Benefit 8: Do we have to follow the manhaj of the Salaf? Yes, we must follow their way because:
1⃣. Allāh commanded us to do so:
﴿يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللهَ وَكُونُوا مَعَ الصَّادِقِينَ﴾
“O believers! Fear Allāh and be with the truthful.” [Sūrah At-Tawbah: 119]
Ibnul Qayyim raḥimahullāh said:
«قال غير واحد من السلف: هم أصحاب محمد ﷺ»
“More than one from among the Salaf said: They are the Companions of Muḥammad ﷺ.” [I’Lām Al-Muwaqqi’ēn (4/120)]
• And He ﷻ said:
﴿وَاتَّبِعْ سَبِيلَ مَنْ أَنَابَ إِلَيَّ﴾
“follow the way of those who turn to Me ˹in devotion˺.” [Sūrah Luqmān: 15]
Al-Baghawi raḥimahullāh stated that this is referring to the Prophet ﷺ and his Companions. [Tafsīr Baghawi]
Also, Ibnul Qayyim raḥimahullāh said [I’Lām Al-Muwaqqi’ēn (4/120)]:
«وكل من الصحابة منيب إلى الله فيجب اتباع سبيله وأقواله واعتقاداته من أكبر سبيله والدليل على انهم منيبون إلى الله تعالى أن الله تعالى قد هداهم وقد قال: {وَيَهْدِي إِلَيْهِ مَنْ يُنِيبُ}»
“All of the Companions turned to Allāh in devotion, thus it is obligatory to follow their way; and their statements and creed is the most crucial part of [following] their way. The proof that they turned to Allāh in devotion is the fact that Allāh has guided them, as He ﷻ said:
﴿وَيَهْدِي إِلَيْهِ مَنْ يُنِيبُ﴾
“And He guides to Himself whoever turns to Him.” [Sūrah Ash-Shūrā: 13]
2⃣. Allāh prohibited us from opposing their way and warned those who oppose their path with a severe Punishment:
﴿وَمَن یُشَاقِقِ ٱلرَّسُولَ مِنۢ بَعۡدِ مَا تَبَیَّنَ لَهُ ٱلۡهُدَىٰ وَیَتَّبِعۡ غَیۡرَ سَبِیلِ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِینَ نُوَلِّهِۦ مَا تَوَلَّىٰ وَنُصۡلِهِۦ جَهَنَّمَۖ وَسَاۤءَتۡ مَصِیرًا﴾
“And whoever opposes the Messenger, after guidance has been made clear to him, and follows a path other than that of the believers, We shall leave him on his chosen path- We shall burn him in Hell, what an evil destination!” [Sūrah An-Nisā': 115]
3⃣. Allāh is Pleased with those who follow their way and He has promised them a great reward:
﴿وَٱلسَّـٰبِقُونَ ٱلۡأَوَّلُونَ مِنَ ٱلۡمُهَـٰجِرِینَ وَٱلۡأَنصَارِ وَٱلَّذِینَ ٱتَّبَعُوهُم بِإِحۡسَـٰنࣲ رَّضِیَ اللهُ عَنۡهُمۡ وَرَضُوا۟ عَنۡهُ وَأَعَدَّ لَهُمۡ جَنَّـٰتࣲ تَجۡرِی تَحۡتَهَا ٱلۡأَنۡهَـٰرُ خَـٰلِدِینَ فِیهَاۤ أَبَدࣰاۚ ذَ ٰلِكَ ٱلۡفَوۡزُ ٱلۡعَظِیمُ﴾
“And the first to embrace Islam of the Muhajirun (those who migrated from Makkah to Al-Madinah) and the Ansar (the citizens of Al-Madinah who helped and gave aid to the Muhajirun) and those who follow them in goodness, Allah is pleased with them and they are pleased with Him. And He has prepared for them Gardens under which rivers flow, to stay there for ever and ever. That is the ultimate triumph.” [Sūrah At-Tawbah: 100]
4⃣. The Prophet ﷺ instructed his us to follow his Sunnah and the Sunnah of the Rightly guided Khulafa’ after him.
He ﷺ said: "Whoever of you lives will see many differences, so stick to my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the Rightly guided Khulafa’ after me. Hold firm to it and bite onto it with the molars. And beware of the newly invented matters! For every newly invented matter is an innovation and every innovation is misguidance. ” [Reported by Ahmad and Abu Dawud]
He also said ﷺ: “The best of people are my generation, then those after them, then those after them.”
5⃣. They are Al-Firqatun Nājiyyah (the saved sect)
When the Prophet ﷺ described the saved sect in the Hadith of splitting, he said: “[they are those who adhere to] what I and my Companions are upon.”
[رواه الترمذي: 2641، وحسنه الألباني]
So whoever is upon the likes of what they were upon is from the saved sect and whoever opposes them is from the misguided sects who have been threatened with the Fire.
6⃣. They are At-Ṭāifah Al-Manṣūrah (the victorious party)
The Prophet ﷺ said: “There will never cease to be a group from my Ummah triumphant upon the truth. They will not be harmed by those who forsake them nor those who oppose them until Allāh's decree comes (i.e. the day of judgement).”
BENEFIT:
https://t.me/madrasatuna/1118
