Ahlus Sunnah wal Jamaah (Arabic: اهل السنة و الجماعة) which literally translates as “people of the Sunnah and the community”. They are the ones who are upon the likeness of the Prophet sallalhu alayhi wassallum and his companions radiAllahu anhum. They are named Ahlus sunnah because they cling onto the sunnah of the Prophet sws and they are named al jama'ah because they are untied with the imaams of the truth and do not forsake them. They also follow what the salaf of this ummah were upon.
The Messenger of Allah sws said, “The Jews split into seventy-one sects; one will be in Paradise (i.e., those who followed Moses) and seventy will be in the Fire. The Christians split into seventy-two sects; seventy-one will be in the Fire and one will be in Paradise (i.e., those who followed Jesus). And by the One in Whose Hand is the soul of Muhammad, this Ummah (nation) of mine will split into seventy-three sects; one will be in Paradise and seventy-two will be in the fire.
It was asked, "Who are they, O Messenger of Allah?”
He (peace be upon him) said, “Al-Jamaýah (i.e., the group which adheres steadfastly to the way of the Prophet, peace be upon him, and his Companions)."
And in another narration: ”(Those who follow) what I and my Companions are following.“
- Saheeh Hadith.
Since they are the followers of the sunnah of the Messenger sws, and are dependent upon the narrations, they are also known as ahlul hadeeth & ahlul athar (people of the narrations) as well as called at-taa'ifatul mansoorah [The Aided Group] and al-firqatun Najiyah [The saved sect].
And hold firmly to the rope of Allah all together and do not become divided. And remember the favor of Allah upon you - when you were enemies and He brought your hearts together and you became, by His favor, brothers. And you were on the edge of a pit of the Fire, and He saved you from it. Thus does Allah make clear to you His verses that you may be guided.
-3:103
Ibn Masood (ra), Ali bin Abi Talib (ra), and Abu Saeed Al-Kuddrri (ra) said it is the Qur'an. Others said it is the Deen of Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’aala). Others like Ibnul Mubaarak said it is the Jama’ah. Ibn Katheer said; “He ordered them to stay in the Jama`ah and not to divide.”
Foundations and Principals:
The source of the correct creed is the Book of Allah, authenticated sunnah of His Messenger sws and the agreement of the salaf us salih.
It is obligatory to accept everything that is the authenticated sunnah.
We must return to the understanding of the book and the sunnah to the texts that best explain them and according to the as-salaf-us-saalih and whatever remains upon their methodology from the imaams. Then comes whatever is correct from the Arabic language as long as it does not conflict with the apparent linguistic assumptions.
Indeed all of the foundations of the deen were explained by RasulAllah sws so no one can invent something and claim that it is from the religion.
There must be complete submission to Allah and His Messenger sws; openly and secretly. No one can oppose anything from the Qur'an or the Sunnah with an analogical deduction, indication, disclosure, or a statement from a shaykh or imam etc.
The pure unadulterated intellect is in conformity with the texts and it will never contradict the truths from them, ever.
It is obligatory to stick to the legislated terminology in the creed in order to avoid the innovated terminology.
Infallibility is confirmed for the Messenger sws, and for the ummah collectively is safe from misguidance. As for individuals, none of them are infallible. Whatever the imaams and others have differed in, then return it to the book and the sunnah, with excuses from the mistaken ones from the Mujtahid scholars of this ummah.
In the ummah, there are those endowed with intuition. Good dreams are true and are part of the prophet-hood. Truthful intuitive knowledge is correct. So these are prophecy related miracles with the condition that they are in conformity with the revelation and not a source of legislation and creed on their own.
Argumentation in the religion is criticized but debating in a good manner is allowed. Whatever has been authentically prohibited from being studied, then it is obligatory to comply with that prohibition.
It is obligatory to adhere to the methodology of the revelation when refuting, just as it is obligatory in creed or matters of daily actions. An innovation cannot be refuted with an innovation nor negligence with excess or reverse.
Every newly invented matter in the religion is an innovation, and every innovation is a misguidance, and every misguidance is in the fire.
The Messenger of Allah sws said,
“A group of my Ummah shall remain steadfast, on the truth, victorious, unharmed by those who oppose them, and do not support them, until the death or until the Day of Resurrection.”
- Bukhari
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