The Signs of the Saved Sect

The Signs of the Saved Sect


[1] al-Firqatun Naajiyah (the Saved Sect) are few among the people. Allah’s
Messenger prayed for them in the following words: “Tooba (a tree in Paradise) is
for the Strangers – the people who are righteous among a people who are mostly
wicked, those who disobey them are more then those who obey them.”[1]
And Allah says in the Qur’aan: "But few of My servants are grateful.” [Soorah
as-Sabaa (34): 13]



[2] The Saved Sect is abandoned by most people, who slander them and ridicule
them with insulting them with insulting names. So there is for them an example
in the Prophets about whom Allah said:
“And so We appointed for every Prophet an
enemy; devils amongst mankind and jinns, inspiring one another with flowery
discourses by way of deception.” [Soorah al-An’aam (6): 112]
And even the
Messenger Muhammad (sallalahu alaihe wa-sallam) was treated the same by his
people. So, when he called them to Tawheed they called him a sorcerer and a liar
– whereas prior to this they used to call him as-Saadiq (truthful) and Amin
(trustworthy).



The Taa’ifatul Mansoorah (the Aided and Victorious Group):



[1] The Prophet Muhammad (sallalahu alaihe wa-sallam) said: “There will not
cease to be a group from my Ummah victorious and steadfast upon the truth, those
who abandon them will not harm them, until the command of Allah comes about.”
[Related by Muslim in his Saheeh (6/ 52-53) and Abu Dawood in his Sunan (2/202)
from Thawbaan]



[2] The Prophet Muhammad (sallalahu alaihe wa-sallam) said: “When the people of
Shaam (Syria, Jordan and Palestine) become corrupt there will be no good in you.
And there will not cease to be a group from my Ummah being helped (aided) those
that oppose them will not harm them, until the hour is established.” [Related by
at-Tirmidhee (2/30), Ibn Majah (1/6-7) and Imaam Ahmad (3/463)]



Who is the Victorious and Aided Group (at-Taa’ifatul - Mansoorah)?



Let’s see what the Scholars of Islam have to say…



[1] Ibn al-Mubarak (d. 181H) rahimahullah – said: “According to me they are
Ashaabul Hadeeth (the Scholars of Hadeeth).”[2]



[2] Imaam al-Bukharee (d. 256H) – rahimahullah – said: “It means Ahlul – Hadeeth
(the People of Hadeeth)” [Sharaful – Ashaabul – Hadeeth (p. 27)]



[3] Imaam Ahamd (d. 241H) – rahimahullah – said: “If this Taa’ifatul-Mansoorah
are not Ashabul Hadeeth, then I donot know who they are.” [3] [al-Qaadi Iyaad
(d.544H) – rahimahullah – said: “What Imaam Ahmad intended was Ahlus Sunnah
wal-Jamaa’ah, those who hold the Aqeedah [4] of Ahlul Hadeeth] [5]



The Ahlul-Hadeeth are the people of the Prophet, although; They accompany him
not, they are with his every movement.” [6]



The Ahlul – Hadeeth, by virtue of their competence in the study of the Sunnah,
are not attached to any person, however elevated, but are altogether concerned
with the sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (sallalahu alaihe wa-sallam); his
guidance, his manners and whatever else pertains to him. They cling to the
Sunnah firmly and do not make anyone’s word equal to that of the Prophet’s.



Al-Khateeb al-Baghdaadee (d. H) – rahimahullah – explains in his book, Sharaful
Ashaabul Hadeeth:



“And if only the people of blameworthy opinion bused themselves with beneficial
knowledge, and the seeking of the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah, and followed
the way of the fuqahaa and the muhaddithoon then they would find that this would
be sufficient for them. And the narration (Hadeeth) would take place of the
opinion, which they hold. This is because the Hadeeth explains the fundamentals
of Tawheed, the Threats and the Promises from Allah and the Attributes of Allah.
It also contains information about Paradise and Hell-Fire and what Allah ahs
prepared therein for the pious and the wicked… The Hadeeth explains stories of
the past Prophets … It contains histories of the kings of the past and the
description of the battles of Messenger, his expeditions, rulings, judgments,
sermons, warnings, predictions and miracles. It also contains information about
the Prophet’s wives, Children, Relatives, and companions, and a mention of their
excellence and merit. And the Hadeeth contains the Tafseer of the Qur’aan;
information and the wise remembrance contined in it. It contains the saying of
the Companions about the Qur’aan’s preserved things.



And Allah made Ahlul Hadeeth (the People of Hadeeth) the pillar of the Shar’eeah
and the destroyer of every despised innovations. So they are Allah’s wardens
among His creation, and they link between the Prophet Muhammad (sallalahu alaihe
wa-sallam) and his Ummah, and they strive to preserve Allah’s Deen. So their
light shines brightly, their excellence remains, their signs are clear, their
positions evident and their proofs are over-powering. And while all the sects
coil themselves around vain desires and prefer the blind-following of opinion
for the Ahlul-Hadeeth, the Book of Allah is their provision, the sunnah their
proof, the Messenger their leader and his command (Hadeeth) is their ascription.
They do not deviate upon vain desire, nor turn to mere conjecture. They accept
what is reported by the Prophet (sallalahu alaihe wa-sallam) and are the
trustworthy and reliable ones, who memorize the Deen and they are its treasures,
its storehouses of knowledge and its bearers. If anyone differs about a Hadeeth
then it is referred back to them. Their judgment is thus accepted and listened
to. From them is every scholar and Imaam. They are the Saved Sect and their way
is he straight one…” [7]



"Allah will exalt in degree those of you who believe, and those who have been
granted Knowledge.” [Soorah al-Mujaadilah (58): 11]



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[1] Related by Ahmad (1/177). Ibn al-Mubaarak in Az-Zuhd (p.266) form Abdullah
ibn Amr Sheikh Saleem al-Hilaalee authenticated it in al-ghurabah was Ghurabah
(p. 16).



[2] [Sahraful – Ashaabul Hadeeth (p.26) of al-Khateeb al-Baghdadee]



[3] Related by al-Haakim in Ma’rifatu Uloomul – Hadeeth (p.3) and al-Haafidh Ibn
Hajr declared its isnaad to be Saheeh in Fath al-Baare (13/ 293)



[4] Aqeedah: a set of belief that bind the Ahlus Sunnah together and distinguish
them from the sects of innovation.



[5] Sharh Saheeh Muslim (13/67) of an-Nawawee.



[6] From the poetry of Hasan Ibn Muhammad an-Nasaawee as is quoted by al-Haafidh
Diyaa ud-deen al-Maqdisee in his booklet Fadhul-Hadeeth wa Ahlihi.



[7] Sharaful Ashaabul Hadeeth (pp. 7-9)