Belief of Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jama‘ah Regarding the Companions (RA)
Written by: Qari Usama bin Abdul Salam
Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jama‘ah have a consensus that:
“All the Companions (RA) are just (ʿudūl), it is not permissible to speak ill regarding their mutual differences, and one must remain silent about such matters.”
① Allah’s Pleasure with All Companions
وَالسّٰبِقُوْنَ الْأَوَّلُوْنَ مِنَ الْمُهَاجِرِيْنَ وَالْأَنْصَارِ وَالَّذِيْنَ اتَّبَعُوْهُمْ بِإِحْسَانٍ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَضُوا عَنْهُ
“The foremost from among the Muhajirun and the Ansar, and those who follow them with excellence — Allah is pleased with them and they are pleased with Him.”
(Al-Tawbah: 100)
Note: Allah announced His pleasure with all the Companions in general, regardless of which group they were in.
② Hatred Toward Them is a Sign of Disbelief
لِيَغِيْظَ بِهِمُ الْكُفَّارَ
“That He may enrage the disbelievers through them.”
(Al-Fath: 29)
Implication: Hatred or disparagement of the Companions is described as a characteristic of disbelievers.
① The Prophet ﷺ said:
لَا تَسُبُّوا أَصْحَابِي…
“Do not revile my Companions! By the One in Whose Hand is my soul, if one of you were to spend gold equal to Mount Uhud, it would not equal a mudd (handful) spent by them, nor half of it.”
(Bukhari 3673; Muslim 2541)
This is a direct prohibition from criticizing the Companions.
② Ibn ‘Abbas (RA) said:
لا تَسُبُّوا أصحابَ محمَّدٍ ﷺ فإنَّ اللهَ قد أمرَ بالاستغفارِ لَهم…
“Do not revile the Companions of Muhammad ﷺ, for Allah has commanded us to seek forgiveness for them and knew that they would depart this world upon faith.”
(Al-Muʿjam al-Kabīr of al-Tabarani, 12420)
Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal رحمه الله said:
“Whoever disparages any of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, or harbors hatred due to an incident, or mentions their faults — he is an innovator until he supplicates mercy for them all and keeps his heart pure towards them.”
(Uṣūl al-Sunnah by Ibn Abi Zamanīn, p. 273)
Imam al-Nawawī رحمه الله said:
“Know that insulting the Companions is haram and among the major sins, whether they were involved in the trials or not, because they were mujtahids in those wars.”
(Sharh al-Nawawī ʿala Muslim 16/93)
Summary:
All Companions (RA) are just, honorable, and role models in religion.
Their disputes were ijtihadi.
Speaking ill of them is against the Qur’an, Sunnah, and the consensus of the Ummah.
Written by: Qari Usama bin Abdul Salam
Principle Belief of Ahl al-Sunnah:
Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jama‘ah have a consensus that:
“All the Companions (RA) are just (ʿudūl), it is not permissible to speak ill regarding their mutual differences, and one must remain silent about such matters.”
Position of the Qur’an
① Allah’s Pleasure with All Companions
وَالسّٰبِقُوْنَ الْأَوَّلُوْنَ مِنَ الْمُهَاجِرِيْنَ وَالْأَنْصَارِ وَالَّذِيْنَ اتَّبَعُوْهُمْ بِإِحْسَانٍ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَضُوا عَنْهُ
“The foremost from among the Muhajirun and the Ansar, and those who follow them with excellence — Allah is pleased with them and they are pleased with Him.”
(Al-Tawbah: 100)
Note: Allah announced His pleasure with all the Companions in general, regardless of which group they were in.
② Hatred Toward Them is a Sign of Disbelief
لِيَغِيْظَ بِهِمُ الْكُفَّارَ
“That He may enrage the disbelievers through them.”
(Al-Fath: 29)
Implication: Hatred or disparagement of the Companions is described as a characteristic of disbelievers.
Evidence from Authentic Hadith
① The Prophet ﷺ said:
لَا تَسُبُّوا أَصْحَابِي…
“Do not revile my Companions! By the One in Whose Hand is my soul, if one of you were to spend gold equal to Mount Uhud, it would not equal a mudd (handful) spent by them, nor half of it.”
(Bukhari 3673; Muslim 2541)
This is a direct prohibition from criticizing the Companions.
② Ibn ‘Abbas (RA) said:
لا تَسُبُّوا أصحابَ محمَّدٍ ﷺ فإنَّ اللهَ قد أمرَ بالاستغفارِ لَهم…
“Do not revile the Companions of Muhammad ﷺ, for Allah has commanded us to seek forgiveness for them and knew that they would depart this world upon faith.”
(Al-Muʿjam al-Kabīr of al-Tabarani, 12420)
Consensus of Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jama‘ah
Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal رحمه الله said:
“Whoever disparages any of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, or harbors hatred due to an incident, or mentions their faults — he is an innovator until he supplicates mercy for them all and keeps his heart pure towards them.”
(Uṣūl al-Sunnah by Ibn Abi Zamanīn, p. 273)
Regarding the Battles of Jamal and Siffin
- These were ijtihadi differences.
- Both sides acted upon their understanding, though the truth was with one party, but both were rewarded (maʾjūrūn).
- It is forbidden to call any party “unjust” or “oppressor.”
- ʿAli (RA), Muʿawiyah (RA), ʿAishah (RA), Talhah (RA), and Zubayr (RA) — all are from the people of Paradise.
Imam al-Nawawī رحمه الله said:
“Know that insulting the Companions is haram and among the major sins, whether they were involved in the trials or not, because they were mujtahids in those wars.”
(Sharh al-Nawawī ʿala Muslim 16/93)
Conclusion
- Whoever insults any Companion regarding Jamal, Siffin, or any other event, or declares them unjust or criminal, is himself an innovator, misguided, and of corrupt creed.
- Some jurists have even declared takfir if the insult is with the intent of tabarri (disassociation).
Summary:
All Companions (RA) are just, honorable, and role models in religion. Their disputes were ijtihadi. Speaking ill of them is against the Qur’an, Sunnah, and the consensus of the Ummah.
