ينقسم التابعون إلى تابعي رواية و تابعي لقاء و أقوالهم  لم يحتج بها إلا في عصر أتباع التابعين .
 لم تدخل أقوال التابعين في التعريف الاصطلاحي عند المحدثين  إلا في عصر أتباع التابعين. . الاحتجاج  يکون فيما لا مجال للاجتهاد فيه  و أما کان مبنياً على الاجتهاد فهو محل اختلاف .
  ليس کل ما يوصف بالتابعي يدخل في الاحتجاج ، بل يدخل فقط التابعون بإحسان ، العلماء الأمناء الثقات المشهود لهم بذلک .
 
The followers (Al-Tabi'in) are of two types: Those who met a companion of Prophet Mohamed (PH) and narrated some of his sayings and those who only met the companion but did not narrate anything he said. What those followers narrated was not taken as evidence until the era of the Third Generation of followers (Tabi al-Tabi'in). Also their sayings were not used in the terminology of Hadith narrators until the age of Tabi al-Tabi'in.
Argumentation is used when it is impossible to do independent reasoning (Igtihad). As what is based on Igtihad is considered controversial. Not all that is related to Followers(Tabi'in)  can be used in argumentation. Only that which comes from followers of good conduct, honorable scholars and authorities that is used.