The response to the question is found in what Abū Bakr Ibn Al-'Arabi, may Allah have mercy on him, mentioned:

"I discussed with our teacher Abū Bakr Al-Fihri Aṭ-Ṭurṭūshi in masjid Al-Aqṣa concerning the ḥadīth narrated by Abu Tha’labah (and he mentioned it). We deliberated on how the reward of the later generation in this ummah would be manifold compared to the reward of the Companions, even though they (the companions) were the ones who established Islam, supported the religion, raised its banner, conquered lands, and laid the foundation for the Ummah, and the Prophet ﷺ said in an authentic ḥadīth: «لو أنفق أحدكم كل يوم مثل أحد ذهباً ما بلغ مد أحدهم أو نصيفه» 'If any of you spent a mountain of gold like Uhud [in charity], it would not reach the measure (of reward) of one of them, or half of it.' We revised the issue, and what we concluded in the explanation of the authentic ḥadīth is summarised as follows: The Companions had many deeds that no one can match or come close to. However, there are some deeds from the branches of the religion which they can be equalled in reward if one emulates them in sincerity and enacts these deeds void of innovation and showing off. [For example,] enjoining good and forbidding evil - a great matter; it is the beginning of the religion and Islam, and it is also its end. It was rare at the beginning of Islam, difficult to achieve due to the dominance of the disbelievers over the truth, and in the end times, it will return to being rare; as the truthful promise indicated the corruption of the times, the emergence of tribulations, the prevalence of falsehood, and the dominance of alteration and change over the truth by creation, as well as following the ways of the People of the Book; as the Prophet ﷺ said: «لتتبعن سنن من قبلكم شبراً بشبر وذراعاً بذراع حتى لو دخلوا جحر ضب لدخلتموه» 'You will follow the ways of those before you, span by span and cubit by cubit, so much so that if they entered a lizard’s hole, you would follow them,' and he also said: «بدأ الإسلام غريباً وسيعود غريباً كما بدأ» 'Islam began as something strange and will revert to being strange as it began.' Thus, based on this truthful promise, and Allāh Almighty knows best, it is inevitable that Islam will return to one as it began with one. Thus, [the practice of] enjoining good and forbidding evil will diminish such that if someone were to uphold it and dedicates himself to Allah in calling to Him while being surrounded by fears, he will have manifold rewards compared to those who were able to do so with the support of many callers to Allah. This will cease completely due to the weakening of faith and the scarcity of religion; as the Prophet ﷺ said: «لا تقوم الساعة حتى لا يقال في الأرض الله الله» 'The Hour will not come until it is no longer said on earth: Allah, Allah.'" [اهـ باختصار من "نفح الطيب في غصن الأندلس الرطيب" المقري (٢/٣٧)] After quoting the above, Sheikh Saleem Al-Hilali حفظه الله comments: وبهذا يتبين أن المفاضلة في حديث أبي ثعلبة الخشني في باب من الإسلام بينما تفضيل الصحابة وسبقهم على غيرهم في جميع الأبواب؛ فتنبه. "Thus, it becomes clear that the distinction mentioned in the hadith of Abu Tha'labah Al-Khushani pertains to a specific aspect of Islam, whereas the preference and precedence of the Companions over others extend to all aspects. Take note of this!" [بصائر ذوي الشرف بشرح مرويات منهج السلف ٢٧ - ٢٩]