The Ahl as-Sunnat Wal Jama’at is the largest group of Muslims and the only group whose beliefs and teachings are truly in accordance with the Noble Qur’an and Sunnah of the Most Beloved Prophet (Salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam). The beliefs of this group are the same as the beliefs of the Sahaba or Noble Companions of the Beloved Prophet (Salla Allahu alaihi wa Sallam) and the Salf-e-Saliheen (our great pious predecessors). In many Ahadith,the Beloved Prophet (Salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) strongly advised the Muslims to follow his Sunnah and to remain steadfast upon the path of his Sahaba, the Salf-e-Saliheen.
1. Hazrat Abdullah Ibn-e-Abbas says that the Holy Prophet (Peace and Blessings be upon Him) addressed the people at the time of last hajj“O people! I’m leaving behind among you, the Holy book (Quran) and the Sunnah. If you follow these in letter and spirit, you will never be strayed.” (Hakim Al-Mustadrik Book#1 Hadith # 318)
2. The Beloved Prophet (Salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said: “Follow the way of the largest group of Muslims! For, he who deviates from this group will be thrown into Hell!” [Sunnan Ibn Majah, Hadith # 3950]
3. The Beloved Prophet (Salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said: “Allah will never allow my Ummah to unite upon misguidance and incorrect beliefs. Allah’s mercy, blessings and protection are with the largest group of Muslims. And he who deviates from this largest group of Muslims will be thrown into Hell.” (Sunan Al Tirmizi Vol.2 Pg.39)
4. The Beloved Prophet (Salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said: “He who deviates from the largest group of Muslims, even as much as a hand span, has himself cut off his connection with Islam”. (Abu Dawud)
5. Allah will never let my Ummah agree upon misguidance, and the hand of Allah is over the group (Jama'ah), so follow the great mass of believers (Sawad ul-'Azam), and whoever dissents from them departs to hell(al-Tirmidhi (4/2167) a narration authenticated and reported by al-Hakim (1/116), and al-Dhahabi agreed with him, Scholars explained that Sawad al Azam here refers to great Ulama
6. عليك بالجماعة فإن الله عز وجل لم يجمع أمة محمد على ضلالة
Translation: Hadrat Abu Masud (RA) narrates: Stick to the Jamaat because Allah azza Wajjal will “NEVER GATHER THE UMMAH OF MUHAMMAD (PEACE BE UPON HIM) UPON MISGUIDANCE” [Imam Tabarani in his Mu’jam al Kabir, Volume No. 17, Page No. 240] – Imam al Haythami declared all the Rijaal of this hadith as “THIQA” [Majma (5/394, Hadith # 9107)]
Translation: Hadrat Abu Masud (RA) narrates: Stick to the Jamaat because Allah azza Wajjal will “NEVER GATHER THE UMMAH OF MUHAMMAD (PEACE BE UPON HIM) UPON MISGUIDANCE” [Imam Tabarani in his Mu’jam al Kabir, Volume No. 17, Page No. 240] – Imam al Haythami declared all the Rijaal of this hadith as “THIQA” [Majma (5/394, Hadith # 9107)]
The above mentioned Hadiths without doubt make clear which group the Beloved Prophet (Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam) had indicated as being the group of 'Paradise', 'Majority Group' & the group of 'Salvation'. For the benefit of any doubting individuals, let it be known, that, no great Imam or scholar of the golden age of Islam ever rejected the above Hadiths as being weak in narration or otherwise impaired in anyway, on contrary the great Imams have whole heartedly accepted these hadiths and further more commented on them.
We shall quote the sayings of the great & illustrious Awliya and Imams of the Muslims as regards to the above mentioned Hadiths.
1. As-Sayyad Shaykh Abd'al-Qadir al-Jilani (Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu) (470AH) says in his famous book Ghuniyya-t at-Talibeen "There are 73 groups as foretold by Sayyadina Rasulullah (Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam). The group which will be saved from the fire of Hell is the Ahl as-Sunnah Wal Jama'ah."
2. Imam Ghazzali (Radi Allahu anhu) (450AH-505AH) in his book Mujarribaate Imam Ghazzali states " The Ahl as-Sunnah Wal Jama'ah is the sucessful group and it is this group which weighs or determines its thoughts and its mind according to the scales of the Noble Quran."
3. Imam Sufyan Souri (Radi Allahu anhu)(95AH-161AH) in his book Al Mizaan al-Qubra states " By Sawad-e-A'zam is meant those who are called the Ahl as-Sunnah Wal Jama'ah."
4. Shaykh al-Islam Ahmad ibn Hajar al-Haytami (d. 974/1567; R. A.)
Hafiz Ibn Hajar al-Haytami defined the Sunni Muslims as follows in his book Fath al-jawad: "A Mubtadi (innovator) is the person who does not have the faith (Aqeedah) conveyed unanimously by the Ahl as-Sunnah. This unanimity was transmitted by the two great Imam's Abu'l Hasan al-Ashari (d.324/936; Rahimahullah) and Abu Mansur al- Maturidi (d.333/944; Rahimahullah) and the scholars who followed their path." Hafiz Ibn Hajar al-Haytami also said in his book al- Fatawa al-Hadithiyya (pg. 205): "'Man of bid'ah' means one whose beliefs are different from the Ahl as-Sunnah faith. The Ahl as- Sunnah faith, is the faith of Abu'l Hasan al-Ashari, Abu Mansur al- Maturidi and those who followed them. One who brings forth something which is not approved by Islam becomes a man of bid'ah."
5. Ibn Taymiyya, in his Aqeedat-il-Wasitiyyah (pg. 154) says: "Their creed is the religion of Islam which was sent to the world by Allah through the Prophet (Peace be upon him). But the Prophet (Peace be upon him) said, 'My Ummah will get divided into 73 sects and each one will go to Hell save one and that one is the Jama'at.' Also in one Hadith he said, 'They are those people who will follow this path which I and my Sahaba follow today.' Therefore they have caught hold of Islam unalloyed from every adulteration and these are the people of Ahl as-Sunnah Wa'l Jama'ah. This group includes the truthful, the martyrs and the virtuous; it includes the minarets of guidance, lamps in the darkness and owners of such superiorities and virtues who have been already mentioned. It includes the saints and also those Imams on whose guidance Muslims are unanimous. It is this successful group about which the Prophet (Peace be upon him) has said: 'One group from my Ummah will always remain dominant with truth; the opponents will never be able to harm its members or afflict them up to the Doomsday.'"
6. Imam Rabbani Mujaddid Alf Thanni (Radi Allahu anhu)(971AH-1034AH) states in his famous book Maktubaat " The way of Salvation is followance of the Ahl as-Sunnah Wal Jama'ah. May Almighty Allah bestow blessings upon the Ahl as-Sunnah Wal Jama'ah, in their speech, in their actions, laws, for this is the successful group. Besides this, all other groups have become victims of deception. Today, nobody realizes how much these misled groups will be punished, however, on the Day of Judgment this secret will become apparent. Even though at that time this knowledge will be of no benefit to the misled."
"It is compulsory for the wise people to amend their beliefs to be in accordance with the beliefs of the Ahl as-Sunnah Wa Jama'ah because this is the only group which will be saved from the fire of Hell." None of the Sahaba, the Salaf-e-Saliheen or the pious scholars of Islam followed the new ideas or beliefs. They strictly abstained from the groups who followed these deviated ideas and beliefs. Their beliefs and actions opposed these new ideas and beliefs. All the great scholars of Hadith and the great scholars of Fiqh of the four Schools of thought and their followers, all held the belief of the Ahl as-Sunnah Jama'ah. In addition, all the great pious Muslims and the Sufi Saints of the past and present, followed the way of the Ahl as-Sunnat Wal Jama'ah. Their great literary works stand witness to this fact." Also the believes of Ahl as sunnah are present on this website.
1. As-Sayyad Shaykh Abd'al-Qadir al-Jilani (Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu) (470AH) says in his famous book Ghuniyya-t at-Talibeen "There are 73 groups as foretold by Sayyadina Rasulullah (Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam). The group which will be saved from the fire of Hell is the Ahl as-Sunnah Wal Jama'ah."
2. Imam Ghazzali (Radi Allahu anhu) (450AH-505AH) in his book Mujarribaate Imam Ghazzali states " The Ahl as-Sunnah Wal Jama'ah is the sucessful group and it is this group which weighs or determines its thoughts and its mind according to the scales of the Noble Quran."
3. Imam Sufyan Souri (Radi Allahu anhu)(95AH-161AH) in his book Al Mizaan al-Qubra states " By Sawad-e-A'zam is meant those who are called the Ahl as-Sunnah Wal Jama'ah."
4. Shaykh al-Islam Ahmad ibn Hajar al-Haytami (d. 974/1567; R. A.)
Hafiz Ibn Hajar al-Haytami defined the Sunni Muslims as follows in his book Fath al-jawad: "A Mubtadi (innovator) is the person who does not have the faith (Aqeedah) conveyed unanimously by the Ahl as-Sunnah. This unanimity was transmitted by the two great Imam's Abu'l Hasan al-Ashari (d.324/936; Rahimahullah) and Abu Mansur al- Maturidi (d.333/944; Rahimahullah) and the scholars who followed their path." Hafiz Ibn Hajar al-Haytami also said in his book al- Fatawa al-Hadithiyya (pg. 205): "'Man of bid'ah' means one whose beliefs are different from the Ahl as-Sunnah faith. The Ahl as- Sunnah faith, is the faith of Abu'l Hasan al-Ashari, Abu Mansur al- Maturidi and those who followed them. One who brings forth something which is not approved by Islam becomes a man of bid'ah."
5. Ibn Taymiyya, in his Aqeedat-il-Wasitiyyah (pg. 154) says: "Their creed is the religion of Islam which was sent to the world by Allah through the Prophet (Peace be upon him). But the Prophet (Peace be upon him) said, 'My Ummah will get divided into 73 sects and each one will go to Hell save one and that one is the Jama'at.' Also in one Hadith he said, 'They are those people who will follow this path which I and my Sahaba follow today.' Therefore they have caught hold of Islam unalloyed from every adulteration and these are the people of Ahl as-Sunnah Wa'l Jama'ah. This group includes the truthful, the martyrs and the virtuous; it includes the minarets of guidance, lamps in the darkness and owners of such superiorities and virtues who have been already mentioned. It includes the saints and also those Imams on whose guidance Muslims are unanimous. It is this successful group about which the Prophet (Peace be upon him) has said: 'One group from my Ummah will always remain dominant with truth; the opponents will never be able to harm its members or afflict them up to the Doomsday.'"
6. Imam Rabbani Mujaddid Alf Thanni (Radi Allahu anhu)(971AH-1034AH) states in his famous book Maktubaat " The way of Salvation is followance of the Ahl as-Sunnah Wal Jama'ah. May Almighty Allah bestow blessings upon the Ahl as-Sunnah Wal Jama'ah, in their speech, in their actions, laws, for this is the successful group. Besides this, all other groups have become victims of deception. Today, nobody realizes how much these misled groups will be punished, however, on the Day of Judgment this secret will become apparent. Even though at that time this knowledge will be of no benefit to the misled."
"It is compulsory for the wise people to amend their beliefs to be in accordance with the beliefs of the Ahl as-Sunnah Wa Jama'ah because this is the only group which will be saved from the fire of Hell." None of the Sahaba, the Salaf-e-Saliheen or the pious scholars of Islam followed the new ideas or beliefs. They strictly abstained from the groups who followed these deviated ideas and beliefs. Their beliefs and actions opposed these new ideas and beliefs. All the great scholars of Hadith and the great scholars of Fiqh of the four Schools of thought and their followers, all held the belief of the Ahl as-Sunnah Jama'ah. In addition, all the great pious Muslims and the Sufi Saints of the past and present, followed the way of the Ahl as-Sunnat Wal Jama'ah. Their great literary works stand witness to this fact." Also the believes of Ahl as sunnah are present on this website.
