This excerpt is taken from Sheikh Irshad Ullah Maan's book In Search of Truth.
In this regard, their method is based on the Book and Sunnah, and this method is beneficial. They present the doubts raised by the innovators and then provide refutations, presenting evidence from the Book and Sunnah on adhering to the Sunnah and the obligation to avoid innovations and newly invented matters in religion. Numerous books have been authored in this context, and the heretical statements of Shia, Kharijites, Jahmiyyah, Mu'tazilah, and Ash'ariyyah regarding faith and belief have been refuted in books of Aqeedah. It should be noted that there are three conditions in the Quran and Hadith for an act to be accepted by Allah Almighty:
[1] The correctness of belief.
[2] The act must be done solely for the pleasure of Allah.
[3] The act must be performed according to the way of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
If one or more of the above conditions are not fulfilled, then that act will not be accepted by Allah Almighty.
Definition of Sunnah:
The meaning of Sunnah is the method, that is, in religion, the beliefs, actions, morals, dealings, and habits that were the way of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, that is the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ.
Definition of Bid'ah:
Bid'ah is the opposite of Sunnah; what is called Sunnah is not Bid'ah. And what is Bid'ah is not Sunnah. Bid'ah is every act whose origin is not in the religion, but people do it with the intention of gaining reward.
Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama'ah refers to those people who fully conform to the definition of Sunnah as stated and act according to the Sunnah. If a new belief is introduced into the religion, it will fall under Shirk fi al-Hukm (polytheism in ruling). And if a new practice is introduced into the religion, it is an innovation (Bid'ah).
Reference: (An-Nisa:115), (Al-Ma'idah:3)
There is also a hadith in which the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: I advise you to fear Allah after me and to listen to and obey your leader, even if he is an Abyssinian slave. After me, whoever among you lives will see severe discord. At that time, you must hold firmly to my Sunnah and the way of the Rightly Guided Caliphs, hold onto it with your teeth, and avoid newly invented matters.
Reference: Abu Dawood, Kitab as-Sunnah, Bab fi Lazoom as-Sunnah:4607], [Tirmidhi, Kitab al-Ilm, Bab ma jaa fi al-Akhth bi as-Sunnah wa Ijtinab al-Bid'ah:2676
From this hadith, it is established that every innovation is misguidance; there is no good innovation. The following points regarding the decisions of the Rightly Guided Caliphs are worthy of consideration:
[1] The issue of the death of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ:
When the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ passed away, Allah Almighty tested Sayyiduna Umar رضي الله عنه with a great trial. He stood in the Prophet's Mosque and said: If anyone says that the Prophet ﷺ has died, I will cut off his head with a sword. After that, Sayyiduna Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه saw the body of the Prophet ﷺ in the chamber of Sayyida Aisha رضي الله عنهما, then came to the gathering of the Companions رضي الله عنهم اجمعين in the Prophet's Mosque ﷺ and delivered a sermon: Whoever used to worship the Prophet (ﷺ), the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ has indeed passed away, but whoever worships Allah, Allah Almighty is ever-living.
All the Companions, including Sayyiduna Umar رضي الله عنه, agreed that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had passed away. After that, no Companion رضي الله عنه went to the sacred grave to present any request. Rather, during the time of Sayyiduna Umar رضي الله عنه’s rule, when there was a drought, instead of going to the blessed grave, Sayyiduna Umar رضي الله عنه would have Sayyiduna Abbas رضي الله عنه pray to Allah for rain, and rain would come. After this discussion, it was conclusively proven that after the death of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, the unanimous decision of the Companions رضي الله عنهم was that you ﷺ had passed away and now no connection with you ﷺ is possible. But now some groups, including Hanafi Barelvi, Hanafi Deobandi, Shia, and Tablighi Jamaat followers, believe that contact with the deceased is possible, and this is a new belief in religion.
[2] Congregation of Taraweeh Prayer:
It is known to everyone, as mentioned in Sahih Bukhari, that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ led the congregation for Taraweeh prayer in the Prophet's Mosque in Madinah for three nights, and then he ﷺ never led the Taraweeh prayer in congregation again. During the time of Sayyiduna Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه, there was no congregation for Taraweeh prayer. During the caliphate of Sayyiduna Umar رضي الله عنه, for some time, there was no congregation for Taraweeh prayer either. One night, Sayyiduna Umar رضي الله عنه ordered the Companions present in the Prophet's Mosque to perform Taraweeh prayer in congregation.
Reference: Bukhari, Book of Salat al-Taraweeh, Chapter on the Virtue of Standing in Ramadan: 2009, 2010
All the Companions رضي الله عنهم اجمعين agreed upon this, and this became the practice of Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama'ah.
[3] The Issue of Hajj al-Tamattu':
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ commanded Hajj al-Tamattu: after that, Hajj al-Tamattu continued to be performed. During the caliphate of Sayyiduna Umar رضي الله عنه, he forbade Muslims from performing Hajj al-Tamattu due to certain reasons. However, Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar رضي الله عنهما did not agree with this. Therefore, not performing Hajj al-Tamattu was not considered the practice of Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama'ah. And the command of Sayyiduna Umar رضي الله عنه was not accepted over the Sunnah of the Messenger ﷺ.
Reference: Bukhari, Book of Hajj, Chapter on Tamattu during the time of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ:1571], [Sunan al-Tirmidhi, Book of Hajj, Chapter on what has been narrated about Tamattu:824
Still, regarding Sayyiduna Umar رضي الله عنه, we cannot express any opposing reaction in this matter but will remain silent.
[4] The Caliphate and the Position of Umar رضي الله عنه:
When Sayyiduna Umar رضي الله عنه was attacked during the morning prayer in the Prophet's Mosque and was severely injured, Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar رضي الله عنه came to him and said: I heard people saying that you will not appoint anyone as Caliph. Upon my saying this, he kept his head bowed for a while, then raised it and said: Allah Almighty will protect His religion, and if I do not appoint a Caliph, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ did not appoint anyone as Caliph. Then if I do appoint a Caliph, Sayyiduna Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه appointed the Caliph. Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar رضي الله عنه said, then by Allah! When he mentioned the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه, I understood that he would not equate anyone with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and that he would not appoint a Caliph.
Reference: Muslim, Kitab al-Imarah, Bab al-Istikhlaf wa Tarkah:1823
(That is) following the Messenger of Allah ﷺ takes precedence over following Sayyiduna Umar and Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with them). Although the actions of Sayyiduna Abu Bakr and Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) were not against the Shariah. The duty of a believer is to follow the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. And when the statement or action of the Prophet ﷺ is confirmed, then one should not care about the statements or actions of others that contradict it, and should follow the way of their Prophet ﷺ. When the statements and actions of Sayyiduna Abu Bakr and Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) are not accepted against the statements and actions of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, then the statements of other Muslims will certainly not be accepted. And if someone accepts them, then you can judge their intellect yourself, and such a person's end will be bad.
