Is the statement of a single Companion a proof, and what are the necessary conditions for that?
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The questioner : In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
His EminenceThe Shaykh : We ask for clarification on this issue, as some people may cite the statement or action of a Companion as evidence for a ruling on a specific matter.
The Shaykh : They may cite the evidence for his ruling.
The questioner : By the evidence, yes. One may cite the statement, action, or fatwa of a Companion. However, the Sunnah is a more comprehensive, stronger, and clearer proof than the action of a Companion. If you tell him something, he says that it is following the Sunnah of the Rightly Guided Caliphs. So, is the action of a single Companion alone considered part of the Sunnah of the Caliphs, or not?
The Shaykh : First, may Allah reward you. The scholars differ on whether the statement of a Companion is a proof or not. Some scholars said: There is no proof except in what Allah and His Messenger said. For this reason, Allah the Exalted said:[Ash-Shuraa 42:10] And He said: [An-Nisa 4:59] He did not mention a third party. So, the statement of a Companion is like the statement of anyone else; it is not a proof. But there is no doubt that the Companions are closer to the truth than those who came after them.
And some said: The statement of a Companion is a proof if he is from the people of knowledge and jurisprudence. As you know, if an Arab came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), embraced Islam, and then returned to his camels, he is a Companion. He may be ignorant of many matters of knowledge. But if the Companion is one of the jurists known for jurisprudence, then his statement is a proof with two conditions: The first condition is that it does not contradict the statement of Allah and His Messenger. The second condition is that it does not contradict the statement of another Companion. If it contradicts the statement of Allah and His Messenger, it must be discarded and what Allah and His Messenger said must be adopted.
Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him and him) said: "Soon stones will fall from the sky upon you. I say: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said, and you say: Abu Bakr and Umar said." And Allah the Exalted said:[An-Nur 24:63] meaning: regarding the command of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) [An-Nur 24:63] Imam Ahmad said: "Do you know what fitnah (trial, discord or temptation) is? Fitnah is shirk (associating partners with Allah). Perhaps if he rejects part of the statement of the Messenger, something of deviation will enter his heart and he will perish." We ask Allah for safety.
The second condition: That it does not contradict the statement of another Companion. If it contradicts the statement of another Companion, it is obligatory to look at the stronger position, because neither of them is more deserving of acceptance than the other. But we look at the stronger position. If one of the contradicting parties is lower than the other in jurisprudence regarding the religion of Allah, the more knowledgeable one is preferred.
And as for if it contradicts the statement of Allah and His Messenger, it is discarded, and this is the implication of the statement of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him):Mishkat al-Masabih 165Sahīh (Zubair `Aliza'i) So, first, his Sunnah is preferred; his Sunnah is preferred over everything.
His EminenceThe Shaykh : We ask for clarification on this issue, as some people may cite the statement or action of a Companion as evidence for a ruling on a specific matter.
The Shaykh : They may cite the evidence for his ruling.
The questioner : By the evidence, yes. One may cite the statement, action, or fatwa of a Companion. However, the Sunnah is a more comprehensive, stronger, and clearer proof than the action of a Companion. If you tell him something, he says that it is following the Sunnah of the Rightly Guided Caliphs. So, is the action of a single Companion alone considered part of the Sunnah of the Caliphs, or not?
The Shaykh : First, may Allah reward you. The scholars differ on whether the statement of a Companion is a proof or not. Some scholars said: There is no proof except in what Allah and His Messenger said. For this reason, Allah the Exalted said:
And in anything over which you disagree - its ruling is [to be referred] to Allah.
وَمَا اخْتَلَفْتُمْ فِيهِ مِنْ شَيْءٍ فَحُكْمُهُ إِلَى اللَّهAnd if you disagree over anything, refer it to Allah and the Messenger
فَإِنْ تَنَازَعْتُمْ فِي شَيْءٍ فَرُدُّوهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَالرَّسُولِAnd some said: The statement of a Companion is a proof if he is from the people of knowledge and jurisprudence. As you know, if an Arab came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), embraced Islam, and then returned to his camels, he is a Companion. He may be ignorant of many matters of knowledge. But if the Companion is one of the jurists known for jurisprudence, then his statement is a proof with two conditions: The first condition is that it does not contradict the statement of Allah and His Messenger. The second condition is that it does not contradict the statement of another Companion. If it contradicts the statement of Allah and His Messenger, it must be discarded and what Allah and His Messenger said must be adopted.
Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him and him) said: "Soon stones will fall from the sky upon you. I say: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said, and you say: Abu Bakr and Umar said." And Allah the Exalted said:
So let those beware who dissent from the Prophet's order
فَلْيَحْذَرِ الَّذِينَ يُخَالِفُونَ عَنْ أَمْرِهِlest fitnah strike them or a painful punishment.
أَنْ تُصِيبَهُمْ فِتْنَةٌ أَوْ يُصِيبَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌThe second condition: That it does not contradict the statement of another Companion. If it contradicts the statement of another Companion, it is obligatory to look at the stronger position, because neither of them is more deserving of acceptance than the other. But we look at the stronger position. If one of the contradicting parties is lower than the other in jurisprudence regarding the religion of Allah, the more knowledgeable one is preferred.
And as for if it contradicts the statement of Allah and His Messenger, it is discarded, and this is the implication of the statement of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him):