Shaykh Mashhoor states:
“If Ahlul Hadeeth do not find anything within the revelatory sources of the Quraan and sunnah, they then take the statements of the companions. Anything they find in the Quraan they make the sunnah a judge on it, and anything found in the sunnah, they make the understanding of the Salaf judge on it.
If they do not find anything (in the Quraan or sunnah), they then take into consideration the statements of the companions.
According to Alhul Hadeeth, the companions’ statements in regards to creed (‘aqeedah) have more authority than the companions’ statements in regards to fiqh. The companions statements in regards to fiqh are of different levels as their ijmaa’ is not like the issues wherein there was difference of opinion.
And issues from them which became widespread are not like issues which emerged from just one of them and did not become widespread.”
[Taken from “The Madhhan Of Ahlul Hadeeth” by Shaykh AMshhoor, p. 60]
The Authentic Base 