Member
Posts: 28
Joined: Sep 2002
|
Bismillaah ir-Rahman nir-Rahim
Al-hamdulillaah, Lord of all the Worlds and success is for the Muttaqeen. The praise of Allaah be upon Muhammad and upon his family and noble companions.
In recent days I have read several works on the life of Imaam Ahmad and the events that surrounded his life. I found an interesting distinction in the comments of the people of those times. Often I have come across references to the Ahl al-Hadith, mostly used for those who followed the madhahib of Imaam ash-Shafi'i and later Imaam Ahmad. The Khalifah al-Ma'mun it seems referred to Ahl al-Hadith as "those who ascribe themselves to the Sunnah." And I saw how Imaam Ahmad and Yahya ibn Ma'in and other than them would refer to all of the people of knowledge who refrained from engaging in Kalam as Ahl-us-Sunnah or as Ahl al-Hadith wa athaar.
In opposition to them, the Mutakallimun would disparage anyone who, in the area of deen, referred back to the Sunnah and the Athaar. Ahl al-Hadith, such as Ibn Ma'in and others referred to these people, whether they were from the Rafidi, the Murji'i, or the Mutakallimun as Ahl al-Rayy (the people of personal opinions).
And as an added note to the brothers and sisters of this message board, I was reminded, and I wish to remind my brothers and sisters of this: Ahl al-Hadith wa athar are none other than Salafiyyun today. If you ascribe yourself to Salafiyyah in this day of ours, you are connecting yourself to Ahl al-Hadith. This is known, not through rhetoric, but by the manhaj of the people of Salafiyyah. It is incumbent upon us to learn and know who were the Ahl al-Hadith (Salafi) of the past and of today and as a corollary to that to know who are in opposition to the truth (meaning ahl al-Bida'h).
I am wondering then, if this distinction is appropriate in these times we live in and further, are there works from which one can learn more on this form of distinquishing of the people. This is even more fascinating because the various deviated sects or schisms united completely in their belief that reason and intellectualizing the issues of aqeedah and manhaj was appropriate. It seems to me from my readings that all of the above people of ha'wa and personal opinions would unite upon using their own kalam. Al-Ma'mun was even able to gather them together for the purpose of debates over issues such as the lafz al-Qur'an and other such issues. All of this reminded me of the many speeches of the Ulama in regards to Ikhwaan al-Muslimeen and how they gather the people whether they are upon the Haqq or batil.
Does anyone have further knowledge of the use of the phrase Ahl al-Rayy for everyone except the Ahl al-Hadith and is it appropriate to use? Is there any information on where Imaam al-Bukhari and al-Tirmidhi fit in this regard? What were the results for the Ahl al-Hadith when the Mihna (from which I am studying to come across this information) ended? Are there any works (books or tapes) either in english or Arabic that one can refer me to for further knowledge? And finally, was this about the time when the issues of aqeedah were finalized (meaning clarifying many of the isses of aqeedah)?
Insha'Allaah, this may be of benefit to all the Muslims that they understand the distinctions between the people who refer to their own whims and opinions and the people who refer back to Allaah and His Messenger (sallalahu alaihi wa sallam). It is my hope someone with sufficient knowledge in this area can further inform myself and others on why the Dawa't tu-salafiyyah is the Haqq and why all the other calls are batil. May Allaah reward the one who can clarify some of this for the brothers.
Salaamu alaikum wa rahmatullaahi wa barakatuh,
Your brother in Islaam
Umar Abd-ar-Rahman at-Taalib al-Amriki
TextText
Know that Islaam is the Sunnah and the Sunnah is Islaam and the one cannot be established without the other. Imaam al-Barbarhaari (Sharh as-Sunnah)
This message was edited by Umar64 on 6-28-03 @ 6:14 PM
|
|
Umar64
24-06-2003 @ 9:14 PM
