Explanation to Author’s introduction by Shaykh Yahya Silmy As Saylani (حفظه الله)

Dear Muslims,

Let us discuss how Imam Ibn taymiyyah (رحمه الله) described this Aqidah. He said,

فَهَذَا اعْتِقَادُ الْفِرْقَةِ النَّاجِيَةِ الْمَنْصُورَةِ إِلَى قِيَامِ السَّاعَةِ‏ أَهْلِ السُّنَّةِ وَالْجَمَاعَةِ

This is the Aqidah(creed) of the victorious sect, the victorious and the successful sect till Yawm al Qiyamah, (they are)Ahlus Sunnah Wal Jama’ah.

It means those who are holding onto these fundamentals, they are the victorious and they will be the successful till yawm al qiyamah(the day of judgement). So, this success is not just in a single matter or for certain period of time or for a group or for a place. People of this Aqidah will be victorious till yawm al qiyamah in the matters of religion. What is the success they will have? What will be their victory? The victory that they are going to have, is from the blessings of this Aqidah, action upon it, applying that in all matters of the religion. And it is the ahlus sunnah wal jamaa’h, the people of sunnah and jamaa’h. Who are the people of sunnah and jamaa’h? those who hold on to the six pillars of imaan. They act upon it till yawm al qiyamah. They are not going to compromise in matters of faith in Allah, His Angels, His Books, His Messengers, belief of the life after death and to have Iman of what Allah decreed the good and the bad. They are known as the Ahlus Sunnah Wal Jamaa’h, People of Sunnah and Al-Jamaa’h.

Who is Al-Jamaa’h?

The jamaa’h which rasoolullah salallahu alaihiwasalam produced. He produced a group of people on the land, on the globe and described them as Al-Jamaa’h. He salallahu alaihiwasalam said very clearly,

افْتَرَقَتْ الْيَهُودُ عَلَى إِحْدَى وَسَبْعِينَ فِرْقَةً فَوَاحِدَةٌ فِي الْجَنَّةِ وَسَبْعُونَ فِي النَّارِ وَافْتَرَقَتْ النَّصَارَى عَلَى ثِنْتَيْنِ وَسَبْعِينَ فِرْقَةً فَإِحْدَى وَسَبْعُونَ فِي النَّارِ وَوَاحِدَةٌ فِي الْجَنَّةِ وَالَّذِي نَفْسُ مُحَمَّدٍ بِيَدِهِ لَتَفْتَرِقَنَّ أُمَّتِي عَلَى ثَلَاثٍ وَسَبْعِينَ فِرْقَةً وَاحِدَةٌ فِي الْجَنَّةِ وَثِنْتَانِ وَسَبْعُونَ فِي النَّارِ قِيلَ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، مَنْ هُمْ؟ قَالَ:الْجَمَاعَةُ

The Jews were split into seventy one sects and one of them is in Paradise and seventy are in the Hellfire. The Christians were split into seventy two sects and seventy one are in the Hellfire and one of them is in Paradise. By the one in whose hand is the soul of Muhammad, my nation will split into seventy three sects and one of them is in Paradise and seventy two are in the Hellfire.

It was said, “O Messenger of Allah, who are the ones in Paradise?” The Prophet said:

الْجَمَاعَةُ

Al-Jamaa’h

(Sunan Ibn Majah 3992) Ash-Shaykh Albani has classified it as Saheeh in Silsilathul Ahadeeth As-Saheeha Hadeeth No.1492

And in another narration, the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said:

مَا أَنَا عَلَيْهِ وَأَصْحَابِي

They are those who follow my way and my companions.

(Sunan al-Tirmidhi 2641)

I would like to elaborate to you all on this point. Leading scholars of sunnah categorised narrating into two ways. Narrations of the hadees is of

Narration by meaning الرواية بالمعنى

Narration by text/word الرواية لَفْظ

These are two methodologies adopted by the scholars of hadees in narrating the hadees.

For example, when Imam Buhari rahimahullah decided to write sahih al Buhari, he started with the hadees

إِنَّمَا الْأَعْمَالُ بِالنِّيَّاتِ، وَإِنَّمَا لِكُلِّ امْرِئٍ مَا نَوَى، فَمَنْ كَانَتْ هِجْرَتُهُ إِلَى دُنْيَا يُصِيبُهَا أَوْ إِلَى امْرَأَةٍ يَنْكِحُهَا، فَهِجْرَتُهُ إِلَى مَا هَاجَرَ إِلَيْهِ

(Sahih Al Bukhari 1)

The wordings,

إِنَّمَا الْأَعْمَالُ بِالنِّيَّةِ وَإِنَّمَا لِامْرِئٍ مَا نَوَى فَمَنْ كَانَتْ هِجْرَتُهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ فَهِجْرَتُهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ وَمَنْ كَانَتْ هِجْرَتُهُ لِدُنْيَا يُصِيبُهَا أَوْ امْرَأَةٍ يَتَزَوَّجُهَا فَهِجْرَتُهُ إِلَى مَا هَاجَرَ إِلَيْهِ

(Sahih Al Bukhari 54)

In the first hadees of sahih al Buhari, imam Buhari did not record this word

. هِجْرَتُهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ

similarly, this hadees is not authentically narrated from the companions of salallahu alaihiwasalam except Umar al Khattab radiallahu anhu. Among the students of Umar al Khattab, there is no one who narrated this hadees except Alqamathu ibn waqqas al laythi. And from the students of Alqamathu ibn waqqas, no one narrated authentically except Yahya bin sa’eed al Ansari.

Now, with all that, this hadees has many words.

‏ يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنَّمَا الأَعْمَالُ بِالنِّيَّة

Same hadees with the wording, “O people! The reward of deeds depends upon the intentions……..”

(Sahih Al-Bukhari 6953)

‏ ‏ الْعَمَلُ بِالنِّيَّةِ، وَإِنَّمَا لاِمْرِئٍ مَا نَوَى

(Sahih Al-Bukhari 5070)

Narration coming in different words. We have to realise the meaning with these words. This is where we apply “Ilm at tahreej”¹⁷, the science of the extraction of hadees. Hadees are narrated sometimes by words, sometimes by meaning. Who has the authority to narrate a hadees by meaning? A man who has realised the texts with its different forms, he might be able to summarise and narrate it. Also, he might narrate it with elaboration. So, this is a special science in hadees where you understand the word of a hadees. For example, the hadees which I presented to you for understanding the description of Ahlus sunnah wal jamaa’h has two words. One is

.الْجَمَاعَةُ, another word is مَا أَنَا عَلَيْهِ وَأَصْحَابِي

In the riwayah(narration) of Tirmidhi¹⁸, Al-Lalikae¹⁹ –

مَا أَنَا عَلَيْهِ وَأَصْحَابِي

In the book of Abi Aasim ash-shaybaani²⁰,

هُمُ الْجَمَاعَةُ

In the book of Kitab ash-shariah of Aajuree²¹, another wording –

إِلَّا السَّوَادَ الْأَعْظَمَ

Dear Muslims, with all these different wordings, ‘Al-Jamaa’h’(The congregation), ‘upon which me and my companions are upon today’, ‘my way and way of my companions’. Rasoolullah said it once. It has reached us in different ways. It is the narrator who elaborates to you. Our rasoolulllah was given the miracle of Jawami wal kalim(precisive in speech)²² which is to convey in short with great meaning in it. So, by the word Al-Jamaa’h, people realised who it is. It referred to ‘The gathering’ who were addressed. Prophet and his companions were The Jamaa’h at that time. To explain this to the people, the narrator(of the hadees) elaborated it to you as to ‘upon which me and my companions are today’. This is how you have to combine the narrations and understand. It is not correct to take up a meaning for Al-Jamaa’h in opposite to the wordings ‘my way and way of my companions’. Some people carried the word Al-Jamaa’h omitting or neglecting the letters ‘Al’(Alif-Lam) which is a definite article. In English, we say, ‘The’. ‘Al’(Alif-Lam) defines a particular group. Without ‘Al’(Alif-Lam), we can say any group. Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said, my ummah will divide into 73 sects. All are to hell-fire except one. It was asked, who was the one? Rasoolullah. He said, Al-Jamaa’h(the group). Which is the group? The group of people who were with him, whom he cultivated. But callers who came later omitted ‘Al’(Alif-Lam)-THE, explained ‘group’(with no definition) and claimed any group(of muslims) will enter Jannah. From this misunderstanding or mis-conception or ignorance, they said to themselves that if we did not form a group or form into groups, we won’t be able enter Jannah(paradise). Further to this, they understood it more worse when they mis-interpreted the hadees in sunan An-Nasa’i²³,

…..فَإِنَّ يَدَ الله عَلَى الجَمَاعَةِ …

‘Allah’s hand is with the Jamaa’h’, they quoted it as ‘Allah’s hand is with Jamaa’h(any group). So this ignorance caused them to start many groups. They claimed that dawah should done in groups and all other deviations are taking place till today.

Whereas Rasoolullah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said ‘Allah’s hand is with the Jamaa’h’. Who were ‘The Jamaa’h’? Rasoolullah and his companions. The mis-understanding or the ignorance or the arrogance, whatever it may be, omitting the alif-lam from the word ‘Al-Jamaa’h’ leads them to interpret it as a group other the group of people who were with the prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم (As-Sahabah). And they(each group) are expecting Allah’s help for their own groups. So whenever they did something as a group, they succeeded in it or they had a voice(acceptance/support of people), they considered it to be Allah’s help. People had a blind faith on what the group agreed upon. This blind faith is leading people away from evidences (quran & sunnah).

Today, this is the ignorance that is misguiding our community. Ahlus sunnah wal jamaa’h was not named ahlus sunnathin wal jamaathin. They were named ‘Ahlus sunnah wal jamaa’h’, the people of sunnah and the group. It does not refer to people of any methodology or any group. It indicates people of as-sunnah, al-jamaa’h. The Jamaa’h which rasoolullah formed(taught, cultivated upon truth). We should adhere to that sunnah, that methodology(manhaj). Only then we will be among the victorious sect and the successful ones. We cannot attain qualities of the victorious sect without following the methodology of the sahabah (ahlus sunnah wal jamaa’h).

Notes:

17. What is Ilm Ut Tahreej?

It is a knowledge where the Hadeeth mentioned in the text of books are to be identified, it's different sources and references for verifying the authenticity of their lines of narrations. This authenticity and weakness of the Hadeeth, quotes could be realized in the discussions of those books 📚

18

وَتَفْتَرِقُ أُمَّتِي عَلَى ثَلَاثٍ وَسَبْعِينَ مِلَّةً، كُلُّهُمْ فِي النَّارِ إِلَّا مِلَّةً وَاحِدَةً ، قَالُوا: وَمَنْ هِيَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ؟ قَالَ: مَا أَنَا عَلَيْهِ وَأَصْحَابِي

«سنن الترمذي 2641 »

19.

:شرح أصول اعتقاد أهل السنة والجماعة» (1/ 111)«

إن بني إسرائيل افترقوا على اثنتين وسبعين فرقة ويزيدون عليها ملة قال في حديث ثابت: وأمتي على ثلاث وسبعين ملة ، كلها في النار إلا واحدة . فقالوا: يا رسول الله وما هي؟ وفي حديث ثابت ، فقيل له: من الواحدة؟ قال:الذي أنا عليه وأصحابي. وفي حديث ثابت فقال: ما ‌أنا ‌عليه ‌وأصحابي

20.

:السنة لابن أبي عاصم (1/ 32)

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم: «افْتَرَقَتِ الْيَهُودُ عَلَى ‌إِحْدَى ‌وَسَبْعِينَ ‌فِرْقَةً، وَاحِدَةٌ فِي الْجَنَّةِ وَسَبْعُونَ فِي النَّارِ، وَافْتَرَقَتِ النَّصَارَى عَلَى اثْنَتَيْنِ وَسَبْعِينَ فِرْقَةً، فَإِحْدَى وَسَبْعُونَ فِي النَّارِ وَوَاحِدَةٌ فِي الْجَنَّةِ، وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ لَتَفْتَرِقَنَّ أُمَّتِي عَلَى ثَلَاثٍ وَسَبْعِينَ فِرْقَةً، فَوَاحِدَةٌ فِي الْجَنَّةِ وَاثْنَتَانِ وَسَبْعُونَ فِي النَّارِ» قِيلَ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، مَنْ هُمْ؟ قَالَ: هُمُ الْجَمَاعَةُ

21.

:الشريعة للآجري (1/ 313)

عَنْ أَنَسٍ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ: افْتَرَقَتْ بَنُو إِسْرَائِيلَ عَلَى إِحْدَى وَسَبْعِينَ فِرْقَةً، وَإِنَّ أُمَّتِي سَتَفْتَرِقُ ‌عَلَى ‌ثَلَاثٍ ‌وَسَبْعِينَ ‌فِرْقَةً، كُلُّهَا فِي النَّارِ إِلَّا السَّوَادَ الْأَعْظَمَ

22.

:مشكاة المصابيح (3/ 1601)

«وعن أبي هريرة أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: فضلت على الأنبياء بست: أعطيت ‌جوامع ‌الكلم»

Shaykh Albani (رحمه الله) Classified it as Saheeh in Mishkath Al Masabih Hadeeth No.5748

23.

:صحيح سنن النسائي (3/ 844)

عن عَرفَجَة بن شُريح الأشجَعيِّ قال: رأيت النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم على المِنبَر يَخطب الناس فقال:"إنَّهُ سَيَكُونُ تعْدي هَناتٌ وَهَنَاتٌ، فَمَنْ رَأَيْتُمُوُه فَارَقَ الجَمَاعَةَ، أَوْ يُريد يُفَرِّقُ أمْرَ أمَّةِ مُحَمَّدٍ صلى الله عليه وسلم، كَائنًا مَنْ كَانَ، فَاقْتُلُوهُ، فَإِنَّ يَدَ الله عَلَى الجَمَاعَةِ، فَإِنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ مَعَ مَنْ فَارَقَ الجَمَاعَةَ يَرْكُضُ".(صحيح الإسناد)

Shaykh Albani (رحمه الله) Classified it as Sahih in his Book Saheeh Sunan An-Nasa’ee hadeeth no. 3753

Tahqeeq Tanbeehathul Latheefah - Part 4 (Transcription)