Integrity of the Sahabah

Why do we trust in a Sahabi narration?

Recently I was asked how we can trust the words of the Companions when they narrated the statements of the Prophet ﷺ with such confidence. How can we be certain that they never lied? What assures us of their truthfulness?

To address this question, I have taken the following excerpt من النبي إلى البخاري (Min al-Nabi ila al-Bukhari) by أحمد صنوبر (Ahmad Snobar), who has explored this subject in depth. This excerpt aims to assist those who may have similar concerns.

It is important to note that this discussion does not delve into the possibility of the Companions forgetting a portion of the narration or making mistakes in narration—that is a separate topic that may be explored in a follow-up post.

When you look at the companions, the term encompasses a wide range of numbers. Amongst them were from the earliest converts in Makkah who spent their entire lives around the Prophet ﷺ, some who met him from once or saw him from far. So how is it, we can trust their narrations? How do we know they were truthful or were not among the hypocrites who narrated?

To answer this, we will answer the following:

Who is and is not a companion?
Were the companions men of integrity?
Were they accurate in their transmission of the statements and actions of the Prophet?

Who is a Sahabi (Companion)?

When you look through the hadith corpus, there are differing accounts as to who qualifies to be counted amongst the Sahabah.

Imam Bukhari (256 AH) mentioned in his Sahih (which is consistent with the earlier scholars):

ومن صحب النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم أو رآه من المسلمين فهو من أصحابه

Whoever accompanied or saw the Prophet ﷺ from amongst the Muslims is from his Companions [1]

Therefore, Bukhari has not made the length of companionship a requirement. This is included in the definitions of the latter scholars, as stated by Ibn Hajar (852 AH):

الصحابي هو من لقي النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم مؤمنا به ومات على الإسلام

A sahabi is he who met the Prophet ﷺ believing in him and passing away upon Islam [2]

As mentioned earlier, the Usuliyyun (Scholars of Usul) have differed in this definition – with the majority stipulating some form of companionship as a condition, citing urf (custom), whereas the majority of the Muhaditheen (Scholars of Hadith) take the first view, arguing linguistically that the term applies to anyone, regardless of time spent. [3]

Some scholars distinguish between both definitions:

First: Those who are considered among the general companions. Seeing and meeting the Prophet ﷺ is sufficient.
Second: Those who are amongst the companions of the Prophet ﷺ upon whom are the great virtues mentioned having assisted the Prophet ﷺ. For this, the custom companionship is required. [4]

This is an important distinction because, according to the scholars of hadith, a narration is considered continuous only if the narrator met the person from whom they are narrating. They carefully examined whether a Companion had met the Prophet ﷺ. If someone had merely met the Prophet ﷺ, they were considered a Companion, and their chain of narration was seen as continuous. However, being a Companion through meeting the Prophet ﷺ alone is not enough to confirm the virtues mentioned in some ahadith.

The scholars of hadith also categorized the Companions based on their virtues. For example, there’s a clear difference between the ten Companions promised Paradise and those who accepted Islam after the Conquest of Makkah. Nonetheless, the title of Companion applies to all who met the Prophet ﷺ, reflecting the honoured status. [5]

An example of this is a statement from Umar (رضي الله عنه) regarding a Bedouin who insulted the Ansar. He stated that he would have punished the man if he had not been a Companion of the Prophet ﷺ, despite his brief companionship. This shows that anyone who accompanied the Prophet ﷺ, even for a short time, is considered a Companion. [6]

The Integrity of the Companions

The First Issue

The issue of the integrity of the companions has taken a critical role in Islamic ideology, as they were the transmitters of the Shariah and the Sunnah. As a result, questioning their integrity is questioning a part of Islam. Proving integrity is relatively easy till the time of the Taba Tabieen (Followers of the Successors) and the Tabieen (Successors) as writing, literature and scrutiny was prevalent during that era. However, proving this historically in the era of the Companions requires separation between religious evidence and historical evidence.

Integrity is a better criterion to discuss about than accuracy, as accuracy can only be ascertained by comparing narrations, whereas many ahadith of the companions were narrated by individuals. The question to look at now is that if the objective is to prove the authenticity of their narrations from the Prophet ﷺ, then what is required is proving their integrity – that they do not lie in narrating from the Prophet ﷺ.

Imam Laknawi (1304 AH) stated in Zafar Al Amani, that when the Muhaditheen stated, ‘All the companions are reliable’, they meant the following, citing the text of Al-Abayri :

To abstain from intentionally lying in the narration and deviating from it by committing that which would necessitate its unacceptability. [7]

Al-Laknawi then quotes Al-Dehlawi, discussing the topic:

What is established in the beliefs of Ahl al-Sunah is that all the companions are reliable, as has been mentioned more than once. The meaning of integrity in this sentence is not its conventional meaning, but rather integrity in narrating Hadith and nothing else. In reality, it is to avoid intentionally lying in the narration and departing from it.

We traced the biographies of all the Companions, even those who got involved in trials and controversies, and found that they all believed that lying upon the Prophet ﷺ as the worst of sins and completely refrain from it, as confirmed by the biographers.

The evidence for this is that there is no trace of this belief (The belief that the Companions are reliable) in the early books of beliefs or the books of theology. Only the Muhaditheen have mentioned it in Usul Al Hadith when explaining the integrity of the categories of narrators. Only those who mixed hadith with theology made this claim, without insight. There is no doubt that the integrity to which the Usuliyyun motive relates to, is integrity in narration, and nothing else. Therefore, there is no objection with this faculty.

Al Laknawi affirms the position that the integrity of the companions lies in narrating from the Prophet ﷺ and avoiding intentionally lying about the Prophet ﷺ. While it has been established that the companions committed sins, it has never been proven that any of them intentionally lied in even one single hadith.

The Second Issue: Which Companion is being discussed?

In the science of hadith, the objective is to prove the authenticity of their narrations from the Prophet ﷺ. Therefore, focus is on studying those who transmitted hadith, rather than all those companions who met and sat in the company of the Prophet ﷺ who occupy an honour like no other. Imam Dhahabi (748 AH) mentioned that the number of companions who narrated hadith amounts to 1500 (Tajrid Asma Al-Sahabah, Vol 1, Introduction). Ibn Al-Jawzi (597 AH) counted 1858 male and female companions who narrated. [8] There are disputes on the exact number amongst the scholars.

Amongst the companions that narrated hadith, we find that most narrated only one hadith. We find that most of ahadith were narrated by a small number of companions, numbering no more than a few dozen. Focusing on these companions who narrated dozens, investigating and establishing their integrity is the fundamental goal, rather than being overly occupied with those companions who narrated a single hadith, which may, at times, be inauthentic. It is rare to find a hadith concerning fundamental religious issues solely transmitted by a single companion.

I investigated 50 companions who narrated only once in the Musnad of Imam Ahmad and did not find a single hadith repeated by other companions. The narrations of all 50 companions had testaments, yet two-thirds of them were not authentic. [9]

The purpose of this is not to cast doubt on the reliability of those companions who narrated a single hadith. Allah ﷻ has declared them reliable. Rather, it is to show that religious issues were not based on these ahadith. I can claim that proving their integrity is easy and obtainable, for their narrations are clear, widespread, and their relationships with other Companions and Successors can be scrutinised and verified.

The Third Issue: How can we be assured of the Integrity of these Companions?

From two perspectives, we can prove that the companions who narrated hadith did not intentionally lie upon the Prophet ﷺ.

Perspective 1: Historical Approach

This perspective looks through the integrity based on historical events, independent of any religious texts which were transmitted regarding them. Among these are several incidents:

Between the senior companions, there were two great wars that took place. The war between Ali (رضي الله عنه) and Aishah (رضي الله عنها) in the Battle of the Camel in 35 AH and the Battle of Siffin 36 AH between Muawiyah and Ali (رضي الله عنهما), involved eminent and senior Companions. With the advents of these wars, we do not find any texts transmitted from them in which narrate from the Prophet ﷺ in disparagement of each other. Either of the sides could have fabricated a statement from – may Allah ﷻ forbid the Prophet ﷺ in their favour. In fact, we do not find this among the companions, let alone their leaders.

Rather it is astonishing that I found a Tab’i [10] who participated in the army of Aisha (رضي الله عنها) against Ali (رضي الله عنه) yet, he narrated a hadith from Ali (رضي الله عنه). Despite fighting against him, he never doubted his trustworthiness and integrity.

Another noteworthy aspect is that this war among the Companions was based on Ijtihad, regarding the fate of the killers of Uthman (رضي الله عنه). As a result, they did not hesitate to engage in battle for the sake of their ideology and Ijtihad. This implies that they were not merely complimentary to each other religiously, resolution came through the sword. For example, Aisha (رضي الله عنها) would not hesitate to reject any hadith she hears from any Companion that she considers to be false. This would have been easier task than taking part in the Battle of the Camel, yet we do not see her doing so. She would criticise some Companion’s memorisation of hadith without criticising their integrity. A clear example is in her criticism of the memorisation of Umar Ibn Al Khattab and the memory of his son Abdullah (رضي الله عنهما) when she heard of their hadith from the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ :

إن الميت ليعذب ببكاء أهله عليه

The dead person is tormented by the crying of his family over him. [11]

She then said:

إنكم لتحدثوني عن غير كذابين ولا مكذبين ولكن السمع يخطئ

You are narrating hadith to me from neither liars nor one is accused of lying, but errors can occur in hearing. [11]

Here Aisha (رضي الله عنها) is scrutinising their memory and believes that mistakes are possible. However, she did not doubt their integrity nor believe that they would lie deliberately upon the Prophet ﷺ.

Perspective 2: Religious Approach

This approach establishes three matters:

They do not lie due of their righteousness and piety
They do not lie because of the Prophet’s ﷺ trust in them
They do not lie because of their praise and complements narrated in the texts of revelation

Regarding the first point, in which they do not lie due to their righteousness and piety. Their strict adherence to the Prophet’s ﷺ commands is well known. The incident in which all of the companions refrained from talking to the three Companions who failed to participate in the Battle of Tabuk, following the Prophet ﷺ command to do so, is a testament to their piety and obedience. This is in addition to the numerous mutawatir ahadith (Ahadith that have been narrated by many) that warn against lying about the Prophet ﷺ, as shown below:

إن كذبا َعلي ليس ككذب على أحد فمن كذب علي متعمدا فليتبوأ مقعده من النار

Indeed lying upon me is not the same as lying upon anyone else. Whoever lies in my name intentionally, should assume his abode in Hell. [12]

The Muhaditheen have explained that the hadith forbidding lying upon the Prophet ﷺ is the most narrated hadith by the Companions. There is no hadith in the world where the ten promised Jannah agreed upon narrating any hadith other than this, and no hadith is known to be narrated from more than 60 of the companions from the Prophet ﷺ except this one hadith [13].

This is an addition to the fact that basic decency did not permit them to lie during the time of ignorance. Lying was seen as an evil habit during the pre-Islamic days of ignorance. The Arabs disliked it such that Abu Sufyan said in the famous hadith of Heraclius:

فوالله لولا الحياء من أن َيأثِروا عل اي كذبا لكذبت عنه

By Allah, were it not for the shame of them dubbing me a liar, I would have lied about him. [14]

What will be their condition after embracing Islam?

As for the second reason, the Prophet’s ﷺ trust in the Companions is evident through two examples:

The Prophet’s ﷺ instruction to them:

بلغوا عني ولو آية

Propagate from me even if it is a single verse. [15]

This statement demonstrates his trust in them; otherwise, he would not have ordered them to convey or narrate his words.

The Prophet ﷺ sent some companions to distant cities to teach the people there. He sent Muadh ibn Jabal (رضي الله عنه) and Abu Musa Al Ashari (رضي الله عنه) to Yemen just before the Farewell Hajj. [16] If he did not trust them to propagate the orders of Allah ﷻ, he would not have sent them.

As for the third reason, revelation has praised the Companions, confirming their integrity, virtue and excellence of their Islam. I have specifically selected those verses revealed in the later period to include those who embraced Islam during the Conquest of Makkah as well as others beyond it. The clearest can be seen in the ayah:

لَّقَد تَّابَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَى ٱلنَّبِيِّ وَٱلۡمُهَٰجِرِينَ وَٱلۡأَنصَارِ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّبَعُوهُ فِي سَاعَةِ ٱلۡعُسۡرَةِ مِنۢ بَعۡدِ مَا كَادَ يَزِيغُ قُلُوبُ فَرِيقٖ مِّنۡهُمۡ

Allah has certainly turned in mercy to the Prophet as well as the Emigrants and the Helpers who stood by him in the time of hardship, after the hearts of a group of them had almost faltered. [17]

All the known companions are included in this verse. The Battle of Tabuk included 30,000 companions and was the largest number that went to fight alongside the Prophet ﷺ. Each companion was praised for their obedience to the Prophet ﷺ during this difficult time, including the three who remained behind (Ka’b Ibn Malik, Murarah Ibn Rabee and Hilal Bin Ummayah (رضي الله عنهم)) with Allah ﷻ affirming their repentance along with the rest of the companions. Other verses from Allah ﷻ and statements from the Prophet ﷺ were revealed, including:

كُنتُمۡ خَيۡرَ أُمَّةٍ أُخۡرِجَتۡ لِلنَّاسِ

You are the best community ever raised for humanity [18]

وَٱلسَّٰبِقُونَ ٱلۡأَوَّلُونَ مِنَ ٱلۡمُهَٰجِرِينَ وَٱلۡأَنصَارِ وَٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّبَعُوهُم بِإِحۡسَٰنٖ رَّضِيَ ٱللَّهُ عَنۡهُمۡ وَرَضُواْ عَنۡهُ

And the first forerunners [in the faith] among the Muhajireen and the Ansar and those who followed them with good conduct – Allah is pleased with them and they are pleased with Him. [19]

خيركم قرني ثم الذين يلونه

The best of you are those of my era, then those after them [20]

Sahih Bukhari, 5/2
Ibn Hajr, Nuzhat al Nazr, pg.111
Al-Laknawi , Zafar Al-Amani, pg. 529
Ibn Al Jawzi, Talqih Fuhum Ahl Al Athar
Al Suyuti, Tadrib Ar Rawi, 5/198-211
Ibn Al Ja’d narrated this incident in Al-Musnad: 2657
Al Bahr Al Muhit, 3/358 from Al-Abayri
Ibn Al Jawzi, Talqih Fuhum Ahl Al Athar
Ahmad Snobar is releasing a paper on this topic.
The Tabi is Abd Al-Rahman Ibn Harith Ibn Hisham. A biography can be found in Al-Mizzi in Tahdib Al Kamal (17/39)
Sahih Muslim, Hadith928
Sahih Bukhari Hadith 1291 & Sahih Muslim Hadith4
Ibn Salah transmitted this from the Scholars of Hadith, Muqaddimah Ibn Salah, pg. 269
Sahih Bukhari, Hadith 7
Sahih Bukhari, Hadith 3461
Mentioned in Sahih Bukhari, Hadith 4341 and 4342
Surah Al-Tawbah 117
Surah Al-Imran 110
Surah Al-Tawbah 100
Sahih Bukhari Hadith 2651 & Sahih Muslim 2535