Excerpted from: "Tuhfa-e-Hanafiyyah" by Maulana Abu Suhaib Dawood Arshad ḥafiẓahullāh
(A scholarly rebuttal to Tuhfa Ahl-e-Hadith by Deobandi scholar Abu Bilal Jhangvi)
(Tuhfa Ahl-e-Hadith, p. 53)
(أمنوا كما آمن الناس) – “Believe as the people (i.e., the Companions) have believed.”
[Surah al-Baqarah: Ayah 13]
In this verse, an-nās refers to the blessed Companions.
Ḥāfiẓ Ṣalāḥuddīn Yūsuf ḥafiẓahullāh explains:
“The Companions are the standard and measure of true faith. Valid īmān is only that which aligns with their īmān.”
(Tafsīr Aḥsan al-Bayān, p. 10)
Hence, differing from the Ṣaḥābah in matters of faith and belief is not permissible.
“The majority of ḥadīth scholars give preference to a Companion’s interpretation over that of later scholars, because they witnessed the revelation and their understanding is more sound.”
(Ḥāshiyah Khulāṣat al-Afkār, p. 214)
Example: Ibn ʿUmar رضي الله عنه's interpretation of the ḥadīth regarding Bayʿ Khiyār, even though the Ḥanafīs differ in that case.
This is also a principle accepted by the Ḥanafīs.
Imām Ibn al-Humām (Ḥanafī):
“A Companion’s statement is binding unless contradicted by a Sunnah.”
(Fatḥ al-Qadīr, Vol. 2, p. 37 – Bāb Ṣalāt al-Jumuʿah)
Mullā ʿAlī al-Qārī also quotes this and remains silent, indicating acceptance.
(Mirqāt, Vol. 3, p. 269)
Mawlānā Ẓafar Aḥmad Thānawī (Ḥanafī Deobandi):
“A Companion’s statement is binding as long as it does not oppose a marfūʿ ḥadīth.”
(Iʿlā’ al-Sunan, Vol. 1, p. 126, also p. 140 and p. 438)
Especially when there is difference among the Companions themselves, or a Companion’s view contradicts a marfūʿ report, their statements are not binding proofs.
Ahl-e-Hadith consider the consensus (ijmāʿ) of the Companions as binding.
For more detail, refer to Ibn Ḥazm’s al-Iḥkām fī Uṣūl al-Aḥkām, Vol. 1, p. 47.
This thorough analysis proves that Jhangvi’s claim is a fabrication.
In truth, Ahl-e-Hadith do hold the Ṣaḥābah as the standard of truth.
(A scholarly rebuttal to Tuhfa Ahl-e-Hadith by Deobandi scholar Abu Bilal Jhangvi)
✿ The Claim by Jhangvi:
Jhangvi alleges that non-muqallid Ahl-e-Hadith do not regard the Ṣaḥābah as the standard of truth.(Tuhfa Ahl-e-Hadith, p. 53)
✿ The Response:
This claim is entirely false and slanderous. The Noble Qur’an clearly states:(أمنوا كما آمن الناس) – “Believe as the people (i.e., the Companions) have believed.”
[Surah al-Baqarah: Ayah 13]
In this verse, an-nās refers to the blessed Companions.
Ḥāfiẓ Ṣalāḥuddīn Yūsuf ḥafiẓahullāh explains:
“The Companions are the standard and measure of true faith. Valid īmān is only that which aligns with their īmān.”
(Tafsīr Aḥsan al-Bayān, p. 10)
Hence, differing from the Ṣaḥābah in matters of faith and belief is not permissible.
✿ Statements of Prominent Scholars:
Ḥāfiẓ Thanā’ullāh Zāhidī ḥafiẓahullāh:“The majority of ḥadīth scholars give preference to a Companion’s interpretation over that of later scholars, because they witnessed the revelation and their understanding is more sound.”
(Ḥāshiyah Khulāṣat al-Afkār, p. 214)
Example: Ibn ʿUmar رضي الله عنه's interpretation of the ḥadīth regarding Bayʿ Khiyār, even though the Ḥanafīs differ in that case.
✿ When Is a Companion’s Opinion Not Considered Binding?
When a Ṣaḥābī’s statement contradicts a marfūʿ ḥadīth, it is not considered ḥujjah (binding evidence).This is also a principle accepted by the Ḥanafīs.
Imām Ibn al-Humām (Ḥanafī):
“A Companion’s statement is binding unless contradicted by a Sunnah.”
(Fatḥ al-Qadīr, Vol. 2, p. 37 – Bāb Ṣalāt al-Jumuʿah)
Mullā ʿAlī al-Qārī also quotes this and remains silent, indicating acceptance.
(Mirqāt, Vol. 3, p. 269)
Mawlānā Ẓafar Aḥmad Thānawī (Ḥanafī Deobandi):
“A Companion’s statement is binding as long as it does not oppose a marfūʿ ḥadīth.”
(Iʿlā’ al-Sunan, Vol. 1, p. 126, also p. 140 and p. 438)
Especially when there is difference among the Companions themselves, or a Companion’s view contradicts a marfūʿ report, their statements are not binding proofs.
✿ The Position of Ahl-e-Hadith:
Ahl-e-Hadith consider the consensus (ijmāʿ) of the Companions as binding.For more detail, refer to Ibn Ḥazm’s al-Iḥkām fī Uṣūl al-Aḥkām, Vol. 1, p. 47.
This thorough analysis proves that Jhangvi’s claim is a fabrication.
In truth, Ahl-e-Hadith do hold the Ṣaḥābah as the standard of truth.
