The Four Companions, also called the Four Pillars of the Sahaba, is a Shia term for the four Companions () of the Islamic prophet Muhammad who are supposed to have stayed most loyal to Ali ibn Abi Talib after Muhammad's death in 632: Salman al-FÃÂrisë, Abà « Dharr al-GhifÃÂri, Miqdad ibn AswÃÂd al-Kindi, and AmmÃÂr ibn YÃÂsir.
Salman is generally considered to be the loftiest amongst these elite four in Shia theology. It is narrated from Muhammad that:
<blockquote>Faith has ten grades, and Salman is on the tenth (i.e., highest) grade, Abu Dharr on the ninth, and Miqdad on the eighth grade.</blockquote>
Those among Muhammad's companions who were closest to Ali were called the ('the partisans of Ali') during Muhammad's lifetime. The following hadith is narrated about them from Jabir al-Ansari:
<blockquote>The Messenger of Allah said: "Glad tidings Oh Ali! For verily you and your companions and your Shi'ah will be in Heaven."</blockquote>
These companions were later referred to as "The Real Shia." Abdullah ibn Abbas, Ubay ibn Ka'b, Bilal ibn Rabah, Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr, Malik al-Ashtar, and Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman were other such partisans. However, it is only The Four Companions that are supposed to have attained distinction in their devotion to Ali.