Thirdly,
from the statements of the Salaf and their Followers:
1. Abdullaah ibn Mas`ood رضي الله
عنه said:
“People will not cease to be in a good as long
as knowledge emanating from the companions of Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم and their elders reach them. If
however, knowledge comes to them by way of their young and their desires
diversify, they will be ruined.” [Al-Zuhd of Ibn al-Mubaarak (815,
1/281)
________________________________________________________________
2. He رضي الله عنه also said: “Whoever
amongst you seeks to adopt a path, should take to the way of the companions of
Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم; for they possessed the most pious
hearts of this Ummah, were the most profound in knowledge, the least constraint
of this Ummah, and the most guided. They were the people whom Allaah chose for the
companionship of His Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم and
the establishment of His religion. So know their rights and adhere to their guidance,
for they indeed were upon the straight way.” [Jaami` Bayaan al-`Ilm
wa Fadlih (1810, 2/947)]
________________________________________________________________
3. He رضي الله عنه also said: “Follow
and do not innovate, for indeed you have been sufficed.” [Sharh Usool
`Itiqaad Ahl al-Sunnah of al-Laalikaa’i (1/22 & 1/96)]
________________________________________________________________
4. Hudhayfah ibn al-Yamaan رضي الله
عنه said: “O assembly of reciters! Remain upright and take to the
way of those before you. For by Allaah, if you (choose to) follow them, then
know that you have been outstripped by a long distance, and if you take to the
right or left (of their path) then you will be upon severe deviation.”
[Jaami` Bayaan al-`Ilm (1809, 2/947)]
________________________________________________________________
5. Mujaahid رحمه
الله said:
“The scholars are the companions of Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم.” [Jaami` Bayaan al-`Ilm
(1424, 1/770)]
________________________________________________________________
6. Al-Awzaa`ee رحمه
الله said:
“Knowledge is that which emanates from the
companions of Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم, as for
anything else besides this, it is not knowledge.” Imam Ahmad, may Allaah
have mercy upon him, also said this. [Jaami` Bayaan al-`Ilm (1420, 1/768 &
1421, 1/769)]
________________________________________________________________
7. Al-Awzaa`ee رحمه
الله said:
“Patiently restrict yourself upon the Sunnah,
stop where the people (ie the companions) stopped, say what they say and
refrain from that which they refrained. Traverse upon the path of your Salaf
al-Saalih, for indeed what was sufficient for them is sufficient for you.”
[Al-Sharee`ah of al Aajurri (294, 2/673) and Sharh Usool `Itiqaad Ahl al-Sunnah
of al-Laalikaa’i (5/1055)]
________________________________________________________________
8. Al-Hasan al-Basree رحمه
الله was
in a gathering then he mentioned the Companions of Muhammad صلى الله
عليه وسلم. He then remarked: “They possessed the most pious hearts of this Ummah, were
the most profound in knowledge and the least constraint. A people, whom Allaah
chose for the companionship of His Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, so emulate their character and
way, for by the Lord of the Ka’bah, they are upon the straight path.”
[Jaami` Bayan al-`Ilm (1807, 2/946), Al-Sharee`ah of al Aajurri (1161, 4/1685
& 1984, 5/2494)]
________________________________________________________________
9. Al-Awzaa`ee رحمه
الله said:
“Hold fast to the narrations of the Salaf, even
if people abandon you. Beware of the opinions of men, no matter how much they
beautify it with their speech, for indeed the matter will become manifest
whilst you will be upon the correct straight path concerning it.” [Al-Madkhal
ila al-Sunan of al-Bayhaqi (233) and the wordings are his and Jaami` Bayan al-`Ilm
(2077, 2078, 2/1071) and Al-Sharee`ah (127, 1/445)]
________________________________________________________________
10. Shaykh al-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah رحمه
الله said:
“It is a must upon every Muslim, who testifies
that none has the right to be worshiped except Allaah and that Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم is the Messenger of Allaah, that his basic intention be
to single out Allaah in his worship of Him alone, without any partner and to
obey His Messenger. He is to remain upon this, following it wherever he finds
it, and he should know that the best of creation after the Prophets are the
companions.
He should not therefore,
offer absolute and unrestricted allegiance to any one person except the
Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم. Nor should he
offer absolute unrestricted allegiance to any one group except the companions;
as the guidance remains with the Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم wherever he remains, and it remains
with his companions and no one else’s companions, wherever they remain.
If they are in agreement,
they never agree upon something incorrect, in contrast to the companions of a
particular scholar, they could agree upon something incorrect. In fact,
everything that they (i.e. the companions of a particular scholar) have
asserted to which none other from amongst this Ummah has asserted, can be
nothing but incorrect, since the religion that Allaah has sent His messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم with is not conferred to any single scholar and his
companions. If this was so, that person should be an equal to the Messenger of
Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم and this is similar to the belief of the Raafidhah
regarding the ‘Infallible Imaam’.
Moreover, it is a must that
the companions and their successors were aware of that truth with which Allaah
had sent His Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم, well before
the presence of those who are followed; those whom the Madhhabs are attributed
to, in relation to both fundamentals and subsidiary matters.
It is impossible for them to
bring about a truth, which opposes what the Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم brought, as everything that opposes the Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم is falsehood. It is also impossible for them to know of
something emanating from the Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم which
opposes (the knowledge and understanding of) the companions and their
successors in righteousness, as they (i.e. the companions) did not unite upon
any deviation. So his (i.e. a followed Imaam’s) saying, if true has to be taken
from that which the Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم brought
and present with someone before him.
Every statement in the
religion of Islam which lies in opposition to that which the companions and
their successors in righteousness were upon, which none of them have asserted,
but rather have said other than it, it is indeed a false saying.” [Minhaj
al-Sunnah (5/261-263)]
Taken from the book Tawheed of Allaah’s Most Beautiful Names
and Lofty Attributes: The Belief of Ahl al-Sunnah Wa l-Jamaa`ah by Shaikh
Muhammad ibn Khaleefah Al-Tamimi (Associate Professor, Islaamic University of
Madeenah)
Source:
Thus, ridiculing the believers is equated with ridiculing Allah, His Signs and His Messenger.
