Page 73 - The Importance of the Ahl Al-Sunnah

ADNAN OKTAR

that all sincere ideas, ijtihad and interpretation in the field of
implementation facilitated the spread of Islam to different
environments and lands.
The most important factor in preparing the ground for these
different interpretations of the Companions is the different
interpretation of the hadiths. After the Qur’an, the Sunnah, in
other words the hadiths, is the most important point of refer-
ence in Islam. The imams of the schools have stressed the
importance of holding fast to the Sunnah and stated that who-
ever abandons the Sunnah will be among the losers.
They emphasized the importance of abiding by the Sunnah of
the Messenger (saas) as follows.
Al-Imam al-A‘zam:
“People have been saved as long as there have been those
among them who have occupied themselves with the had-
iths. Whenever they seek knowledge outside the hadiths,
then corruption arises. Avoid issuing commandments on
the basis of your own personal opinions on any matter
regarding the religion of Allah, but follow the Sunnah.
Anyone who abandons the Sunnah will fall into devia-
tion.” (ash-Sharani, al-Mizan 1: 51)
Imam al-Shafi‘i:
“If I arrive at a different commandment having related a
hadith of the Messenger of Allah, what sky will shade me,
what earth will bear me?”
Imam Malik:
“The Sunnah is like the ark of Nuh (as). Whoever boards
that ark will be saved, but whoever does not will drown.”
Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal:
“Many bid‘ahs have arisen. Whoever is ignorant of the
hadiths will fall into those bid‘ahs.”
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