How many companions did the prophet muhammed have?

In a Nutshell: At the demise of the Prophet, scholars estimate the minimum number of companions the Prophet Muhammed (saw) had was around 60,000 and the maximum number was around 124,000. Scholars' Analysis of companions of the Prophet (saw) It is hard to count the number of companions before the Prophet (saw) passed away because almost all Arabia converted to Islam at that time. Scholars disagree on the average number of companions at the Prophet's death; some argue they were 114,000, others argue 124,000, and others argue 60,000. The third-century hadith scholar Abu Zar'ah ar-Razi, the teacher of Imam Muslim, noted they were more than one hundred companions. Safaniri narrated: ذكَرَّ أَبُو زَرْعَةَ الرّازِيِّ ... أَصِحَابُ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيه وَسَلَّمَ يَزِيدُونَ عَلَى الماِئَةِ ألْفِ .... وَرَوَى أَنَّهُمْ مِائَةَ ألْفٍ وَأَرْبَعَةٌ وَعِشْرُونً ألْفًا مِمَّنْ رَوَى عَنْهُ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيه وَسَلَّمَ وَسَمِعَ مِنْهُ ، وَاُسْتَبْعَدَهُ الْبَرْمَاوِي . قُلْتُ : جَزَمَ بِهَذَا الْعَدَدِ الْجَلاَلُ السُّيُوطِيَّ . "Abu Zar'ah ar-Razi said the companions of the Prophet (saw) were more than one hundred... It was narrated, by those who narrated (or heard) from the Prophet (saw), they were 124,000, but Barmawi ruled this out. I (Safarini) argue this number was confirmed by Suyuti." (Safarini, Ghidha' al-al-Bab, Vol. 1, p. 23) The ninth-century scholar Sakhawi further argued they were 114,000 companions. He also narrated the Hanbali jurist Imam Ahmed, the founder of Hanbali madhab, said 30,000 men prayed with the Prophet (saw) before he passed away. (Sakhawi, Fath al-Mughith, Vol. 4, pp. 109-112) The second-century jurist Imam Shafi'i, the founder of the Shafi'i madhab, argued they were 60,000. The ninth-century historian al-Abidi narrated: وقَدْ قَالَ الْإمَامُ أَبُو عَبْدٌ اللَّهِ مُحَمَّدٍ بْنَ إِدْرِيسَ الشَّافِعِيَّ - رَحِمَهُ اللَّه تُوُفِّىَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّه عَلَيهِ وَسَلَّمً وَالْمُسْلِمُونَ سِتُّونً ألْفًا ، ثَلاثُونَ ألْفٍ بِالْمَدِينَةِ ، وَثَلاثُونً ألْفًا فِي غَيْرِهَا . "(Meaning) Imam Shafi'i said: 'The Prophet (saw) passed away and Muslims were sixty thousand; thirty thousand in Medina and thirty thousand in other places.'" (Al-Abidi, Imta' al-Asma', Vol. 9, p. 82) Evaluation The first view (more than one hundred companions) seems to be more probable because before the Prophet (saw) passed away all Arabia embraced Islam. It was also narrated the Prophet (saw) contributed in a battle against Rome (Tabuk) two year before he passed away and the number of only male fighters was more than 30,000; when we add to this number each one's wives and a large number of children, as well as the elders, widows, the new converts and so on, this number would be multiplied. (Ibn al-Qayim, Zad al-Ma'ad, Vol. 3, pp. 526-529) Bukhari and Muslim narrated this event: وَالْمُسْلِمُونَ مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم كَثِيرٌ، وَلاَ يَجْمَعُهُمْ كِتَابٌ حَافِظٌ ـ يُرِيدُ الدِّيوَانَ "Allah's Messenger (saw) was accompanied by a large number of Muslims who could not be listed in a book namely, a register." (Sahih al-Bukhari 4418, Muslim 6670) Misconceptions Uniformity in Companionship: A common misconception is to perceive the companions as a homogenous group. In reality, they represented a diverse spectrum of individuals with unique strengths and backgrounds. Exact Count: Another misconception is the fixation on an exact numerical count of the companions. While estimates exist, the focus should be on their qualitative impact. Underestimating Individual Contributions: One pitfall is underestimating the individual contributions of lesser-known companions. Each companion played a unique role in shaping the early Muslim community. Overemphasis on Numbers: Placing excessive emphasis on the numerical count of companions can overshadow the qualitative aspects of their character, faith, and contributions. Conclusion The minimum number of companions is 60,000, the maximum number is 124,000 companions and the latter are more probable. References Safarini, Ghidha' al-al-Bab; Sakhawi, Fath al-Mughith; Al-Abidi, Imta' al-Asma'; Ibn al-Qayim, Zad al-Ma'ad. FAQs 1. Can the exact number of the Prophet's companions be determined? Determining the exact number is challenging due to variations in historical records. However, estimates suggest several thousand companions during the Prophet's lifetime. 2. Who were some prominent companions of the Prophet Muhammad? Prominent companions include Abu Bakr, Umar ibn al-Khattab, Uthman ibn Affan, Ali ibn Abi Talib, Talha, Zubear, Sa'd bin Abi Waqqas and Aisha, among others. Each played a unique role in Islamic history. 3. Were all companions Arabs? No, the companions, known as Sahabah, came from diverse backgrounds, including both Arabs and non-Arabs. Their diversity enriches the Islamic narrative. 4. Is the significance of companionship solely in numbers? No, while the numerical strength is noteworthy, the true significance lies in the qualitative dedication, sacrifice, and contributions of the companions. 5. Are there specific criteria for being considered a companion of the Prophet? Generally, a companion is someone who embraced Islam during the Prophet's lifetime, saw him, and died upon the Islamic faith. The criteria varies slightly among scholars.