Sharhu-s-Sunnah By Imam Al-Barbahari

Sharh Al Sunnah - Imam Al Barbahari Abu Ibraheem Hussnayn Imaam Abu Muhammad al Barbahaaree (d. 329 H rahimahullaah), said in his Sharh Us-Sunnah: "May Allaah have mercy upon you! Examine carefully the speech of everyone you hear from in your time particularly. So do not act in haste and do not enter in anything from it until you ask and see: Did any of the Companions of the Prophet, may Allaah’s praise and salutations be upon him, speak about it, or did any of the scholars? So if you find a narration from them about it, cling to it, do not go beyond it for anything and do not give precedence to anything over it and thus fall into the Fire. Sheikh Saalih Al-Fawzaan says: “Beware and do not rush into accepting speech upon false value even if you are impressed and carried away by his eloquent speech, ability to manipulate words and lectures, do not hasten to it until you have looked into it and examined it against the Qurʾān and Sunnah. Look to see who said (this speech), is he a person of understanding or not? Ask the people of knowledge about him and examine to see if any of the salaf had preceded him in his speech. I have warned against this on many occasions, do not introduce opinions, views, statements that have not been mentioned before (from any of the salaf).”  [Ithāf al-Qāriī fī Sharh us-Sunnah of Al-Barbahārī, 1/102-109 of Shaykh Ṣāliḥ ibn Fawzān al-Fawzān] “If religion were based on opinion (what people think is common sense), then we should wipe the bottom of the khuff (leather slippers) rather than the top, but I saw the Messenger of Allah wiping the top of them.” [Ibn Abi Shaybah in Al-Musannaf] Imam Al-Awzaa’i said: “You must follow the footsteps of those who came before, even if the people reject you. Beware of personal opinions even if people make them attractive. The clear way is that of the Straight Path.” [Al-Khateeb in Sharaf Ashaab al-Hadeeth] Imaam Maalik said: “Truly I am only a mortal: I make mistakes (sometimes) and I am correct (sometimes). Therefore, look into my opinions: all that agrees with the Book and the Sunnah, accept it; and all that does not agree with the Book and the Sunnah, ignore it.” [Ibn ‘Abdul Barr in Jaami’ Bayaan al-’Ilm, 2/32] Imaam Abu Haneefah said: “When I say something contradicting the Book of Allah the Exalted or what is narrated from the Messenger (sallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam), then ignore my saying.” [Al-Fulaani in Eeqaaz Al-Himam, p. 50] Imaam Ash-Shaafi’ee said: “The Muslims are unanimously agreed that if a sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) is made clear to someone, it is not permitted for him to leave it for the saying of anyone else.” [I’laam , 2/361] Imaam Ahmad said: “Do not follow my opinion; neither follow the opinion of Maalik, nor Shaafi’i, nor Awzaa’i, nor Thawri, but take from where they took (i.e. from the Salaf as-Sallih)” [Ibn al-Qayyim in I’laam, 2/302]