Characterisitics of Ahlus-Sunnah - Ustadh Abdul Karim

Khutbah: Characteristics of Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah

Opening — Khutbatul Hajah

Amma ba'du: Indeed the most truthful of speech is the Book of Allah, and the best of guidance is the guidance of Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم, and the worst of all matters are the newly invented ones. Every newly invented matter is a bid'ah, every bid'ah is misguidance, and every misguidance is in the Hellfire.

Unity is an Obligation — Division is Forbidden

Allah says in Surah Al-Imran:

"And hold firmly to the rope of Allah altogether 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 fire and He saved you from it."

My brothers in Islam, this verse of the Quran in Surah Al-Imran clearly shows us that it is not allowed in Islam to be divided and to be split. Allah wants us in this ayah to remember the day that the people were enemies of each other, and that He brought the hearts of the companions together and they became brothers of each other. Salman al-Farisi رضي الله عنه — from Persia — became the brother of Bilal from Ethiopia, and he became also the brother of Uthman who was from Quraysh.

The disputes within the ummah have caused us to fail and have caused us to lose power. Allah said in Surah Al-Anfal (8:46):

"And obey Allah and His messenger and dispute not with one another." And then Allah said in this ayah that doing so will cause our power to be gone, and also that we will not succeed.

The Splitting of the Ummah — Who Is the Saved Sect?

The splitting in the ummah, my brothers in Islam, is a reality that we cannot deny. How can we deny the splitting after the trustworthy messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم clearly stated:

"And this ummah will be divided into 73 sects — all will be in the Hellfire except for one." (Sunan Abi Dawud, Hadith 4596; Sunan al-Tirmidhi, Hadith 2640)

So this clear hadith states that the ummah will split, and it has already split as you can see. So the question is not will we split — but the question should be: who is the safe sect, and how can we be safe from the Hellfire? And this is the same question that the Sahabah رضي الله عنهم thought about and that concerned them when they heard the hadith from the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم.

The Sahabah were the closest people to him صلى الله عليه وسلم, so any worship today that was not known to the companions cannot be a worship today. Imam Malik رحمه الله said:

"What was not a religion in those days — the days of the companions — will not become religion today."

So anything — any ibadah, any act of worship — that was not known to the companions can never be a religion today.

And al-Maymuni رحمه الله reported that Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal said to his student:

"O Abu Hassan, beware of speaking about a religious affair where you don't have an imam that has preceded you in that thinking or in that saying." (Ibn al-Jawzi, Manaqib al-Imam Ahmad)

Following the Pious Predecessors — Al-Salaf al-Salih

We Muslims should follow the footsteps of the pious predecessors, who are called in Arabic السَّلَفُ الصَّالِح — those pious early three generations. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said about them:

"The best of people is my generation, then those who follow them, then those who follow them." (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 2652; Sahih Muslim, Hadith 2533)

The messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم mentioned in this hadith three generations and said that they are the best of the generations. So those approximately three hundred years — they are the best generations. And those people today who are following those early generations are the true people of Sunnah — they are Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah.

Saying or claiming to be a follower of the companions and the Salaf is not just a word free of deeds. Rather, it is to be followed with your heart and your limbs. Like Ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله تعالى mentioned in some of his books, he said that Ahlus-Sunnah:

"The people of Sunnah — the true people of Sunnah — they leave the statements of people for the Sunnah. Whereas the people of innovation leave the Sunnah because of the statements of people."

He also mentioned رحمه الله that:

"The people of innovation take the Sunnah and present it against the opinions of men." Whatever agrees with what those later scholars say, they accept. Whatever disagrees, they reject. But Ahlus-Sunnah are the opposite of that.

Salamah ibn Shabib رحمه الله reported that Imam Ahmad said:

"The opinion of Imam al-Awza'i, the opinion of Imam Malik, and the opinion of Sufyan al-Thawri — they are for me all the same. They are all opinions. Indeed, the proof is in the narrations."

The proof is in the ahadith of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم. And we find as well that Abu Hanifa رحمه الله said — as mentioned by Ibn Abidin in his famous Hashiyah:

"It is not allowed for anyone to take my statement unless he knows from where I have taken that statement."

And Abu Hanifa رحمه الله said in another narration:

"Verily we are only human beings. I take a statement today but tomorrow I might take it back."

Key Characteristics of Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah

1. Acting Upon the Sunnah Immediately

From the characteristics of Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah: when the Sunnah reaches them, they act upon it straight away and believe in whatever the hadith mentions. Imam al-Shafi'i رحمه الله تعالى brought consensus on this, saying:

"There is a consensus — an agreement — that whoever a Sunnah from the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم becomes clear to, it is not allowed for that person to leave it for the statement of anybody else."

2. Not Naming Themselves After Individuals

Also, my brothers in Islam, Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah do not affiliate themselves and do not name themselves with the names of any people. Rather they say: "We are Muslim," or "We are Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah," or "We are the followers of the Salaf — the early three generations." While you find other groups giving themselves the names of people who came centuries after the blessed generations and centuries after the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم.

3. Love for All the Companions

From the fundamentals of Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah is to have love for all the companions without exception. And insulting the companions is from the major sins, because Imam Muslim رحمه الله تعالى narrated in his Sahih that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

"Do not insult my companions." (Sahih Muslim, Hadith 2540)

4. Belief in Al-Qadr — The Divine Decree

From the fundamentals of Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah is to believe in al-Qadr — the defined decree. Al-Qadr, my brothers in Islam, is the secret of Allah. So we don't ask why this person has lost a son, and why Allah made this person blind, and why He made that person rich, and why the other person lost a limb — because we know that Allah, the Almighty, has said about Himself:

"He cannot be asked about what He does, but they will be asked." So in this ayah, my brothers in Islam, in Surah al-Anbiya (21:23), we are not allowed to ask Allah why He has done this or that, because He is the Almighty and He has the hikmah in everything He does. So when we hear about al-Qadr, we have to be silent — as the messenger said: "When you hear about al-Qadr, then be silent" — because we cannot comprehend the Qadr of Allah.

And how beautiful is the statement of Abu Hanifa رحمه الله تعالى when he said about those who go deep into the knowledge of al-Qadr:

"The more one looks into it, the more confused one becomes." He said: don't you know that looking into the Qadr of Allah is like looking at the sun — the more you look at the sun, the more you get confused.

Second Part: Wisdom in Da'wah

5. Wisdom When Calling to Allah

From the characteristics of Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah is their wisdom in calling to Allah and doing da'wah — even when they are calling the Jews and the Christians towards the deen of Islam. Allah said in Surah al-Ankabut (29:46):

"And do not argue with the People of the Book except in a way that is best."

And Allah said to Musa alayhi salam and Harun alayhi salam:

"Go both of you — Musa and Harun — to Fir'aun. Indeed he has transgressed. And speak to him with gentle speech, that perhaps he may be reminded or fear."

So, my brothers in Islam, if Fir'aun should be approached by Musa alayhi salam with gentle speech — while Fir'aun is the person who said أَنَا رَبُّكُمُ الْأَعْلَى, meaning "I am your Lord the Most High" — then your Muslim brother and sister has far more right to be approached in a gentle way. Being gentle, my brothers in Islam, is from the religion of Islam.

Allah stated in Surah Al-Imran:

If the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم had been harsh in calling the companions, they would have gone away. So may Allah make us from those people who are calling towards Allah with wisdom.

And may Allah make us from those people who, when they hear, they act upon it.

Announcements

Green Lane Masjid will be hosting a skydiving event on the 5th of May to help raise money for Syria. For more information and registration details, please visit www.taskforcesyria.com or visit the Masjid reception insha'Allah.

This Saturday's lecture after Maghrib will be on the life of Ibn Hazm al-Andalusi and will be delivered by Wajid Malik insha'Allah. Sister circle will be at 5:15 in the library entrance via door H1. Quran class for the brothers will be held in the Masjid every Sunday at 12pm.

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