Sahabi (Companion of the Prophet)
A person who met the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) as a believer and died as a Muslim.
Sahabi (plural: sahabah) is a person who met the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) as a believer and died as a Muslim. The sahabah hold a special status in Sunni Islam and are considered the most righteous generation of Muslims. Allah says in the Quran: "Allah is well pleased with the first forerunners among the Muhajirun and Ansar" (9:100).
The sahabah are the primary narrators of the Prophet's hadith and prayer tradition. Without their careful narration, we would not know the details of how the Prophet prayed. The most prominent narrators of prayer hadith include Abu Hurayrah, Abdullah ibn Umar, Aisha bint Abi Bakr, Anas ibn Malik, and Abdullah ibn Mas'ud.
In Sunni Islam, all sahabah are considered righteous ('udul), and their testimony is accepted in hadith narration. The Prophet said: "My companions are like the stars — whichever of them you follow, you will be guided" (narrated by Ibn Abd al-Barr). Respecting and honoring the sahabah is a fundamental part of the Sunni faith.
Related terms
Masjid al-Nabawi (The Prophet's Mosque)
The Prophet Muhammad's mosque in Medina, the second holiest mosque in Islam.
Qabd (Folding the Arms in Prayer)
The practice of folding the arms over the chest or below the navel during the standing position in prayer.
Sujud al-Tilawah (Prostration of Recitation)
A prostration performed when reciting or hearing specific Quranic verses.
Sunan al-Tirmidhi (Tirmidhi's Hadith Collection)
One of the six canonical hadith collections, known for its classification of narrations by strength.
Salat al-Tasbih (The Prayer of Glorification)
A special voluntary prayer with 300 tasbih recitations, recommended for forgiveness of sins.
Salat al-Istikhara (Guidance Prayer)
A prayer where one asks Allah for guidance to make the right decision.