Sahabi (Companion of the Prophet)

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.