The Difference Between the People of the Sunnah and Others in Their Claim to Follow the Book and the Sunnah
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The questioner:
This person is also asking about the difference. He says that many of the sects, or perhaps all of them, claim that they follow the Book and the Sunnah. The People of the Sunnah and the Community say, "We follow the Book and the Sunnah." So what is the difference between the following of the People of the Sunnah and the Community and the following of the other sects?
The Shaykh:
The criterion is not the claim; everyone makes a claim. The criterion is the reality. The criterion is the reality. We compare the words of these people and the words of those people against the Book and the Sunnah. What agrees with the Book and the Sunnah is the truth, and what contradicts the Book and the Sunnah is falsehood. There is nothing but one of two categories: either truth or falsehood. What is there after truth? Nothing but misguidance. Nothing but misguidance. We have the scale, praise be to Allah: the Book and the Sunnah. We present what this person said and what that person said to the Book and the Sunnah. What agrees with the Book and the Sunnah is the truth, and what contradicts the Book and the Sunnah is falsehood, even if its speaker claims it is the truth.
So the person who has knowledge presents the sayings of people to the Book and the Sunnah and distinguishes between them. The one who does not have knowledge asks the scholars of knowledge. He says, "So-and-so said such-and-such, and so-and-so said such-and-such. Which of them is correct?" He asks the scholars of knowledge. Allah the Exalted said:[An-Nahl 16:43] Yes, and he does not remain in confusion.
The questioner:
Yes, may Allah reward you with good. Likewise, in the media, many of them write and say, "We follow the Book and the Sunnah," but you cannot bind me to your understanding of the Book and the Sunnah. You have your understanding, and I have my understanding.
The Shaykh:
We say, "We do not bind you to our understanding. We bind you to what the Book and the Sunnah indicate. Let us be objective, you and I, and present my opinion and your opinion to the Book and the Sunnah. Whichever of us the Book and the Sunnah testify for, me or you, that is the truth. Fairness means:[Saba 34:24] We say to him, "Come. I am a Muslim and you are a Muslim, and we have differed. You say such-and-such, and I say such-and-such. The Muslims return to the Book and the Sunnah. If you withdraw, [An-Nisa 4:59] Come, let us present what I have and what you have. It is not my thought or your thought. We present what we have to the Book and the Sunnah. What agrees with it is the truth, and what is said [that contradicts it] is the error."
If he has faith, he will agree. But if he is stubborn and obstinate, there is no remedy. Leave him and do not argue with him. Yes.
The presenter:
May Allah reward you
This person is also asking about the difference. He says that many of the sects, or perhaps all of them, claim that they follow the Book and the Sunnah. The People of the Sunnah and the Community say, "We follow the Book and the Sunnah." So what is the difference between the following of the People of the Sunnah and the Community and the following of the other sects?
The Shaykh:
The criterion is not the claim; everyone makes a claim. The criterion is the reality. The criterion is the reality. We compare the words of these people and the words of those people against the Book and the Sunnah. What agrees with the Book and the Sunnah is the truth, and what contradicts the Book and the Sunnah is falsehood. There is nothing but one of two categories: either truth or falsehood. What is there after truth? Nothing but misguidance. Nothing but misguidance. We have the scale, praise be to Allah: the Book and the Sunnah. We present what this person said and what that person said to the Book and the Sunnah. What agrees with the Book and the Sunnah is the truth, and what contradicts the Book and the Sunnah is falsehood, even if its speaker claims it is the truth.
So the person who has knowledge presents the sayings of people to the Book and the Sunnah and distinguishes between them. The one who does not have knowledge asks the scholars of knowledge. He says, "So-and-so said such-and-such, and so-and-so said such-and-such. Which of them is correct?" He asks the scholars of knowledge. Allah the Exalted said:
So ask the people of the message if you do not know.
فَاسْأَلُوا أَهْلَ الذِّكْرِ إِن كُنتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَThe questioner:
Yes, may Allah reward you with good. Likewise, in the media, many of them write and say, "We follow the Book and the Sunnah," but you cannot bind me to your understanding of the Book and the Sunnah. You have your understanding, and I have my understanding.
The Shaykh:
We say, "We do not bind you to our understanding. We bind you to what the Book and the Sunnah indicate. Let us be objective, you and I, and present my opinion and your opinion to the Book and the Sunnah. Whichever of us the Book and the Sunnah testify for, me or you, that is the truth. Fairness means:
And indeed, we or you are either upon guidance or in clear error."
وَإِنَّا أَوْ إِيَّاكُمْ لَعَلَىٰ هُدًى أَوْ فِي ضَلَالٍ مُّبِينٍAnd if you disagree over anything, refer it to Allah and the Messenger
فَإِن تَنَازَعْتُمْ فِي شَيْءٍ فَرُدُّوهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَالرَّسُولِIf he has faith, he will agree. But if he is stubborn and obstinate, there is no remedy. Leave him and do not argue with him. Yes.
The presenter:
May Allah reward you
Source
قناة «العلامة الدكتور صالح الفوزان»، محاضرات في العقيدة والدعوة-003-اجتماع الكلمة وأثره في دفع الفتن|صالح الفوزان|كبار العلماء — youtube.com (1:03:22)
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.