This excerpt is taken from the book of Muhaddith al-Asr Sheikh Zubair Ali Zaee, may Allah have mercy on him, Ahl-e-Hadith Aik Sifati Naam.
بسم اللہ الرحمن الرحیم
الحمد لله ربّ العالمين والصلوة والسلام على رسوله الأمين، أما بعد:
The descriptive name of the victorious group, the saved sect, and Ahl al-Haqq is Ahl al-Hadith. These are the great people who have existed in every era and will remain until the Day of Judgment.
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: [لا تزال طائفة من أمتي منصورين لا يضرهم من خذلهم حتّى تقوم الساعة]
There will always be a group in my Ummah until the Day of Resurrection who will be supported (by Allah), and whoever forsakes them will not be able to harm them.
Reference: (Sunan Ibn Majah: 6 and the wording is his, Sunan Tirmidhi: 2192 and its chain is authentic)
Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal, may Allah have mercy on him, said: [إن لم تكن هذه الطائفة المنصورة أصحاب الحديث فلا أدري من هم]
If this victorious group is not the Companions of Hadith (Ahl al-Hadith), then I do not know who they are.
Reference: (Ma'rifat 'Ulum al-Hadith by al-Hakim: 2 and its chain is Hasan)
Imam Hakim, may Allah have mercy on him, said:
Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal, may Allah have mercy on him, made a very excellent statement in the interpretation of the Hadith that the victorious group, which will not be forsaken until the Day of Judgment, is the group of the narrators of Hadith. Who is more deserving of this interpretation (exegesis) than the people of Hadith who followed the path of the righteous, adhered to the traces of the Salaf, and stood firm against the opponents and innovators through the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, silencing them? They preferred journeys through barren and waterless deserts over lush meadows and luxurious pleasures, and they enjoyed the hardships of travel for the companionship of the knowledgeable and the narrators.
Reference: (Ma'rifat 'Uloom al-Hadith: p. 112)
Imam Ali bin al-Madini, may Allah have mercy on him, said: [هم أصحاب الحديث] (meaning) the victorious group refers to the people of Hadith.
Reference: (See Sunan al-Tirmidhi: 2192 etc.)
Imam Bukhari, may Allah have mercy on him, said about the victorious group: [يعني أهل الحديث]
Reference: (Mas'alah al-Ihtijaj bi al-Shafi'i lil-Khatib: p. 47 and its chain is authentic)
Imam Ibn Hibban titled the above Hadith as follows: [ذكر إثبات النصرة لأصحاب الحديث إلى قيام الساعة] (meaning) the affirmation of support (help) for the people of Hadith until the Day of Judgment.
Reference: (Sahih Ibn Hibban: Hadith 61)
Abu Abdullah Muhammad bin Muflih Al-Maqdisi said: [أهل الحديث هم الطائفة الناجية القائمون على الحق] The Ahl al-Hadith are the saved group who stand firmly on the truth.
Reference: (Al-Adab Al-Shar'iyyah:211/1)
Confirming and supporting the statement of Imam Hafs bin Ghiyath and Imam Abu Bakr bin Ayyash, may Allah have mercy on them, Imam Hakim, may Allah have mercy on him, said: Both of them have spoken the truth that the companions of hadith are the best people, and how could they not be so, as they have completely abandoned the world in comparison to the Book and Sunnah.
Reference: (Ma'rifat 'Ulum al-Hadith: p.113)
It is narrated from our master Abdullah bin Mas'ud, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: [أولى الناس بي يوم القيامة أكثرهم عليّ صلوة] On the Day of Resurrection, those who send the most blessings upon me will be the closest to me.
Reference: (Sunan Tirmidhi: 484, and its chain is Hasan)
Since every child of Ahl al-Hadith has a deep passion and heartfelt attachment to the Hadith of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, they consider it a blessing to narrate the Hadith of the Noble Prophet ﷺ rather than indulge in conjectures and jurisprudential subtleties. Accordingly, Imam Abu Hatim Ibn Hibban al-Busti, may Allah have mercy on him, established an important issue from the above Hadith. He said: This Hadith is evidence that on the Day of Resurrection, the people of Hadith will be closest to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, because in this Ummah, no group sends more blessings upon him ﷺ than they (Ahl al-Hadith).
Reference: (Sahih Ibn Hibban:911)
Despite such virtues and merits, some people consider opposing Ahl al-Hadith, slandering, mocking, and belittling them as their hereditary right. Perhaps about such people, Imam Ahmad bin Sinan al-Wasiti, may Allah have mercy on him, said: [ليس في الدنيا مبتدع إلا و هو يبغض أهل الحديث] There is no innovator in the world who does not harbor enmity towards Ahl al-Hadith.
Reference: (Ma'rifat 'Ulum al-Hadith lil-Hakim: 6 and its chain is authentic)
Imam Hakim, may Allah have mercy on him, said: During our travels and stays, whenever we encountered people who were associated with heresy and innovation, they looked down upon the group of Mansurah (Ahl al-Hadith) with contempt and called them Hashwiyah.
Reference: (Ma'rifat 'Ulum al-Hadith: p.115)
Whereas we want to make these people understand that: [أهل الحديث همو أهل النبي و إن لم يصحبوا نفسه أنفاسه صحبوا]
The Ahl al-Hadith are indeed the family of the Prophet, even though they could not attain the company of the Prophet ﷺ, but they have been benefiting from the fragrant words mixed with the breath of the Prophet.
The present book is a fine composition by Sheikh Hafiz Zubair Ali Zai, may Allah preserve him, which contains answers to the doubts and objections raised regarding the descriptive name of Ahl al-Hadith. It is a comprehensive and unique book in the sense that every point is authentic, well-reasoned, and referenced.
May Allah, the Lord of Glory, grant the respected Hafiz Sahib, may He preserve him, a long life full of health and wellness, and keep him engaged in scholarly and research work in the same manner. (Ameen)
Hafiz Nadeem Zaheer
