But if it is known that another Companion disagreed with him, his statement is not authoritative proof, by agreement. If it is not known whether another Companion agreed or disagreed with him, neither possibility can be asserted conclusively. Whenever the Sunnah indicates otherwise, authoritative proof lies in the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, not in what contradicts it. There is no doubt about this among the scholars.

Accordingly, if it is established that Uthmān ibn Hanīf or someone else considered it a prescribed and recommended practice to seek a means of approach to Allah through the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, after his death, without the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, praying for that person or interceding on his behalf, we know that Umar and the leading Companions did not regard this as prescribed after his death as it had been during his lifetime. Rather, during his lifetime they sought a means of approach through him when praying for rain, but after he died they no longer did so.

Instead, Umar said in his authentic, well-known supplication, whose authenticity is unanimously acknowledged by the scholars, in the presence of the Emigrants and the Helpers during the well-known Year of Ashes—when the drought became so severe that Umar swore not to eat clarified butter until the people enjoyed plenty again—when he sought rain through al-Abbās:

“O Allah, whenever we suffered drought, we used to seek a means of approach to You through our Prophet, and You would grant us rain. Now we seek a means of approach to You through our Prophet’s uncle, so grant us rain.”

And they would be granted rain. All the Companions assented to this supplication, and none objected to it despite its being widely known. It is one of the clearest instances of consensus by assent. Muʿāwiya ibn Abī Sufyān made a similar supplication during his caliphate when he led the people in praying for rain.

Had their seeking a means of approach through the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, after his death been the same as doing so during his lifetime, they would have said:

“How can we seek a means of approach through the likes of al-Abbās, Yazīd ibn al-Aswad and others like them, and turn away from seeking a means of approach through the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, who is the best of creation and the best means of approach