[Early Muslims]]

== Notes ==
{{notelist|30em}}

== References ==
{{Reflist|30em}}

== Further reading ==
* Osman, Amr, Companions, in ''Muhammad in History, Thought, and Culture: An Encyclopedia of the Prophet of God'' (2 vols.), Edited by C. Fitzpatrick and A. Walker, Santa Barbara, ABC-CLIO, 2014.
* [[Ibn Sa'd al-Baghdadi]], Muhammad – ''The book of The Major Classes'', only partially translated into English; see ''[[Men of Medina]]'' and ''Women of Medina'' published by Ta-Ha Publishers, and first two volumes as published by [[Kitab Bhavan]], New Delhi.
* [[Wilferd Madelung]] – ''[[The Succession to Muhammad (book)|The Succession to Muhammad]]'', [[Cambridge University Press]], 1997.
* [[Maxime Rodinson]] – ''[[Muhammad (book)|Muhammad]]'', 1961, as translated into English and published in 1980 by Pantheon Books.
* [[William Montgomery Watt]] – ''[[Muhammad at Medina (book)|Muhammad at Medina]]'', Oxford University Press 1956.

== External links ==
{{Wikiquote}}
*[https://muslimnames.com/male-sahabi-names List of Male Sahaba]
*[https://muslimnames.com/female-sahabi-names List of Female Sahaba]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20180919171959/http://sahaba.net/ Sahaba: Companions of the Prophet]
*[http://www.al-islam.org/then-i-was-guided-muhammad-al-tijani-al-samawi/companions-prophet-seen-shi%E2%80%99-and-sunnis The Companions of the Prophet as seen by the Shi'a and the Sunnis ]
*[http://www.al-islam.org/nahj Sermons of the Commander of the Faithful, Imam Ali b. Abi Talib, from ''Nahj al-Balaghah'']
*[https://educatebox.com/names-of-sahabiyat-sahabiat-%D8%B5%D8%AD%D8%A7%D8%A8%DB%8C%D8%A7%D8%AA-%DA%A9%DB%92-%D9%86%D8%A7%D9%85/ Names of Sahabiyat]

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[[Category:Islamic terminology]]
[[Category:Companions of the Prophet| ]]
[[Category:Life of Muhammad]]