Companions of the Prophet facts for kids

Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas leading Muslim armies during the Battle of al-Qadisiyyah

A group of companions returning to Medina after a journey.

The Companions of the Prophet are special people in Islam. They were the friends, students, and followers of Muhammad, who is the prophet of Islam. These companions, known as aṣ-ṣaḥāba in Arabic, met Muhammad during his lifetime. They were Muslims and spent time with him. The word ṣaḥāba means "the companions."

Islamic scholars later used what the companions said and did to understand Muhammad's life. Their stories helped explain when the Quran was revealed. These stories, passed down through trusted people, became the basis of Islamic traditions. From these traditions, Muslims learned about Muhammad's way of life, called the sunnah. They also learned about the rules for living, known as sharia, and how Muslim communities should be guided.

The two main groups in Islam, the Sunni and Shia, have different ideas about the companions. They use different collections of stories. Because of this, they have different views about the ṣaḥābah.

After the companions, there were other important generations of Muslims. The Tābi'ūn were born after Muhammad died. They knew at least one companion. The tābi' al-tābi'īn came next. They knew at least one Tābi'ūn. These three generations are called the salaf of Islam.

Types of Companions

Companions of Muhammad are grouped into different types. These groups help us understand their roles.

• The Muhajirun were "migrants." They believed in Muhammad when he started teaching in Mecca. They left Mecca with him when people there treated them badly.
• The Ansar were people from Medina. They welcomed Muhammad and the Muhajirun. They became their protectors and helpers.
• The Badriyyun were companions who fought in the Battle of Badr. This was an important early battle for Muslims.

Many companions had close ties to Muhammad. Lists of important companions often include 50 or 60 names. However, many more people met Muhammad. Their names and life stories are found in old religious books. For example, one book lists 2,770 male and 381 female companions.

It is believed that a very large number of people became Muslim during Muhammad's life. About 10,000 people were Muslim when Mecca was conquered. Around 70,000 were Muslim during the Expedition of Tabuk in 630 CE. Some Muslims believe there were more than 200,000 companions. It is thought that 124,000 people heard Muhammad's Farewell Sermon in Mecca.

Who is a Companion?

Different groups in Islam have slightly different ideas about who counts as a companion.

Sunni View

Most Sunni Muslims define a companion as someone who met Muhammad. They must have believed in him and died as a Muslim. This includes people who spent a long or short time with him. It also includes those who told stories about him and those who did not. Even people who saw him briefly, or could not see him due to blindness, are considered companions.

If someone stopped being a Muslim after meeting Muhammad, they are not seen as a companion. Also, those who saw Muhammad but only became Muslim after he died are not companions. They are considered tābi'ūn.

Sunni scholars believe that companions were generally honest. They think companions would not lie or make up stories about Muhammad. This is unless there is strong proof otherwise.

Shia View

Shia Muslims, and some Sunni scholars, have a different view. They believe that not everyone who just met Muhammad is a companion. They think the Quran describes companions as having a very strong faith.

So, Shia Muslims only count those who had a deep connection with Muhammad. These were people who lived with him and helped him in his important efforts. For them, a companion means someone who had a long-term relationship with Muhammad. They must have supported him in key events until their death.

Shia Muslims look at each companion individually. They do not believe that all companions were righteous just because they met Muhammad. They also believe that a companion's goodness can be seen by their loyalty to Muhammad's family after he died. Shia Muslims prefer stories from Muhammad's family members, called the Ahl al-Bayt. They believe these family members were free from sin.

Stories from Companions

Stories and sayings from the companions are very important in Islam. They help Muslims understand Muhammad's life and teachings. These stories are called hadith.

Sunni Views on Hadith

After Muhammad died, his companions chose Abu Bakr as the first leader, or caliph. Later, Umar became the second caliph. Sunni scholars have sorted companions into many groups. This is based on different things, like how long they knew Muhammad or what they did.

Some scholars believe that even a small act of bravery by a companion, like fighting in a battle with Muhammad, is very important. They see this as a sign of their high status.

Shia Views on Hadith

Shia scholars have different ideas about these stories. They are careful about stories from companions they believe were not fair or loyal. They trust stories more from Muhammad's family members, the Ahl al-Bayt. They also trust stories from companions who supported Ali, Muhammad's cousin and son-in-law.

Shia Muslims believe that Muhammad chose Ali as his successor during his lifetime. They think any story that says all companions were free from sin is not true. They believe such stories were made up by those who did not support Muhammad's family.

See also

• List of Sahabah
• List of non-Arab Sahabah
• The ten to whom Paradise was promised