"Hold fast to my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the Rightly Guided Caliphs.
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The questioner : The honorable Shaykh, regarding the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): , one of the Sufi scholars said: The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) elevated the four Caliphs to the level of infallibility, as he commanded the community to follow their Sunnah. Did he command us to follow their Sunnah while knowing that they made mistakes?! And what is the meaning of the word "guided"?! Does it not mean that Allah protected them from falling into errors?! What is your opinion?
The Shaykh : The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Mishkat al-Masabih 165Sahīh (Zubair `Aliza'i): So he (peace and blessings be upon him) began with his own Sunnah first. This means that if the Sunnah of the Rightly Guided Caliphs contradicts his Sunnah, it is not to be followed. For this reason, Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "It is near that stones will fall from the sky upon you, for I say: The Messenger of Allah said, and you say: Abu Bakr and Umar said".
One who follows the statements of the Rightly Guided Caliphs will find that some of their statements are the result of independent legal reasoning (ijtihad) but did not hit the mark of the Sunnah, and this is a known fact through investigation.
However, if there is no Sunnah from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him and his family), there is no doubt that their Sunnah is closer to the truth than that of others, and their statement is a proof, as Imam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on him) said. But this does not mean that they are infallible in every statement they make or every action they perform. Yes.
As for their being "guided," guidance is for them and for others, but their guidance is greater without a doubt, because they are Rightly Guided Caliphs who succeeded the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in his community in creed, action, and calling. Then, he described them as Rightly Guided Caliphs, and it is known that if a person errs in an issue, he is not "rightly guided" in that issue, but it is forgiven for him if it is the result of independent legal reasoning (ijtihad). Yes.
Hold fast to my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the Rightly Guided Caliphs after me, and grip it with your teeth.
عليكم بسنتي وسنة الخلفاء الراشدين المهديين من بعدي عَضُّوا عليها بالنواجذThe Shaykh : The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
You must therefore follow my sunna and that of the rightly guided Caliphs
عليكم بسنتي وسنة الخلفاء الراشدين المهديين من بعديOne who follows the statements of the Rightly Guided Caliphs will find that some of their statements are the result of independent legal reasoning (ijtihad) but did not hit the mark of the Sunnah, and this is a known fact through investigation.
However, if there is no Sunnah from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him and his family), there is no doubt that their Sunnah is closer to the truth than that of others, and their statement is a proof, as Imam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on him) said. But this does not mean that they are infallible in every statement they make or every action they perform. Yes.
As for their being "guided," guidance is for them and for others, but their guidance is greater without a doubt, because they are Rightly Guided Caliphs who succeeded the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in his community in creed, action, and calling. Then, he described them as Rightly Guided Caliphs, and it is known that if a person errs in an issue, he is not "rightly guided" in that issue, but it is forgiven for him if it is the result of independent legal reasoning (ijtihad). Yes.