BENEFIT 168: Did the Companions differ on creedal matters?

Sheikh Yūsuf Al-Jazaa’iri hafidahullāh said: The assertion that the companions differed on creedal matters is a fabrication against them, and those propagating such falsehood do so for various reasons, such as: opening a wide door for the manhaj of muwāzanāt, obstructing criticism against the people of desires and innovations, diluting the aspect of allegiance and disavowal in the fundamentals of the creed of Ahlus-Sunnah, etc., under the pretext that the companions differed in matters of creed. This results in turning a blind eye to the deviations of those who deviate from the straight path from those who ascribe themselves to the Salafi methodology. This assertion implies that when Allah and His Prophet, peace be upon him and his family, referred people to follow the creed and methodology of the companions, they had referred them to disagreement and division! Whereas the texts have tied attainment of unity and agreement to adhering to their principles and methodology, as in the hadith of iftirāq (separation) and others. So how could this referral be to a group that differed in the fundamentals of their religion?! Allah says (interpreted meaning): 'Then if they believe as you [believers] believe, they have been [rightly] guided; but if they turn away, they are only in dissension.' And the Prophet, peace be upon him and his family, said: 'Adhere to my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the rightly-guided successors after me; cling to it stubbornly, and beware of newly-invented matters.' It is narrated in Sahih Muslim that the Prophet, peace be upon him and his family, said: 'My companions are a source of security for my Ummah. When my companions are gone, my nation will face what they have been promised.' Ibn Mas'ud, may Allah be pleased with him, said: 'They [the companions of Muhammad, peace be upon him and his family] were indeed the best of this nation, the most compassionate of hearts, the deepest in knowledge, and the least affected in pretense. Allah chose them to accompany His Prophet and establish His religion. Recognise their virtue, follow their footsteps, and adhere to their morals and religion, for they were on the straight path.' Shaykh Al-Islam, may Allah have mercy on him, said: 'The intended meaning is that the companions, may Allah be pleased with them, never fought each other due to disagreement in any of the fundamental principles of Islam. They did not differ in anything from the foundations of Islam, whether in Divine Attributes, predecree, rulings on individuals, or leadership. They did not differ in these matters theoretically, let alone fighting with swords. They affirmed the Attributes of Allah as He informed about Himself, negating from them any resemblance to the Attributes of the creation.' An-Najmi, may Allah have mercy on him, extensively elaborated on refuting this falsehood with evidence, responding to some proponents of this view, among which he stated: '...Whoever claims that the companions differed in creed should support his claim with evidence, otherwise, he is a lying fabricator, and he does not know anyone else who claimed that the companions differed in creed other than this lying fabricator... He has added to his fabrication deceit and misinformation, intending to encourage and call for disagreement, and to argue that the companions differed in creed to divert Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah from the truth to falsehood...The purpose of this lying proponent is to pave the way for sectarian differences and establish himself to be a hizbi, so rather than reprimanding the hizbees, he is adding another falsehood to their fabrications, and success is from Allah.' From "Al-Fatawa Al-Jaliyah Fi Al-Manahij Al-Da'awiyah." As for the justification of the proponents of this falsehood that there was a difference among the companions regarding the issue of the Prophet seeing his Lord, then this is incorrect, and what these individuals assume regarding the narrations concerning the companions in this matter actually stem from divergent