"And al-Ash'ari, Abu al-Hasan (may Allah have mercy on him), was in the last part of his life upon the methodology of the people of the Sunnah and the hadith, which is affirming what Allah the Exalted affirmed for Himself in
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The Shaykh : He said: "And al-Ash'ari, Abu al-Hasan (may Allah have mercy on him), was in the last part of his life upon the methodology of the people of the Sunnah and the hadith, which is affirming what Allah the Exalted affirmed for Himself in His Book, or on the tongue of His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), without distortion, denial of the divine attributes, asking how an attribute is, or comparing Allah to creation". Distortion in the texts and denial of the divine attributes in their meanings; also, the meanings have distortion, because distortion is changing the text in wording or meaning, or both.
"And a person's methodology—pay attention to this criterion—a person's methodology is what he said last, if he explicitly stated that his statement is limited to it". He explicitly stated his return to the first, but we did not mention this because we want to comment on the words of Abu al-Hasan (may Allah have mercy on him). Otherwise, a person's methodology is what he said last if he explicitly stated his return from the first; this is one case. Or if he limited his statement to the last by saying: "We say such and such," or as Abu al-Hasan said: "If someone asks: What do you say? We say such and such."
As for when a scholar has two statements and did not explicitly state his return from the first, he is considered to be saying both this and that. Therefore, we find that Imam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on him) may be narrated as having more than two reports in a single issue, so he is considered to be saying both statements. It is not said that his methodology is one of them, but rather it is said that all the statements are his methodology. Even in his methodology regarding the issue of fasting, there are seven statements concerning fasting on the thirtieth day of Sha'ban if there is cloud or haze. Five of them are all reports from Imam Ahmad, and the rest are from his companions.
The summary now: if a questioner asks you, "What is a person's methodology?" say: What did he say last, if he explicitly stated his return from the first, or explicitly stated that his statement is limited to the last. And if that is not the case, his methodology is both statements, or the three, or the four, according to what is narrated from him in that matter. Except if there is a convention among his followers that the methodology is, for example, what all the companions agreed upon, or the leaders of the companions, or something similar. But this last one we call a conventional methodology, not a personal methodology.
He said: "And accordingly, the completion of following him—following Abu al-Hasan—is adhering to what he was upon last, which is adhering to the methodology of the people of the hadith and the Sunnah, because it is the correct methodology that is obligatory to follow, which Abu al-Hasan himself committed to".
Yes, and this is obligatory, whether Abu al-Hasan committed to it or not. But we want to oblige whom? Yes, the followers of Abu al-Hasan who claim to be his followers, to say what the people of the hadith and the Sunnah said.
"And a person's methodology—pay attention to this criterion—a person's methodology is what he said last, if he explicitly stated that his statement is limited to it". He explicitly stated his return to the first, but we did not mention this because we want to comment on the words of Abu al-Hasan (may Allah have mercy on him). Otherwise, a person's methodology is what he said last if he explicitly stated his return from the first; this is one case. Or if he limited his statement to the last by saying: "We say such and such," or as Abu al-Hasan said: "If someone asks: What do you say? We say such and such."
As for when a scholar has two statements and did not explicitly state his return from the first, he is considered to be saying both this and that. Therefore, we find that Imam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on him) may be narrated as having more than two reports in a single issue, so he is considered to be saying both statements. It is not said that his methodology is one of them, but rather it is said that all the statements are his methodology. Even in his methodology regarding the issue of fasting, there are seven statements concerning fasting on the thirtieth day of Sha'ban if there is cloud or haze. Five of them are all reports from Imam Ahmad, and the rest are from his companions.
The summary now: if a questioner asks you, "What is a person's methodology?" say: What did he say last, if he explicitly stated his return from the first, or explicitly stated that his statement is limited to the last. And if that is not the case, his methodology is both statements, or the three, or the four, according to what is narrated from him in that matter. Except if there is a convention among his followers that the methodology is, for example, what all the companions agreed upon, or the leaders of the companions, or something similar. But this last one we call a conventional methodology, not a personal methodology.
He said: "And accordingly, the completion of following him—following Abu al-Hasan—is adhering to what he was upon last, which is adhering to the methodology of the people of the hadith and the Sunnah, because it is the correct methodology that is obligatory to follow, which Abu al-Hasan himself committed to".
Yes, and this is obligatory, whether Abu al-Hasan committed to it or not. But we want to oblige whom? Yes, the followers of Abu al-Hasan who claim to be his followers, to say what the people of the hadith and the Sunnah said.