are Companions! Yet this conclusion calls for further examination, because he (1) declared quite clearly in the preface of his book that he (2) mentioned them only so that his work would be comprehensive (3), taking in everyone who belonged to the first generation (4).
The sound view is that they are to be counted among the senior Successors, whether it is known (5) that a given person among them had already embraced Islam during the Prophet’s (6) lifetime—such as the Negus—or (7) not.
However, if it is established that on the Night of the Isrāʾ (Night Journey) the Prophet ﷺ was shown all the inhabitants of the earth and actually saw them, then whoever was a believer in him (8) while he was alive (9) at that very time (10)—even though he never met him—should be reckoned among the Companions, for the element of direct sight was realized on the Prophet’s (11) side (12) ﷺ (13).
Thus, the first (14) category (15) of those previously mentioned
(1) MS B reads lakinnahu ("but he").
(2) The words bi-annahu ("because he") are missing from MS K.
(3) The word jamiʿan ("altogether") is absent from MS M.
(4) Al-Istiʿab, 1:24.
(5) MSS J and L read aʿraf ("I know [best]").
(6) MSS A and K have Rasul Allah ("the Messenger of Allah").
(7) MS T reads aw ("or").
(8) The word bihi ("concerning him") is omitted in MSS T and L.
(9) The phrase fi hayatihi ("during his lifetime") is lacking in MS Y.
(10) The expression idh dhaka ("at that time") is not found in MSS A, B, T, L, or M.
(11) MS D reads bi-husul ("upon realization").
(12) MSS H, W, and Z have fi hayatihi ("during his lifetime") in place of min janibihi ("on his part").
(13) MS H adds min janibihi ("on his part"); in the margins of MSS A and D, in the author’s own hand, appears: thumma balagha kadhalik ("then it likewise reached").
(14) MSS A and H have wa-l-qasm ("and the oath"), whereas MS T reads al-qasm ("the oath") without the prefixed conjunction.
(15) MS B reads ma ("what").