ANSWERED: Proofs that ALL the Companions were Upright?

[Sad ibn Abu Waqqas]

Salam 'Alaykum,

What are the textual proofs from the Qur'an and Sunna that ALL the Companions(ra) (i.e. each and every one, with no exceptions whatsoever) were upright ('adl)? (Please excuse the capitals here and below. It's for emphasis and I'm not shouting.)

I understand a Companion to be anyone who saw the Prophet(s) in a state of belief, carried on in that state of belief, and subsequently died in that state of belief.

I have also been taught that each and every one of the Companions(ra) was 'adl (upright), with no exceptions. But what are the textual proofs for this?

My problem is this: I am familiar with many of the verses or hadiths cited in this context, but how do they support the conclusion that EACH AND EVERY SINGLE COMPANION is righteous, without exception?

For example, the verse You are the best community brought forth for the good of mankind (3:110), is normally cited in this context. But this verse seems to be a general address which doesn't necessitate our thinking that EACH AND EVERY SINGLE Companion was upright. Some scholars interpret it as referring to the community of Muslims as a whole, and we know for sure that many of these are not righteous, so how does the language suport the conclusion that ALL the members of the community referred to are righteous? Could it not just mean that the community AS A WHOLE was righteous? Moreover, I have been told by a scholar that according to Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (ra), the verse refers to the Muhajirun and the Ansar, and there were many Companions who were not among the Muhajirun and the Ansar.

Similarly, when Allah(swt) says "Allah is well pleased with them", referring to the Companions, could this not mean that "Allah is well pleased with them as a whole", without meaning that EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THEM is upright?

Wa al-Salam...

[muslim786]

Salam 'Alaykum,

What are the textual proofs from the Qur'an and Sunna that ALL the Companions(ra) (i.e. each and every one, with no exceptions whatsoever) were upright ('adl)? (Please excuse the capitals here and below. It's for emphasis and I'm not shouting.)

I understand a Companion to be anyone who saw the Prophet(s) in a state of belief, carried on in that state of belief, and subsequently died in that state of belief.

I have also been taught that each and every one of the Companions(ra) was 'adl (upright), with no exceptions. But what are the textual proofs for this?

My problem is this: I am familiar with many of the verses or hadiths cited in this context, but how do they support the conclusion that EACH AND EVERY SINGLE COMPANION is righteous, without exception?

For example, the verse You are the best community brought forth for the good of mankind (3:110), is normally cited in this context. But this verse seems to be a general address which doesn't necessitate our thinking that EACH AND EVERY SINGLE Companion was upright. Some scholars interpret it as referring to the community of Muslims as a whole, and we know for sure that many of these are not righteous, so how does the language suport the conclusion that ALL the members of the community referred to are righteous? Could it not just mean that the community AS A WHOLE was righteous? Moreover, I have been told by a scholar that according to Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (ra), the verse refers to the Muhajirun and the Ansar, and there were many Companions who were not among the Muhajirun and the Ansar.

Similarly, when Allah(swt) says "Allah is well pleased with them", referring to the Companions, could this not mean that "Allah is well pleased with them as a whole", without meaning that EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THEM is upright?

Wa al-Salam...

There is of course a difference amongst the companions. Everyone knows who the best of them were etc
However it is disrespectful for us to compare them amongst each other. It shouldn't matter anyway. Also in Islam no one BUT the prophets AS are masoom.

[Sad ibn Abu Waqqas]

Salam 'Alaykum,

There is of course a difference amongst the companions. Everyone knows who the best of them were etc
However it is disrespectful for us to compare them amongst each other. It shouldn't matter anyway.

I'm not trying to compare them against each other., and I don't think I'm being disrespectful because I'm asking about a point of doctrine, and points of doctrine require proofs. Perhaps I didn't make it sufficiently clear what the point of my question was.

This is an issue which does matter. For one thing, it is the basis of many Shi'i attacks against the Sunnis.

Another reason this issue matters is as follows: the claim that all the Companions were righteous is foundational to the way we evaluate hadiths. Once a hadith scholar knows that someone was a Companion, he does not consider it necessary to investigate their life to see whether the Companion was righteous: being a Companion (even one who was not famous) is enough to make someone righteous. Being a Tabi'i is not enough to make someone righteous.

It is also important to the way we evaluate mursal hadiths. Hadith scholars make a distinction between mursal hadiths from the older Tabi'in and mursal hadiths from the younger Tabi'in. The former are considered more reliable. Why? Because the older Tabi'in heard directly from the Companions, wh are assumed to be ALL trustwrthy.

Wa al-Salam...

[salman]

Salamu Alaikum

The term upright is used in Hadith terminology and applies to all the Sahaba. For a narrator to be trustoworthy he must be 1. Upright ('Adl) and 2. accurate (dabt).

The Sahaba were all upright ('udul) by consensus (ijma). Thus even if we did not have explicit Qur'an and Hadith quotes, Ijma is still sufficient as a source.

Imam Qurtubi says in his Tafsir:

- The Companions are all trustworthy witnesses, Friends of Allah and His Elect in creation after His Prophets and Messengers.

Imam Dhahabi said in his Al Ruwat:

- As for the Companions, their case is sealed up no matter what took place between them. Our belief and practice is that they are all utterly upright.

However, one must understand the meaning of Adl and upright in this context. It means that all the Sahaba are "thiqa" (trustworthy) narrators of hadith because they would never ascribe lies about the Prophet or corrupt his sayings.

In the Qur'an it states:

- But Allah has endeared the faith in you, and has made it beautiful in your hearts, and He has made hateful to you unbelief, wickedness, and rebellion: such indeed are the righteous (Hujurat:7)

Furhter, as narrated in Tirmidhi and Abu dawud that one should not say anything negative about *any* of the companions.

There are numerous hadith on the Sahaba being the vanguards of religion and the security of the Ummah after the prophet as narrated in Sahih Muslim. There are also hadith from Umar stating the Sahaba as the oens to be followed in religion and so forth.

As for the Tabi'in Imam Dhahabi in his Al Ruwat al Thiqat al Mutakallim Fihim Bima La Yujibu Raddahum

- As for the Successors, one can hardly find a deliberate liar among them although some of them commit mistakes and errors. Whoever has rare mistakes is nevertheless accepted as an authority. Likewise those considered mines of knowledge even if their mistakes are many, although the imams disagree whether the latter category are considered proofs....

As for those whose mistakes and singularities (ghara'ib) are abundant, their narrations do not carry probative weight. This type is hardly found among the early Successors, but more in succeeding generations.

(end)

Wasalam

[Sad ibn Abu Waqqas]

Salamu Alaikum

The term upright is used in Hadith terminology and applies to all the Sahaba. For a narrator to be trustoworthy he must be 1. Upright ('Adl) and 2. accurate (dabt).

The Sahaba were all upright ('udul) by consensus (ijma). Thus even if we did not have explicit Qur'an and Hadith quotes, Ijma is still sufficient as a source.

Imam Qurtubi says in his Tafsir:

- The Companions are all trustworthy witnesses, Friends of Allah and His Elect in creation after His Prophets and Messengers.

Imam Dhahabi said in his Al Ruwat:

- As for the Companions, their case is sealed up no matter what took place between them. Our belief and practice is that they are all utterly upright.

However, one must understand the meaning of right in this context. It means that all the Sahaba are "thiqa" (trustworthy) narrators of hadith because they would never ascribe lies about the Prophet or corrupt his sayings.

In the Qur'an it states:

- But Allah has endeared the faith in you, and has made it beautiful in your hearts, and He has made hateful to you unbelief, wickedness, and rebellion: such indeed are the righteous (Hujurat:7)

Furhter, as narrated in Tirmidhi and Abu dawud that one should not say anything negative about *any* of the companions.

There are numerous hadith on the Sahaba being the vanguards of religion and the security of the Ummah after the prophet as narrated in Sahih Muslim. There are also hadith from Umar stating the Sahaba as the oens to be followed in religion and so forth.

As for the Tabi'in Imam Dhahabi in his Al Ruwat al Thiqat al Mutakallim Fihim Bima La Yujibu Raddahum

- As for the Successors, one can hardly find a deliberate liar among them although some of them commit mistakes and errors. Whoever has rare mistakes is nevertheless accepted as an authority. Likewise those considered mines of knowledge even if their mistakes are many, although the imams disagree whether the latter category are considered proofs....

As for those whose mistakes and singularities (ghara'ib) are abundant, their narrations do not carry probative weight. This type is hardly found among the early Successors, but more in succeeding generations.

(end)

Wasalam

May Allah reward you for that answer. That was helpful.

Wa al-salam...