What is Ahl as Sunnah wa'l Jama'ah according to Classical Scholars
Let us now see what the definition of Ahl as-Sunnah wa'l Jama'ah was according to the classical scholars of this aided, Victorious sect (Tai'fatul-Mansoorah) of Islam.
Shaykh al-Islam Ahmad ibn Hajar al-Haytami (d. 974/1567; R. A.)
Hafiz Ibn Hajar al-Haytami defined the Sunni Muslims as follows in his book Fath al-jawad: "A Mubtadi (innovator) is the person who does not have the faith (Aqeedah) conveyed unanimously by the Ahl as-Sunnah. This unanimity was transmitted by the two great Imam's Abu'l Hasan al-Ashari (d.324/936; Rahimahullah) and Abu Mansur al- Maturidi (d.333/944; Rahimahullah) and the scholars who followed their path." Hafiz Ibn Hajar al-Haytami also said in his bookal- Fatawa al-Hadithiyya (pg. 205): "Man of bid'ah means one whose beliefs are different from the Ahl as-Sunnah faith. The Ahl as- Sunnah faith, is the faith of Abu'l Hasan al-Ashari, Abu Mansur al- Maturidi and those who followed them. One who brings forth something which is not approved by Islam becomes a man of bid'ah."
Imam Ahmad Shihab ad-Din al Qalyubi (d.1069/1659; R. A.)
Imam al-Qalyubi wrote on the fourth volume of his marginalia to the book Kanz ar-raghibin: "One who departs from what Abu'l Hasan al-Ashari and Abu Mansur al-Maturidi (Allah's mercy be upon them) reported is not a Sunni. These two Imam's followed the footprints of Rasulullah (Peace be upon him) and his Sahaba (may Allah be pleased with them all)."
Imam Abdullah ibn Alawi al-Haddad (d. 1132 AH; Rahimahullah),
Imam al-Haddad stated in The Book of Assistance (pg. 40): "You must correct and protect your beliefs and conform to the pattern of the party of salvation, who are those known from among the other Islamic factions as the "People of the Sunnah and Jama'ah" (Ahl as- Sunnah wa'l Jama'ah). They are those who firmly adhere to the way of the Messenger of Allah (Sall Allahu alaihi wa Aalihi wa Sallim), and of his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them all).
If you look with a sound understanding into those passages relating to the sciences of faith in the Book (Qur'an), the Sunnah, and the saying of the virtuous predecessors, whether they be Companions or followers, you will know for certain that the truth is with the party called the Ashari (NB-the Maturidi's are also upon the truth), named after the Shaykh Abu'l Hasan al-Ashari, may Allah have mercy on him, who systematized the foundations of the creed of the people of the truth, and recorded its earliest versions, these being the beliefs with the Companions and the best among the followers agreed upon."
Imam Abdal Ghani an-Nablusi (d. 1143/1733; Rahimahullah)
Imam an-Nablusi stated in his book al-Hadiqat an-Nadiyya (vol. 2, pg. 103): "Jama'ah is rahma, that is, the union of Muslims on truth brings Allahu ta'ala's Compassion. Division is adhab, that is, separation from the Community of Muslims brings about punishment from Allahu ta'ala. Hence, it is necessary for every Muslim to unite with those who are on the right path. He must join and believe like them even if they are only a small group. The right path is the path of as-Sahaba . Those who follow this path are called Ahl as- Sunnah Wa'l Jama'ah. It should not confuse us that many heretical groups appeared after the time of as-Sahaba . Al-Imam al- Bayhaqi (d. 458/1066; Rahimahullah) said, 'When Muslims go astray, you should follow the right path of those who came before them! You should not give up that path even if you are left alone on the path!'
Najm ad-Din al-Ghazzi (d. 1061/1651; Rahimahullah)
He wrote: 'Ahl as-Sunnah Wa'l Jama'ah are those ulama who keep on the right path of Rasullullah (Sall Allahu alaihi wa Aalihi wa Sallim) and as-Sahaba . As-Sawad al-Azam, that is, the majority of Islamic scholars, have followed this right path. The Firqatun-Naajiyyah which was defined to be the group of salvation among the seventy three groups is this true Jama'ah.' The Qur'an declares, 'Do not disunite!' This verse means 'Do not disunite in I'tiqad, in the teachings of beliefs!' Most ulama, for example, Abdullah ibn Masood (may Allah be pleased with him), interpreted this verse as above and said that it meant, 'Do not deviate from the right path by following your desires and corrupt ideas.' This verse does not mean that there should be no disagreement in the knowledge of Fiqh. It forbids separation which causes discord and dissension in the knowledge of I'tiqad (see Imam al-Qurtubi's opinion later). The disagreement in the knowledge (ofFiqh) derived through Ijtihad in the field of practices (Amal) is not a discord, because such disagreement has brought to sight the rights, the fards and the subtle teachings in Amal and 'Worship (worship). As-Sahaba (Allah be pleased with them all), too, differed from one another in those teachings that explained the daily life, but there was no disagreement among them in the knowledge of I'tiqad."
Allamah Sayyid Ahmad at-Tahtawi (d. 1231/1816; Rahimahullah)
Allamah Sayyid Ahmad at-Tahtawi, a great Hanafi Fiqh scholar of Egypt, wrote on the subject of 'Zabayih' in his Hashiya al-Durr al- Mukhtar:
"According to the majority of scholars of Tafsir, the verse, 'They parted into groups in the religion,' referred to the people of bid'ahwho would arise in this Ummah. In a Hadith reported by Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), Rasulullah (Sall Allahu alaihi wa Aalihi wa Sallim) said to Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her), 'The verse about the partitions into groups in the religion refers to the people of bid'ah and to the followers of their nafs who would arise in this Ummah.' Allah declared in the 153rd verse of Surah Al-An'am, 'This is My Straight path, so follow it! Follow not other ways, lest you be parted from His way!' (that is, Jews, Christians, and other heretics departed from the right path; you should not part like them!). In the 103rd verse of Surah Al-Imran, Allah declares, 'And hold fast, all of you together, to the rope of Allah, and do not separate!' (see later for a brief commentary). Some scholars of Tafsir said that Allah's rope meant Jama'ah, unity. The command, 'Do not separate', shows that it is so and the Jama'ah are the possessors of Fiqh and Ilm (knowledge).
One who descents from Fuqaha (scholars of Fiqh) as much as a span falls into heresy, becomes deprived of Allah's help and deserves Hell, because the Fuqaha have been on the right path and have held on to the Sunnah of Rasulullah (Sall Allahu alaihi wa Aalihi wa Sallim) and on to the path of al- Khulafa ar-Rashideen, the Four Khaliphs (may Allah be pleased with them).
As-Sawad al-Azam, that is, the majority of the Muslims, are on the path of Fuqaha. Those who depart from their path will burn in the fire of Hell. O believers! Follow the unique group which is protected against Hell! And this group is the one that is called Ahl as-Sunnah Wa'l Jama'ah. For, Allah's help, protection and guidance are for the followers of this group, and His wrath and punishment are for those who dissent from this group. Today, this group of salvation comes together in the Four Madhhabs, namely the Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi'i, and Hanbali."
It is very important to have unity in the Ummah, and to achieve this goal of unity it is incumbent that the whole Ummah has the correct and preserved Aqeedah of the Salaf as-salihin (may Allah be pleased with them all); since Allah will no doubt ask us about our Aqeedah if it is not in conformity with the divine revelation and what his Messenger (Sall Allahu alaihi wa Aalihi wa Sallim) transmitted to us. The way of the Salaf as-salihin is the way of the saved sect of the Ahl as-Sunnah wa'l Jama'ah. And we should all know that the Jama'ah is the sect which has the most correct and united Aqeedah out of all other Jama'ahs. To know what is the real Jama'ah, one must look into the Qur'an and Hadith for evidence. If one was to look deeply in to this matter with an open and scholarly mind, one will come to the conclusion that this great Jama'ah is the one which is composed of the foremost scholars of Qur'anic commentary, Hadith, Fiqh and other Islamic sciences; it is no doubt the Jama'ah which has had the greatest following throughout Islamic history in terms of scholars and laity, and this alone is the main body of Islam which represents the views of the great mass of believers (as-Sawad al-Azam) as we shall see from the Hadith evidence below. Let us now see what Allah ta'ala has said about unity and schism in the Holy Qur'an.
