It is the aqida of the “Ahle Sunnah wa al-Jamāh” that all the Sahabah are عادل (trustworthy). This has been established through Quran, Hadith and Ijmā (consensus of the ummah) . We will elaborate on that with the following points:

•  Trustworthiness ((عدالة of the Sahabah from the Quran
•   Trustworthiness ((عدالة of the Sahabah from the Hadith
•  Trustworthiness ((عدالة of the Sahabah from Ijma
•  Rational behind the trustworthiness of the Sahabah
• What is meant by الصحابة كلهم عدول
• Did any of the Sahabah rebel
• Sahabah committing mistakes

Trustworthiness ((عدالة of the Sahabah in the Quran

The عدالة (trustworthiness) of the Sahabah has been established through the Quran.  Allah Ta`ala made the Iman of the Sahabah a criteria for the believers. Allah Ta`ala says:

{وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمْ آمِنُوا كَمَا آمَنَ النَّاسُ قَالُوا أَنُؤْمِنُ كَمَا آمَنَ السُّفَهَاءُ أَلَا إِنَّهُمْ هُمُ السُّفَهَاءُ وَلَكِنْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ } [البقرة: 13]

“When they (the hypocrites) are told “Believe like the people (the Sahabah) believe,” they say, “Should we believe like the fools believe?” Behold! It is they (the hypocrites) who are indeed the fools, but they do not know it”. (Quran, al-Baqarah, 13)

Mufti Shafi Usmani writes under the commentary of this verse:

“According to the consensus of commentators , the Arabic word “naas” (people) in this verse refers to the blessed Companions of the Holy Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) because it is just these people who had embraced the faith and had accepted the Holy Quran as the word of Allah”. (Ma`ariful Qur`an, v1, pg123)

In another verse Allah Ta`ala says:

{كُنْتُمْ خَيْرَ أُمَّةٍ أُخْرِجَتْ لِلنَّاسِ تَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَتَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ وَتُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ } [آل عمران: 110]

“You are the best of nations who have been raised for (the benefit and salvation) of mankind. You command what is right, forbid what is evil and believe in Allah”. (Quran, Aal-Imraan, 110)

Umar ibn Khattab (radiyallahu) says in regards to this verse:
قال عمر بن الخطاب: لو شاء الله لقال:”أنتم”، فكنا كلنا، ولكن قال:”كنتم” في خاصة من أصحاب رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، ومن صنع مثل صنيعهم تفسير الطبري = جامع البيان ت شاكر (7/ 101)

“If Allah wished he would have said “antum” then this would include the whole Ummah, but He said “kuntum” specifically regarding the Sahabah and those that follow them in their actions” . (Tafseer Tibri)

This shows that Allah has classified the Sahabah as the best of people. This is further elucidated in the following verse.

 

{وَالسَّابِقُونَ الْأَوَّلُونَ مِنَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ وَالْأَنْصَارِ وَالَّذِينَ اتَّبَعُوهُمْ بِإِحْسَانٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَضُوا عَنْهُ وَأَعَدَّ لَهُمْ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي تَحْتَهَا الْأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا أَبَدًا ذَلِكَ الْفَوْزُ الْعَظِيمُ} [التوبة: 100]

“Allah is pleased with the first to lead the way from the Muhajireen , the Ansaar, and those that followed them with sincerity and they are pleased with Him. He has prepared for them such Janaat beneath which rivers flow, in which they shall live forever. This is the ultimate success”.  (Quran, Tauwba, 100)

Allama Ibn Taymiya says:
والرضى من الله صفة قديمة، فلا يرضى إلا عن عبد علم أنه يوافيه على موجبات الرضى، ومن رضي الله عنه لم يسخط عليه أبدا (احكام القرآن لتهانوي، ج4، ص271).

“And pleasure from Allah is a pre-eternal attribute. So Allah is not pleased except with that slave who complies with him in those matters that necessitate ( His Divine) Pleasure. And whomsoever Allah is pleased with, He will never become displeased with him”. (Ahkam al-Quran)

Abu Sakhra says: I came to Muhammad ibn Ka`b al-Qurtubi and asked him: what is your opinion in regards to the companions of the Prophet (sallalahu alayhi wa sallam)?. He replied: all the Sahabah are in Jannah. He asked: from where did you get this? Muhammad ibn Ka`b al-Qurtubi recited:

{وَالسَّابِقُونَ الْأَوَّلُونَ مِنَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ وَالْأَنْصَارِ وَالَّذِينَ اتَّبَعُوهُمْ بِإِحْسَانٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَضُوا عَنْهُ}[التوبة: 100]

     “Allah is pleased with the first to lead the way from the Muhajireen , the Ansaar, and those that followed them with sincerity and they are pleased with Him”  (Quran, Tauwba, 100).

Trustworthiness ((عدالة of the Sahabah in the Hadith

Ibn Hiban (354H) mentions that the trustworthiness of the Sahabah can be established from the incident of hajjatul wida. The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said:

أَلَا فَلْيُبَلِّغِ الشَّاهِدُ مِنْكُمُ الْغَائِبَ مسند أحمد ط الرسالة (26/ 301)
“Lo, those that are present should propagate to that that are absent” (Musnad Ahmad)

     Ibn Hiban (354H) says: “this is the greatest proof that all of the Sahabah are “trustworthy” and none of them are criticised or weak. If any of the Sahabah were to be criticized or weak, the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) would have specified and said “ such and such a person should convey to those that are not present”. Since the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) did not do this, it shows that all the Sahabah are trustworthy ”.

Trustworthiness ((عدالة of the Sahabah through ijma (consensus) 

Ibn Athir , Ibn Salah, Hafiz ibn Hajar and many other scholars have stated that there is consensus on the fact that all the Sahabah are trustworthy. Below we present some of their statements.

Ibn Salah (643H) says:

ثُمَّ إِنَّ الْأُمَّةَ مُجْمِعَةٌ عَلَى تَعْدِيلِ جَمِيعِ الصَّحَابَةِ، وَمَنْ لَابَسَ الْفِتَنَ مِنْهُمُ فَكَذَلِكَ بِإِجْمَاعِ الْعُلَمَاءِ الَّذِينَ يُعْتَدُّ بِهِمْ فِي الْإِجْمَاعِ مقدمة ابن الصلاح = معرفة أنواع علوم الحديث – ت عتر (ص: 295)

“The ummah has agreed upon the trustworthiness of all of the Sahabah. Even those Sahabah that were involved in the fitna (are trustworthy) by consensus of the ulema”.

Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani (852H) says:

وقد اتفق أهل السنة على أن الجميع عدول، ولم يخالف في ذلك إلا شذوذ من المبتدعة

الإصابة في تمييز الصحابة (1/ 131)

“There is consensus among the Ahle Sunnah that all the Sahabah are trustworthy, and non will oppose this besides an innovator”.

Ibn Abdul Bar says:

قال ابن عبد البر في الاستيعاب (1/ 2) ” ثبت عدالة جميعهم بثناء الله عز وجل عليهم وثناء رسوله عليه السلام، ولا أعدل ممن ارتضاه الله لصحبة نبيه ونصرته ولا تزكية أفضل من ذلك ولا تعديل أكمل منه

الفتح الرباني من فتاوى الإمام الشوكاني (2/ 835)

“The uprightness of all the Sahabah has been established trough Allah and the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) praising them. And there is none more upright than those that Allah chose for the companionship of his prophet and his aid. And there is no attestation better than that and no authentication more complete than that”.

Rational behind the trustworthiness of the Sahabah

The entire Shari`ah, the Quran and Hadith has reached us through the link of the Sahabah. If one moves the link of the Sahabah on what basis would we rely on the Quran and the entire Shariah?

What is meant by الصحابة كلهم عدول
Allama Laknawi says:

التَّجنُّب عن تعمد الكذب في الرواية و الإنحراف فيها بارتكاب ما يوجب عدم قبولها. و هذا المعني هو المراد المحدثين من قبولهم: (( الصحابة كلهم عدول)) (منحة المغيث شرح الفية العراقي في الحديث، ص703)

“(Trustworthiness refers to) refraining from intentionally lying or renouncing the narration by perpetrating an act which will lead to the narration not being accepted. This is what the Muhaditheen mean by (all the Sahabah are trustworthy)”.

Ibn al-Anbari says:

فقد قال السخاوي في ((فتح المغيث)): قال ابن الأنباري: ليس المراد بعدالتهم ثبوت العصمة لهم و استحالة المعصية منهم، و انما المراد قبول رواياتهم من غير تكلف البحث عن اسباب العدالة و طلب التزكية (منحة المغيث شرح الفية العراقي في الحديث، ص703)

“Ibn al-Anbari says: trustworthiness of the Sahabah does not refer to them being free or incapable of committing sins. Rather it refers to accepting their narrations without having to speculate their trustworthiness”.

Did Any of the Sahabah rebel 
Allah Ta`ala says:

{وَإِنْ طَائِفَتَانِ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ اقْتَتَلُوا فَأَصْلِحُوا بَيْنَهُمَا فَإِنْ بَغَتْ إِحْدَاهُمَا عَلَى الْأُخْرَى فَقَاتِلُوا الَّتِي تَبْغِي حَتَّى تَفِيءَ إِلَى أَمْرِ اللَّهِ فَإِنْ فَاءَتْ فَأَصْلِحُوا بَيْنَهُمَا بِالْعَدْلِ وَأَقْسِطُوا إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُقْسِطِينَ } [الحجرات: 9]

“If two groups of Mu`mineen (quarrel or fight) fight each other, then reconcile (create harmony) between them. (However, despite your efforts to reconcile,) if the one group transgresses against (oppresses) the other, then fight that (transgression) group until they return to (the obedience of) Allah’s command. If they return, then reconcile between them with justice. Be just, for Allah loves those who exercise justice”. (Quran, al-Hujrat, 9)

The question is, how was this verse applied to the Sahabah? Their dispute can only be classified as bagawah when one can ascertain that one of the groups was correct and the other incorrect . Therefore, the fitna that broke out was no rebellion, rather each Sahabi acted according to his own ijtihaad.

Mufti Shafi Usmani says:

“It is not permitted to attribute categorically, and with certainty, to any of the companions that he was absolutely wrong in his action, because each of them acted according to his own Ijtihad. Their objective was to seek the pleasure of Allah”. (Ma`ariful Quran, v8, pg129)

 
Moulana Idrees Kandhlawi says :

أن دخولهم في الفتن كان مبنيا علي الاجتهاد، فمن اصاب فله أجران، و من أخطأ فهو معذور عند الرحمن، وله اجر واحد بلا ريب و نكران (منحة المغيث شرح الفية العراقي في الحديث، ص714)

“Their entering into fitna was based on ijtihaad. The one who was correct (in his ijtihaad) for him are two rewards. And the one who erred he is excused in the sight of the merciful. For him is one reward without doubt”.

When Hassan al-Basri was asked regarding the wars that took place, he replied:

“Those were fights in which the companions were present and we were not. They knew all the circumstances and we do not know them. The matter in which the companions are unanimous, we follow; and the matter in which there is difference of opinion, we observe silence”. (Ma`ariful Quran, v8, pg130)

Sahabah committing mistakes  
Moulana Idrees Kandhlawi says:

ما نسب الي بعض الصحابة من بغض الذنوب و المعاصي، فمنهم من صح في حقه…ثم انهم تابوا الي ربهم و استغفروا لذنوبهم…و منهم من أقيم عليه الحد، و الحدود كفارات، ثم انهم شفعت لهم سوابقهم من مداوماة الامتثال لأوامر الله و نواهيه (منحة المغيث شرح الفية العراقي في الحديث، ص715)

“From among the mistakes which have been attributed to some of the Sahabah, some of them are correct. However, they repented to Allah and asked forgiveness from their sins. …Some of them were punished through capital punishment and capital punishment expiates ones sins”.

Conclusion 
Moulana Idrees Kandhlawi says:

أن الصحابة رضي الله عنهم، لو كانوا غير عادلين لما أعلن الله عزّ و جلّ بالرضا عنهم (فإن الله لايرضي عن القوم الفاسقين) (منحة المغيث شرح الفية العراقي في الحديث، ص709)

“If the Sahabah (Allah is pleased with them) were not trustworthy then why did Allah announce that he is pleased with them (whereas Allah says in the Quran) “Allah is certainly not pleased with the disobedient ones” (Qur`an, Surah Taubah, 96).

Those that aver  that Allah was happy with the Sahabah only during the lifetime of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) would be casting a serious accusation on Allah’s quality of Rida (happiness) being حادث (temporary). This has the potential of kufr.  From a logical point of view, if Allah’s happiness was temporary, Shaytaan also worshiped Allah for some time and then rebelled. Why didn’t Allah say that He is happy with Shaytaan and interpret that as temporary happiness. The reality is that Allah knew in His infinite knowledge that Shaytaan would rebel. That is why Allah never honoured the Shaytaan with the title of happiness.

Allah blessed the Sahabah with such a title as Allah knew in his infinite knowledge that the Sahabah will never rebel. The honour of  the Sahabah (radiyallahu anhum ajmaeen) is thus eternal.

And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Hafizurrahman Fatehmahomed
Student Darul Iftaa
Netherlands
Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai

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