Its fact, there is a broad MUSLIM agreement to it! Read the sentece again Zora, its not claiming that there is x companions, it reports the muslim pov! |
BrandonYusufToropov (talk | contribs) Okay, Striver, please read the talk page and take a break. rv to Zora |
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== ''Companion'' as a technical term in Islamic scholarship == |
== ''Companion'' as a technical term in Islamic scholarship == |
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Most Muslims regard anyone who knew or saw Muhammad, believed in his teachings, and died as a Muslim to be a companion, or sahaabi. Lists of ''prominent'' companions usually run to fifty or sixty names, being the people most closely associated with Muhammad. However, there were clearly many others who had some contact with the prophet. Many of them were identified by later scholars, and their names and biographies were recorded in religious reference texts such as Muhammad ibn Sa'd's early ''Kitab at-Tabaqat al-Kabir''. |
Most Muslims regard anyone who knew or saw Muhammad, believed in his teachings, and died as a Muslim to be a companion, or sahaabi. Lists of ''prominent'' companions usually run to fifty or sixty names, being the people most closely associated with Muhammad. However, there were clearly many others who had some contact with the prophet. Many of them were identified by later scholars, and their names and biographies were recorded in religious reference texts such as Muhammad ibn Sa'd's early ''Kitab at-Tabaqat al-Kabir''. |
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It was important to identify the companions because later scholars accepted their testimony (the [[hadith]], or traditions) as to the words and deeds of Muhammad, the occasions on which the Qur'an was revealed, and various important matters of Islamic history and practice ([[sunnah]]). The testimony of the companions, as it was passed down through chains of trusted narrators ([[isnad]]s), was the basis of the developing Islamic tradition. |
It was important to identify the companions because later scholars accepted their testimony (the [[hadith]], or traditions) as to the words and deeds of Muhammad, the occasions on which the Qur'an was revealed, and various important matters of Islamic history and practice ([[sunnah]]). The testimony of the companions, as it was passed down through chains of trusted narrators ([[isnad]]s), was the basis of the developing Islamic tradition. |
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Soon after Muhammad's death the Muslim community, the [[ummah]], was riven by conflicts over leadership. Companions took sides in the conflicts – or were forced to take sides – and later scholars considered their allegiances in weighing their testimony. The two largest Muslim denominations, the [[Shia]] and [[Sunni]] take very different approaches in weighing the value of the companions' testimony. |
Soon after Muhammad's death the Muslim community, the [[ummah]], was riven by conflicts over leadership. Companions took sides in the conflicts – or were forced to take sides – and later scholars considered their allegiances in weighing their testimony. The two largest Muslim denominations, the [[Shia]] and [[Sunni]] take very different approaches in weighing the value of the companions' testimony. The Sunni view of the companions, and the value of their testimony, can be found at [[Sunni ranking of the Sahaba]]; Shi'a estimates at [[Shia ranking of the Sahaba]]. A list of the best-known companions will be found at [[List of companions of the prophet Muhammad]]. |
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== Other links in the chain of isnad == |
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Sahaba are also ranked differently in [[Sunni ranking of the Sahaba|Sunni view]] and [[Shia ranking of the Sahaba|Shia view]]. |
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Because the hadith were not written down until many years after the death of Muhammad, the isnads, or chains of transmission, always have several links. The first link is preferably a companion, who had direct contact with Muhammad. The companion then related the tradition to a [[taba'een]], the companion of the companion. Taba'een had no direct contact with Muhammad, but did have direct contact with the sahaabi. The tradition then would have been passed from the taba'een to the [[taba taba'een]], the third link. |
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The second and third links in the chain of transmission were also of great interest to Muslim scholars, who treated of them in biographical dictionaries and evaluated them for bias and reliability. Again, Shi'a and Sunni apply different metrics. |
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See also [[List of companions of the prophet Muhammad]]. |
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== How many companions were there? == |
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Shi'a Muslims believe that Muhammad appointed [[Ali ibn Abu Talib]] as his successor at [[Gadir Khum]], a way-station on the road to Mecca. He is said to have done this when returning from his last pilgrimage, or [[Hajj]]. The Shi'a traditions say that there were 100,000 pilgrims at Gadir Khum. Therefore they assert that there were 100,000 companions. A few Sunni authorities have accepted the Shi'a crowd estimates, without accepting the Shi'a version of Muhammad's speech. (See [[Succession to Muhammad]].) Western academics have generally passed over the whole incident, possibly because they regard it as an implausible pious exaggeration. Aside from polemic claims to a huge audience, there is no historical or archaeological evidence for such an enormous gathering. |
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*[[ |
* [[Hadith]] |
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*[[ |
* [[Isnad]] |
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*[[ |
* [[Taba'een]] |
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*[[Taba Tabe'een]] |
* [[Taba Tabe'een]] |
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*[[ |
* [[Non-Muslims who interacted with Muslims during Muhammad's era]]. |
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*[[Narrators of hadith]] |
* [[Narrators of hadith]] |
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==External links== |
==External links== |
Revision as of 12:05, 8 July 2005
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In Islam, the Sahaba (or Asahaaba,الصحابه;) were the companions of the prophet Muhammad.
Both forms are plural; the singular is sahaabi, which is Arabic for "friend", or "companion."
Companion as a technical term in Islamic scholarship
Most Muslims regard anyone who knew or saw Muhammad, believed in his teachings, and died as a Muslim to be a companion, or sahaabi. Lists of prominent companions usually run to fifty or sixty names, being the people most closely associated with Muhammad. However, there were clearly many others who had some contact with the prophet. Many of them were identified by later scholars, and their names and biographies were recorded in religious reference texts such as Muhammad ibn Sa'd's early Kitab at-Tabaqat al-Kabir.
It was important to identify the companions because later scholars accepted their testimony (the hadith, or traditions) as to the words and deeds of Muhammad, the occasions on which the Qur'an was revealed, and various important matters of Islamic history and practice (sunnah). The testimony of the companions, as it was passed down through chains of trusted narrators (isnads), was the basis of the developing Islamic tradition.
Soon after Muhammad's death the Muslim community, the ummah, was riven by conflicts over leadership. Companions took sides in the conflicts – or were forced to take sides – and later scholars considered their allegiances in weighing their testimony. The two largest Muslim denominations, the Shia and Sunni take very different approaches in weighing the value of the companions' testimony. The Sunni view of the companions, and the value of their testimony, can be found at Sunni ranking of the Sahaba; Shi'a estimates at Shia ranking of the Sahaba. A list of the best-known companions will be found at List of companions of the prophet Muhammad.
Other links in the chain of isnad
Because the hadith were not written down until many years after the death of Muhammad, the isnads, or chains of transmission, always have several links. The first link is preferably a companion, who had direct contact with Muhammad. The companion then related the tradition to a taba'een, the companion of the companion. Taba'een had no direct contact with Muhammad, but did have direct contact with the sahaabi. The tradition then would have been passed from the taba'een to the taba taba'een, the third link.
The second and third links in the chain of transmission were also of great interest to Muslim scholars, who treated of them in biographical dictionaries and evaluated them for bias and reliability. Again, Shi'a and Sunni apply different metrics.
How many companions were there?
Shi'a Muslims believe that Muhammad appointed Ali ibn Abu Talib as his successor at Gadir Khum, a way-station on the road to Mecca. He is said to have done this when returning from his last pilgrimage, or Hajj. The Shi'a traditions say that there were 100,000 pilgrims at Gadir Khum. Therefore they assert that there were 100,000 companions. A few Sunni authorities have accepted the Shi'a crowd estimates, without accepting the Shi'a version of Muhammad's speech. (See Succession to Muhammad.) Western academics have generally passed over the whole incident, possibly because they regard it as an implausible pious exaggeration. Aside from polemic claims to a huge audience, there is no historical or archaeological evidence for such an enormous gathering.
See also
- Hadith
- Isnad
- Taba'een
- Taba Tabe'een
- Non-Muslims who interacted with Muslims during Muhammad's era.
- Narrators of hadith