Hadith Ashabi ka al-Nujum

Calligraphy of the Hadith “My Companions are like the Stars” by Hashim al-Baghdadi

The Ḥadīth Aṣḥābī ka al-nujūm (Arabic:حديث أَصحابي كالنُّجوم, lit: My Companions are like the stars), also known as the Ḥadīth of Iqtidā and Ihtidā (Arabic:حديث الاقتداء والاهتداء, lit: Imitation and Guidance), is a narration attributed to the Prophet Muhammad (s). Sunni scholars commonly cite it as evidence for the necessity of unconditional obedience to all the Prophet's Companions and as proof of their collective uprightness and justice.

Shia scholars, along with some Sunni authorities, consider this narration weak or fabricated. According to Shia belief, accepting the hadith as authentic would imply the infallibility of all Companions, a notion inconsistent with the well-documented disputes and contradictions among them. Moreover, the hadith conflicts with several Qur'anic verses and other traditions that criticize the conduct of certain Companions.

According to Shia scholars, even if the hadith were considered authentic, it could only apply to certain Companions, specifically those who did not deviate from the Prophet's path after his passing. In Shia sources, two versions of this narration are recorded, both of which identify the Ahl al-Bayt (a) as the true Companions who serve as guides for the community.

Documentary Basis for the Justice of the Companions

The Hadith of "My Companions are like the stars", also known as the Hadith of Iqtida and Ihtida ("Following and Guidance"), is a narration attributed to the Prophet Muhammad (s) that refers to the role of the Companions in guiding people.

It has been said that this narration serves as the basis for several Sunni beliefs, such as the validity of unconditional obedience to the Companions, the authority and exemplary status of all of them, the purity of every Companion, the praiseworthiness of all the Companions, their superiority over other people, and the justice and integrity of all of them. However, some have stated that the meaning of this narration is the reliability of following the Companions in transmitting and accepting what they report, not in following them in issuing legal rulings (fatwas).

Shia Scholars' Approach

Shia scholars regard this narration as fabricated, citing its weak chain of transmission, its inconsistency with historical evidence, and its contradiction with definitive rational and textual proofs. In their view, even if the hadith were authentic, its application could not include all of the Companions; rather, it would be limited to specific individuals, namely Imam Ali (a), Imam al-Hasan (a), and Imam al-Husayn (a).

Variation of the Narration in Shia and Sunni Sources

The Hadith of Iqtida and Ihtida appears in Sunni sources with several different wordings:

• "Indeed, my Companions are like the stars; whichever of them you follow, you will be guided." «إنّما أصحابی کالنجوم بأیّهم اقتدیتم اهتدیتم».
• "My Companions are like the stars in the sky; whichever of them you hold to, you will be guided." «إنَّ أصحابی بِمَنزِلَةِ النُجومِ فِی السماء، فَأَیّما أَخَذتُم بِه اِهْتَدَیتُم».
• "The example of my Companions is that of the stars; whoever follows any of them will be guided." «مَثَلُ أَصحابی مَثَلُ النُجوم، مَن اقتَدی بِشَیءٍ مِنها اهتَدی».

It is said that the last version is the most well-known among these reports, although such minor variations in wording do not change the overall meaning of the narration.

Ahl al-Bayt as Exemplary Companions in Shia Narrations

This narration also appears in Shia sources, but with a different meaning and emphasis:

• Muhammad b. Hasan al-Saffar al-Qummi (d. 290 /902) reports a version in his book Basa'ir al-Darajat in which the Prophet Muhammad (s) first advises adherence to the Qur'an and his own Sunna (tradition). He then adds that his Companions are like the stars that guide people. When he is asked who those Companions are, the Prophet replies:

"They are my Ahl al-Bayt (Household)."

• Al-Shaykh al-Saduq (d. 381 /991), in his book 'Uyun Akhbar al-Rida, narrates that this hadith was brought up before Imam al-Rida (a), and the Imam (a) explained that the term "my Companions" (ashabi) in this narration refers to those who did not undergo change or deviation after the Prophet (s).

Based on these narrations, it is said that only the Ahl al-Bayt (a) can truly be regarded as the Companions intended in this hadith. Other well-known traditions, such as the Hadith al-Safina, Hadith al-Thaqalayn, and Hadith al-Kisa', are cited as supporting evidence for this interpretation. Some Sunni sources also record a version of the narration that replaces "Ashabi ka al-nujum" with "Ahl Bayti ka al-nujum bi-ayyihim iqtadaytum ihtadaytum". (My Household are like the stars; whichever of them you follow, you will be guided)

Content-Related Critiques of the Narration

Shia scholars have presented several arguments in refutation of the interpretation commonly derived from the hadith "My Companions are like the stars." These critiques can generally be grouped into three main categories:

• The first argument holds that accepting the content of the narration and its implications, such as the infallibility, justice, and guidance of all the Companions, is impossible, since their historical conduct includes clear conflicts and contradictions, even to the extent of fighting and shedding one another's blood.

• The content of this narration is incompatible with several verses of the Qur'an, such as verses 15–16 of Quran 8, verses 16, 23, 24, 25, 38, 86, 87, and 107 of Quran 9, and verse 11 of Quran 62. These verses criticize the behavior of certain Companions and indicate the presence of hypocrites among them, making it impossible to reconcile the hadith's general praise of all Companions with the Qur'anic evidence.

• This hadith conflicts with other traditions attributed to the Prophet (s) that prohibit following certain Companions, mention the apostasy of some of them, and include reports in which the Companions themselves admitted their ignorance of religious rulings, as well as narrations describing their lack of commitment to the faith and their introduction of religious innovations.

Fabricated and Weak Nature of the Narration According to Sunni Scholars

Several Sunni scholars—including Ibn Hazm (d. 456/1064), Ibn Abd al-Barr al-Qurtubi (d. 463/1071), Ibn Qudamah (d. 620/1223), Abu Hayyan al-Andalusi (d. 745/1344), Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyyah (d. 751/1350), Ibn Abi al-'Izz al-Hanafi (d. 792/1390), and Muhammad Nasir al-Din al-Albani (d. 1420/1999)—have regarded the hadith "My Companions are like the stars" as fabricated, unreliable, false, and spurious.

Others, such as al-Bayhaqi (d. 458/1066), Ibn Taymiyya (d. 728/1328), Ibn al-Mulaqqin (d. 804 /1401), al-Sakhawi (d. 902/1497), and Mubarakfuri—a hadith scholar, jurist, and theologian from the Indian subcontinent in the 13th/19th century (d. 1353/ 1934)—consider the narration to be seriously weak and reported only in unreliable sources.

It has also been reported that Sunni hadith biographers have regarded some of the narrators of this hadith as weak or even fabricators of traditions.

Monographic Studies

Shia scholars have written independent works criticizing the Hadith of Iqtida and Ihtida.

• Ahmad b. Ali al-Najashi attributes a treatise titled Mas'ala fi qawl al-Nabi: Ashabi ka al-Nujum (A Question on the Prophet's Saying: 'My Companions are like the Stars') to al-Shaykh al-Mufid. It is said that this book is no longer extant, but based on its title, some have speculated that al-Shaykh al-Mufid may not have considered the narration fabricated.

• Aqa Buzurg al-Tihrani also mentions a work entitled Sharh hadith Ashabi ka al-nujum bi-ayyihim iqtadaytum ihtadaytum (Explanation of the Hadith 'My Companions are like the Stars; Whichever of Them You Follow, You Will Be Guided'), whose author remains unknown. According to his report, this treatise argues for the falsity and fabricated nature of the hadith.

• Sayyid Ali Milani, a contemporary Shia theologian, has also written a book titled “Ashabi ka al-Nujum”. In this work, he conducts a comprehensive analysis of the hadith's chain of transmission and content, critically examining its authenticity and meaning.

• Another work, Nazarat fi hadith Ashabi ka al-Nujum (Reflections on the Hadith 'My Companions are like the Stars'), was authored by Salih b. Sa'id b. Halabi, a Sunni writer. In this book, the author presents six different versions of the narration and provides a chain-based critique, arguing, based on the opinions of Sunni scholars, that all of them are fabricated.