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Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books The Shia Rebuts Question 17: How do the Shi‘ah view the Sahabah {}? Reply: According to the Shi‘ah, those who happened to meet and accompany the Prophet (S) can be divided into some groups. Before explaining this statement in detail, we had better define the word, “ sahabi ” {companion}. There are various definitions of the word “Companion” of the Prophet (S).
Below are some of them: Sa‘id ibn Musayb says: “ Sahabi is referred to the person who kept company with the Prophet for one or two years and fought alongside him one or two battles.”[^1] Waqidi says: “Scholars are of the opinion that whoever saw the Prophet, embraced Islam, thought of the religion, and was pleased with it, even if that was for only one hour, is regarded as among the of the Prophet.” ^2 Muhammad ibn Isma‘il al-Bukhari states: “Any Muslim who accompanied the Prophet and saw him is regarded as one of his .” ^3 Ahmad ibn Hanbal says: “Anyone, who accompanied the Prophet for a month, a day or an hour, or saw him, is considered among the .” ^4 Some of the ‘ulama’ of Ahl as-Sunnah acknowledge that the justice of the is an indisputable principle in the sense that whoever kept companionship with the Prophet (S) is just![^5] Now, taking into consideration the explicit verses of the Qur’an, we shall examine this statement to point out the Shi‘ah viewpoint which is derived from the logic of revelation: History has recorded the names and descriptions of more than 12 thousand people as the of the Prophet (S) including people of various personalities.
The station of companionship of the Prophet is, without doubt, a great honor granted to a certain group, and the Muslim ummah always holds the in high esteem because they are the first group of Muslims to hoist Islam’s banner of glory and grandeur.
They are greater in rank than those who have spent and fought afterward.” [^6] We should also confess that the companionship of the Prophet of God is not an alchemy that transforms man’s disposition, ensures his piety throughout his life or causes him to be one of the just.