Arabic Sahaba or Ashab
Followers of Muhammad who had personal contact with him, including any Muslim contemporary who saw him.
As eyewitnesses, they are the most important sources of Sunnite Muslims regard the first four caliph s (among the 10 Companions to whom Muhammad promised paradise) as the most important. {{link=Shiite">Shīite Muslims disregard the Companions, whom they consider responsible for the loss of the caliphate by the family of Alī .