The Messenger of Allah (ρ) also said:
...فَمَنْ رَغِبَ عَنْ سُنَّتِي فَلَيْسَ مِنِّي.
“…Whoever does not want my Sunnah then he is not from me.”3
The People of the Sunnah are in direct contrast to those from the people of desires and
innovation who have followed ways other than that which the Messenger of Allah (ρ) and his
Companions ( نهم ي الله ع رض ) were upon. The 'aqeedah (creed) of the People of the Sunnah
emerged with the emergence of the prophethood of Muhammad (ρ), whereas the 'aqeedah
(creed) of the people of desires and innovation emerged after the death of the Messenger of Allah
(ρ). Some of these innovations appeared during the later part of the era of the Companions ( رضي
الله عنهم ), while other innovations appeared later.
The Messenger of Allah (ρ) informed us that those of his Companions ( ي الله عنه م رض ) who
continued to live after his death would see disunity and conflict. He (ρ) said:
مَنْ يَعِشْ مِنْكُمْ فَسَيَرَى اخْتِلافًا آَثِيرًا
“…Those of you who live after me will see much disagreement…”4
Then the Messenger of Allah (ρ) directed us to follow the Straight Path, which is
adherence to his Sunnah and the Sunnah of the rightly guided Caliphs. And then he (ρ) warned
us against newly invented matters that are foreign to the true teachings of Islam and told us that
they are a going astray. It is incomprehensible and unacceptable (to think) that some part of truth
and right guidance was hidden from the Companions ( نهم ي الله ع رض ) and preserved by some
people who came after them! Certainly, all of these newly invented matters that are foreign to the
true teachings of Islam are evil because if there had been any good in them the Companions (
ي الله عنهم رض ) would have preceded them in doing it. Rather they (i.e. newly invented matters) are an evil that many people who have lived after them have been tested with when they deviated
from that which the Companions were upon ( .(رضي الله عنهم)
3See previous footnote.
4See previous footnote.
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Imam Maalik said: “The affairs of the later part of this ummah can never be made right
except with that which made right the affairs of the early generations of this ummah.” It is for
that (important) reason that Ahl-us-Sunnah wal-Jamaa’ah refer to themselves as ‘People of the
Sunnah’ referring to the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (ρ) while other (deviant sects) are
referred to by the names given to their particular innovations. Such as: the Jabariyyah, the
Qadariyyah1, the Murjiah2, and the Al-Imamiyyah Al-Ithnay ‘Ashariyyah3. Other (deviant sects) are referred to by the names of the founders of their particular sects such as: the Jahmiyyah1, the
Zaydiyyah2, the ‘Ash’ariyyah3, and the Ibaadiyyah4
1 The Qadariyyah do not believe in Allah’s Qadr the way that the people of Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jamaa’ah believe. The Qadariyyah are themselves divided into two groups: (1) Those who deny Allah’s Qadr altogether and say that Allah does not know what actions one will do until he does them. (2) The Jabariyyah who say that we are all forced to do our actions and that we do not have any will or choice at all because everything including our actions have been pre-decreed. However the people of Ahlus-Sunnah wal Jamaa’ah affirm Allah’s Qadr and we say that belief in Allah’s Qadr requires belief in four things: (1) His Knowledge: We affirm and believe that Allah knows all things; everything that was and everything that will be, and that He knows everything that will happen before it happens,
and that He knows what would have happened if that did not happen! (2) The Writing: We affirm and believe that Allah wrote everything that would happen in Al-Lawh Al-Mahfoodh fifty thousand years before He created the heavens and the earth! And we believe that despite His prior knowledge and His writing of everything that would happen, that we earn our deeds, choose to do our actions, and we have a will of our own but that our will and our choice is subordinate to the will and choice of Allah since nothing happens except that Allah wills it or allows it! (3) His Will: We affirm and believe that everything exists because Allah willed it so, and that whatever Allah has not willed does not exist. (4) Creation: We believe and affirm that Allah created everything that exists and that all of creation is in accordance with and a result of His decree.
2 The Murjiah is a sect from the sects of Islam that erroneously believes that sinful actions do not adversely affect faith, the same way that acts of obedience are of no benefit if they are accompanied by disbelief. The Murjiah are themselves divided into three groups: (1) The first of the Murjiah were those who tried to position themselves between the Raafidhah and the Khawaarij by not allying themselves with ‘Ali ibn Abee Taalib and ‘Uthmaan (may Allah be pleased with them both), nor fully disassociating themselves from them either. As a result they ended up opposing both those who made takfeer of ‘Ali ibn Abee Taalib and ‘Uthmaan, as well as those who went overboard in their love for both of them or one of them. So they were not Murjiah in the issue of disbelief and faith, and the
relationship between faith and actions. Rather, they were only Murjiah in the position that they took with regards to the diference of opinion between the Companions ( رضي الله عنهم ) related to the fitnah that happened after the assassination of ‘Uthmaan. So only the linguistic definition of Irjaa applies to them and not the technical definition.
(2) Al-Murjia-tul-Fuqahaa: They are those who say that faith is comprised of only two things; belief of the heart and the statement of the tongue. They also say that Iman does not increase or decrease, and that it is disbelief to say: ‘I am a beleiver in shaa Allah.’ However the Murjia-tul-Fuqahaa normally adhere to the 'aqeedah of the Salaf in matters other than these, like Abu Ja’far At-Tahaawiyy - the author of 'Aqeedah At-Tahaawiyyah. (3) Al-Murjia-tul- Mutakallimoon Al-Ghulaat also known as Murjia-tul-Jahmiyyah. They say that Imaan is only belief in the heart. And Jahm (ibn Safwaan) said: that Imaan is simply recognition or acknowledgement of the heart. However, Ahl-us- Sunnah believe that Imaan consists of the statement of the tongue and heart along with actions of the heart and body,
and that faith increases and decreases.
3 Al-Imamiyyah Al-Ithnay ‘Ashariyyah are those Shi’ah who claim that ‘Ali ibn Abee Taalib had more right than Abu Bakr and ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with them all) to become Caliphah after the death of the Prophet (ρ). The are called Al-Imamiyyah because they claim that the Prophet (ρ) specified that ‘Ali ibn Abee Taalib and his progeny should be leaders of the Ummah or because they are waiting for some ‘Imam’ (leader) who they claim will come near the end of time. Other noteworthy beliefs of theirs include: (1) Their claim that Allah manifested Himself in ‘Ali and eleven of his male descendants, and they are the outward manifestations of Allah who possess divine characteristics. (2) The existence of creation and everything in it depends upon the existence of theses ‘Imams’ (leaders) and that if it were not for them, Allah would not have created anything .
1 The Jahmiyyah are the followers of Jahm ibn Safwaan. They are an extremely dangerous group whose beliefs include: (1) Denial of all of the Names (Asmaa) and Characteristics (Sifaat) of Allah. (2) They say that we are all forced to do our actions and that we do not have any will or choice at all because everything including our actions have been pre-decreed. (3) They say that Imaan is simply recognition or acknowledgement of the heart. (4) They also deny many things related to belief in the Last Day such as the existence of the Bridge over Hell, and the Scale, and that the Believers will see Allah the Most High on the Day of Judgement. Likewise, they deny the punishment in the grave, and they say that the Qur'aan is created. I have only mentioned some of their beliefs here, however
what I have mentioned is serious enough that many of the scholars have made the general ruling that the Jahmiyyah are disbelievers and that this sect is not from the sects of Islam.
2 The Zaydiyyah are one of the sub-groups of the Shi’ah who were named Zaydiyyah because they said that Zaid ibn ‘Ali ibn Hussain ibn ‘Ali ibn Abee Taalib was the 5th Imam instead of Muhammad ibn ‘Ali ibn Hussain ibn ‘Ali ibn Abee Taalib. The belief system of the Zaydiyyah also differed from the belief system of Al-Imamiyyah Al-Ithnay ‘Ashariyyah especially in the beginning, and it was said that of all of the groups of the Shi’ah, the Zaydiyyah were closest to Ahl-us-Sunnah, however some of the sub-groups of the Zaydiyyah now believe many of the same things that the Al-Imamiyyah Al-Ithnay ‘Ashariyyah believe.
3 The ‘Ash’ariyyah are followers of Abu-l-Hasan ‘Ali ibn Ismaa’eel Al-Ash‘aree during the second stage in his religious life. In the third and last part of his life he repented and began to follow the way of Ahl-us-Sunnah wal-Jamaa’ah. However, despite his repentance, some continued to follow his old ways. After the death of Abu-l-Hasan Al-Ash‘aree the leaders of his old madhhab were affected by some of the opinions and beliefs of the Jahmiyyah and the Mu’tazilah. They were also affected by the translation of philosophical books into the Arabic language. As a result, they believe that the intellect should be followed before revelation if there is a conflict between the two! However the people of Ahl-us-Sunnah believe that revelation never contradicts the intellect. The ‘Ash’ariyyah also do not accept hadeeth that were not widely narrated (mutawaatir) as a proof in matters related to aqeedah, except in
the event that the hadeeth doesn’t contradict their intellect! And if a (mutawaatir) hadeeth related to matters of aqeedah contradicts their intellect, it must be re-interpreted so that it conforms to their intellect! Some of the ‘Ash’ariyyah are also sufis so they believe that some people receive (kashf) revelation in their hearts that helps them understand and interpret things, and they believe that this should be followed before revelation if there is a conflict between the two! The ‘Ash’ariyyah are like the Murjiah in terms of how they define Imaan. And their belief as regards the Names and Attributes of Allah is different than that of Ahl-us-Sunnah wal-Jamaa’ah in many respects, not the least of which is their denial of some of the Names and Characteristics of Allah, however this is not the place
to discuss this.
4 The Ibaadiyyah are one of the sub-groups of the sect of the Khawaarij. They are the followers of Abd-Allah ibn Ibaad who was one of their shaykhs and one of the authors of their books. He was the leader of this particular subgroup and they are therefore referred by his name. They erroneously say that whoever commits a major sin or a minor sin is a disbeliever based on their erroneous interpretation of the verse (Have you not seen those who have changed the Blessings of Allah into disbelief (by denying Prophet Muhammad ρ and the message of Islam) and caused their people to dwell in the house of destruction?) [Surah Ibrahim: 28]. However this verse is referring to the pagan Arabs of Makkah as has been confirmed in an authentic hadeeth narrated by Ibn Abbaas (τ) in Saheeh Al-Bukhaari (Eng. Trans. Vol. 6, page 186).
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