Ahl al-Hadith are Ahl as-Sunnah, Ahl al-Haqq, and the Mainstream Majority
They are the followers of the righteous predecessors in beliefs and practices. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (661-728 AH) states:
"Thus, it becomes clear that the most deserving people to be the saved sect are the Ahl al-Hadith and Sunnah, who do not adhere to any follower except the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). They are the most knowledgeable about his statements and actions and are the best at distinguishing between what is authentic and what is not. Their scholars are jurists of Hadith, experts in its meanings, followers in belief and practice, lovers of it, and loyal to those who support it. They reject any statement that is not supported by what has been conveyed in the Book and wisdom. They do not establish a statement as part of their religion unless it is confirmed by the Messenger of Allah. Rather, they base their beliefs and reliance on what the Messenger of Allah brought from the Book and wisdom."
(Majmoo' al-Fatawa by Ibn Taymiyyah: 3/347)
Imam Ajurri (d. 360 AH) states:
"The sign of one whom Allah wishes well for is their adherence to this path, the Book of Allah, the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), the traditions of his companions (may Allah be pleased with them), and those who followed them with goodness. This includes the imams of the Muslims in every region up to the current scholars, like al-Awza'i, Sufyan al-Thawri, Malik ibn Anas, al-Shafi'i, Ahmad ibn Hanbal, and al-Qasim ibn Salam. They must avoid any sect that does not follow these scholars."
(Ash-Shari'ah by al-Ajurri: p. 14, Dar al-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah)
What is the Sunnah?
Allama Ibn Rajab (may Allah have mercy on him) defines Sunnah:
"The Sunnah refers to the followed path, which encompasses adherence to what the Prophet (peace be upon him) and his rightly guided caliphs were upon in terms of beliefs, actions, and statements. This is the complete Sunnah. Therefore, the Salaf (pious predecessors) used to only apply the term Sunnah to what included all of this."
(Jami' al-Uloom wal-Hikam by Ibn Rajab: p. 286)
Who are the Ahl as-Sunnah?
Imam Sajzi (d. 444 AH) writes:
"Ahl as-Sunnah are those who adhere to the belief transmitted from the righteous predecessors from the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) or the companions' consensus in matters where no text from the Book and Sunnah is found. The companions were leaders, and we are commanded to follow their examples. This requires no further evidence. Likewise, adhering to the Sunnah and believing in it is obligatory without any doubt."
(Al-Radd ala Man Ankar al-Huroof wa al-Sawt by al-Sakhri: p. 9)
Hafiz Ibn al-Jawzi (508-597 AH) defines Ahl as-Sunnah:
"If someone asks what the praised Sunnah and the condemned Bid'ah (innovation) are, while every innovator claims to be from Ahl as-Sunnah, the answer is that Sunnah linguistically means 'path.' There is no doubt that those who follow the traditions and sayings of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and the companions (may Allah be pleased with them) are the true Ahl as-Sunnah, for they are on a path free from innovation. Innovations occurred after the Prophet (peace be upon him) and his companions."
(Talbis Iblis by Ibn al-Jawzi: 1/135-136)
It is important to note that the term Ahl as-Sunnah can be applied in two ways: general and specific. In general, anyone who opposes the Shia is considered Sunni, even if they are innovators. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah states:
"The term 'Sunnah' is used to describe those who affirm the caliphate of the first three caliphs, excluding the Rafidah."
(Minhaj as-Sunnah by Ibn Taymiyyah: 2/221)
In the specific sense, it refers to those who oppose the people of innovation, such as the Shia, Khawarij, Jahmiyyah, Mu'tazilah, Murji'ah, and Ash'ariyyah. As Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah writes:
"Sometimes, Ahl as-Sunnah refers specifically to Ahl al-Hadith wal-Sunnah, meaning only those who affirm the attributes of Allah, declare that the Quran is uncreated, affirm the vision of Allah in the Hereafter, and adhere to the known principles among Ahl al-Hadith wal-Sunnah."
(Minhaj as-Sunnah by Ibn Taymiyyah: 2/221)
Therefore, certain groups that claim to be Ahl as-Sunnah but only affirm seven attributes of Allah—hearing, sight, knowledge, speech, power, will, and life—are not true Ahl as-Sunnah. They follow the schools of the Mu'tazilah, Murji'ah, and Ash'ariyyah in beliefs, especially regarding the attributes of Allah, and deviate from the path of Ahl as-Sunnah and the righteous predecessors. As stated by:
Khalil Ahmad Saharanpuri Deobandi (d. 1346 AH) writes:
"Our later scholars have made acceptable and justified interpretations of these verses from a linguistic and Shariah perspective, such as interpreting 'Istiwa' as 'domination' and 'hand' as 'power.' This is also considered true by us."
(Al-Muhannad 'ala al-Mufannad: p. 48)
However, according to the righteous predecessors, this is false. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah states:
"Anyone who interprets the Quran or Hadith contrary to the interpretation of the companions and the followers is fabricating lies against Allah, distorting the meanings of His words, and engaging in disbelief and heresy. Such actions are explicitly false in the religion of Allah."
(Majmoo' al-Fatawa by Ibn Taymiyyah: 13/243)
In our times, some innovators still claim to be Ahl as-Sunnah, but they oppose the righteous predecessors in beliefs and actions.
Allama Shatibi (d. 790 AH) writes:
"Your belief should be that the truth is with the majority of the Mujtahideen (independent jurists)."
(Al-Muwafaqat by al-Shatibi: 4/173)
They are the followers of the righteous predecessors in beliefs and practices. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (661-728 AH) states:
"Thus, it becomes clear that the most deserving people to be the saved sect are the Ahl al-Hadith and Sunnah, who do not adhere to any follower except the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). They are the most knowledgeable about his statements and actions and are the best at distinguishing between what is authentic and what is not. Their scholars are jurists of Hadith, experts in its meanings, followers in belief and practice, lovers of it, and loyal to those who support it. They reject any statement that is not supported by what has been conveyed in the Book and wisdom. They do not establish a statement as part of their religion unless it is confirmed by the Messenger of Allah. Rather, they base their beliefs and reliance on what the Messenger of Allah brought from the Book and wisdom."
(Majmoo' al-Fatawa by Ibn Taymiyyah: 3/347)
Imam Ajurri (d. 360 AH) states:
"The sign of one whom Allah wishes well for is their adherence to this path, the Book of Allah, the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), the traditions of his companions (may Allah be pleased with them), and those who followed them with goodness. This includes the imams of the Muslims in every region up to the current scholars, like al-Awza'i, Sufyan al-Thawri, Malik ibn Anas, al-Shafi'i, Ahmad ibn Hanbal, and al-Qasim ibn Salam. They must avoid any sect that does not follow these scholars."
(Ash-Shari'ah by al-Ajurri: p. 14, Dar al-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah)
What is the Sunnah?
Allama Ibn Rajab (may Allah have mercy on him) defines Sunnah:
"The Sunnah refers to the followed path, which encompasses adherence to what the Prophet (peace be upon him) and his rightly guided caliphs were upon in terms of beliefs, actions, and statements. This is the complete Sunnah. Therefore, the Salaf (pious predecessors) used to only apply the term Sunnah to what included all of this."
(Jami' al-Uloom wal-Hikam by Ibn Rajab: p. 286)
Who are the Ahl as-Sunnah?
Imam Sajzi (d. 444 AH) writes:
"Ahl as-Sunnah are those who adhere to the belief transmitted from the righteous predecessors from the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) or the companions' consensus in matters where no text from the Book and Sunnah is found. The companions were leaders, and we are commanded to follow their examples. This requires no further evidence. Likewise, adhering to the Sunnah and believing in it is obligatory without any doubt."
(Al-Radd ala Man Ankar al-Huroof wa al-Sawt by al-Sakhri: p. 9)
Hafiz Ibn al-Jawzi (508-597 AH) defines Ahl as-Sunnah:
"If someone asks what the praised Sunnah and the condemned Bid'ah (innovation) are, while every innovator claims to be from Ahl as-Sunnah, the answer is that Sunnah linguistically means 'path.' There is no doubt that those who follow the traditions and sayings of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and the companions (may Allah be pleased with them) are the true Ahl as-Sunnah, for they are on a path free from innovation. Innovations occurred after the Prophet (peace be upon him) and his companions."
(Talbis Iblis by Ibn al-Jawzi: 1/135-136)
It is important to note that the term Ahl as-Sunnah can be applied in two ways: general and specific. In general, anyone who opposes the Shia is considered Sunni, even if they are innovators. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah states:
"The term 'Sunnah' is used to describe those who affirm the caliphate of the first three caliphs, excluding the Rafidah."
(Minhaj as-Sunnah by Ibn Taymiyyah: 2/221)
In the specific sense, it refers to those who oppose the people of innovation, such as the Shia, Khawarij, Jahmiyyah, Mu'tazilah, Murji'ah, and Ash'ariyyah. As Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah writes:
"Sometimes, Ahl as-Sunnah refers specifically to Ahl al-Hadith wal-Sunnah, meaning only those who affirm the attributes of Allah, declare that the Quran is uncreated, affirm the vision of Allah in the Hereafter, and adhere to the known principles among Ahl al-Hadith wal-Sunnah."
(Minhaj as-Sunnah by Ibn Taymiyyah: 2/221)
Therefore, certain groups that claim to be Ahl as-Sunnah but only affirm seven attributes of Allah—hearing, sight, knowledge, speech, power, will, and life—are not true Ahl as-Sunnah. They follow the schools of the Mu'tazilah, Murji'ah, and Ash'ariyyah in beliefs, especially regarding the attributes of Allah, and deviate from the path of Ahl as-Sunnah and the righteous predecessors. As stated by:
Khalil Ahmad Saharanpuri Deobandi (d. 1346 AH) writes:
"Our later scholars have made acceptable and justified interpretations of these verses from a linguistic and Shariah perspective, such as interpreting 'Istiwa' as 'domination' and 'hand' as 'power.' This is also considered true by us."
(Al-Muhannad 'ala al-Mufannad: p. 48)
However, according to the righteous predecessors, this is false. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah states:
"Anyone who interprets the Quran or Hadith contrary to the interpretation of the companions and the followers is fabricating lies against Allah, distorting the meanings of His words, and engaging in disbelief and heresy. Such actions are explicitly false in the religion of Allah."
(Majmoo' al-Fatawa by Ibn Taymiyyah: 13/243)
In our times, some innovators still claim to be Ahl as-Sunnah, but they oppose the righteous predecessors in beliefs and actions.
Allama Shatibi (d. 790 AH) writes:
"Your belief should be that the truth is with the majority of the Mujtahideen (independent jurists)."
(Al-Muwafaqat by al-Shatibi: 4/173)