بــــســــم اللـــــه الرحـــــمـــــن الرحــــيــــم
20 August 2024 • 1.82K views
Introduction to the Book
Peace be upon you, and the mercy and blessings of Allāh.
Having noticed that the issue of ruling by other than what Allāh has revealed is one of the most challenging topics for students of knowledge—so much so that even some esteemed scholars have not been free from errors in this matter—I have taken it upon myself to produce this book in order to clarify the truth, hoping that Allāh, The Blessed and Exalted, will make it beneficial.
Furthermore, I have strived for brevity, especially in light of the fact that the enthusiasm of students of knowledge for reading has diminished, except for a few whom Allāh has shown mercy.
I conclude this introduction with selected quotes from the sayings of the pious predecessors, may Allāh have mercy on them, taken from the book 'Sharḥ Usūl I’tiqād Ahl As-Sunnah wal-Jamā’ah' by Imām Abū Al-Qāsim Al-Lalakā'ee, may Allāh have mercy on him, who passed away in the year 418 AH.
1. ’Ubādah ibn Aṣ-Ṣāmit, may Allāh be pleased with him, said:
«إن على الحق نوراً»
"The truth is illuminated by light." (No. 116)
2. ’Abdūllāh ibn Mas’ūd, may Allāh be pleased with him, said:
«ألا لا يقلدن أحدكم دينه رجلاً، إن آمن آمن وإن كفر كفر! فإن كنتم لا بد مقتدين؛ فبالميت، فإن الحيَّ لا يُؤمن عليه الفتنة»
"Let none of you follow another blindly in his religion, believing only if he believes and disbelieving if he disbelieves. But if you must follow someone, then follow those who have passed away, for the living are not safe from trial." (No. 130)
3. Ibn ’Umar, may Allāh be pleased with him, said:
«ما فرحت بشيء في الإسلام؛ أشد فرحاً بأن قلبي لم يدخله شيءٌ من هذه الأهواء»
"Nothing in Islam has brought me more joy than the fact that my heart has remained free from any of these whims." (No. 227)
4. Ḥudhayfah, may Allāh be pleased with him, said:
«إياك والتلون في دين؛ فإن دين الله واحد»
"Beware of fickleness in religion, for the religion of Allāh is one."
5. Al-Awzā’ē, may Allāh have mercy on him, said:
«ندور مع السنة حيث دارت»
"We align ourselves with the Sunnah wherever it goes." (No. 47)
6. Sufyan Ath-Thawri, may Allāh have mercy on him, said:
«استوصوا بأهل السنة خيراً؛ فإنهم غرباء»
"Treat the people of the Sunnah with kindness, for they are strangers." (No. 49)
7. Al-Ḥasan Al-Baṣri, may Allāh have mercy on him, said:
«يا أهل السنة ترفقوا؛ فإنكم من أقل الناس»
"O people of the Sunnah, be gentle [to one another], for you are among the fewest of people." (No. 19)
8. Yūnus ibn ’Ubayd, may Allāh have mercy on him, said:
«ليس شيء أغرب من السنة، وأغرب منها من يعرفها»
"There is nothing stranger than the Sunnah, and stranger still is the one who is knows it." (No. 23)
9. Sufyān Ath-Thawri, may Allāh have mercy on him, said:
«إذا بلغك عن رجل بالمشرق صاحبِ سُنَّةٍ وآخر بالمغرب؛ فابعث إليهما السلام، وادع لهما...ما أقلّ أهل السنة والجماعة»
"If you hear of a man in the East who adheres to the Sunnah, and another in the West, send them greetings of peace and pray for them...for how few are Ahlus-Sunnah wal Jamā’ah!" (No. 50)
10. Ayyūb As-Sikhtiyāni, may Allāh have mercy on him, said:
«إني أُخْبَرُ بموت الرجل من أهل السنة؛ فكأني أفقد بعض أعضائي»
"When I hear of the death of a man from the people of the Sunnah, it feels as if I have lost one of my limbs." (No. 29)
11. Abū Bakr ibn ’Ayyāsh, may Allāh have mercy on him, was asked, "Who is a Sunni?" He replied:
«الذي إذا ذكرت الأهواء لم يتعصب لشيء منها»
"The one who, when sectarian whims are mentioned, does not show bias towards any of them." (No. 53)
12. Shādh ibn Yaḥyā, may Allāh have mercy on him, said:
«ليس طريق أقصَد إلى الجنة؛ من طريق من سلك الآثار»
"There is no path more direct to Paradise than the path of those who follow the Āthār (narrations)." (No. 112)
13. Al-Fuḍayl ibn ’Iyāḍ, may Allāh have mercy on him, said:
«من أتاه رجل فشاوره؛ فدله على مبتدع؛ فقد غش الإسلام»
"If a man comes to you seeking advice, and you direct him to an innovator, you have betrayed Islam." (No. 261)