USTADH ABU OUSAYD

His, salalahu alayhi wa salam, statement: “… for indeed, those who will still be alive after me will see many differences; so hold fast to my sunnah and to the sunnah of the rightly guided khalifahs after me. Adhere to and cling tightly to it and beware of newly-invented matters, for every newly-invented matter is an innovation and every innovation is a deviation.” (related by Imam Ahmad, 4/126-127; Abu Dawud, 4607; al-Tirmidhi, 2676; al-Darimi, 1/44 and others.)

The Messenger’s salalahu alayhi wa salam statement: “The Jews split up into seventy-one sects, the Christians split up into seventy-two sects and this Ummah will split up into seventy-three sects; all of them are in the Fire except one.” Someone asked: “Which is that one O Messenger of Allah? salalahu alayhi wa salam. He replied: “Whoever is upon that wwhich I am upon today and my companions. (Related by Abu Dawud, 4596-4597; al-Tirmidhi 2640-2641; Imam Ahmad, (2/332, 3/120 145 and 4/120 and Ibn Majah, 3991-3993)

This is a hadith that is sahih and mash-hur (well known)

The Statement of the Prophet salalahu alayhi wa salam : “The best of people are my generation then those who succeed them, then those who succeed them” (al Bukhari 5/199, 7/6 and 11/460) and Muslim, 7/184 and 185)

Mujaahid said: “The scholars are the companions of Muhammad salalahu alayhi wa salam.”

Al-Awza’i said: “Hold fast to the narrations of the Salaf, even if people abandon you. Beware of the opinions of men, no matter how much they beautify it with their speech, for indeed the matter will become manifest whilst you will be upon the correct straight path concernint it.” (Al-Madkhal ila al-Sunan of al-Bayhaqi, number 233)

Ibn Taymiyyah ‎”Indeed the people of Truth & sunnah do not follow anyone (unconditionally) except the prophet (saw) the one who did not speak from his desires-it is only revelation revealed to him that he spoke of”