وجوب اتباع السلف الصالح

وجوب اتباع السلف الصالح

تعريف السلف

لغة:
قال ابن فارس: (السين واللام والفاء: أصلٌ يدل على تقدمٍ وسبقٍ، من ذلك: السلف الذين مضوا) (1)، و(السلف: ... الجماعة المتقدمون) (2).
والسلف -أيضًا- من تقدمك من آبائك وذوي قرابتك، الذين هم فوقك في السبق والفضل (3).

اصطلاحًا:
اختلف أهل العلم فيمن يطلق عليهم السلف الصالح، مع اتفاقهم على أن الصحابة رضوان الله عليهم هم أصل السلف الصالح وخيرهم وأتقاهم.
ونحن في هذا الموقع نذهب مذهب القائلين بأنهم القرون الثلاثة الأولى، لشهادة النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم لهم بالخيرية، فقال صلى الله عليه وسلم: ”خَيْرُ النَّاسِ قَرْنِي، ثُمَّ الَّذِينَ يَلُونَهُمْ، ثُمَّ الَّذِينَ يَلُونَهُمْ“ [صحيح البخاري ومسلم].
والقرن يطلق على مدة من الزمان، وقد اختلف العلماء في تحديده على أقوال:
فقيل: أربعون، وقيل: ثمانون، وقيل مائة، وقيل غير ذلك. (4)

وأرجح الأقوال هو أنها مائة عام، فقد وقع في حديث عبد الله بن بسر المازني رضي الله عنه أن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم قال له: ”لتبلغن قرنًا“ (5)، وقد مات وعمره مائة سنة، كما قال البخاري في التاريخ الصغير، وهو آخر من مات بالشام من الصحابة.



وجوب اتباع السلف وسلوك طريقهم:

الأدلة من القرآن والسنة:

1. قد أوجب القرآن اتباع الصحابة رضوان الله عليهم ولزوم طريقتهم، وتوعد من يخالف سبيلهم بالعذاب الأليم، قال الله تعالى: {وَمَنْ يُشَاقِقِ الرَّسُولَ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُ الْهُدَى وَيَتَّبِعْ غَيْرَ سَبِيلِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ نُوَلِّهِ مَا تَوَلَّى وَنُصْلِهِ جَهَنَّمَ وَسَاءَتْ مَصِيرًا} [النساء: 117]، وهل كان المؤمنون عند نزول هذه الآية الكريمة إلا هم؟

2. وقال تعالى: {فَإِنْ آَمَنُوا بِمِثْلِ مَا آَمَنْتُمْ بِهِ فَقَدِ اهْتَدَوْا وَإِنْ تَوَلَّوْا فَإِنَّمَا هُمْ فِي شِقَاقٍ فَسَيَكْفِيكَهُمُ اللَّهُ وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ} [البقرة: 137].
هذا دليل صريح في أن الذي كان عليه الصحابة رضوان الله عليهم هو الهدى والحق، ومن اهتدى به فإنه على هدى وعلى صراط مستقيم. فالصحابة هم المعنيون بما في الآية أولًا، ثم من سار على دربهم واقتدى بهم من بعدهم ثانيًا.

3. وقوله تعالى: {قُلْ هَذِهِ سَبِيلِي أَدْعُو إِلَى اللَّهِ عَلَى بَصِيرَةٍ أَنَا وَمَنِ اتَّبَعَنِي وَسُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ وَمَا أَنَا مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ} [يوسف: 108].
والصحابة رضي الله عنهم هم أول أتباع النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم، فهم على سبيل النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم يدعون إلى الله على بصيرة.

4. ثناء الله عز وجل عليهم ورضاه عنهم، قال الله عز وجل: {مُحَمَّدٌ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ وَالَّذِينَ مَعَهُ أَشِدَّاءُ عَلَى الْكُفَّارِ رُحَمَاءُ بَيْنَهُمْ تَرَاهُمْ رُكَّعًا سُجَّدًا يَبْتَغُونَ فَضْلًا مِنَ اللَّهِ وَرِضْوَانًا سِيمَاهُمْ فِي وُجُوهِهِمْ مِنْ أَثَرِ السُّجُودِ ذَلِكَ مَثَلُهُمْ فِي التَّوْرَاةِ وَمَثَلُهُمْ فِي الْإِنْجِيلِ كَزَرْعٍ أَخْرَجَ شَطْأَهُ فَآَزَرَهُ فَاسْتَغْلَظَ فَاسْتَوَى عَلَى سُوقِهِ يُعْجِبُ الزُّرَّاعَ لِيَغِيظَ بِهِمُ الْكُفَّارَ وَعَدَ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آَمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ مِنْهُمْ مَغْفِرَةً وَأَجْرًا عَظِيمًا} [الفتح: 29]

وقوله تعالى: {وَالسَّابِقُونَ الْأَوَّلُونَ مِنَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ وَالْأَنْصَارِ وَالَّذِينَ اتَّبَعُوهُمْ بِإِحْسَانٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَضُوا عَنْهُ وَأَعَدَّ لَهُمْ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي تَحْتَهَا الْأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا أَبَدًا ذَلِكَ الْفَوْزُ الْعَظِيمُ} [التوبة: 100]

وقوله تعالى: {فأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ سَكِينَتَهُ عَلَى رَسُولِهِ وَعَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَأَلْزَمَهُمْ كَلِمَةَ التَّقْوَى وَكَانُوا أَحَقَّ بِهَا وَأَهْلَهَا وَكَانَ اللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمًا} [الفتح: 26].


5. وتزكية الرسول صلى الله عليه وسلم لهم، فقال صلى الله عليه وسلم: ”خَيْرُ النَّاسِ قَرْنِي ثُمَّ الَّذِينَ يَلُونَهُمْ ثُمَّ الَّذِينَ يَلُونَهُمْ ثُمَّ يَجِيءُ قَوْمٌ تَسْبِقُ شَهَادَةُ أَحَدِهِمْ يَمِينَهُ وَيَمِينُهُ شَهَادَتَهُ“ [متفق عليه].
فهذه الآيات والأحاديث دليل على أنهم على هدى وخير وأنهم أهل للاقتداء والاتباع.


6. ومن الأدلة: أن الصحابة هم الجيل الوحيد الكامل الذي لم يكن منهم مبتدع، وإنما ظهرت البدع فيمن بعدهم في آخر عصرهم.
وفي حديث أبي سعيد الخدري رضي الله عنه، في وصف الخوارج: ”يَخْرُجُ فِي هَذِهِ الأمَّةِ“ (6)، ولم يقل: (منها)، لأنه لا يخرج من الصحابة هؤلاء القوم، ولكن يخرج في عصرهم رضوان الله عليهم.

ولذلك لما أراد العلماء أن يُعرِّفوا البدعة نصوا على أن البدعة هي: ما أحدث مما يخالف كتابا أو سنة أو أثرا أو إجماعا، فهذه هي البدعة الموصوفة بأنها الضلالة.

7. وقد كثر الاختلاف والتفرق بين المسلمين بعد عهد السلف الصالح رضوان الله عليهم، وكل فرقة تفسر النصوص على فهمها، فتجدهم مختلفين في ذلك، وكل فرقة تدعي أن فهمها للنصوص هو الحق، فمن نتبع؟
الجواب في قول النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم: ”فَإِنَّهُ مَنْ يَعِشْ مِنْكُمْ يَرَى اخْتِلَافًا كَثِيرًا وَإِيَّاكُمْ وَمُحْدَثَاتِ الْأُمُورِ فَإِنَّهَا ضَلَالَةٌ فَمَنْ أَدْرَكَ ذَلِكَ مِنْكُمْ فَعَلَيْهِ بِسُنَّتِي وَسُنَّةِ الْخُلَفَاءِ الرَّاشِدِينَ الْمَهْدِيِّينَ عَضُّوا عَلَيْهَا بِالنَّوَاجِذِ“ حديث حسن (7).
وكذلك قوله صلى الله عليه وسلم: ”وَإِنَّ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ تَفَرَّقَتْ عَلَى ثِنْتَيْنِ وَسَبْعِينَ مِلَّةً وَتَفْتَرِقُ أُمَّتِي عَلَى ثَلَاثٍ وَسَبْعِينَ مِلَّةً كُلُّهُمْ فِي النَّارِ إِلَّا مِلَّةً وَاحِدَةً“، قالوا: ومن هي يا رسول الله؟ قال: ”مَا أَنَا عَلَيْهِ وَأَصْحَابِي“ حديث حسن (.

فهذه أدلة صريحة على أن الحق هو اتباع منهج وفهم الصحابة رضوان الله عليهم للنصوص الشرعية.



الأدلة العقلية:

1. اتفاق أقوال الصحابة رضي الله عنهم في الأصول، فلم يحصل بينهم اختلاف في أصول الاعتقاد وأصول العبادات وأصول النظر والاستدلال.
ومن ذلك: إجماع الصحابة على إثبات الصفات، وإجماعهم على وجوب قبول السنة واتباع ما صح منها وعدم رد شيء منها، وإجماعهم على عدم تكفير مرتكب الكبيرة، وغير ذلك.

2. أنهم عرفوا حقيقة الجاهلية التي جاء الإسلام للقضاء عليها، لأن بعضهم عاشها بنفسه، والآخرون كانوا حديثي عهد بها، نقلها إليهم أهلوهم وأقاربهم، فلما جاء الإسلام ميزوا بينه وبين الجاهلية.

3. أن السلف الصالح تلقوا الإسلام وتعاليمه صافية نقية، لم يخلطوها بثقافات وافدة من أديان وثنية أو كتابية محرفة، أو فلسفات وضعية، أو علوم كلامية أو غير ذلك.

4. أنهم تلقوا القرآن غضًا طريًا، وهو ينزل على قلب محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم، وعاينوا الأحداث التي مرت بهم وكانت سببًا لنزول كثير من آياته وسوره، فأدركوا مناسبات الآيات، وسياقها ووجهتها، وتفاعلوا معها، وفهموها حق فهمها، وهذا أيضًا جانب آخر مما امتازوا به على من جاء بعدهم.

5. أنهم سمعوا من النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم مباشرة دون واسطة، فغالب ما نقلوه عنه أخذوه من فيه، وسمعوه، وأدركوا مقصده ووجهته، وعرفوا مناسبة وروده.

6. التابعون وتابعوهم هم أقرب القرون إلى النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم والتابعون عاصروا الصحابة رضوان الله عليهم وأخذوا العلم عنهم. كما أن البدعة في عصرهم كانت أقل من البدعة في العصور التي بعدهم.



بعض الآثار عن الصحابة والسلف الصالح والأئمة بلزوم ما كان عليه أصحاب النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم، وما كان عليه عامة السلف الصالح:

1. عن ابن مسعود رضي الله عنه قال: «اتبعوا ولا تبتدعوا، فقد كفيتم، كل بدعة ضلالة» (9).

2. قال الأوزاعي: «اصبر نفسك على السنة، وقف حيث وقف القوم، وقل بما قالوا، وكف عما كفوا عنه، واسلك سبيل سلفك الصالح، فإنه يسعك ما وسعهم» (10).
وقال: «عليك بآثار السلف وإن رفضك الناس، وإياك ورأي الرجال وإن زخرفوه لك بالقول، فإن الأمر ينجلي وأنت منه على طريقٍ مستقيم» (11).

3. كان الحسن البصري في مجلس فذكر أصحاب محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم فقال: «إنهم كانوا أبر هذه الأمة قلوبًا، وأعمقها علمًا، وأقلها تكلفا، قومًا اختارهم الله لصحبة نبيه صلى الله عليه وسلم، فتشبهوا بأخلاقهم وطرائقهم، فإنهم ورب الكعبة على الهدى المستقيم» (12).


4. قال الإمام أحمد بن حنبل: (إن الله جَلَّ ثناؤه، وتقدَّست أسماؤه بعث محمدًا نبيَّه - صلى الله عليه وسلم - {بالْهُدَى وَدِينِ الْحَقِّ لِيُظْهِرَهُ عَلَى الدِّينِ كُلِّهِ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ الْمُشْرِكُونَ} [التوبة : 33] وأنزل عليه كتابه الهدى والنور لمن اتبعه، وجعل رسوله - صلى الله عليه وسلم - الدال على معنى ما أراد من ظاهره وباطنه، وخاصِّه وعامِّه، وناسخه ومنسوخه، وما قصد له الكتاب.
فكان رسول الله - صلى الله عليه وسلم - هو المعبر عن كتاب الله، الدال على معانيه، شَاهَدَهُ في ذلك أصحابه، من ارتَضَاهُ الله لنبيه واصطفاهُ لَهُ، ونَقَلوا ذلك عنه، فكانوا هُم أعلَم الناسِ برسول الله - صلى الله عليه وسلم -، وبما أخبر عن معنى ما أراد الله من ذلك بمُشاهَدَتِهِم ما قَصَد لَه الكتاب، فكانوا هم المُعَبِّرين عن ذلك بعد رسول الله - صلى الله عليه وسلم (13).


5. قال الإمام ابن أبي زيد القيرواني في رسالته:
(واللجأ إلى كتاب الله عزوجل وسنة نبيه، واتباع سبيل المؤمنين، وخير القرون من خير أمة أخرجت للناس نجاة، ففي المفزع إلى ذلك العصمة، وفي اتباع السلف الصالح النجاة).

6. قال الإمام أبو القاسم اللالكائي في مقدمة شرح أصول اعتقاد أهل السنة والجماعة:
(أما بعد: فإن أوجب ما على المرء معرفة اعتقاد الدين، وما كلف الله به عباده من فهم توحيده وصفاته وتصديق رسله بالدلائل واليقين، والتوصل إلى طرقها والاستدلال عليها بالحجج والبراهين، وكان من أعظم مقول، وأوضح حجة ومعقول، كتاب الله الحق المبين، ثم قول رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم وصحابته الأخيار المتقين، ثم ما أجمع عليه السلف الصالحون، ثم التمسك بمجموعها والمقام عليها إلى يوم الدين، ثم الاجتناب عن البدع والاستماع إليها مما أحدثها المضلون).

7. قال ابن حجر العسقلاني :
(فالسعيد من تمسك بما كان عليه السلف واجتنب ما أحدثه الخلف). (14)

8. قال الشيخ أحمد بن عبد الرحيم الدهلوي المعروف بشاه ولي الله:
(والملة إنما تثبت بالنقل والتوارث، ولا توارث إلا بأن يعظم الذين شاهدوا مواقع الوحي وعرفوا تأويله وشاهدوا سيرة النبي صلى اللّه عليه وسلم ولم يخلطوا معها تعمقًا ولا تهاونًا ولا ملة أخرى). (15)


Definition of (As-Salaf) :

- Its Lexical Meaning:
Ibn Faris (d. 395 H.) states: "The (letter) Sin, the (letter) Lam, and (letter) Fa (together), is a root which indicates precedence and antecedence. A derivation of this root is "as-salaf" which means those who have passed on. (1) And the Salaf ...are the predecessors.(2)


Who are the Pious Salaf ?
Scholars differed about those who are called “As-Salaf As-Saleh” (The Pious Predecessors), while agreeing that the Sahabah * –may Allah be pleased with them - are the first of the Salaf and the best and most pious of them.

And we, in this website go by the opinion of the ones who say that the pious Salaf are the first three generations, because of the testimony of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, in which he said: ”The best of my Ummah is my generation (Qarni), then those who follow them, then those who follow them.“ [Bukhari and Muslim]
And “Qarn” (the word used in the hadith, translated to “generation”) is used for a certain amount of time, and scholars differed in specifying it, some said: It is fourty years. Others said: It is eighty years. And others said: It is 100 years, and there are more opinions on this. (3)

And the most correct opinion is that it is one hundred years, for it has been mentioned in the hadith of Abdullah bin Bisr Al-Mazini – May Allah be please with him- , that the Propeht -Sallallaahu Alayhi Wa Sallam - said to him: ”You will reach a Qarn.“ (4), and Al-Mazini died at 100 years old, as Imam Al-Bukhari said in His “Tarikh al-Awsat (al-Saghir)”, and he was the last of the Sahabah to die in Al-Sham. (5)



The obligation of following their path:

The proof from the Qur’an and the Sunnah:
1. The Qur’an has made obligatory the following of the Sahabah - may Allah be pleased with them- and adhering to their way, and threatened those who oppose their way with a painful punishment, Allah Ta’ala says –translation of the meaning-: {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} [4:115]
And were there any believers when this verse was revealed other than them?

2. Allah Ta’ala said –translation of the meaning-: {So if they believe in the same as you believe in, then they have been (rightly) guided; but if they turn away, they are only in dissension, and Allah will be sufficient for you against them. And He is All-hearing, All-Knowing.} [2:137]
This is a clear proof that what the Sahabah -may Allah be pleased with them- were upon is guidance and the truth, so whoever follows it then he will be upon guidance and upon the straight path. For it is the Sahabah who are the ones referred to in the verse firstly, then those who came after them who took their path and followed them.

3. And the saying of Allah Ta’ala –translation of the meaning-: {Say, This is my way; I invite to Allah with sure knowledge, I and those who follow me. And exalted is Allah; and I am not of those who associate others with Him.} [12:108]
And the Sahabah - may Allah be pleased with them- were the first followers of the Prophet -Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam -, so they are upon the path of the Prophet --Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam - inviting to Allah with sure knowledge and certainty.

4. Allah’s praising of them and him being pleased with them. Allah Ta’ala says –translation of the meaning-: {Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah; and those with him are forceful against the disbelievers, merciful among themselves. You see them bowing and prostrating [in prayer], seeking bounty from Allah and (His) pleasure. Their mark is on their faces from the trace of prostration.} [48:29]

And the saying of Allah Ta’ala –translation of the meaning-: {And the first forerunners (in the faith) among the Muhajireen and the Ansar and those who followed them with good conduct – Allah is pleased with them and they are pleased with Him, and He has prepared for them gardens beneath which rivers flow, wherein they will abide forever. That is the great attainment.} [9:100]

And the saying of Allah Ta’ala –translation of the meaning-: {But Allah sent down His tranquility upon His Messenger and upon the believers and made them stick to the word of piety (i.e. La Ilaha illa Allah), and they were more deserving of it and worthy of it. And ever is Allah, of all things, Knowing.} [48:26]


5. The testifying of their righteousness by the Messenger -Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam -, in which he said:
”The best of my ummah is my generation, then those who follow them, then those who follow them.“
These ayat and hadiths are proof that the Pious Salaf were upon guidance and goodness, and that they are worthy of being taken as an example, and be followed.

6. Another evidence is that the Sahabah are the only generation that didn’t have any innovators. Innovations started to appear amongst the next generation, close to the end of their time. In the hadith narrated by Al-Khudri –may Allah be pleased with him- describing the Khawarij (6) it says: ”In this Ummah there will appear …“ (7), he didn’t say "From this Ummah”, because none of the Khawarij were from the Sahabah –may Allah be please with them-, but they appeared during their time, that is why the hadith says ”In this Ummah“, meaning during their time.
This is the reason why the scholars, when wanting to define what is bidah, said: «It is what was innovated that is opposing to the Quran or Sunnah, or Athar (statements of the Sahabah and Tabi`een ( ) or consensus, that is the bidah that is misguidance.»

7. Differences and division has increased between the Muslims after the time of the Pious Salaf –may Allah be pleased with them-, and every group interprets the texts of the Quran and Sunnah according to its own understanding, thus you find them differing in some of their beliefs, many of them being contradicting, and every group claims that their understanding is the Truth, so whom do we follow? Who is upon the Truth?
The answer is in the saying of the Prophet -Sallallaahu Alayhi Wa Sallam -:
”For indeed, those who will still be alive after me will see many differences; so hold fast to my Sunnah, and to the sunnah of the rightly guided Khalifahs after me, Adhere to and cling tightly to it and beware of newly-invented matters, for every newly-invented matter is an innovation and every innovation is deviation.“ (9)

Also, his saying: ”The Jews split up into seventy-one sects, the Christians split up into seventy-two sects, and this ummah (Muslims) will split up into seventy-three sects; all of them are in the Fire except one." Someone asked: "which is that one O Messenger of Allah?".
He replied: "Whoever is upon that which I am upon and my companions.“ (10)
These are clear evidences that the Truth is in following the way and understanding of the Sahabah – may Allah be pleased with them-, and who followed their path.


Evidences by reason:

1. The Sahabah –may Allah be pleased with them- never differed in the fundamental matters of belief. Examples are: Their consensus in affirming Allah’s Attributes; their consensus in accepting the Sunnah, and following from it what has been proven authentic, and not rejecting any of it; there consensus in not calling a person, who falls into major sin, a disbeliever (kafir) ... etc.

2. They new the reality of Jahiliya (Age of ignorance, the period preceeding Islam) that Islam came to remove, because some of them lived it, and others new about it through their families and relatives who lived it or witnessed the people who lived it; so when Islam came, they distinguished between them.

3. They received the teachings of Islam pure, they didn’t mix it with foreign cultures, or corrupted religions, or the science of kalam … etc.

4. They received the Quran fresh, when it was descended to the heart of Prophet Muhammad –Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam-, and they witnessed the incidents that were the cause of the coming down of many of the ayat and surahs. And they interacted with it, and understood it correctly.

5. They heard from the Prophet –Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam- directly, so most of what they transmitted they heard from him directly, they understood its purpose and its course.

6. The Tabi`een and their successors are the closest generations to the Prophet –Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam- , and the Tabi`een lived with the Sahabah –may Allah be pleased with them-, and took their knowledge from them. Also, bidah during their time was less than the bidah during the generations after them.


Some statements by the Sahabah, the Pious Salaf, and the Scholars who came after them, on adhering to what the Sahabah –may Allah be pleased with them- were upon, and what the Pious Salaf, as a whole, were upon.

1. Ibn Mas`ood (Sahabi) –radiyallahu anhu- said: «Follow and do not innovate, for indeed you have been sufficed.» (11)
2. Al Hasan al Basri (110 H.) was in a gathering when he mentioned the companions of Muhammad -Sallallaahu Alayhi Wa Sallam -. He then remarked: «They possessed the most pious hearts of this ummah, were the most profound in knowledge and the least constraint. A people, whom Allah chose for the companionship of His Prophet -Sallallaahu Alayhi Wa Sallam -, so emulate their character and way, for by the Lord of the Ka'bah, they are upon the straight path.» (12)
3. Al-Awza`i (d. 157 H.) said: «Patiently restrict yourself upon the Sunnah, stop where the people (i.e. the companions) stopped, say what they say and refrain from that which they refrained. Traverse upon the path of your Salaf as-Salih (Righteous Predecessors), for indeed what was sufficient for them is sufficient for you.» (13)
He also said: «Hold fast to the athar (narrations) of the Salaf, even if people abandon you. Beware of the opinions of men, no matter how much they beautify it with their speech, for indeed the matter will become manifest whilst you will be upon the correct straight path concerning it.» (14)

4. Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal (d. 241 H.) said: «Allah –Jal Thana`uhu wa Taqaddasta Asma`uh- sent Muhammad His Messenger –Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam- {with guidance and the religion of truth, to make it superior over all religions even though the Mushrikûn (i.e. polytheists) hate (it)} [9:33] and sent down to him His Book the guidance and light for whomever follows it, and made His messenger –Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam- the director to the meaning of what He intended, its apparent and hidden, its general and specific, its abrogater and abrogated, and the aim of the book.
Thus the Prophet –Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam- is the expresser of Allah’s Book., the guide to its meaning, his companions are the witnesses of that, whom Allah choose for His Prophet, and they transmitted that from him, so they were the most knowledgable people of the Messenger of Allah –Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam-, and of what he informed of the meaning of what Allah intended from that, by witnessing what the Book aimed to, so they were the expressers of that after the Messenger of Allah –Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam-.» (15)

5. Abdullah Ibn Abi Zayd al Qairawani (d. 386 H.) said in his famous "Risalah":
"Salvation lies in seeking protection in the Book of Allah Almighty and the Sunna of His Prophet and following the path of the believers and that of the best of generations of the best community produced for mankind. Reliance on that is protection. Salvation lies in following the righteous Salaf."

6. Abu Al-Qasim Al-Lalikai (d. 418 H.) said in the introduction of his book “Sharh Usool I`tiqad Ahl-Assunnah Wal-Jama`ah”, when speaking about understanding Tawheed and Allah’s Attributes:
“From the greatests of statements, and the clearest of proofs and reasoning, is Allah’s Book, the clear truth, then the saying of the Messenger of Allah –Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam- and his pious companions, then what was agreed upon by the Righteous Salaf, then holding on to it until the day of judgement, and avoiding innovations and listening to it from what was innovated by the misguided.”

7. Ibn Hajar Al-Asqalani (d. 852 H.) said:
”The happy one is the one who sticks to what the Salaf were upon, and avoids what was innovated by the Khalaf.(16)”. (17)

8. Ahmad bin Abder-Rahim Ad-Dehlwi (d. 1176 H.), known as Shah Waliullah, said in his book “Al-Hujjah Al-Baligha”: "And the religion was established by transmition and inheritance, and there is no inheritance except by glorifying the ones who witnessed the places of revelation, and knew its interpretations, and witnessed the life of the Prophet –Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam-." (18)