The term sahaba(companions) is derived from the root suhbah, which means "to accompany someone, to be a sahabi or friend to them." It refers to the first generation of Muslims who had the privilege of the companionship of our Prophet (pbuh). Although sahaba is grammatically a plural noun, its singular form is sahabi (companion). While there are minor differences in its precise definition, according to the vast majority of hadith scholars, a sahabi is defined as: "A person who met with the Prophet while in a state of faith and passed away as a Muslim.”
Let us elaborate on this definition in order to understand who is considered part of the generation of sahaba, and subsequently discuss their role in the transmission of hadith.
A meticulous examination of the definition of a sahabi reveals that the phrase "met with the Prophet," does not impose any time restrictions on the duration of that companionship. Indeed, hadith scholars generally did not require a person to have spent a long period of time in the company of the Messenger of Allah to be considered a sahabi. Consequently, just as individuals who spent many years with the Prophet are counted as sahaba, those who met him only briefly during the Farewell Pilgrimage (Hajj al-Wada’), and even those who encountered him but were unable to hear any specific words from him, also fall under the scope of the sahaba. The definition of a sahabi in such a broad sense is linked to the fact that merely laying eyes on the Prophet was regarded as a supreme honour for Muslims.
According to this definition, it is estimated that the number of sahabi could reach up to 100,000. However, this does not imply that every sahabi was equally active in the transmission of hadiths. In fact, the number of sahaba that narrated hadith is only believed to be between 1,000 and 1,300. Moreover, not every sahabi that transmitted hadith(s) is among those who narrated a large volume of hadiths. From nearly 600 of these narrating sahaba(rawi), only one or two hadiths have been transmitted. Meanwhile, less then 40 sahaba have narrated more than 100 hadiths. This demonstrates that a significant proportion of the hadiths reaching us today actually are transmitted by a limited number of sahaba. Therefore, it must first be stated that presenting the inclusion of all Muslims who met the Prophet within the definition of sahaba as "a problem that undermines trust in hadiths" is neither fair nor sincere. At the same time, it should be pointed out that it is entirely natural for certain sahaba who spent only a brief time with the Prophet to narrate hadiths. These sahaba sharing their memories of those precious moments spent with the Prophet must be considered completely normal.
Sahaba played a vital role in ensuring that hadiths reached later generations. In addition to this, they were the generation that compiled the Qur'an, meticulously collecting it into written codices (masahif) and ensuring its preservation for posterity. It is well known that sahaba, particularly those who were closely associated with the Prophet or had the opportunity to spend extended periods in his company, were extremely eager and meticulous in learning his words and deeds. This attitude of sahaba was undoubtedly influenced by verses of the Qur'an highlighting the importance of the sunnah. Indeed, the Qur'an contains numerous verses concerning obeying the Messenger of Allah (Surah an-Nisa, 4:80), following him (Surah Al 'Imran, 3:31–32), and accepting his rulings (Surah al-Ahzab, 33:36). Furthermore, the Qur'an states that the Prophet is an excellent role model for the believers (Surah al-Ahzab, 33:21). It is evident that these divine directives served as a significant motivation for the sahaba al-kiram (the noble companions) to adhere meticulously to the words and actions of the Prophet, with all their hearts. For this purpose, a number of sahaba stayed in a specific area known as the suffah in the Prophet's Mosque (Masjid al-Nabawi) to remain closer to the Prophet, ensuring a greater opportunity to benefit from his guidance and teachings. In instances where other sahaba were preoccupied with obligations and consequently unable to attend the gatherings organized by the Messenger of Allah, tried to make up for their absence by asking them what they had missed.
Even Umar ibn al-Khattab mentioned that he and one of his neighbors from the ansar(helpers) used to take turns attending the gatherings of the Messenger of Allah and relaying the acquired knowledge to one another (Sahih al-Bukhari, "Ilm", 27). In a narration describing the Prophet's addressing sahaba, Abu Sa'id al-Khudri states that they sat "as still as if there were birds perched on their heads" (Sahih al-Bukhari, "Jihad", 37), thereby pointing to their intense concentration. The fact that sahaba narrated hadiths detailing the finest minutiae, such as how the Prophet worshipped, how he spoke, how he sat and stood, how he ate, how he walked, and how he smiled; shows that they recognized the immense value of the moments they spent with the Messenger of Allah and followed them with utmost care.
The awareness that sahaba had regarding the value of the sunnah naturally reflected upon their attitude toward “teaching hadiths." Two primary motivations can be cited regarding their approach to transmitting hadiths. One of them is the responsibility of passing the hadiths on to future generations. The other one is the profound apprehension and fear of making a mistake while doing so. Sahaba were inspired to teach the hadiths they knew, by the encouragement and supplication of the Prophet: "May Allah brighten the face of a person who hears a statement from me, (memorizes it well), and conveys it to others just as he heard it" (Tirmidhi, "Ilm", 7). In addition to that their intense sensitivity toward the sunnah led them to be extremely cautious and prudent when teaching hadiths. It is reported that whenever Abdullah ibn Mas'ud was about to narrate a hadith, his eyes would well up with tears and the veins in his neck would swell (Darimi, Muqaddimah, 28), which stands as an example demonstrating how seriously sahaba took the narration of hadiths. Likewise, when Zayd ibn Arqam was asked to narrate a hadith in his later years, he responded, "We have grown old, our memories have weakened, and narrating hadiths is a difficult task" (Ibn Majah, Muqaddimah, 3).
It is evident that sahaba al-kiram put sincere efforts to fulfill their duty of transmitting hadiths to subsequent generations. The numerous hadiths that have been transmitted to us through them serve as evidence that this generation demonstrated unwavering loyalty and dedication to the Messenger of Allah in the after his passing, just as they had been his friends and supporters during his lifetime.
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Note: This article constitutes a component of a broad-perspective study conducted by the Meridyen Association, for the benefit of Muslims, particularly in the context of hadith, sunnah and related subjects. The issues addressed were discussed in detail by a group of experts in their respective fields, and each article was written independently by the relevant author. The following researchers were consulted for this study: Prof. Dr. Ahmet Yücel, Prof. Dr. Ayşe Esra Şahyar, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Fatma Kızıl, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Rahile Kızılkaya Yılmaz, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dilek Tekin, and Dr. Betül Yılmazörnek.
Translated by Merve Tosun.
