Narrations of the Salaf: Adhering to the Sunnah, Reviving it, and Warning against Bid'ah and its People
Translated by: Abbas Abu Yahya
1- From Ubay bin Ka'ab (radiallaahu 'anhu, d. around 30 A.H.) who said: Upon you is to hold onto the correct path and the Sunnah, since indeed there is none from the slaves of Allaah who is upon the correct path and the Sunnah, and when he remembers Allaah Ta'ala whereby his eyes shed tears due to the fear of Allaah, then the Hell-fire will never touch him. [From 'Zuhud' by Abu Dawood/199]
2- 'Abdullaah bin Mas'ood (radiallaahu 'anhu, d. around 33 A.H.) said: Limiting oneself to the Sunnah is better than striving in Bid'ah (innovations). [From 'Zuhud' by Ahmad/198]
3- Also from 'Abdullaah bin Mas'ood (radiallaahu 'anhu, d. around 33 A.H.) that he said: Follow and do not innovate because it is sufficient for you, and every Bid'ah is misguidance.
From Muhammad bin Muslim ibn Shihab Zuhri (d. 124 A.H.) that he said: Adhering to the Sunnah is success. [From 'Sharh Usool I'tiqaad Ahl-us-Sunnah' al –Laalkaee 2/56]
4- From Hasan al-Basri (d.110 A.H.) who said: Statements cannot be correct except with actions; Statements and actions cannot be correct except with an intention; and statements, actions and an intention cannot be correct except according to the Sunnah. [From 'Sharh Usool I'tiqaad Ahl-us-Sunnah' al –Laalkaee 2/57]
5- From Abdur-Rahmaan bin 'Amr al-Aawza'ee (d.156 A.H.) that he said: We follow with the Sunnah, where ever it goes. [From 'Sharh Usool I'tiqaad Ahl-us-Sunnah' al –Laalkaee 2/64]
6- From Awn bin Abdullaah (d. around 110 A.H.) who said: Whoever dies upon Islaam and the Sunnah, then he has the glad tidings of all that is good. [From 'Sharh Usool I'tiqaad Ahl-us-Sunnah' al –Laalkaee 2/67]
7- From Ibn Yahya who said: There is no Path leading to Paradise except the path of those who follow the ‘Athaar(narrations). [From 'Sharh Usool I'tiqaad Ahl-us-Sunnah' al –Laalkaee 2/88]
8- From Mujahid (d. around 110 A.H.) who said: The best worship is having a good opinion which means following the Sunnah. [From 'Hileeyat Al-Awaaliyah' 3/293]
9- From Wahab bin Munabih (d. around 110 A.H.) that he would say: Tooba (a tree in Paradise) is for the one who looks at his own shortcomings rather than the shortcomings of others. Tooba is for the one who humbles himself for Allaah without degrading himself. May Allaah have Mercy on the people of humility and servitude. He gives charity for the wealth gathered in a Halaal way and sits with the people of knowledge and gentleness and wisdom, and the Sunnah is sufficient for him and does not transgress to Bid'ah.’ [From 'Hileyat Al-Awaaliyah' 4/67 ]
10- From Fudayl bin 'Iyaad (d. around 180 A.H.) who said: Follow the paths of guidance and the few who follow it, and it will not harm you. Beware of the paths of misguidance and do not be deceived by the large number of those destroyed.
[From 'al-'Itissam' 62]
11- From Muhammad Ibn Sireen (d. 110 A.H.) who said: As long as a person is with the ‘Athaar then he is on theSiraat (correct path). [From 'ash-Sharh wal-Ibaanah' 161]
12- From Muhammad bin Muslim ibn Shihab Zuhri (d. 124 A.H.) who said: Our scholars in the past would say: 'Indeed adhering to the Sunnah is success.' [From 'Hileyat Al-Awaaliyah']
13- From al-Fudayl bin ‘Ayaad (d. around 180 A.H.) that he would say: Follow a good life: Islaam and the Sunnah.[From 'ash-Sharh wal-Ibaanah' 174]
14- From Muhammad bin Abdur-Rahmaan Ibn Abi Dhib (d. 157 A.H.) that he read a Hadeeth and it was said to him: 'Do you take this opinion?' So he hit the man's chest and screamed. And he said: 'I narrate to you from the Messenger of Allaah - sallAllaahu 'alayhi wa sallam - and you say that should I accept this? Yes, I take this, and that is obligatory for me, and upon everyone who hears it. Indeed, Allaah chose Muhammad - sallAllaahu 'alayhi wa sallam - from the people and guided them by him, and upon his hands, so it is upon the creation to follow him, the obedient ones or the disobedient ones; there is no exit for the Muslim from this. [From: 'Siyaar 'Alaam an-Nubala' 7/142]
15- From ar-Rabeeya' bin Sulayman (d. 270 A.H.) who said: A man asked ash- Shaafi'ee about a Hadeeth of the Prophet- sallAllaahu 'alayhi wa sallam- then the man said to him: 'And what is your opinion?' Imam ash- Shaafi'ee trembled, shuddered and said: 'Which sky will shade me and which earth will carry me if I narrate a Hadeeth from the Messenger of Allaah - sallAllaahu 'alayhi wa sallam - and say an opinion other than that of the Hadeeth.' And he said: 'If you find a Sunnah of the Messenger of Allaah - sallAllaahu 'alayhi wa sallam - then follow it, and do not turn to the saying of anyone. [From 'Hileyat Al-Awaaliyah' 9/107 ]
16- From Abu Uthmaan al-Hayree (d. 298 A.H.) that he said: Whoever commands the Sunnah upon himself in statements and actions then he speaks with wisdom. And whoever commands al –Hawaa (following of desires) upon himself then he speaks with Bid'ah. Allaah Ta'ala said: <<If they obey you, then they will be guided.>> [From: 'Siyaar 'Alaam an-Nubala' 14/64]
17- From Ayoob as-Sahktiaani (d. 131 A.H.) who said: Indeed from the happiest of the youth and non-Arabs is whom Allaah guides to a scholar from the people of the Sunnah. [From 'Sharh Usool I'tiqaad Ahl-us-Sunnah' al –Laalkaee 2/60]
18-From Ibraheem bin Ishaq bin Ibraheem al-Harbi (d. 285 A.H.) who said: It is necessary for a man if he hears anything of the manners of the Prophet - sallAllaahu 'alayhi wa sallam - that he holds onto it. [From 'al-Jamia akhlaaq ar-Rawee' 1/142 ]
19- From al-Hasan (d.110 A.H.) who said: Acting upon a little of the Sunnah is better than acting upon a lot ofBid'ah. [From 'Shu'ab al-Eemaan' 7/952]
20- From Sa'eed bin al-Musayib (d. 93 A.H.) who said that he saw a man doing a lot of Ruku' and Sujood [praying a lot of optional prayers] after the Fajr prayer, so he prohibited him from it. So the man said: 'O Abu Muhammad, will Allaah punish me for the prayer?' He answered: 'No, but for opposing the Sunnah.' [From 'at-Tamheed' 20/104]
21- From Abdur-Rahman bin Mahdi (d. 198 A.H.) that a group of the Ahl-ul-Bid'ah were mentioned in front of him and their striving in worship, so he said: Allaah will not accept except that which is upon the Deen and the Sunnah, then he recited: << But the Monasticism which they invented for themselves, We did not prescribe for them>> [Hadeed: 27] So Allaah did not accept that from them and he reprimanded them about it. [From 'Hileyat Al-Awaaliyah' 9/8]
22- From Jafar bin Ahmed bin Sinan (d. 307 A.H.) who said: I heard my father saying: 'There is not a Mubtadi'except that he hates the companions of Hadeeth. And if a man innovates a Bid'ah then the sweetness of the Hadeeth is torn out from his heart.' [From: 'Siyaar 'Alaam an-Nubala' 12/245]
23- From Sufyaan ibn Sa'eed ath-Thawri (d. 161 A.H.) who said: Bid'ah is more beloved to Iblees (Shaytaan) than sinning. One repents from sinning, and one does not repent from Bid'ah. [From 'Sharh Usool I'tiqaad Ahl-us-Sunnah' al –Laalkaee 132]
1- From Ubay bin Ka'ab (radiallaahu 'anhu, d. around 30 A.H.) who said: Upon you is to hold onto the correct path and the Sunnah, since indeed there is none from the slaves of Allaah who is upon the correct path and the Sunnah, and when he remembers Allaah Ta'ala whereby his eyes shed tears due to the fear of Allaah, then the Hell-fire will never touch him. [From 'Zuhud' by Abu Dawood/199]
2- 'Abdullaah bin Mas'ood (radiallaahu 'anhu, d. around 33 A.H.) said: Limiting oneself to the Sunnah is better than striving in Bid'ah (innovations). [From 'Zuhud' by Ahmad/198]
3- Also from 'Abdullaah bin Mas'ood (radiallaahu 'anhu, d. around 33 A.H.) that he said: Follow and do not innovate because it is sufficient for you, and every Bid'ah is misguidance.
From Muhammad bin Muslim ibn Shihab Zuhri (d. 124 A.H.) that he said: Adhering to the Sunnah is success. [From 'Sharh Usool I'tiqaad Ahl-us-Sunnah' al –Laalkaee 2/56]
4- From Hasan al-Basri (d.110 A.H.) who said: Statements cannot be correct except with actions; Statements and actions cannot be correct except with an intention; and statements, actions and an intention cannot be correct except according to the Sunnah. [From 'Sharh Usool I'tiqaad Ahl-us-Sunnah' al –Laalkaee 2/57]
5- From Abdur-Rahmaan bin 'Amr al-Aawza'ee (d.156 A.H.) that he said: We follow with the Sunnah, where ever it goes. [From 'Sharh Usool I'tiqaad Ahl-us-Sunnah' al –Laalkaee 2/64]
6- From Awn bin Abdullaah (d. around 110 A.H.) who said: Whoever dies upon Islaam and the Sunnah, then he has the glad tidings of all that is good. [From 'Sharh Usool I'tiqaad Ahl-us-Sunnah' al –Laalkaee 2/67]
7- From Ibn Yahya who said: There is no Path leading to Paradise except the path of those who follow the ‘Athaar(narrations). [From 'Sharh Usool I'tiqaad Ahl-us-Sunnah' al –Laalkaee 2/88]
8- From Mujahid (d. around 110 A.H.) who said: The best worship is having a good opinion which means following the Sunnah. [From 'Hileeyat Al-Awaaliyah' 3/293]
9- From Wahab bin Munabih (d. around 110 A.H.) that he would say: Tooba (a tree in Paradise) is for the one who looks at his own shortcomings rather than the shortcomings of others. Tooba is for the one who humbles himself for Allaah without degrading himself. May Allaah have Mercy on the people of humility and servitude. He gives charity for the wealth gathered in a Halaal way and sits with the people of knowledge and gentleness and wisdom, and the Sunnah is sufficient for him and does not transgress to Bid'ah.’ [From 'Hileyat Al-Awaaliyah' 4/67 ]
10- From Fudayl bin 'Iyaad (d. around 180 A.H.) who said: Follow the paths of guidance and the few who follow it, and it will not harm you. Beware of the paths of misguidance and do not be deceived by the large number of those destroyed.
[From 'al-'Itissam' 62]
11- From Muhammad Ibn Sireen (d. 110 A.H.) who said: As long as a person is with the ‘Athaar then he is on theSiraat (correct path). [From 'ash-Sharh wal-Ibaanah' 161]
12- From Muhammad bin Muslim ibn Shihab Zuhri (d. 124 A.H.) who said: Our scholars in the past would say: 'Indeed adhering to the Sunnah is success.' [From 'Hileyat Al-Awaaliyah']
13- From al-Fudayl bin ‘Ayaad (d. around 180 A.H.) that he would say: Follow a good life: Islaam and the Sunnah.[From 'ash-Sharh wal-Ibaanah' 174]
14- From Muhammad bin Abdur-Rahmaan Ibn Abi Dhib (d. 157 A.H.) that he read a Hadeeth and it was said to him: 'Do you take this opinion?' So he hit the man's chest and screamed. And he said: 'I narrate to you from the Messenger of Allaah - sallAllaahu 'alayhi wa sallam - and you say that should I accept this? Yes, I take this, and that is obligatory for me, and upon everyone who hears it. Indeed, Allaah chose Muhammad - sallAllaahu 'alayhi wa sallam - from the people and guided them by him, and upon his hands, so it is upon the creation to follow him, the obedient ones or the disobedient ones; there is no exit for the Muslim from this. [From: 'Siyaar 'Alaam an-Nubala' 7/142]
15- From ar-Rabeeya' bin Sulayman (d. 270 A.H.) who said: A man asked ash- Shaafi'ee about a Hadeeth of the Prophet- sallAllaahu 'alayhi wa sallam- then the man said to him: 'And what is your opinion?' Imam ash- Shaafi'ee trembled, shuddered and said: 'Which sky will shade me and which earth will carry me if I narrate a Hadeeth from the Messenger of Allaah - sallAllaahu 'alayhi wa sallam - and say an opinion other than that of the Hadeeth.' And he said: 'If you find a Sunnah of the Messenger of Allaah - sallAllaahu 'alayhi wa sallam - then follow it, and do not turn to the saying of anyone. [From 'Hileyat Al-Awaaliyah' 9/107 ]
16- From Abu Uthmaan al-Hayree (d. 298 A.H.) that he said: Whoever commands the Sunnah upon himself in statements and actions then he speaks with wisdom. And whoever commands al –Hawaa (following of desires) upon himself then he speaks with Bid'ah. Allaah Ta'ala said: <<If they obey you, then they will be guided.>> [From: 'Siyaar 'Alaam an-Nubala' 14/64]
17- From Ayoob as-Sahktiaani (d. 131 A.H.) who said: Indeed from the happiest of the youth and non-Arabs is whom Allaah guides to a scholar from the people of the Sunnah. [From 'Sharh Usool I'tiqaad Ahl-us-Sunnah' al –Laalkaee 2/60]
18-From Ibraheem bin Ishaq bin Ibraheem al-Harbi (d. 285 A.H.) who said: It is necessary for a man if he hears anything of the manners of the Prophet - sallAllaahu 'alayhi wa sallam - that he holds onto it. [From 'al-Jamia akhlaaq ar-Rawee' 1/142 ]
19- From al-Hasan (d.110 A.H.) who said: Acting upon a little of the Sunnah is better than acting upon a lot ofBid'ah. [From 'Shu'ab al-Eemaan' 7/952]
20- From Sa'eed bin al-Musayib (d. 93 A.H.) who said that he saw a man doing a lot of Ruku' and Sujood [praying a lot of optional prayers] after the Fajr prayer, so he prohibited him from it. So the man said: 'O Abu Muhammad, will Allaah punish me for the prayer?' He answered: 'No, but for opposing the Sunnah.' [From 'at-Tamheed' 20/104]
21- From Abdur-Rahman bin Mahdi (d. 198 A.H.) that a group of the Ahl-ul-Bid'ah were mentioned in front of him and their striving in worship, so he said: Allaah will not accept except that which is upon the Deen and the Sunnah, then he recited: << But the Monasticism which they invented for themselves, We did not prescribe for them>> [Hadeed: 27] So Allaah did not accept that from them and he reprimanded them about it. [From 'Hileyat Al-Awaaliyah' 9/8]
22- From Jafar bin Ahmed bin Sinan (d. 307 A.H.) who said: I heard my father saying: 'There is not a Mubtadi'except that he hates the companions of Hadeeth. And if a man innovates a Bid'ah then the sweetness of the Hadeeth is torn out from his heart.' [From: 'Siyaar 'Alaam an-Nubala' 12/245]
23- From Sufyaan ibn Sa'eed ath-Thawri (d. 161 A.H.) who said: Bid'ah is more beloved to Iblees (Shaytaan) than sinning. One repents from sinning, and one does not repent from Bid'ah. [From 'Sharh Usool I'tiqaad Ahl-us-Sunnah' al –Laalkaee 132]
