Adālat al-Sahāba, Hie Construction of a Religious Doctrine.

This article investigates the development of adālat al-Sahāba, a central doctrine in Sunnï orthodoxy that stresses the integrity of the Prophet Muhammad's Companions. The examination of relevant Sunnï works indicates that the doctrine crystalized in the 5th/11th century, by which time the basic tenets of the doctrine had been developed. These include, among other things, the definition of Companions and their essential role in securing the authenticity of Islam. Furthermore, it was around that time that medieval Sunnï scholars developed an epistemological-- rather than a historical or theological--basis for the doctrine. Establishing the integrity of the Companions during the Prophet's lifetime on the presumption of innocence that is further confirmed by textual evidence, they argued that good Muslims must continue to accept that integrity given the lack of conclusive evidence that they lost it at a later time, particularly when they participated in civil wars. I argue that this epistemological ground was furnished by Murgi'ism, as the examination of some Murgi'ï texts demonstrates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cet article historicise le concept de adālat al-Sahā, doctrine centrale dans l'orthodoxie sunnite et qui met l'accent sur l'intégrité des Compagnons du prophète Muhammad. L'examen des oeuvres sunnites pertinentes pour notre propos indique que ladite doctrine se critallisa au v 7 x i siècle, époque à laquelle les principes fondamentaux en avaient été jetés. Ceux-ci incluent notamment la définition des «Compagnons» ainsi que le rôle essentiel qu'ils jouèrent pour garantir l'authenticité de l'islam. Par ailleurs, les savants sunnites médiévaux fournirent de manière concomitante une base épistémologique - plus qu'historique ou théologique - à la doctrine. Établissant l'intégrité des Compagnons durant la vie même du Prophète, sur la présomption d'innocence que confirmeraient ultérieurement des preuves textuelles, ils arguèrent que les Bons musulmans devaient continuer à accepter cette intégrité du fait du manque d'éléments probants démontrant qu'ils l'auraient perdue plus tard, en particulier lorsqu'ils participèrent aux guerres civiles. Nous soutenons que ce socle épistémologique [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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