Is the saying of a Companion taken as a proof for evidence when there is no text from the Quran and Sunnah, and what are the conditions for taking it, with clarification of the religious evidences and a refutation of the specious arguments raised about it, such as: "Stones are about to fall upon you from the sky; I say 'Allah and His Messenger said,' and you say 'Abu Bakr and Umar said,'" and the condemnation of those who took their rabbis as lords instead of Allah?

There is no weight to the statement of any mujtahid (independent jurist) when it contradicts the text of revelation. Upon this principle, the saying of Ibn Abbas can be understood: "It is close that stones will rain down upon you from the sky; I say to you: 'The Messenger of Allah said,' and you say: 'Abu Bakr and Umar said!'" This is because he meant the conflict between Sunnah and opinion/ ijtihad, and there is no ijtihad in the presence of a text.

This does not contradict using the sayings of the Companions as evidence in matters where there is no text from the Qur'an or Sunnah. For if the saying of a Companion became widespread and was not contradicted, it is a hujjah (proof) and a tacit consensus (ijma' sukuti). But if it did not spread, or if it had a dissenter, then it is not a hujjah but can be used for corroboration. And the saying of a Companion in a matter where there is no room for ijtihad takes the ruling of being marfu' (attributed directly to the Prophet).