In the Sunan collections it is reported that he said:

“May Allah illumine the face of the one who hears a ḥadith from us and then conveys it to someone who has not heard it. For it may be that a person carries fiqh (legal understanding) without himself being a jurist, and it may be that the carrier of fiqh conveys it to someone who is more learned than he.”

Thus the ḥawāriyyūn (disciples) in transmitting from the Messiah are like the companions of the other prophets in transmitting from them.

Allah the Exalted says in His Book:

“O you who believe, obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those vested with authority among you. Then if you dispute about anything, refer it to Allah and the Messenger, if you truly believe in Allah and the Last Day. That is better and yields the best outcome.” [Q al-Nisāʾ 4:59]

Those vested with authority are the scholars and the rulers. When they command what Allah and His Messenger have commanded, their obedience is obligatory; but when people differ over any matter, it must be referred back to Allah and the Messenger—may Allah bless him and grant him peace. It is not to be referred to anyone other than the messengers whom Allah has sent, as He says in another verse:

“Mankind were but one community, then Allah sent the prophets as bearers of glad tidings and warners, and He sent down with them the Book in truth so that it might judge between people concerning that over which they differed. None differed over it except those who had been given it, after clear proofs had come to them, out of mutual envy. Then Allah guided those who believed to the truth of that over which they had differed, by His permission. And Allah guides whom He wills to a straight path.” [Q al-Baqarah 2:213]