Questioner: I’ll ask a very small question. I have some big ones, but I’ll leave them. Huzoor (rh): Thank you.
Questioner: Could you kindly explain what is the difference between a Hawari and a companion Sahabi? Please.
Huzoor (rh):The difference is from the point of view of to whom are you a Hawari or a Sahabi? That’s all the difference. You know, it simply means somebody who is attached in company to someone else. All these terms are applied to companions. The word companion is a general word. It would be defined according to the fact that in each case, a man can be a companion to one particular person.
So if he is a companion to a lowly placed person, his companionship is also of that order. If he is a companion to a highly noble person, his companionship would be of that high noble order. So the word would be defined according to every situation, on merit. All prophets had companions, but all prophets did not stand on the same status or station with Allah. There were differences. Some were dearer to Allah and some were less dearer, but dear they were, all of them. But there was a difference in degrees. So the companions of prophets of higher degree would be companions of a higher nature.
That is to say, the word companionship will mean greater things as applied to them, than to certain others who are companions of prophets of lesser degrees. So with that difference in mind, the word companion is the same, whether it is applied to the companions of Jesus Christ, or companions of Moses, or companions of Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, or whatever you may say.
