KNOWING THE
STRAIGHT PATH
'Abdullaah ibn Mas'ood radiallaahu 'anhu
said:
The Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam drew a line for us
and said. "This is Allaah's Straight Path." Then he drew lines to its
right and left and then said. "These ore other paths. Upon every one of
them there is a devil calling towards it." Then he recited: "Indeed
this is My Straight Path, so follow it, and do not follow other paths that
will separate you from His Path." [Soorah al-An'aam 6:153]."1
Therefore, that which is necessary for the
Muslims - both individuals and groups in order to prepare for the mighty
task and to achieve the lofty goal, is to truly know the Straight Path,
its People, their 'aqeedah (belief) and their manhaj
(methodology), knowing also the innovations and evils which cause one to
separate from this way.
The wisdom in learning about the evil is
taken from the hadeeth of Hudhayfah ibn al-Yamaan radiallaahu 'anhu where
he said. "The people used to ask the Messenger of Allaah sallallaahu
'alayhi wa sallam about the good, but I used to ask him about the evil
for fear that it would overtake me ..."2 And may Allaah have mercy upon
the one who said in poetic wisdom:
"I learnt what was evil, not for
itself, but to avoid it. He who does not know evil from good, falls into
it."
CLINGING TO THE ORIGINAL STATE OF
AFFAIRS
Abul-'Aaliyah (d.90H) - rahimahullaah - who
said:
"Learn Islaam. Then when you have learnt Islaam, do not turn away
from it to the right nor the left. But be upon the Straight Path and upon
the Sunnah of your Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam and that
which his Companions were upon ... and beware of these innovations because
they cause enmity and hatred amongst you. But stick to the original state
of affairs which was there before they divided." So 'Aasim said: I related
this to al-Hasan al-Basree so he said. "He has given you sincere advice
and has told you the truth."3
And it is known that this original state of
affairs, had as its pure and sweet spring, the Qur'aan and the Sunnah,
built upon the understanding of the Salafus-Saalih (the Pious
Predecessors) - the Companions, the Taabi'een and those that
followed them - about whom the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa
sallam said. "The best of mankind is my generation, then those who
follow them, then those who follow them."4
'Aaishah radiallaahu 'anhaa said:
A
man come to the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam and said. Who
is the most excellent of mankind? So the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa
sallam said: "The generation of those that I am in, then the
second, then the third."5
So this principle - the obligation of
adhering to the Qur'aan and the authentic Sunnah upon the understanding of
the Salafus-Saalih - is the cornerstone principle of Ahlus-Sunnah
wal-Jamaa'ah.
Imaam Abu Haneefah (d.150H) -
rahimahullaah - said:
"Stick to the narrations and the way of
the Salaf and beware of newly invented matters, for all of it is
innovation."6
Imaam al-Awzaa'ee (d.157H) -
rahimahullaah - said.
"Patiently restrict yourself to the Sunnah
and pause where the people paused, say what they said and avoid what they
avoided. Take to the path of your Salafus-Saalih, for indeed, what was
sufficient for them, is sufficient for you."7
Imaam Ahmad bin Hanbal (d.241H) -
rahimahullaah - said:
"The fundamentals of the Sunnah with us
are: Clinging to that which the Companions of Allaah's Messenger
sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam were upon, taking them as our
examples to be followed; avoiding innovations, for every innovation is
misguidance."8
Ibn 'Abdul-Haadee (d.748H) -
rahimahullaah - said:
"It is not permissible to invent on
interpretation about a verse or a Sunnah which was not there in the time
of the Salaf (the Pious Predecessors), nor did they have any knowledge
concerning it, nor explain it to the Ummah. Since this would imply that
the Salaf were ignorant of the truth in this matter and failed to reach
it. Whereas the late-coming opponent is somehow guided to the
truth!"9
Imaam Ibn al-Qayyim (d.751H) -
rahimahullaah - said:
"Inventing on explanation with regards to
the Book of Allaah - which the Salaf and the Scholars are in opposition to
- necessitates one of two things: Either the explanation itself is a
mistake. Or that the sayings of the Salaf - which differs with such a
saying - are in error! And no one who possess even an ounce of intellect
would doubt that the one whose saying is in opposition to that of the
Salaf, then he is the one who is in error."10
SOFTENING THE HEARTS
Along with
seeking to understand the correct Islaamic 'aqeedah (beliefs) and
fiqh (jurisprudence), tafseer (Qur'aanic explanation), and
hadeeth, on essential part of the way of the Salaf includes
understanding matters relating to aadaab and akhlaaq
(manners and etiquettes) and tazkiyatun-nufoos (purification of the
souls) and reflecting upon the lives of
the Salafus-Saaliheen. Since this - it is hoped - will enable hearts to
cultivate mildness and humility in the worship of Allaah - the Most High -
and also strengthen the determination to strive to making His Religion
uppermost in the hearts of the people and upon the face of this
earth.
Imaam Ibn al-Jawzee (d.597H) -
rahimahullaah - said:
"I feel that occupying oneself with
jurisprudence and acquiring the narrations is hardly enough to correct the
heart, unless he adds to that the study of raqaa'iq (heart-melting
narrations) and the study of the lives of the Salaf us-Saaliheen (the
Pious Predecessors). Since they attained what is desirous from the
narrations and took from the outer actions what is ordered and what is
wanted from them. And I do not inform
you of this except after personal trial and experience. Since I have found
that the majority of the narrators and the students of Hadeeth are
concerned chiefly with attaining the briefest isnaad (chain of
narration) and increase in the number of narrations. And the majority of
the Jurisprudents are concerned with dialectics and how to win arguments.
So how can the hearts be softened with these things? Previously a group of
the Salaf would visit a pious servant to see his conduct and manners, not
to take from his knowledge. This was because the fruit of his knowledge
was his manners and conduct, so understand this. Thus, along with the
study of fiqh and Hadeeth, study the lives of the Salaf and those
who were zaahid (abstainers) with regards to the world, so that
this may be a cause of softness in your hearts."11
Yoonus ibn 'Ubayd (d.139H) -
rahimahullaah -said:
"With good manners you understand the
knowledge. With the knowledge your actions are corrected. With actions
wisdom is obtained. With wisdom you understand zuhd (abstinence)
and are granted its benefits. With zuhd comes abandoning the world.
With abandoning the world comes desire for the Hereafter. With desire for
the Hereafter the pleasure of Allaah - the Mighty and Majestic - is
obtained."12
THE FOUNDATIONS FOR UNITY
The
Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam said:
"This knowledge will be
carried by the trustworthy ones of every generation. They will expel from
it the alteration made by those going beyond bounds; the false claims of
the liars and the false interpretations of the ignorant
ones."13
So it is our hope in Allaah - the Most
Perfect- that He adorns us with the correct knowledge bequeathed to us by
our Salafus-Saalih, and that He aids us in learning their 'aqeedah,
so that hearts may embrace it; learning their manhaj, so that
people may follow it and learning also their manners and behaviour, so
that souls may be cultivated upon it, seeking to convey this to others
with the wisdom, patience and forebearance that this pure and sublime
message demands. So herein lies the excellence and of the one who reaches
it.
Al-Haafidh Ibn Rajab (d.795H) -
rahimahullaah - said:
"So the beneficial knowledge from amongst
all the types of knowledge is to take possession of the texts of the Book
and the Sunnah and to understand their meanings, and to limit oneself in
that to what is reported from the Companions, the Taabi'een and
their Successors - with regards to the meaning of the Qur'aan and the
Hadeeth, and what is reported from them as regard to the halaal
(lawful) and haraam (prohibited), and zuhd, raqaa'iq,
the accounts (of previous nations and Prophets), and other than that.
Striving firstly, to distinguish what is authentic and what is weak; and
then secondly, striving to understand and comprehend it. And there is
enough in that for the intelligent one, and enough to occupy one who
busies himself with beneficial knowledge. And he who stops at that and
makes his intention purely for the Face of Allaah and seeks His help -
then Allaah will help him, guide him and grant him success, satisfaction,
understanding and inspiration. Then such a person will take the benefits
of this knowledge - which ore found through it alone - and that is fear of
Allaah, as Allaah - the Exalted and Majestic - says: "Indeed, it is
only those who have knowledge, amongst His slaves, that truly tear
Allaah." [Soorah al-Faatir 35:10]."14
Imaam al-Awaa'ee (d.157H) -
rahimahullaah - said:
"Hold fast to the narrations of the Salaf,
even if people were to abandon you. And beware of the opinions of the
people, no matter how much they beautify it with their
speech."15
Al-Hasan al-Basree (d.110H) -
rahimahullaah - said:
"If there was a man who reached the first
Salaf, then he (this man) was raised up today, he would not recognise
anything of Islaam." The narrator said: Al-Hasan put his hand on his cheek
and said. "Except for this Prayer." Then he said. "So - by Allaah - how is
it for the one who lives in this bad time, not having reached the
Salafus-Saalih. So he sees on innovator calling to his innovation, and a
worldly person calling to the world, but Allaah protects him from that and
makes his heart lean towards those Salafus-Saalih, asking about their way,
seeking their narrations and following their path. Allaah will recompense
him with a greet reward. So be like that - if Allaah wills."16
1. Hasan: Related by Ahmad (1/435),
an-Nasaa'ee (7/49) and others. This Hadeeth was authenticated by Shaykh
al-Albaanee in Dhilaalul-Jannah (no.16).
2. Part of a lengthy
Hadeeth related by al-Bukhaaree (6/615) and Muslim (12/235).
3. Related
by Ibn Battoh in al-lbaanah (no.136).
4. Related by
al-Laalikaa'ee in Sharh Usool I'tiqaad Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jamaa'ah
(no.31).
5. Related by Muslim (no.2536).
6. Related by as-Suyootee
in Sawnul-Muntaq wal-Kalaam (p.32)
7. Related by al-Aajurree in
ash-Sharee'ah (p.58) and also al-Bayhaqee in Madhkhal
ilas-Sunan (no.233).
8. Usoolus-Sunnah (p.5) by Imaam
Ahmad.
9. As-Saarimul-Munkee (p.427).
10. Mukhtasar
as-Sawaa'iqul-Marsalah (2/128).
11. Sayid ul-Khaatir
(p.216).
12. Iqtidaa'ul-'llmil-'Aml (no.31).
13.
Saheeh: Related by al-Bayhaqee in Sunanul-Kubraa (10/209),
Ibn Abee Haatim in al-Jarh wat-Ta'deel (2/17) and Ibn 'Abdil-Barr
in at-Tamheed (1/57-58), from the Hadeeth of Ibraaheem ibn
'Abdir-Rahmaan al-'Udharee radiallaahu 'anhu. It was authenticated
by Imaam Ahmad - as occurs in Sharafu Ashaabul-Hadeeth (p.29) of
al-Khateeb al-Baghdaadee.
14. Fadl 'Ilmus-Salaf (p.48) of
al-Haafidh Ibn Rajab.
15. Related by al-Khateeb in Sharafu
Ashaabul-Hadeeth (p.25), with a Saheeh isnaad.
16. Related by Ibn
Waddaah in Al-Bida' wan-Nahee 'Anhaa (p.74). |