[Q 466]Virtue of Sahaba and Ahl al-Bayt

Question

Respected Ulema!

Some say that the Sahaba (Companions) are Afzal (more virtuous), and some say that Ahl al-Bayt (the blessed family) are Afzal. Some say that the Sahaba are Afzal but Ahl al-Bayt have more fazilat (virtue) because they are the blood of RasoolAllah ﷺ and cannot be compared — that there is no qiyas (comparison) with them. What is the true and correct understanding of Ahl al-Sunnah wal Jama‘ah?

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

الجواب بعون الملك الوهاب اللهم هداية الحق والصواب

Answer

Whether it be the Sahaba (Companions) or the Ahl al-Bayt (Family of the Prophet ﷺ), their superiority in the sight of Allah is based on Taqwa (piety). Because of this Taqwa, all the noble Companions (Sahaba Kiram) and the great Followers (Tabi‘een) رضي الله تعالى عنهم اجمعين are unanimous that after the Prophets عليهم الصلوٰۃ والسلام, the most superior among all humans is Sayyiduna Abu Bakr al-Siddiq رضي الله تعالى عنه, then Sayyiduna ‘Umar al-Farooq رضي الله تعالى عنه. This belief is the creed of the true path, Ahl al-Sunnah wal Jama‘ah, and it is supported by many Ahadith Nabawiyyah (Prophetic sayings), Aathar Sahabah (sayings of the Companions), and the statements of the Imams of Islam.

After these two, the consensus of the majority of Ahl al-Sunnah is that the next in rank is Sayyiduna ‘Uthman al-Ghani رضي الله تعالى عنه, then Sayyiduna Mawla ‘Ali رضي الله تعالى عنه. After them come the remaining members of the ‘Asharah Mubasharah (the ten companions given glad tidings of Paradise), then the two grandsons, Sayyiduna Hasan and Sayyiduna Husayn رضي الله تعالى عنهما. After them come the Ashab Badr (participants of the Battle of Badr), then the Ashab Uhud (participants of Uhud), and then the Ashab Bay‘at al-Ridwan (those who pledged under the tree). All of these are certainly among the people of Jannah (Paradise).

After the Prophets عليهم الصلاة والسلام, the most superior among people are Abu Bakr, then ‘Umar, then ‘Uthman رضي الله تعالى عنهم. Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar رضي الله تعالى عنهما narrates:

“قال كنا نخير بین الناس فی زمان رسول اللہ صلی اللہ تعالی علیہ وسلم ،فنخیر ابا بکر ثم عمر بن الخطاب ثم عثمان بن عفان”

Translation: Ibn ‘Umar رضي الله تعالى عنهما said: “During the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, we used to choose whom we considered most virtuous, and we regarded Abu Bakr al-Siddiq, then ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab, then ‘Uthman ibn ‘Affan رضي الله تعالى عنهم as the most virtuous.”

(Sahih al-Bukhari, Vol. 1, p. 516, Karachi Edition)

‘Allamah Nawawi al-Shafi‘i عليه الرحمۃ states:

“واتفق اھل السنۃ علی ان افضلھم ابو بکر،ثم عمر ،قال جمھورھم ثم عثمان ثم علی،قال ابو منصور البغدادی :اصحابنا مجمعون علی ان افضلھم الخلفاء الاربعۃ علی الترتیب المذکور ثم تمام العشرۃ ،ثم اھل بدر،ثم احد،ثم بیعۃ الرضوان”

Meaning: The Ahl al-Sunnah wal Jama‘ah are unanimously agreed that the most superior among all the Companions رضي الله عنهم is Sayyiduna Abu Bakr al-Siddiq رضي الله تعالى عنه, then Sayyiduna ‘Umar رضي الله تعالى عنه. The majority of the scholars st466]Virtue of ate that after Sayyiduna ‘Umar comes Sayyiduna ‘Uthman رضي الله تعالى عنه, then Sayyiduna ‘Ali رضي الله تعالى عنه. Abu Mansur al-Baghdadi states that our scholars have consensus that the four Caliphs, in the mentioned order, are superior to all other Companions, then come the rest of the ‘Asharah Mubasharah, then the people of Badr, then Uhud, then those who participated in the pledge of Ridwan.

(Sharh Muslim by Imam Nawawi, Kitab Fada’il al-Sahabah, p. 272, Karachi Edition)

In al-Fiqh al-Akbar it is stated:

“وأفضل الناس بعد النبيين عليهم الصلاة والسلام أبو بكر الصديق ثم عمر بن الخطاب الفاروق ثم عثمان بن عفان ذو النورين ثم علي بن أبي طالب المرتضى رضوان الله عليهم أجمعين.”

(al-Fiqh al-Akbar, p. 41, publisher: Maktabat al-Furqan – U.A.E.)

Answered by: Usman Madani (Ask Mufti Scholar)
Translated answer
Date: 22nd October 2025
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