If two statements by the Companions conflict on a single issue, what is to be done?

The questioner : The issue is close to two statements, so what? And since we do not contradict them, it is incumbent upon us to lose out on their statement.

The Shaykh : Yes, this person is asking: If the Companions differed on two statements, do we say that the two statements conflict and are thus discarded? Or is it necessary that we seek what is supported by evidence? The general rule is that the truth does not go beyond the statements of the Companions.
Based on this, we say that we search for what is supported by evidence, because they are the people closest to the truth. It is true that if two statements by the Companions conflict without a stronger indicator, the statement is weakened, without doubt, because it has been countered by its equal. This may lead a person to say, "I do not argue with it, as long as it is weak and has been countered by its equal, so I do not argue with it." But the good thing is to say that as long as it has been countered by its equal, it is obligatory to search, because even if they conflict, they are closer to the truth than others. However, we note that it is not possible to counter the statement of 'Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) with the statement of a Companion who is far from the fitrah (the innate natural disposition), unless it is supported by evidence. If the weaker statement is supported by evidence, it is obligatory to follow the evidence.