Definition of Sahabi [companion]

Hakeem-ul-Ummah, Mufti Ahmad Yar Khan رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه states: Sahabi [companion] in Shari’ah is the one who sees the Holy Rasool صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم in the state of Iman and sanity, or got the privilege of his صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم company and also passed away in the state of Iman.

(Mirat-ul-Manajeeh, vol. 8, pp. 334)

صَلُّوۡا عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب           صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلٰى مُحَمَّد

Blessed companions are the greatest of Awliya

Dear Islamic brothers! Remember! All the prominent and distinguished Islamic scholars have consensus over the fact that the blessed companions
رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُم are اَفْضَلُ الْاَوْلِیَاء (i.e. superior to all the blessed Awliya رَحِمَهُمُ الـلّٰـهُ تَـعَالٰی). I.e. Even if all the blessed Awliya رَحِمَهُمُ الـلّٰـهُ تَـعَالٰی until the Day of Judgement attain the highest ranks of Wilayah, yet they can never reach the greatness of Wilayah of any Sahabi at all. Allah Almighty blessed the ardent devotees of His Beloved Nabi صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم with such elevated ranks of Wilayah and such great saintly miracles which cannot even be imagined for the other blessed Awliya رَحِمَهُمُ الـلّٰـهُ تَـعَالٰی. There is no doubt in the fact that not many saintly miracles were manifested by the blessed companions رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُم as compared to those narrated from the other blessed Awliya رَحِمَهُمُ الـلّٰـهُ تَـعَالٰی. But remember! Excess of saintly miracles is not proof of the superiority of Wilayah; because Wilayah actually refers to the closeness to Allah Almighty. More the closeness one will have in the court of Allah Almighty, higher his rank will be in Wilayah. Because the blessed companions رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُم are blessed with the luminosity and grace of Nubuwwah of the Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, hence the rank that they have attained in the court of Allah Almighty cannot be attained by the other blessed Awliya رَحِمَهُمُ الـلّٰـهُ تَـعَالٰی. Sadr-ush-Shari’ah, Badr-ut-Tareeqah, ‘Allamah Maulana Mufti Muhammad Amjad Ali A’zami رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه states in ‘Bahar-e-Shari’at’, volume 1, page 252, a publication of Maktaba-tul-Madinah, the publishing department of Dawat-e-Islami: All the blessed companions رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُم [are those who] possess goodness and piety, and are