If you are among the believers and upon the path of their predecessors, then derive knowledge from their reports (athar) and derive guidance from their way, and be satisfied with these reports as an Imam, just as that people were satisfied with them as an Imam for themselves. For by my life, you are not more knowledgeable of the Book of Allah than them, nor are you their equal; rather, you are more misguided and more ignorant. It is impossible to emulate them except by following these reports as they are narrated. Whoever does not accept them only desires to follow a path other than that of the believers.
Allah, the Most High, says: "And whoever opposes the Messenger after guidance has become clear to him and follows other than the way of the believers - We will give him what he has taken and drive him into Hell, and evil it is as a destination" [An-Nisa: 115]. End quote.
Al-Lalaka'i, may Allah have mercy on him, said in the introduction to his book 'Usul I'tiqad Ahl al-Sunnah' (1/27): "I seek proof for the correctness of the schools of the Ahl al-Sunnah by what has been reported in the Book of Allah the Most High regarding them, and by what has been narrated from the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). If I find mention of them in both, I mention both. If I find them in one without the other, I mention that. If I do not find them in either, I look to the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), whom Allah and His Messenger have commanded us to emulate, to be guided by their statements, and to be illuminated by their light, due to their witnessing of the revelation and the descent of the Quran, and their knowledge of the meanings of interpretation; I then use them as proof. If there is no report from a Companion, I look to those who followed them in goodness (the Tabi'in), in whose statements lie healing and guidance, and whose religious adherence is a means of proximity and favor to Allah. If we see that they have reached a consensus on a matter, we rely upon it, and whomever they denounced, or whose innovation they rejected, or whom they declared a disbeliever, we judge accordingly and believe it."
There has never ceased to be, from the time of the Messenger of Allah until our day, a people who preserve this method and practice their religion through it. Indeed, those who perish are those who deviate from this method due to their ignorance of the paths of following (ittiba'). End quote.
فإِن كنتم من المؤمنين، وعلى منهاج أسلافهم، فاقتبسوا العلـم مـن آثارهم، واقتبسوا الهدى من سبيلهم، وارضوا بهذه الآثار إماماً، كما رضي القوم بها لأنفسهم إماماً، فلَعَمْرِي ما أنتم بأعلم بكتاب الله مـنهم، ولا مثلهم، بل أضلُّ وأجهل، ولا يمكن الاقتداء بهم إلاَّ باتباعِ هذه الآثـار على ما تروى، فمن لم يقبلها فإنَّما يريدُ أن يتبعَ غير سبيلِ المؤمنين.
وقال الله تعالى: ﴿وَمَن يُشَاقِقِ الرَّسُولَ مِن بَعْدِ مَا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُ الْهُدَىٰ وَيَتَّبِعْ غَيْرَ سَبِيلِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ نُوَلِّهِ مَا تَوَلَّىٰ وَنُصْلِهِ جَهَنَّمَ ۖ وَسَاءَتْ مَصِيرًا﴾ [النساء: ١١٥]. اهـ
وقال اللالكائي رحمه الله في مقدمة كتابـه «أصول اعتقـاد أهـل الـسنة» (٢٧/١): أستدلُّ على صحة مذاهب أهل الـسنة بـما ورد في كتـاب الله تعالى فيها، وبما روي عـن رسول الله ﷺ، فـإِن وجـدت فـيهما جميعـاً ذكرتهما، وإن وجدت في أحدهما دون الآخر ذكرته، وإن لم أجـد فـيهما إلاَّ عن الصحابة رضي الله عنهم الذين أمر اللهُ ورسـولُه أن يُقتـدى بهـم، ويهتـدى بأقوالهم، ويستضاء بأنوارهم لمشاهدتهم الوحي والتنزيـل، ومعـرفتهم معاني التأويل؛ احتججت بها، فإن لم يكن فيها أثـر عـن صـحابي فعـن التابعين لهم بإحسان الذين في قولهم الشفاء والهدى، والتـدين بقـولهم القربة إلى الله والزلفى، فإِذا رأيناهم قد أجمعوا عـلى شيءٍ عوَّلنا عليـه، ومن أنكروا قوله، أو ردوا عليه بدعته أو كفروه حكمنا به واعتقدناه.
ولـم يزل من لـدن رسول الله إلى يومنـا هـذا قـومٌ يحفظـون هـذه الطريقة، ويتدينون بها، وإنما هلك من حاد عـن هـذه الطريقـة لجهلـه طرق الاتباع. اهـ
