al-Zuhrī wont to say:
“Our scholars used to say: ‘Holding fast to the Sunnah is salvation.’”
Mālik said: “The Sunnah is Noah’s ark: whoever boards it is saved, and whoever stays behind drowns.”
This is because the Sunnah, the revealed law, and the prescribed way constitute the straight path that leads Allah’s servants to Him. The Messenger is the expert guide who leads them along this path, as Allah Most High says:
“Indeed, We have sent you as a witness, a bearer of good tidings, and a warner, and as one who calls to Allah by His permission, and as an illuminating lamp.”
Allah Most High also says:
“And indeed, you guide to a straight path—the path of Allah, to whom belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on earth. Surely, to Allah all matters return.”
And Allah Most High says:
“And this is My path, which is straight, so follow it; and do not follow other ways, for they will separate you from His way.”
‘Abd Allāh ibn Mas‘ūd said: “The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, drew a line, then drew other lines to its right and left. He then said: ‘This is Allah’s way, and these are other ways. On each of them is a devil calling people to it.’ Then he recited: ‘And this is My path, which is straight, so follow it; and do not follow other ways, for they will separate you from His way.’”
If a person of sound judgment who hopes to meet Allah reflects on this illustration and considers all the various groups—the Khawārij, then the Mu‘tazilah, then the Jahmiyyah and the Rāfidah, and those speculative theologians closer to the Sunnah than these, such as the Karrāmiyyah, the Kullābiyyah, the Ash‘ariyyah, and others—and considers how each has a way that departs from what the Companions and the adherents of hadith follow, while claiming that its own way is correct, one will find that they are the very people intended by this illustration given by the one protected from error, who does not speak from his own desire. It is nothing but revelation revealed.
What is astonishing is that some of these people explicitly state that, if a hadith conflicts with their reason—especially