A Theological Investigation on Scientific Authority and Justice of the Companions

Scientific authority and justice of the companions of the prophet has been amongst the frequent theological discussions in Sunni and Shiite discourse. Qualification has a determining role for interpreting Quran and tradition and reviewing the events occurred at the early Islam and through modification (revision) many of predicaments in the world of Islam can be solved. Shiite and Sunni adopt two different approaches toward the status of the companions.   One approach is established on the basis of the performance of the companions in relation with logical requirements of the action and evaluations through standards set in religious texts.  The other is on the basis of a confirmatory view and is therefore absolutist. Almost all Sunnis believe that all companions are just and find fault in their criticism. Naturally, in Sunni view the companions enjoy a distinct scientific authority however in Shiite view, the companions of the household of the prophet with infallibility characteristic possess ultimate authority while in other cases the companions are evaluated against prophetic book, tradition, tradition of the immaculate Imams and logic. In the current research these two views are compared on the basis of historical, theological, and traditional and commentary sources.