Part 3: Taking the Companions as the Model to be Followed: Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal’s Usūl As-Sunnah (Foundations of the Sunnah) ― Explanation of Ahmad an-Najmi.

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In the name of Allah, Most Merciful, Bestower of Mercy.

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

والإقتداء بهم

“And taking them (i.e. the Companions of the Prophet) as an example to be followed.”

The Explanation and Commentary of Shaykh Ahmad an-Najmee

Shaykh Ahmad bin Yahyaa an-Najmee (rahimahullaah) said, commenting upon the above, in his book,“Sharh Usool is-Sunnah” (pp. 33-35, abridged and annotated slightly):

And the meaning here is that we follow the Companions of Allaah’s Messenger (salallaahu ‘alaihi wasallam), and that we believe that they are the most excellent of the Ummah; and that they are the most beloved (of the Ummah) to Allaah and the closest to Him. Allaah, the Most High, stated:

And whoever contradicts and opposes the Messenger (Muhammad) after the right path has been shown clearly to him, and follows other than the believers’ way. We shall keep him in the path he has chosen, and burn him in Hell – what an evil destination.” (An-Nisa 4:115)

His saying:

وَيَتَّبِعْ غَيْرَ سَبِيلِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ

“…and follows other than the believers’ way.”

The Sahaabah, they are uppermost of the Ummah in Imaan and most virtuous in station in the sight of Allaah. The Prophet (salallaahu ‘alaihi wasallam) stated:

“Were one of you to spend in charity the like of Mount Uhud in gold, it would equal a handful or even half a handful of one of them (i.e. the Companions).”

Reported by al-Bukhaaree, Book of Virtues of the Sahaabah; Chapter: The excellence of Abu Bakr as-Siddeeq after the Prophet (salallaahu alaihi wassallam), 3/12 (3673)

So what is intended by the term ‘believers’ in this verse are the Companions of Allaah’s Messenger (salallaahu alaihi wasallam). As for the one who follows other than their path and takes other than them as examples to be followed, then he is far, far astray, and is in clear and manifest loss – and it is sufficient that Allaah renounces him, and leaves him in the path that he has chosen and roasts him in the Hellfire, and what an evil destination – Allaah’s refuge is sought.

So it is clear from this that it is obligatory upon every student of knowledge that he follows the path of ‘believers’, who are the Companions of Allaah’s Messenger (salallaahu alaihi wasallam) – and it is necessary for him to be aware of this threat and pays attention to it. And we recall here the saying of one the Ikhwaan (Muslim Brotherhood of Egypt):

“Indeed there belongs to al-Ikhwaan a lofty palace,
Everything that is within it is good,
Do not ask me who built it,
Indeed it was al-Banna Hasan.”

Let us investigate, was that which Hasan al-Banna [1] affirmed for his hizb (party) in agreement with that which the Companions of Allaah’s Messenger were upon or contrary to it?

We re-iterate, look into this principle from it’s pinnacle – what is it that Hasan al-Bannah affirmed and established in his da’wah and his manhaj (methodology)? Did he forbid the Major Shirk that was present in his country?

The answer: No he did not.

Did he rebuke bid’ah – and from it’s greatest types is the bid’ah of the Sufis, those who speak with wahdatul-wujood (i.e. that Allaah is dwelling inside of his creation)? Did he forbid those holding to these affairs?

The answer again is no he did not. Indeed he praised and commended al-Mirghanee [2], the Sufi, the Sudanese who spoke with the corrupted belief of Wahdatul-Wujood. So in this manner we see this manhaj and what it contains of innovations, and shirk and other affairs that should cause them to hang their heads in shame.

Likewise is the case when we look towards the manhaj (methodology) of Jamaa’at at-Tableegh [3]. Do we see them engaged in the call to Tawheed and acting upon that?

The answer is no we do not. Rather they forbid the one who calls to Tawheed.

And the same can be said about the Jamaa’at as-Surooriyyah [4] who believe in rebelling against the Muslim rulers.

So when we look upon these methodologies, do we see the ‘Path of the Believers’ or other than the path of the believers?

So when we know that the intent behind the term ‘believers’ (in the verse) are the Companions of Allaah’s Messenger (salallaahu alaihi wassallam) and those who proceed upon their manhaj, following their path, from the people of Hadeeth (as’haab al-hadeeth), the Imaams of guidance – by way of whom Allaah preserved the Sunnah of His Prophet (salallaahu alaihi wassallam).

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Notes

[1] He is Hasan ibn Ahmad ibn Abdur-Rahmaan al-Bannah (born 1324H, died 1368H). He is the founder of Jamaa’at al-Ikhwaan al-Muslimeen of Egypt. He was born in Mahmoodiyah, a province of al-Iskandariyyah. He graduated from Daar al-‘Uloom in Cairo and was executed there. His da’wah was veiled in secrecy and covert acts. See al-I’laam 2/183, Mu’jam al-Mu’alifeen 1/535.

[2] This address was delivered by Hasan al-Bannah in Daar al-Ikhwaan in Cairo on 9th June 1940 on the occasion of the visit of the Shaikh of the tareeqah (the path), Muhammad ibn ‘Uthmaan al-Mirghanee, the inheritor of his father.

[3] Jamaa’at at-Tableegh was established by Muhammad ibn Ilyaas ibn Muhammad ibn Ismaa’eel al-Kandahlaawee, born 1302H and died 1363H. He was Deobandee in his manhaj, he was Hanafee in his fiqh, he was Ash’aree and Matureedee in his ‘aqeedah, and Sufi in his tareeqah! They have six principles or six attributes:

  1. Actualising the ‘good word’ (Kalimah at-Tayyibah), “Laa ilaaha illallaah muhammadun rasoolullaah“.
  2. Prayer with submissiveness and humility.
  3. Knowledge of the virtuous acts alongside dhikr, and not the “masaa’il” (i.e. not the study of jurisprudence and belief).
  4. Hospitality towards the Muslim.
  5. Correcting the intention.
  6. Calling to Allaah and going out upon the path of Allaah.

Though Jamaa’at at-Tableegh have decorated their invitation to their group with these six noble-sounding attributes, all of them however are built upon the innovated and deviated ways of Deobandiyyah, Sufiyyah, Ash’ariyyah, Maatureediyyah and the blind and fanatical following of the Madhdhab. Added to this are the countless heretical statements contained in their writings and books, such as the book: Fadaa’il al-A’maal! See the excellent 351 page rebuttal of this sect in the book al-Qawlul-Baleegh fi at-Tahdheer min Jamaa’at at-Tableegh, by ash-Shaikh Mahmood ibn Abdullaah ibn Hamood at-Tuwaijiree (b. 1334H – d. 1413H), published by Daar as-Samai’ee lin-Nashr wat-Tawzee’, Second print published 1418H/1997CE.

[4] This group was given birth to by al-Ikhwaan al-Muslimeen. It is ascribed to Muhammad ibn Suroor ibn Naa’if Zain al-‘Aabideen, the one behind the magazines ‘as-Sunnah’ and ‘al-Bayaan’ amongst other publications. He studied in ‘Unayzah in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for a short period, then he was exiled from the Kingdom, so he travelled to the United Kingdom seeking refuge and he settled there. His call is established upon warfare against the great Scholars, the rulers and the Salafi Manhaj.