وَنُحِبُّ أَصْحَابَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ
We love the Companions of the Messenger of Allah.
Love for the Companions is joined with avoiding both excessive exaltation of one individual and disparagement of another. Affirming their virtue calls for respect in speech and conduct.
The basic description of a Companion includes meeting the Prophet in faith and dying as a Muslim. Differences in the length of companionship do not change the foundational definition.