Is the Statement of a Companion a Proof?

Undoubtedly, the statement of a Companion is closer to the truth than the statement of others and it is considered a proof if two conditions are met:

First: It must not contradict a text from the Book of Allaah the most High or the Sunnah of His Messenger (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam).

Second: It must not contradict the statement of another Companion.

If it contradicts the Qur’aan or Sunnah, then the proof is in the Qur’aan or Sunnah and his statement would be considered a mistake that will be forgiven. And if it contradicts the statement of another Companion, one should seek for the preferred view between them, and the one whose statement is more acceptable deserves to be followed. The method of arriving at the preferred view can be known either from the condition of the Companion or from the proximity of his saying to the general principles in the Sharee’ah or the like.

However, is this ruling general to all the Companions or specific to the rightly guided caliphs or Aboo Bakr and ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with them both)? With regard to Aboo Bakr and ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with them both), there is no doubt that their statement is a proof if the aforementioned two conditions are met. Their statement is superior in weight than the statement of others if it contradicts theirs; and the statement of Aboo Bakr is more preferred to  the statement of ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with them both).

At-Tirmidhee recorded that Hudhayfah bin al-Yamaan (may Allaah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “Follow these two after me: Aboo Bakr and Umar.”[1]  In Saheeh Muslim, Aboo Qataadah (may Allaah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “If the people obey Aboo Bakr and Umar, they will be guided aright.” In Saheeh al-Bukhaaree, under the Chapter of following the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allaah, Umar bin al-Khattaab said: “They are the two persons whom one must follow.” Meaning Allaah’s Messenger (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) and Aboo Bakr (may Allaah be pleased with him).

As regards the rest of the rightly guided caliphs, the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) stated concerning them, as reported by al-‘Irbaad bin Saariyah (may Allaah be pleased with him) and recorded in the Sunan: “Adhere to my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the rightly guided successors; hold onto it and cling tightly to it.” Those who are more deserving of this description are the four rightly guided caliphs (may Allaah be pleased with them). And this indicates that their statement is a proof.

As for the remaining Companions, whoever among them is well-known with knowledge and long companionship, his statement is a proof while the statement of the Companion who is not like that calls for careful study.

Source: Kitaabul-‘Ilm, p. 145-146 by Shaykh Muhammad Saalih al-‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah shower his mercy upon him)

---

[1] A saheeh hadeeth reported by Abdullaah bin Mas’ood, Hudhayfah bin al-Yamaan, Anas bin Maalik and Abdullaah bin Umar (may Allaah be pleased with them); see as-Saheehah (1233)