Ash-Shaikh al-ʿAllāmah Sālih al-Fawzān (may Allāh preserve him) said:
“Al-Imām al-Barbahārī (rahimahullāh) said: ‘And the foundation upon which the Jamāʿah is established’ — who are the Jamāʿah who possess this status? They are the Companions of Muhammad (sallallāhu ʿalayhi wa-sallam), those who came after them from the Tābiʿīn (the Successors), and the followers of the Tābiʿīn, and the early virtuous generations. These are the Jamāʿah, along with those from the later generations who follow their example.
“These are the Jamāʿah with whom a Muslim is obligated to remain, even if he suffers whatever he suffers of harm, whatever threats are made against him, whatever reproach is directed at him, and whatever attacks are made against him. He must remain patient through all of this and endure it, so long as he is upon the truth. He must not deviate from the truth. Rather, he must patiently bear whatever befalls him. Otherwise, he will become a target for those with ulterior motives, the callers to evil, and the callers to misguidance.
“Allāh, the Most High, said:
وَالسَّابِقُونَ الْأَوَّلُونَ مِنَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ وَالْأَنْصَارِ وَالَّذِينَ اتَّبَعُوهُمْ بِإِحْسَانٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَضُوا عَنْهُ وَأَعَدَّ لَهُمْ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي تَحْتَهَا الْأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا أَبَدًا ۚ ذَٰلِكَ الْفَوْزُ الْعَظِيمُ
‘And the foremost to embrace Islām of the Muhājirūn (those who migrated from Makkah to al-Madīnah) and the Ansār (the inhabitants of al-Madīnah who supported them), and those who followed them exactly—Allāh is pleased with them, and they are pleased with Him; and He has prepared for them gardens beneath which rivers flow, wherein they will abide forever. That is the supreme success.’ (At-Tawbah 9:100)
“And when Allāh, the Most High, mentioned the Muhājirūn and the Ansār in Sūrah al-Hashr, He said:
وَالَّذِينَ جَاءُوا مِنْ بَعْدِهِمْ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا اغْفِرْ لَنَا وَلِإِخْوَانِنَا الَّذِينَ سَبَقُونَا بِالْإِيمَانِ وَلَا تَجْعَلْ فِي قُلُوبِنَا غِلًّا لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا رَبَّنَا إِنَّكَ رَءُوفٌ رَحِيمٌ
‘And those who came after them (the Sahābah) say: ‘Our Lord! Forgive us and our brothers who preceded us in faith, and do not put in our hearts any hatred towards those who have believed. Our Lord! Indeed, You are Kind and Merciful.’‘ [Al-Ḥashr 59:10]
“Therefore, those who come later must follow those who preceded them from the people of truth and righteousness, even if a long period of time separates them. They must adhere to what those predecessors were upon, regardless of what that may cost them. They must remain patient.”
See, Ithāf al-Qārī (1/63-64) of al-ʿAllāmah Sālih al-Fawzān. —Abu Khadeejah.
