Kitaab Sharh us-Sunnah
by Al-Barbahaaree
Trans. Abu Talhah Dawud Burbank


140: The one who criticises the people of the Sunnah is an innovator

If you hear a man saying, “So and so is a Mushabbih” or that “So and so speaks with tashbeeh,” then suspect the one saying so and know that he is a Jahmee. If you hear a man saying, “So and so is a Naasibee,” know that the one saying so is a Raafidee. If you hear a man saying, “Tell me about Tawheed” and “Explain Tawheed to me,” know that he is a Khaarijee, a Mu’tazilee [1]. (If you hear a man) saying, “So and so is a Mujbir (Jabariyy),” or, “He speaks with Ijbaar,” or he speaks about ‘Justice,’ (‘Adl), know that he is a Qadiriyy, since these names are a novelty introduced by the innovators [2].

NOTES

[1] What the author means here by ‘Tawheed’ is the Tawheed claimed by the Mu’tazilah as one of their five principles, that is: the denial of Allah’s attributes, i.e. something contrary to true Tawheed.

[2] The author indicates how the extreme innovators accuse the people of the Sunnah, those who do not share their deviation, but take the middle path. So when they (the people of the Sunnah), for example, give due love and respect to eth Companions, they are accused by the Raafidees of having less love for ‘Alee (radiallaahu anhu) than is due and indeed of hating him and the family (Ahlul Bait) of the Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) and of being Naasibees. Whereas, the Naasibees would accuse them of being Raafidees, and so on with the rest of the misguided sects.

Imaam Abu Haatim ar-Raazee (rahimahullaah) said, “The sign of the people of innovation is that they attack those who cling to the narrations. The sign of the heretical apostates is that they call Ahlus-Sunnah ‘The worthless ones,’ intending thereby to annul the narrations. The sign of the Jahmiyyah is that they call Ahlus-Sunnah ‘Mushabbihah’ (those who declare Allah to be like the creation). The sign of the Qadariyyah is that they call Ahlus-Sunnah ‘Jahmiyyah.’ The sign of the Murji’ah is that they call ‘Ahlus- Sunnah ‘antagonists and claimants to deficiency.’ The sign of the Raafidees is that they call Ahlus-Sunnah ‘Naasibees.’ Ahlus-Sunnah only have one name” (Ahlus-Sunnah [pp.21-22] of Abu Haatim ar-Raazee and Abu Zur’atur-Raazee, checked by Saalih ibn ‘Uthmaan al-Lahhaam and as-Sunnah [p.179] of al-Laalikaa’ee with a saheeh isnaad).

Refer to the appendix ‘The Sects’ for a brief explanation of the beliefs of these innovated sects.

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