10 Foundational Principles of the Religion Where the Understanding of the Salaf is Essential
It is claimed that in the research regarding the Prophet’s ﷺ prayer, reliance was made on the statements of non-Ma‘soom individuals in 450 instances to declare Ahadith authentic or Hasan, thus following them in a form of blind imitation.
We must understand and practice the religion exactly as the noble Companions (رضي الله عنهم) did, because:
◈ They learned the tafsir of the Qur’an directly from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
◈ They were the standard bearers of Islam, and their understanding is the benchmark of truth.
ʿAbdullah ibn ʿUmar (رضي الله عنهما) narrated:
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
"My Ummah will split into seventy-three sects; all of them will be in the Fire except one."
It was asked: "O Messenger of Allah, which one will that be?" He replied:
"That which I and my Companions are upon."
(Tirmidhi 5652)
Indication from this Hadith:
The Sunnah of the Messenger ﷺ and the way of the Companions must remain preserved until the Day of Judgment.
Anything not preserved cannot be a mark of the Saved Sect.
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
"Whoever among you lives after me will see much disagreement, so hold fast to my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the rightly guided Caliphs. Bite onto it with your molars. Beware of newly introduced matters, for every innovation is misguidance."
(Ibn Majah 74)
Point:
The only protection from tribulations is following the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ and the rightly guided Caliphs.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
"Follow those after me: Abu Bakr and ʿUmar."
(Ibn Majah 79)
"Adhere to my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the rightly guided Caliphs… safeguard my Sunnah by following my Companions, then the Tabi‘in, then the Atba‘ al-Tabi‘in. After that, lies will become widespread."
(Ibn Majah, Kitab al-Ahkam, 3632)
ʿImran ibn Husayn (رضي الله عنه) narrated:
"The best of my Ummah is my generation, then those who follow them, then those who follow them. Then there will come people who will give testimony without being asked, betray trusts, and obesity will become widespread."
(Muslim 5352, Tirmidhi 0181)
Conclusion:
The correct understanding of the religion is found only in the first three generations.
For later generations, the only path to salvation is to follow them.
Learning Qur’an and Sunnah requires more than hard work, intelligence, and language skills — it must be measured against the methodology of the Salaf.
We do not place our personal understanding as the criterion for Qur’an and Sunnah, rather the understanding of the Salaf.
Benefit:
There is no need to invent new paths in the religion.
Following the way of the Salaf is the path to salvation and prevents manipulation of Qur’an and Sunnah.
Today, some people read translations of a few verses or Ahadith and present their own “new Islamic interpretation.”
They consider their own understanding as truth and others as misguided.
Their followers adopt this as the meaning of Qur’an and Sunnah.
The result — despite sincerity — is sectarianism and division in the Ummah.
Thawban (رضي الله عنه) narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said:
"A group from my Ummah will always remain manifest upon the truth; those who forsake them will not harm them, nor those who oppose them, until the command of Allah comes while they are in that state."
(Muslim)
The Prophet ﷺ said:
"The scholars are the inheritors of the prophets."
(Abu Dawood 1463)
Who are these scholars?
◈ The Companions
◈ The Tabi‘in
◈ The Imams of Hadith
◈ The Jurists (Fuqaha)
◈ Scholars like Ibn Taymiyyah, Ibn al-Qayyim, Muhammad ibn ʿAbd al-Wahhab, and their students (رحمهم الله)
These are the shining stars of the Victorious Group whom the scholars of truth take as their leaders.
Presenting the understanding given by these scholars is not the method of Ahl al-Ra’y (opinion-based scholars) but of Ahl al-Hadith.
In issues where the Salaf had consensus, there is no need for “new research.”
What the Salaf said is the truth and must be accepted.
Where the Salaf differed, the truth lies in one of their views.
Research should remain within the scope of their differences.
This task should only be undertaken by scholars who follow the Salaf and deeply understand the religion.
A student should present the methodology of the Salaf.
We explain the statements of scholars because:
◈ We do not consider the Qur’an and Sunnah insufficient.
◈ Rather, the scholars of the Victorious Group have always provided the correct interpretation of these texts in every era.
Only specialists in the science of Hadith have the right to declare a narration as authentic, Hasan, or weak.
A student of knowledge should refer to them.
As Allah says in the Qur’an:
(فَاسْأَلُواْ أَہْلَ الذِّکْرِ إِن كُنتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ) (النحل: 43)
"Ask the people of knowledge if you do not know."
❖ Misconception:
It is claimed that in the research regarding the Prophet’s ﷺ prayer, reliance was made on the statements of non-Ma‘soom individuals in 450 instances to declare Ahadith authentic or Hasan, thus following them in a form of blind imitation.
Clarification — Following the Understanding of the Salaf al-Salih is the Path to Salvation
We must understand and practice the religion exactly as the noble Companions (رضي الله عنهم) did, because:
◈ They learned the tafsir of the Qur’an directly from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
◈ They were the standard bearers of Islam, and their understanding is the benchmark of truth.
The Companions’ Method — Recognizing the Truth
ʿAbdullah ibn ʿUmar (رضي الله عنهما) narrated:
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
"My Ummah will split into seventy-three sects; all of them will be in the Fire except one."
It was asked: "O Messenger of Allah, which one will that be?" He replied:
"That which I and my Companions are upon."
(Tirmidhi 5652)
Indication from this Hadith:
The Sunnah of the Messenger ﷺ and the way of the Companions must remain preserved until the Day of Judgment.
Anything not preserved cannot be a mark of the Saved Sect.
Guidance in Times of Disagreement
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
"Whoever among you lives after me will see much disagreement, so hold fast to my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the rightly guided Caliphs. Bite onto it with your molars. Beware of newly introduced matters, for every innovation is misguidance."
(Ibn Majah 74)
Point:
The only protection from tribulations is following the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ and the rightly guided Caliphs.
Command to Follow the Caliphs and Companions
The Prophet ﷺ said:
"Follow those after me: Abu Bakr and ʿUmar."
(Ibn Majah 79)
"Adhere to my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the rightly guided Caliphs… safeguard my Sunnah by following my Companions, then the Tabi‘in, then the Atba‘ al-Tabi‘in. After that, lies will become widespread."
(Ibn Majah, Kitab al-Ahkam, 3632)
The First Three Generations — The Standard of Truth
ʿImran ibn Husayn (رضي الله عنه) narrated:
"The best of my Ummah is my generation, then those who follow them, then those who follow them. Then there will come people who will give testimony without being asked, betray trusts, and obesity will become widespread."
(Muslim 5352, Tirmidhi 0181)
Conclusion:
The correct understanding of the religion is found only in the first three generations.
For later generations, the only path to salvation is to follow them.
Understanding of the Salaf — The Correct Way to Interpret Qur’an and Sunnah
Learning Qur’an and Sunnah requires more than hard work, intelligence, and language skills — it must be measured against the methodology of the Salaf.
We do not place our personal understanding as the criterion for Qur’an and Sunnah, rather the understanding of the Salaf.
Benefit:
There is no need to invent new paths in the religion.
Following the way of the Salaf is the path to salvation and prevents manipulation of Qur’an and Sunnah.
Deviation from the Salaf — A Modern-Day Tragedy
Today, some people read translations of a few verses or Ahadith and present their own “new Islamic interpretation.”
They consider their own understanding as truth and others as misguided.
Their followers adopt this as the meaning of Qur’an and Sunnah.
The result — despite sincerity — is sectarianism and division in the Ummah.
The Victorious Group — Always Upon the Truth
Thawban (رضي الله عنه) narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said:
"A group from my Ummah will always remain manifest upon the truth; those who forsake them will not harm them, nor those who oppose them, until the command of Allah comes while they are in that state."
(Muslim)
Scholars of Truth — The Heirs of the Prophets
The Prophet ﷺ said:
"The scholars are the inheritors of the prophets."
(Abu Dawood 1463)
Who are these scholars?
◈ The Companions
◈ The Tabi‘in
◈ The Imams of Hadith
◈ The Jurists (Fuqaha)
◈ Scholars like Ibn Taymiyyah, Ibn al-Qayyim, Muhammad ibn ʿAbd al-Wahhab, and their students (رحمهم الله)
These are the shining stars of the Victorious Group whom the scholars of truth take as their leaders.
The Understanding of the Salaf — The Method of Ahl al-Hadith
Presenting the understanding given by these scholars is not the method of Ahl al-Ra’y (opinion-based scholars) but of Ahl al-Hadith.
In issues where the Salaf had consensus, there is no need for “new research.”
What the Salaf said is the truth and must be accepted.
Where the Salaf differed, the truth lies in one of their views.
Research should remain within the scope of their differences.
This task should only be undertaken by scholars who follow the Salaf and deeply understand the religion.
The Method for Students of Knowledge
A student should present the methodology of the Salaf.
We explain the statements of scholars because:
◈ We do not consider the Qur’an and Sunnah insufficient.
◈ Rather, the scholars of the Victorious Group have always provided the correct interpretation of these texts in every era.
Need for Specialists in Hadith Sciences
Only specialists in the science of Hadith have the right to declare a narration as authentic, Hasan, or weak.
A student of knowledge should refer to them.
As Allah says in the Qur’an:
(فَاسْأَلُواْ أَہْلَ الذِّکْرِ إِن كُنتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ) (النحل: 43)
"Ask the people of knowledge if you do not know."
