Part 5: Our Manhaj with the Innovators: To Abandon Argumentation and Sitting with Ahlul-Bidʿah ― The Foundations of the Sunnah, with the explanation of Shaikh An-Najmī.

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To abandon argumentation, and sitting with the People of Desires.

The Imām of Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jamā’ah, Ahmad ibn Hanbal (d.241H) stated:

وترك الخصومات, والجلوس مع أصحاب الأهواء

“And to abandon argumentation, and sitting with the People of Desires (i.e., the People of Innovation, misguidance and deviation).”

Explanation:

The evidence for this saying of Imam Ahmad (rahimahullāh) is the statement of Allah in Surah An-Nisā:

وَقَدْ نَزَّلَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِي الْكِتَابِ أَنْ إِذَا سَمِعْتُمْ آيَاتِ اللَّهِ يُكْفَرُ بِهَا وَيُسْتَهْزَأُ بِهَا فَلَا تَقْعُدُوا مَعَهُمْ حَتَّىٰ يَخُوضُوا فِي حَدِيثٍ غَيْرِهِ ۚ إِنَّكُمْ إِذًا مِّثْلُهُمْ ۗ

“He (Allah) has already revealed to you in the Book that when you hear Allah’s verses being denied or ridiculed, then do not sit in that company unless they engage in a different topic, or else you will be like them.” (Surah an-Nisā 4:140)

This whole discussion revolves around not arguing over the affairs of ‘Aqeedah (Creed) and methodology, and not arguing with Ahlul Bid’ah and the people of desires. We should not believe that the one who overpowers another, that he is the one who is correct, as many people incorrectly assume. This idea, that the one who argues the most eloquently is the one upon the truth, is false. There is to be no arguing or sitting with Ahlul-Bid’ah. If people wish to know the True Belief and Creed then it is already established in the Qur’ān and the Sunnah and explained in the books of ‘Aqeedah of the Salaf, so there is no need for argumentation, and debating over that which was revealed to the Prophet (salallāhu ʿalaihi wasallam) in clear terms.

The Affair of the Dajjāl

It is reported that the Messenger of Allah (salallāhu ‘alaihi wasallam) said:

“Whoever hears that the Dajjāl has appeared, then let him stay far away from him, as much as he is able, for indeed a man will go to him thinking himself to be a firm believer, but he will not leave the Dajjāl until he ends up following him, due to that which he is sees with him of doubts (shubuhāt).” (Ahmad 3/1515 no. 19896, Abu Dawud no. 4319, saheeh).

From this hadeeth we have a clear indication of how the Salaf used to understand the importance of staying away from the gatherings of Ahlul Bid’ah, those who invite to their misguidance and refuse to accept the truth, whether it be the ones who deny the Names and Attributes of Allah, or make tawāf around the graves, or seek intercession from the dead, or believe that Allah is in everywhere, or believe there are two types of knowledge: apparent and hidden; whether it is the Bidʿah of the Khawārij or the Rāfidah or the Shiʿah or the Murji’ah ― whichever type of Bidʿah it is, we must stay away from it and the people who invite to it.

The Prophet (salallāhu ‘alaihi wasallam) enjoined upon us in this hadeeth to keep away from the Dajjāl, and he (salallāhu ‘alaihi wasallam) informed us: “There is not a fitnah greater than the fitnah of the Maseeh ad-Dajjāl.” He (salallāhu ‘alaihi wasallam) said: “There was not a Messenger except that he was informed of the coming of the Dajjāl.” He (salallāhu ‘alaihi wasallam) said: “I have more knowledge of him (the Dajjāl) than any prophet that was sent before me.” He (salallāhu ‘alaihi wasallam) said: “He will have the word ‘kāfir’ written on his forehead and every believer will be able to read it.” He (salallāhu ‘alaihi wasallam) said: “He will be upon the Earth for forty days; the first day like a year, the second day like a month, the third day like a week and the rest of the days like normal days.” He (salallāhu ‘alaihi wasallam) said: “He will come out of Isfahān on the back of a mule, and with him will be seventy thousand Jews wearing shawls.” (Read more here)

So despite us having been given knowledge about the Dajjāl; who he is and what he looks like so that every Muslim knows of him. Yet the Prophet (salallāhu ‘alaihi wasallam) still told us that if we hear of him, we must not approach him due to the doubts that he will throw at a person. And this is why we should not sit with Ahlul Bid’ah ― they are more subtle and not as easily recognised as being upon falsehood, there are no markings upon their foreheads telling us that they are dangerous innovators. In fact, many display outward piety, which is why the innovator is so dangerous.

So if the Prophet (salallāhu ‘alaihi wasallam) told us not to approach the Dajjāl, who is an apparent and clear kāfir who claims lordship for himself and calls upon people to worship him, yet the believer will still be deceived and beguiled by him, then what about the one who comes to us with outward piety, claiming to want to teach us the Truth!? This is why Imām Ahmad mentioned this point of abandoning sitting with and debating with Ahlul-Bid’ah, very early on in his treatise, Usoolus-Sunnah, clearly stating that it is from the foundations of our religion, from our ‘Aqeedah and Manhaj to abandon argumentation and sitting with the People of Desires.

Imām Ibn Battah’s commentary on the Hadeeth of the Dajjāl

There is some commentary regarding the hadeeth of the Dajjāl by Imām ibn Battah (d.387H rahimahullāh)― the great scholar of Irāq, Abu ʿAbdullah ʿUbaydullah bin Muhammad al-ʿUkbari al-Hanbali. Ibn Battah authored the tremendous 3 volume work “Al-Ibānatul-Kubrā”. He said about this hadeeth: “This is the saying of the Messenger (salallāhu ‘alaihi wasallam) who is the truthful and believed. By Allah O Muslims! Let not any of you get carried away with good opinion and amazement of himself, and trusting himself [thinking] that he knows the correctness of his belief such that he does not fear for his religion or sitting with the people of desires. So he says, ’I will go to the innovator and debate with him or surely take him out of his deviation.’ But we know that these innovators are more severe of a trial than the Dajjāl. Their speech is more contagious than scabies and more scorching than a blazing fire for the hearts. I have seen a group of people who used to curse and revile Ahlul Bidʿah in their gatherings, then they started sitting with them with a view to correct and refute them, and they (i.e., Ahlul-Bidʿah) did not cease to be kind and friendly with them, along with subtle deceit and the finer points of kufr, until they inclined towards them.” (Al-Ibānah vol 2, page 470)

Therefore we should not be deceived into thinking that we are so strong in our belief (ʿaqeedah) and therefore, will not be affected by Ahlul-Bidʿah, because the hearts are weak and it is possible that they can cast something into our hearts that will cause us to doubt the ʿAqeedah that we are upon.

Narrations from the Salaf regarding abandoning sitting or debating with the People of Innovation

There is also a narration from Companion, Anas Ibn Mālik Ibn Nadr al-Ansāri al-Khazraji (d. 94H radiyallāhu ʿanhu), where a man came to him, and said: “O Abu Hamzah! I have met people who deny the intercession on the Day of Judgement, and they deny the punishment of the grave.” So Anas bin Mālik replied saying, “They are liars, so do not sit with them.” (Collected by Ibn Battah in Al-Ibānah, vol. 2, pp. 408 and 448).

ʿAbdullah ibn ʿAbbās (radiyallāhu ʿanhumā), the tarjumān al-Qur’ān, said: “Do not sit with the People of Desires (i.e. the people of deviation and misguidance), for indeed their gatherings cause sickness for the hearts.” (Collected by Imām al-Ajurrī in ash-Shareeʿah in the chapter “The rebuke of argumentation and disputation in the religion”, Ibn Battah in al-Ibānah in the chapter “Warning from keeping company with a people who cause sickness in the hearts and cause corruption in Imān.”)

Abul-Jawzā (d. 83 H), who was Aws Ibn ʿAbdullah ar-Ribʿī al-Basrī, a tābiʿee who would narrate from the Prophet (salallāhu ‘alaihi wasallam), but was thiqah (trustworthy), nevertheless. He said: “That I have as my neighbours, apes and pigs is more beloved to me than having as my neighbour one of them (i.e., the People of Desires and innovation).” (Reported by al-Lālakā’i in his Sharh Usool al-Iʿtiqād in the chapter, “That which has been narrated from the Prophet (salallāhu ‘alaihi wasallam) regarding the prohibition of arguing with Ahlul-Bidʿah and debating with them.”)

In our time, people claim that the Salafis are too harsh if they make statements such as these but in reality, this is how our Salaf were. And if anyone says that ‘that was for their time,’ then know that he does not wish to follow the Manhaj, Fiqh (understanding) or Madhhab of the Salaf! Such people want to introduce new methods of rectification for our times so they are like the Muʿtazilah of this era who want to introduce into Islām a sort of ‘enlightenment,’ where the Book of Allah is put to one side and the religion is practised based upon hawā (desires).

We also have the statement of the Imām, Fudayl Ibn ʿIyād bin Masʿood at-Taymī, Abu ʿAlī (d. 187 H). He was originally from Khurasān and was well known to be a zāhid (one who abstains from the worldly pleasures). He settled in Makkah, and was thiqah (trustworthy/reliable), an ʿābid (a devoted worshipper of Allah). He (rahimahullah) said: “Do not sit with a Person of Bidʿah for I fear that there will descend upon you the curse of Allah.” (Reported by Imām al-Lālakā’i in Sharh Usool al-Iʿtiqād in the chapter, “The prohibition of debating and arguing with Ahlul Bid’ah.” And Ibn Battah in the chapter, “The warning of keeping companionship with those who have a sickness in their hearts, and cause sickness and corruption in Imān.” Imām al-Barbahāri also mentioned it in Sharh us-Sunnah.)

This was the way of our Salaf with the people of deviation in their time, some of whom were not as deviated or as extreme as the People of Bidʿah that we find today.

We have that which occurred with the tābiʿee, Muhammad Ibn Sireen al-Ansāri, Abu Bakr Ibn Abu ʿAmrah al-Basri (d. 110 H), he was thiqah (trustworthy), a worshipper, and one who had a high rank amongst the People of Knowledge: Two men from amongst the People of Desires entered upon him, and one of them said, “O Abu Bakr, we wish to have a word with you.” So Muhammad ibn Sirin said, “No! I will not speak to you!” So they said, “Then we shall recite to you an āyah from the Book of Allah.” Muhammad ibn Sirin said: “No! Either you will get up and leave me or I will leave.” So they both left. So some of the people said to him, “O Abu Bakr! What harm would it have done if they recited to you some ayāt from the Book of Allah?” So he replied: “Indeed I fear that they would recite to me an āyah, and they would distort it, and then that would settle in my heart.”

This was Muhammad ibn Sirin, an Imām of the Sunnah, yet he avoided debating with the people of deviation. Whoever wants to know the true ʿAqeedah, then it is known and recorded. All of the aspects of ʿAqeedah are preserved in the books of the scholars so debating and argumentation are not needed. The books of ʿAqeedah of the Salaf explain the various points of our belief and its pillars: That Eemān increases and decreases and it is belief in the heart, speech of the tongue and actions of the limbs; we affirm for Allah that which He has affirmed for Himself of Names and Attributes without taʿteel (negation), without tahreef (distortion), without takyeef (equiring how the Attribute is) and without tamtheel (likening Allah to the creation). We affirm that Allah descends, that He has Feet, Hands, a Face, Two Eyes, that He will come on the Day of Judgement, He laughs, and so on. We affirm all of this as befits His Majesty and Greatness without denying, without false interpretation or distortion, or asking how the Attributes are and without likening Allah to the creation.

We also have the statement of ʿAbdur-Razzāq Ibn Hamām Ibn Nāfi as-Sanʿāni al-Himayrī al-Yamānī, Abu Bakr (d. 211 H rahimahulāh), who was a muhaddith, a hāfidh, and a faqeeh. Imām al-Bukhāri took from him, as did many other scholars and Imām Ahmad travelled to Sanʿā to seek knowledge from him. He said that Abu Ishāq Ibraheem Ibn Muhammad Ibn Abu Yahyā al-Aslami al-Madani (d 184 or 191H, whose narrations were abandoned) said to him: “I have seen that in your land there are many Muʿtazilah.” So ʿAbdur Razzāq as-Sanʿāni replied saying, “Yes, and they say that you (Ibraheem Ibn Muhammad) are from them.” So Ibraheem bin Muhammad said to him, “Will you enter this building with me so that I can talk to you?” To which ʿAbdur-Razzaq said to him, ”No! Because the hearts are weak, and the religion is not based upon who can overpower the other.” (Reported by Ibn Battah in al-Ibānatul Kubrā, chapter, “Keeping companionship with a people who cause sickness in the hearts and corrupt a person’s Imān,” and it is also reported by al-Lālakā’ī)

We also have the statement of Mubashshir Ibn Ismaʿeel al-Halabi, Abu Ismaʿeel (d. 200 H, rahimahullāh), who was truthful in narrating hadeeth: “It was said to Imām al-’Awzāʿee, ‘There is a man who says, ‘I will sit with Ahlus-Sunnah and with Ahlul-Bidʿah.’’ So Imām al-’Awzāʿee said: ‘This man wishes to bring together the Truth and falsehood.’” (Collected by Ibn Battah in al-Ibānatul Kubrā). Imām al-Awzāʿee was Abu ʿAmr ʿAbdur-Rahmān Ibn ʿAmr Ibn Abu ʿAmr al-Awzāʿee (d. 157 H, rahimahullāh), a faqeeh (jurist), and trustworthy (thiqah).

In all of these statements, we see the clear position of the Salaf with respect to Ahlul-Bidʿah. So, even in our times, if a person wishes to follow the path of the Salaf, then he does not give up this aspect of the foundations and principles (usool) of the deen, i.e., from the usool are that we do not sit with, or debate with, or participate with, or attend conferences and gatherings of Ahlul-Bidʿah.

The great tābiʿee Abul-ʿAaliyah (d. 90 H, rahimahullāh) said: “Learn Islām, and when you have learnt Islām, do not turn away from it. Upon you is to stay upon the straight path, for indeed that is Islām, do not deviate from it ― neither to the right nor to the left. Upon you is the Sunnah of your Prophet (salallāhu ʿalaihi wasallam), and that which the Sahābah were upon (radiyallāhu ʿanhum), and keep away from these desires, which, when thrown among the people, cause enmity and hatred between them.” (Collected by al-Lālakā’ī in Sharh Usool al-Iʿtiqād, by al-Marwazi in as-Sunnah and Imām al-Ājurrī in ash-Shareeʿah).

Imām al-’Awzāʿee (rahimahullāh) said: “Keep yourself patient upon the Sunnah, and stop where the people before you stopped, and speak with what they spoke with, and withhold from what they withheld from, and take to the path of your Salaf as-Sāleh (your righteous predecessors), for indeed that which sufficed them will suffice you.” (Collected by Imām al-Lālakā’ī in Sharh Usool Iʿtiqād Ahlis Sunnah wal-Jamāʿah, by Ibn al-Jawzi in Talbees Iblees, by Imām al-Ājurri in ash-Shareeʿah and Abu Nuʿaym in al-Hilyah).

Shaikh ul-Islām Ibn Taymiyyah (d. 728 H) said, “There is no criticism upon the one who makes apparent the madhab of the Salaf, and ascribed himself to it and attaches himself to it because the madhhab of the Salaf is nothing but the Truth.”

Salvation lies in following the Madhhab of the Salaf because that is the way of the Sunnah as Imām Mālik (rahimahullāh) famously said, “The Sunnah is the ark of Noah, whoever embarks it is saved and whoever is left behind is drowned.” The Madhhab of the Salaf encompasses the Sunnah, so whoever abandons it, then he is drowned and destroyed, and whoever holds on to it, then he is upon success and salvation.

The Clear Signs of Ahlul-Bid’ah and the Clear Signs of Ahlus-Sunnah

Shaikh Ahmad an-Najmi (rahimahullā) explained that Ahlul-Bidʿah have certain distinguishing signs which have been enumerated in many of the books of ‘Aqeedah. From their signs is

1. Their revilement of Ahlul-Athar (the People of Narrations), as was stated by Abu Hātim ar-Rāzi, one of the great scholars of his age (d. 277 H, rahimahullāh), reported by Imām al-Lālakā’ī in Sharh Usool Iʿtiqād Ahlus Sunnah wal-Jamāʿah (1/204), “The distinguishing sign of Ahlul-Bidʿah is revilement of Ahlul-Athar.”

2. Their severe enmity towards Ahlul-Hadeeth (the People of Hadeeth), and at the same time they are silent regarding the people of misguidance and falsehood, just as the Prophet (salallāhu ‘alaihi wasallam) said in his description of the Khawārij, “They will fight and kill the people of Islām and they will leave alone the people of idolatry.” (Part of a hadeeth collected by Al-Bukhari and Muslim). Therefore, we should take this as a principle and know that the People of Truth are a target for Ahlul-Bidʿah whilst the people of falsehood are safe from their tongues and attacks.

All of the various sects of Ahlul-Bidʿah are united in their hatred of the People of Sunnah and Salafiyyah, and this can be seen even today in their conferences and gatherings all over the world. They will organize events where all of the people of Bidʿah are present, praising each other and uniting (at least, outwardly) without any ouward opposition or refutation between them, but when they are asked about the Salafis (or their scholars such as Al-Albāni, Rabeeʿ, Muqbil, Muhammad Amān, etc.), then their enmity becomes apparent. This is a principle which is found with Ahlul-Bidʿah ― that Ahlul-Haqq (the People upon the Truth), Ahlus-Sunnah who are the Salafis are targeted, whilst the People of Bidʿah with all their deviations are left alone.

The great Imām, Abu ʿUthmān Ismāʿeel Ibn Abdur-Rahmān as-Sāboonī (d. 449 H, rahimahullāh) mentioned in his tremendous work ʿAqeedatus-Salaf As’hābul-Hadeeth (p. 106): “The signs of innovation upon its people are clear and apparent. From the most noticeable and obvious of their signs is their severe enmity towards the carriers of the narrations of the Prophet; and their scorning of them, calling them names and insulting them such as labelling them as ‘Hashawiyyah’ (the worthless ones), ‘Jahlah’ (the ignorant ones), ‘Dhāhiriyyah’ (the literalists), ‘Mushabbihah’ (those who resemble Allah to the creation). This is due to their belief concerning the narrations of Allah’s Messenger (salallāhu ‘alaihi wasallam), that they are devoid of knowledge and that true knowledge is that which Shaytān throws at them as a result of their corrupt intellect and the dark whisperings of their souls, and the false notions in their hearts which are empty of any goodness and the proofs which they try to present which are devoid of any truth. They are the ones who Allah has cursed.”

Imām as-Sābooni (rahimahullāh) was not unique in using such language about Ahlul-Bidʿah. Many of the Salaf were stern and harsh in their speech towards Ahlul-Bidʿah due to them following that which Shaytān has beautified for them and conveying that falsehood to the people.

3. The third sign of Ahlul-Bidʿah is that they will seek out every opportunity to obtain support from the rulers and those in authority, and this is due to the weakness of their “evidence” and “proofs”. They are not able to establish their proofs, so they need people in authority and power to enforce their beliefs upon the people. They are weak in their daʿwah, so they seek the aid of the rulers against Ahlus-Sunnah.

4. From the traits of Ahlul-Bidʿah is their ghuluww (excess and exaggeration) in matters of worship. The innovator is excessive in striving in religious acts in order to attain wealth and status. Ahlul-Bidʿah often perform acts of worship (usually innovated) in public and display zuhd (disregard for the world) in order to gather followers around them. We see this with the monks who abandon worldly pleasures and exert in worship, yet despite this, they will be in the Hellfire, just as Allah has said:

وُجُوهٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ خَاشِعَةٌ. عَامِلَةٌ نَّاصِبَةٌ.تَصْلَىٰ نَارًا حَامِيَةً.

“Some faces, that Day will be humiliated ― labouring (hard in the worldly life by worshipping others besides Allah), weary (in the Hereafter with humility and disgrace). They will enter into the hot, blazing fire. (Surah al-Ghāshiyah 88:2-4)

This is the trait of the monks and the extreme Sufis, who end up exiting the fold of Islām. They are weary and tire themselves out, yet the end result is Hellfire, and Allah’s refuge is sought.

Allah, the Most High, said:

 قُلْ هَلْ نُنَبِّئُكُم بِالْأَخْسَرِينَ أَعْمَالًا. الَّذِينَ ضَلَّ سَعْيُهُمْ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَهُمْ يَحْسَبُونَ أَنَّهُمْ يُحْسِنُونَ صُنْعًا

“Say, shall We tell you the greatest losers in respect of their deeds? Those whose efforts have been wasted in this life while they thought that they were acquiring good by their deeds.” (Surah al-Kahf 18: 103-104)

How many people do we see from Ahlul Bid’ah who tire themselves out with their innovations? Many people are put to trial by the innovators due to what they see from them of zuhd (disregard for the world), outward humility, weeping and excessive worship. But this is not how we truly measure whether a person is on the Truth or not. The measure of whether a person is on the Truth or not is the Sunnah. The Prophet (salallāhu ʿalaihi wasallam) mentioned to us the traits of Ahlul-Bidʿah in a hadeeth collected by Bukhāri and Muslim, where he (salallāhu ʿalaihi wasallam) said about them: “When you look at their prayer, it will make your prayer look like nothing, and when you look at their fasting, it will make your fasting look like nothing, and their recitation of the Qur’ān will make your recitation look like nothing.”

So it is incumbent upon the people not to be deceived by their outward worship and piety, rather our yardstick is a person’s adherence to the Sunnah, because worship is not accepted by Allah unless it is in accordance with the Sunnah, as the Prophet (salallāhu ʿalaihi wasallam) said: “Whoever does a deed which is not from this religion of ours, it will be rejected.” So, a person may be plentiful in doing deeds, but they are not from the religion, so it will not benefit him.

Then, Shaikh Ahmad an-Najmi (rahimahullāh) mentions nine apparent signs of Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jamāʿah (with additional comments from Abu Khadeejah):

1. They call to the Book of Allah, to follow it and act upon it.

2. Their explanation of the Book of Allah is by the Athār, i.e., with the Sunnah, and the tafseer of the Sahābah and the Tābiʿeen.

3. They call to the authentic Sunnah (saheehah) as reported from the Prophet (salallāhu ʿalaihi wasallam).

4. They believe that the Sunnah is a clarification of the Book of Allah and a detailed explanation of it.

5. Ahlus-Sunnah love the Sunnah, and they love the People of Sunnah and the carriers of the Sunnah. They believe that Ahlus-Sunnah are the ones through whom Allah has preserved His Religion. Allah beautified the hearts of Ahlus-Sunnah and illuminated them by their love of the ʿUlamā of Sunnah, as a bounty from Him (the Most High) as has been stated by Imām as-Sābooni in ʿAqeedatus-Salaf As’hābul-Hadeeth (p. 107). It was said to Abu Bakr Ibn ʿAyyāsh (d.194H rahimahullah), “Who is the Sunni?” He replied, “The Sunni is the one who when the desires are refuted in front of him, he does not get angry with any of that.” (Sharh Usool Iʿtiqād Ahlis-Sunnah wal-Jamāʿah, no. 53).

We see that this is the opposite of the people of deviation, who become angry when innovations and deviations are refuted. This also shows that it was from the methodology of the Salaf to refute Ahlul-Bidʿah, and not to feel any tenderness in our hearts towards them. So, if we hear of individuals such as Yāsir Qādi, Tahir Wyatt, Yusuf al-Qardāwi, Muhammad Suroor, Sayyid Qutb, ʿUmar Suleimān, Zākir Naik and others being refuted, we should not become angry about this. Having blind allegiance to individuals is very dangerous, like those who had blind allegiance to Khalid ʿAbdur-Rahmān al-Misri, who reviled the scholars of Madinah, saying that they have opposed the Manhaj of the Salaf, yet the likes of this person keep appearing in conferences. He falsely accused the scholars of having secret gatherings and agreeing with the Khawārij. Despite all of this, many people do not refute him, rather they share platforms with him at conferences.

6. They are upon a balanced path, upon a middle way, neither being negligent nor exaggerating; neither do they fall short nor do they go beyond bounds. All of the sects of deviation either fall short, like the Murji’ah and the Jahmiyah, or they go into extremes such as the Shiʿah and the Khawārij.

7. They do not go to extremes in their allegiance to anyone from their scholars, such that they ascribe infallibility to them; not the Sahābah, nor other than them. Imām Ibn Bāz (rahimahullāh) said that everyone’s speech is measured by the texts of the Kitāb and the Sunnah and the Ijmā of the early Salaf, as anyone can make mistakes.

8. Ahlus-Sunnah hate Ahlul-Bidʿah. They worship Allah by striving against the innovators and explaining their true condition so that the people are warned against them.

9. Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jamāʿah give concern and importance to ʿAqeedah and give it precedence over virtuous deeds. ʿAqeedah and Tawheed come first and foremost and then upon these are built the virtuous deeds, such as the night prayer, dhikr, optional fasting and charity, etc. However, the innovators just call to righteous deeds but do not speak about ʿAqeedah, Manhaj or the Usool of Salafiyyah and Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jamāʿah.

The way of Ahlus-Sunnah is to call to Tawheed (the ʿAqeedah), Mutābaʿah (following the Prophet (salallāhu ʿalaihi wasallam)), then Tazkiyah (purifying yourself from sin and transgression).

والحمد لله رب العالمين وصلى الله على نبينا محمد وعلى آله وصحبه أجمعين.

سبحانك اللهم وبحمدك أشهد أن لا إله إلا أنت، أستغفرك وأتوب إليك

Abu Khadeejah Abdul-Wāhid.
Copyright 2022.

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