The word ‘Sahaaba’ is derived from ‘Suhbat’ which means companionship. This companionship is so valuable that Allah Ta'ala addresses the Sahaaba with this title till the day of Qiyaamah.  There isn’t a greater Aalim, Muhaddith, Mufassir, Mujahid than the Sahaaba R.A yet they are not addressed with any of these titles. The Kuffaar also address them as the companions of the messenger. They have been bestowed with great respect and honour on the basis of Suhbat.

A person that had seen Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam as a Muslim even though he hasn’t performed a single Salaah, memorised a single Hadith, learnt a single Mas’ala of Deen, will be regarded as a Sahaabi. The world full of Ulema, Mujahideen, Uwais Qarni cannot match that Sahaabi of Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam.

These are not the words of some traditionalist, conservative, backward thinking Alim but the words of Judge Akbar Ilaahaabadi of the high court,

نہ کتابوں سے نہ وعظوں سے نہ زر سے  ہوتا ہے پیدا

دین ہوتا ہے بزرگوں کی نظر سے پیدا

It is not created through Kitaabs, lectures or gold,

Deen is created by the gazes of the pious

The Sahaaba had remained with Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam and had pleased Rasulullah

 Salalallahu Alaihi Wasallam. The Buzurgs says,

دعاء کرائی نہیں جاتی                    دعاء  لی  جاتی ہیں

Dua is not requested, rather Dua is taken

This means that one should have such a relationship that the Duas flow from the heart. This is the Tawajjuh and Nazar of the Buzurgs. When Duas flow from their heart, you will see miracles happening in your life. This is Tasawwuf and remaining n the companionship of the Sheikh.

In Jaameeus Sagheer the following text has been recorded,

الشيخ فى قومه كالنبىّ فى امته

The Sheikh amongst his people is like the Nabie in his Ummat

The Sahaaba were with Rasulullah Salalallahu Alaihi Wasallam. The Mureeds are always with their Sheikh whoever the Sheikh is, whether Hadrat Maulana Maseehullah Saheb R.A, Hadrat Maulana Abrar-ul-Haq Saheb R.A, Hadrat Shah Hakim Akhtar Saheb R.A, etc. We should see how the lives of people that stayed with them have changed. This is when things are done in the correct way, and not that we are with the Mashaaikh so that we can enjoy the invitations everywhere. There is a beautiful poem,

ان کے ملنے کی یہی ایک راہ ہے                      ان کے ملنے والوں سے راہ پیدا کرو

 There is only one way of meeting Him, establish a connection with those that meet with Him

There was a certain joker and accompanied our Sheikh on Safr as well. He had slightly changed the poem in this manner,   

مرغی کھانے  کی یہی ایک راہ ہے    مرغی کھانے  والوں سے راہ پیدا کرو

There is only one way of eating chicken, establish a connection with those that eat chicken.

In other words, go out with the pious people and you will get chickens to eat as people are always slaughtering chickens for them. Hadrat said, “O Foolish man, if your intention is only to eat chicken then you will only get chicken.” If your Niyyat is to find Allah Ta'ala then you will get chicken as well as find Allah Ta'ala. The companionship of the pious certainly has a tremendous effect on the life of a person.