Nasb-and-the-Nawasib

لما كان لفظ الصحبة فيه عموم وخصوص كان من اختص من الصحابة بما يتميز به عن غيره يوصف بتلك
الصحبة دون من لم يشركه فيها
Because the word Ṣuḥbah has general and specific connotations, a Ṣaḥābī
who exclusively enjoyed a particular type of companionship will be
described with it, to the exclusion of those who did not share the same
with him. 1
Ibn Ḥajar 2 mentions:
ل خفاء برجحان رتبة من لزمه صلى الله عليه وسلم وقاتل معه أو قتل تحت رايته على من لم يالزمه،‏
أو لم يحضر معه مشهدا،‏ وعلى من كلمه يسيرا،‏ أو ماشاه قليال،‏ أو رآه على بعد،‏ أو في حال الطفولة،‏ وإن
كان شرف الصحبة حاصال للجميع
No doubt that those who constantly accompanied Nabī H, fought by
his side or were martyred under his flag hold a higher rank than those who
did not constantly accompany him, did not participate in any expedition
with him, had a short conversation with him, walked with him a little, saw
him from far or whilst still children. Yes the merit of companionship is
true for all of them. 3
Probably the incident wherein Khālid ibn al-Walīd I verbally offended ʿAbd
al-Raḥmān ibn ʿAwf I, subsequent to which Rasūl Allāh H forbade him
from doing so, will shed more light on the matter. Nabī H said:
1 Majmūʿ Fatāwā Shaykh al-Islām 35/59.
2 Aḥmad ibn ʿAlī ibn Muḥammad ibn Muḥammad al-Kinānī, Abū al-Faḍl al-ʿAsqalānī, famously
known as Ibn Ḥajar (a title accorded to one of his forefathers). An adherent of the Shāfiʿī School who
was prolific scholar of ḥadīth. He became popular for his in depth research and extensive knowledge
in the sciences of ḥadīth. He was born in Cairo in 773 A.H. His books were widely acknowledged. He
presided as a judge many a times. He passed away in 852 A.H. Some of his books are: Fatḥ al-Bārī,
al-Iṣābah and al-Durar al-Kāminah. See: al-Ḍawʾ al-Lāmiʿ 2/36; Shadharāt al-Dhahab 7/270; al-Dāwūdī:
Ṭabaqāt al-Mufassirīn 329; al-Aʿlām 1/178.
3 Sharḥ Nukhbah al-Fikar p. 29.
27