The Manhaj of the Salaf as-Salih stands upon Three Principles
By the noble scholar Muhammad Khaleel Haraas Rahimahullaah
Translated by
Abbas Abu Yahya
Shaykh Muhammad Khaleel Haraas said:
‘Manhaj is built upon three principles:
The first: the Book of Allaah Azza wa Jal, which is the best and most truthful speech. So, the Salafis do not precede the Speech of Allaah with that of anyone from the people.
The second: the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allaah ﷺ and what is narrated from him of guidance and his path. They do not give precedence to the guidance of anyone of the people over the Messenger’s guidance.
The third: what occurred of the al-Ijma’ (consensus) of the foremost of the Muslims, the beginning of this Ummah before it split up. Likewise, the spread and appearance of Bida’ and happenings, also what came to them after that from the opinions of people. The people followed happenings and occurrences.
Now, If these matters were weighed against these three principles, which are the Book, the Sunnah and al-Ijma (consensus), and were in agreement with these, then matters would be accepted, and if they opposed these principles then they would be rejected, no matter who said it.
This is the Manhaj al-Wassat, (the middle Methodology) and the straight path, whoever follows it will not go astray.
The one who follows it will not be miserable. It is in the middle between those who play with the texts, so they interpolate, twist the Book of Allaah, they reject the authentic Ahadeeth and they have no concern with the consensus of the Salaf, and between the one who acts haphazardly. He accepts all opinions, he accepts every statement. He does not make a distinction between good and bad and authentic and inauthentic.’
[Taken from Sharh Aqeeda al-Wassiteeyah p.256-257]
منهج السلف الصالح يقوم على أصول ثلاثة
العلامة محمد خليل هراس رحمه الله
قال العلامة محمد خليل هراس رحمه الله: “المنهج يقوم على أُصُولٍ ثَلَاثَةٍ:
أَوَّلُهَا: كِتَابُ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ، الَّذِي هُوَ خَيْرُ الْكَلَامِ وَأَصْدَقُهُ، فَهُمْ لَا يقدِّمون عَلَى كَلَامِ اللَّهِ كَلَامَ أَحَدٍ مِنَ النَّاسِ.
وَثَانِيهَا: سُنَّةُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، وَمَا أُثر عَنْهُ مِنْ هَدْيٍ وَطَرِيقَةٍ، لَا يُقَدِّمُونَ عَلَى ذَلِكَ هَدْيَ أَحَدٍ مِنَ النَّاسِ.
وَثَالِثُهَا: مَا وَقَعَ عَلَيْهِ إِجْمَاعُ الصَّدْرِ الْأَوَّلِ مِنْ هَذِهِ الْأُمَّةِ قَبْلَ التفرُّق وَالِانْتِشَارِ وَظُهُورِ الْبِدْعَةِ وَالْمَقَالَاتِ، وَمَا جَاءَهُمْ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ مِمَّا قَالَهُ النَّاسُ وَذَهَبُوا إِلَيْهِ مِنَ الْمَقَالَاتِ وَزَنُوهَا بِهَذِهِ الْأُصُولِ الثَّلَاثَةِ الَّتِي هِيَ الْكِتَابُ، وَالسُّنَّةُ، وَالْإِجْمَاعُ، فَإِنْ وَافَقَهَا؛ قَبِلُوهُ، وَإِنْ خَالَفَهَا ردُّوه؛ أَيّا كَانَ قَائِلُهُ.
وَهَذَا هُوَ الْمَنْهَجُ الْوَسَطُ، وَالصِّرَاطُ الْمُسْتَقِيمُ، الَّذِي لَا يضلُّ سَالِكُهُ، وَلَا يَشْقَى مَن اتَّبعه، وسطٌ بَيْنَ مَن يَتَلَاعَبُ بِالنُّصُوصِ، فيتأوَّل الْكِتَابَ، وَيُنْكِرُ الْأَحَادِيثَ الصَّحِيحَةَ، وَلَا يَعْبَأُ بِإِجْمَاعِ السَّلَفِ، وَبَيْنَ مَنْ يَخْبِطُ خَبْطَ عَشْوَاءَ، فَيَتَقَبَّلُ كُلَّ رَأْيٍ، وَيَأْخُذُ بِكُلِّ قَوْلٍ، لَا يُفَرِّقُ فِي ذَلِكَ بَيْنَ غثٍّ وسمينٍ، وصحيحٍ وسقيمٍ. المصدر: شرح العقيدة الواسطية (256-257)