Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-Uthaymeen (rahimahullah) said:
Reviling the Sahaabah falls into three categories:
1 Reviling them by saying that most of them were kaafirs or that all of them were evildoers. This is kufr because it is a rejection of the praise of Allaah and His Messenger for them and their approval of them. The one who doubts that such a person is a kaafir is himself a kaafir, because this view implies that those who transmitted the Quraan and Sunnah were kaafirs or evildoers.
2 If he reviles them by cursing them, then there are two scholarly views as to whether he is a kaafir. According to the view that he is not a kaafir, he is still to be flogged and imprisoned until he dies or recants what he said.
3 If he reviles them in a way that does not reach the level of doubting their religious commitment, such as saying that they were cowardly or miserly. He is not a kaafir, but he should be given a disciplinary punishment (tazeer) to serve as a deterrent. This was stated by Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah in al-Saarim al-Maslool, where he narrates on p. 573 that Ahmad said: It is not permissible for anyone to mention any of their bad qualities or to criticize any of them for a fault or shortcoming. Whoever does that should be disciplined, then if he repents all well and good, otherwise he should be flogged in prison until he dies or recants.
[Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn Uthaymeen (5/83, 84).]
Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-Uthaymeen (rahimahullah) also said:
Reviling the Sahaabah (rali Allahu anhum) is not only an insult against the Sahaabah (rali Allahu anhum), rather it is an insult against the Sahaabah, against the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wasallam), against the laws of Allaah and against Allaah Himself, may He be glorified and exalted.
…………………….
We disavow the way of these Raafidis who revile and hate the Sahaabah. We believe that loving the Sahaabah is obligatory and that refraining from speaking ill of them is obligatory. Our hearts praise be to Allaah are filled with love for them, because of the faith and piety that they had, and because they spread knowledge and supported the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wasallam).
And we disavow the ways of the Naasibis (such as the Khawaarij) who revile the Ahl al-Bayt in word or deed.
[Majmoo Fataawa al-Rasaail Ibn Uthaymeen (8/616).]
Imaam Ibn Hajar al-Haytami (rahimahullah) said:
The imam of his age, Abu Zarah al-Raazi one of the greatest of Muslim shaykhs said:
If you see a man criticizing any of the companions of the Messenger of Allaah, then you should know that he is a heretic, because the Messenger is true, the Qur’aan is true, and what he brought is true. All of that was transmitted to us by the Sahaabah, so whoever criticizes them is intending to prove that the Quraan and Sunnah are false. So he is the one who most deserves to be criticized and the ruling that he is a heretic who has gone astray and is a liar and evildoer is more apt.
[Al-Sawaaiq al-Muhriqah (2/608).]
Imaam Ahmad ibn Hanbal (rahimahullah) said:
“If you see anyone speaking ill of the Companions of the Messenger of Allaah (sallahu alaihi wassallam), doubt his Islaam.”
[Al-Laalikaa’ee in As-Sunnah, 2359]
“Whosoever reviles the Companions of the Prophet, then we do not believe he is safe from having rejected the Religion‘.”
[Sunnah lil-Khilaal, 3/493]
“The Companions of the Messenger of Allaah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) – after the four caliphs – are the best of the people, and it is not permissible for anyone to … speak ill of any of them, blaming them for deficiencies and shortcomings. It is indeed obligatory upon the ruler to reprimand and punish whoever does that, and he should not be pardoned.”
[Kitaab As-Sunnah, p. 77-78 & Manaaqibul Imaam Ahmad, of Ibnul Jawzee, p. 170]
Imaam Al-Barbahaaree (rahimahullah):
“If you see a man criticising the Companions of the Messenger of Allaah (sallallahu alaihi wassallam), know that he is a person of wicked speech and desires, since the Messenger of Allaah said, ‘When my Companions are mentioned then withhold.‘ “[At-Tabaraanee from Ibn Mas’ood, and it is saheeh. See Silsilatul Ahaadeeth is Saheehah no. 34]
[Sharh As-Sunnah]
Alif SriLanka 