So Allaah the Blessed and Exalted sent Muhammad (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) with the guidance and the truth and the Religion of truth in order to make it manifest over all other Religions, though the polytheists may detest it.
And this Ummah has been commanded to obey this Messenger and to follow him and to hold onto whatever he came with from knowledge and guidance. So when we say to the people, ‘Strive upon the Salafee manhaj,’ then we are enjoining upon them to hold onto the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) and whatever the Companions (radiyallaahu ’anhum) of the Messenger of Allaah were upon.
This is the Salafee manhaj, it is to hold onto the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) and whatever the noble Companions (radiyallaahu ’anhum) of the Messenger of Allaah were upon. The Salafee manhaj is distinguished in the sense that it is the truth and it is the guidance and its people are distinguished by holding onto the truth and the guidance which the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) and his Companions (radiyallaahu ’anhum) were upon.
Due to this, the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) informed that this Ummah would split up into seventy three sects, all of them being in the Fire, except for one. They said, “Which one is it, O Messenger of Allaah?” He replied, “The one that is upon what I am upon and my Companions.” [1]
This is the scale by which one separates between the truth and falsehood and between guidance and misguidance and between the people of guidance and the people of misguidance. So, seventy two sects have deviated from this manhaj. So their inclination is towards the Fire, and refuge is sought with Allaah. Due to this, the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) said, “All of them are in the Fire, except for one.” And he (’alayhis-salaam) clarified who the Saved Sect was when he said, “The one that is upon what I am upon and my Companions.”
And due to this, the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) recited the statement of Allaah the Blessed and Exalted,
“And, moreover, this is My path, which is straight, so follow it; and do not follow other paths, for you will be separated from His way.” [Sooratul-An’aam 6:153]
So he drew a straight line and said, “This is the Path of Allaah.” Then he drew other lines to its right and its left and then he said, “These are the paths and at the head of each of them is a shaytaan (devil) calling to it.” [2]
The Book of Allaah calls to this and the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) calls to it and those who follow him in goodness up until the Day of Judgement call to it. And the callers to the other paths are,
“…devils from mankind and Jinn, inspiring to one another decorative speech in delusion.” [Sooratul-An’aam 6:112]
So whoever has been granted the success of achieving understanding of the Salafee manhaj and holding fast to it, then let him praise Allaah. So this is from the greatest of blessings from Allaah the Blessed and Exalted. Due to this, the Salaf would praise Allaah the Blessed and Exalted for the blessing he bestowed upon them of following the Sunnah after Islaam. [3] So following the Sunnah is a tremendous affair that brings about salvation from destruction and ruin, which befalls the one who deviates with the people of misguidance from this Straight Path and traverses the paths of misguidance.
Due to this, we encourage the youth in every place to strive with zeal upon studying this Salafee manhaj and take the sciences from this primary source, which is the source of the Salafee manhaj: the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam).
And we advise them to take every precaution against the paths of misguidance, which lead their people to the Fire. All of the manaahij (methodologies) of today are called manaahij of the Fire, they lead their people to the Fire. They are methodologies of misguidance and ruin, which lead to loss, and refuge is sought with Allaah. And this manhaj is the Straight Path of Allaah the Blessed and Exalted, which is the path to salvation, which leads to Paradise and there is no way to Paradise besides it. So all of the other paths lead to the Fire, though they are many. Due to this, the Messenger (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) clarified that there will be seventy three sects. So they are the lines to which he (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) alluded.
So let the Believer who wants salvation for himself traverses this path and traversing it is only done by learning the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam), memorizing their texts and gaining understanding of them, as the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) said, “Whosoever Allaah wants goodness for, He grants them understanding of the Religion.” [4] So following the Salafee minhaaj necessitates that we gain an understanding of the Religion. And this understanding is a clear and distinguishing sign that Allaah wanted goodness for this Muslim.
He who obtains fiqh (understanding) of the Religion in his beliefs and his methodology and his rules and regulations is the one who takes them from the Book of Allaah and from the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam). So the Book of Allaah and from the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) guide to the totality of sound ‘aqeedah and manhaj and deeds. All of that is taken from the Book and the Sunnah. And the Messenger (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) says, “Strive for that which will benefit you and seek the aid of Allaah and do not despair.” [5]
Striving for the beneficial affair is a matter that is praised and encouraged in Islaam. With regards to this, the Messenger (’alayhis-salaam) mentioned in the hadeeth of al-’Irbaad Ibn Saariyah (radiyallaahu ’anhu) that whosoever lives long will see much differing, as he (’alayhis-salaam) said, “So whoever from amongst you lives long after me, then he will see much differing. So hold fast to my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the Rightly Guided Caliphs. Hold fast to it and bite into it with your molar teeth. And beware of newly invented affairs because every newly invented affair is an innovation and every innovation is misguidance.” [6]
He stated this after commanding them to observe the taqwaa [7] of Allaah and to obey the one whom Allaah places in authority over the affair of the Muslims. He warned them and he informed them that this Ummah shall split up and the disagreements between them shall become abundant. And he directed them to the path of salvation, which would safeguard them from loss and misguidance.
So he (’alayhis-salaam) directed them to what he was upon from his Sunnah and what his noble Companions (radiyallaahu ’anhum) were upon, those who were led by the Rightly Guided Caliphs. And all of them were upon one way. So this is the path to salvation and this is the solution to the loss, confusion and chaos which were brought about by the fitan (trials, tribulations) that came as a result of these disagreements and conflicts. “So hold fast to my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the Rightly Guided Caliphs.”
He is the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) who was guided by his Lord.
“Say: Indeed, my Lord has guided me to a straight path – a correct religion – the way of Ibraaheem, inclining toward truth. And he was not amongst those who associated others with Allaah.” [Sooratul-An’am 6:161]
So Allaah guided him to the Straight Path. So he came with guidance and the Religion of truth. So he testified for his Caliphs that they were rightly guided; the Rightly Guided Caliphs were well known. And all of the noble Companions are rightly guided and following the right way if Allaah so wills. Due to this, innovation was not known to occur from a single one of them, nor was lying known to occur from a single one of them. And this is the utmost degree of correctness and right guidance.
Likewise, Allaah the Glorified and Exalted said,
“However, Allaah has endeared to you the faith and has made it pleasing in your hearts and has made hateful to you disbelief, defiance and disobedience. Those are the rightly guided.” [Sooratul-Hujuraat 49:7]
Allaah described them as being rightly guided, because Allaah made eemaan (faith) endeared to them and adorned their hearts with it and he made its opposite, or that which opposes its completion, such as disbelief and disobedience and sinning detested to them. Then, He testified for them that they are rightly guided. So the Caliphs are at the head of them.
And the hadeeth explicitly mentions the Rightly Guided Caliphs (radiyallaahu ’anhum) and describes them with correctness and guidance. So whoever desires salvation for himself from the way of the people of misguidance who have split into paths deviated from the Path of Allaah, then it is upon him to hold fast to the guidance of the Messenger of Allaah and his Rightly Guided Caliphs. This is the manhaj which is the path to salvation and the path to safety from destruction and ruin in this life and in the Hereafter.
And Allaah says,
“And whoever opposes the Messenger after guidance has become clear to him and follows other than the way of the believers – We will give him what he has taken and drive him into Hell, and evil it is as a destination.” [Sooratun-Nisaa‘ 4:115]
Look at how the texts of the Qur‘aan and the texts of the hadeeth are in agreement, because they all emanate from a single lamp, which is the Revelation from the Lord of the worlds. So how beautiful and how great and how excellent is this path! So hold fast to it and bite onto it with your molar teeth, as the Messenger of Allaah (’alayhis-salaam) said, “So hold fast to my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the Rightly Guided Caliphs. Hold fast to it and bite onto it with your molar teeth.” This is because it is something precious and valuable according individuals of sound intellect. The intelligent individual holds onto something that is valuable with his hands, and when his hands become tired, he assists them by holding onto that thing with his molar teeth.
And this is an incitement to strive one’s utmost upon the truth and guidance that Muhammad (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) came with. Indeed, in that is safety from the destruction that is facing those who are split up and differing, because they have not followed the correct path and the guidance. They only follow error and misguidance, and the opposite of correctness is error and the opposite of guidance and misguidance.
So the one who holds fast to the Sunnah of the Messenger (’alayhis-salaam) and the Sunnah of the Rightly Guided Caliphs has held onto correctness and guidance and whosoever deviates from the two of them has fallen into the arenas of misguidance and error, and refuge is sought with Allaah, and they are innovations and they could amount to disbelief and they could amount to hypocrisy.
The one who deviates from the manhaj of Allaah is not safe from hypocrisy and he is not safe from error and misguidance, and refuge is sought with Allaah, because he follows the calls of the devils, about whom the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) said, “At the head of each of those paths is a devil.” [8]
And in another hadeeth, they are described as, “Callers at the gates of Hell. Whosoever answers their call to it, they will throw him into it.” [9]
So the one who is deceived by these devils, and refuge is sought with Allaah, his destination is that he will be thrown in the Fire because he has preferred falsehood over the truth and he has preferred following the devils over following the Straight Path, which Muhammad (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) came with.
So it is obligatory upon the callers, or the rest of those who are callers to the Salafee manhaj to strive their utmost and to safeguard whatever Allaah the Blessed and Exalted has bestowed upon them from this tremendous blessing and to make earnest endeavours in guiding people to the Straight Path, because these other paths are paths of disgrace and degradation in this life and in the Hereafter.
And due to this, the Messenger (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) informed, “The nations are about to set upon you from every region, just as diners set upon their food.” They said, “O Messenger of Allaah, will it be because we will be few on that day?” He said, “You will be many that, but you will be foam, like the foam of the ocean.” [10]
So the majority of the Ummah has become foam because they follow the paths of the devils and they follow the callers to misguidance who encourage the people to follow these paths, then they are thrown along with them into the Fire and refuge is sought with Allaah.
So it is upon the Salafee to remain steadfast upon the path of salvation and to encourage the people to participate in this great affair and to traverse the path of salvation along with them.
Due to this, some of the Salaf used to say, ‘We are more merciful to the people of innovation than their own selves.’ Yes, by Allaah! The one who calls to salvation calls to mercy and he is full of kindness. And the one who calls to destruction, no matter how gentle his speech may be, his softness is only like the softness of the viper’s skin. So by Allaah he is a fraudster and he is not a sincere advisor. He is an enemy to himself and he is an enemy to those who are ignorant and foolish enough to be led by him, so he brings them to the Fire.
And learn knowledge of the Sharee’ah and gather around the Scholars O youth upon the Salafee manhaj. Gather around the Scholars who are truthful and sincere and give sincere advice, those who want good for you and they want good for this Ummah that has been deceived by the people of misguidance.
Likewise, this is completed by returning back to the true Religion of Allaah, to which the Messenger (’alayhis-salaam) enjoined upon us to return. So he (’alayhis-salaam) said, “When you begin to indulge in ’eenah (usurious) transactions and you take hold of the tails of cows and you become satisfied with agriculture and you abandon Jihaad, then Allaah will cover you with a humiliation, which He will not remove from you up until you return to your Religion.” [12]
So the humiliation and disgrace that has befallen the Ummah now has come as a result of them following the ways of misguidance and following the devils from the Jinn and mankind. So many of them have abandoned the path to salvation and others have renounced it. So it is inevitable that one return back to the path of salvation, “up until you return back to your Religion.”
The Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) conveyed a sufficient and convincing clarification that the Ummah has no way out of this humiliation and disgrace except by returning back to Allaah and returning back to the true Religion of Allaah. So if they persist upon their falsehood, then they will not get anything from Allaah, except that He will grant their enemies dominion over them. “Allaah will cover you with humiliation.” This splitting will continue unless we endeavour to traverse the path of salvation in action. And that is done by returning back to the Religion of Allaah in truth.
So look at how the callers to misguidance distance the people from this manhaj of truth and how they wage war against it and how they wage war against its people and its callers. And they are now a party (hizb) fighting against the callers to the Sunnah and the flag bearers of the Salafee manhaj. And they fight against them from all directions and this is from the distinguishing signs of disgrace and shame. And they are determined to traverse a path of falsehood and misguidance and a path of humiliation and disgrace.
And by Allaah, there is no salvation for us from the Fire, nor from the humiliation and disgrace and dishonour and from the enemies gaining authority over us, except by making a truthful and determined return to the Straight Path of Allaah, which is the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) and whatever the noble Companions (radiyallaahu ’anhum) were upon from sound beliefs and correct manhaj. They took this from the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allaah (’alayhis-salaam) and from the Book of Allaah the Blessed and Exalted.
So we ask Allaah to make us and you steadfast upon this Straight Path and we ask Him to distance us and you from the paths of misguidance. Indeed, our Lord surely hears the supplication. And may the peace and salutations of Allaah be upon our Prophet Muhammad and his Family and his Companions. [12]
Endnotes:
[1]: Saheeh: Related by at-Tirmidhee (no. 2641), Aboo Daawood (no. 4596), Ibn Abee ’Aasim in as-Sunnah (no. 63-69), at-Tabaraanee in al-Mu’jamul-Awsat (8/22), al-Haakim in al-Mustadrak (1/219) and Ibn Hibbaan in his Saheeh (15/125). It was authenticated by al-Albaanee in Silsilatus-Saheehah (no. 203-204).
[2]: Hasan: Related by Ibn Maajah (no. 11), ad-Daarimee in his Sunan (no. 202) and Ahmad in al-Musnad (no. 4131), from the hadeeth of ’Abdullaah Ibn Mas’ood (radiyallaahu ’anhu). It was authenticated by al-Albaanee in Mishkaatul-Masaabeeh (no. 166).
[3]: Translator’s Note: Imaam ad-Daarimee (d.255H) – rahimahullaah – said in his Sunan (1/103): Ibraaheem Ibn Ishaaq informed us from al-Muhaaribee, from al-A’mash, from Mujaahid who said, “I do not know which of the two blessings upon me are greater: that Allaah guided me to al-Islaam, or that He protected me from these desires.”
[4]: Related by al-Bukhaaree (no. 71) and Muslim (no. 1037), from the hadeeth of Mu’aawiyah (radiyallaahu ’anhu).
[5]: Related by Muslim (no. 2664), from the hadeeth of Abee Hurayrah (radiyallaahu ’anhu).
[6]: Saheeh: Related by Aboo Daawood (no. 4607) and at-Tirmidhee (no. 2676), from the hadeeth of al-’Irbaad Ibn Saariyah (radiyallaahu ’anhu). It was authenticated by al-Albaanee in Saheehul-Jaami’ (no. 2549).
[7]: Translator’s Note: Talq Ibn Habeeb (d.100H) – rahimahullaah – said, “Taqwaa is acting in obedience to Allaah, hoping in His mercy, upon guidance from Him; and taqwaa is leaving acts of disobedience to Allaah out of fear of Him, upon guidance from Him.” Related by Ibn Abee Shaybah in Kitaabul-Eemaan (no. 99). It was declared saheeh by al-Albaanee in his checking of the same book.
[8]: Hasan: Related by Ibn Maajah (no. 11), ad-Daarimee in his Sunan (no. 202) and Ahmad in al-Musnad (no. 4131), from the hadeeth of ’Abdullaah Ibn Mas’ood (radiyallaahu ’anhu). It was authenticated by al-Albaanee in Mishkaatul-Masaabeeh (no. 166).
[9]: Related by al-Bukhaaree (no. 3606) and Muslim (no. 1847), from the hadeeth of Hudhayfah Ibn al-Yamaan (radiyallaahu ’anhu).
[10]: Saheeh: Related by Aboo Daawood (no. 4297) and Ahmad in al-Musnad (5/278), from the hadeeth of Thawbaan (radiyallaahu ’anhu). It was authenticated by al-Albaanee in Mishkaatul-Masaabeeh (no. 5369).
[11]: Saheeh: Related by Aboo Daawood (no. 3462) and Ahmad in al-Musnad (no. 4987), from the hadeeth of Ibn ’Umar (radiyallaahu ’anhu). It was authenticated by al-Albaanee in Saheehul-Jaami’ (no. 423).
[12]: Taken from al-Lubaab min Majmoo’ Nasaa‘ih wa Tawjeehaatish-Shaykh Rabee’ lish-Shabaab (p. 174-181), of the al-Miraath al-Nabawee printing.
Translation by Maaz Qureshi