Salvation Through Truthfulness and Firm Adherence to The Sunnah

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

In The Name of Allah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.

Imam Al-Barbahaaree, may Allah have mercy upon him, said that Abu Al-Aaliyah, may Allah have mercy upon him, said:

“Whoever dies upon the Sunnah and not opposing it, he is indeed a truthful witness. It is said clinging to the Sunnah is salvation”.

Al-Allamah Salih al Fawzan, may Allah preserve him, commented:

The Siddeeq (the truthful one) is the one with much truthfulness, and his status is at a level after that of the Prophets, therefore, the station of Truthfulness is a lofty station, and what is intended by it is adherence to Truthfulness in speech and action. The Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, made known who the Truthful One is. He said:

“A man keeps on telling the truth until he becomes a Truthful Person” (written as a truthful person in the sight of Allah).

He is truthful himself and is eager for truthfulness with regards to what the people relate to him. He does not go along with everything he hears or whatever is said, rather he verifies and is eager for truthfulness, because he is a truthful person. He neither narrates nor utter except the truth. This is the Siddeeq (The Truthful One).

And regarding the statement: “Whoever dies upon the Sunnah…”

Al-Allamah Salih Al-Fawzan comments saying: That is to cling to Islam. And what is intended by As-Sunnah is Islam. Islam is the Sunnah, and whoever dies upon it and nothing in opposition manifests from him, then indeed he dies as a truthful person.

And regarding his statement: “Clinging to the Sunnah is Salvation”-

Meaning: Clinging to the Sunnah is safety from Fitan and Punishment. Due to this reason, he, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said:

Whosoever lives amongst you will see a lot differences, so stick to my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the Rightly Guided Khulafaa”.

Allah said:

 وَاعْتَصِمُوا بِحَبْلِ اللَّهِ جَمِيعًا وَلاَ تَفَرَّقُوا

And hold fast, all of you together, to the Rope of Allaah, and be not divided among yourselves. [3:103]

And Allah said:

وَأَنَّ هَذَا صِرَاطِي مُسْتَقِيمًا فَاتَّبِعُوهُ وَلاَ تَتَّبِعُوا السُّبُلَ فَتَفَرَّقَ بِكُمْ عَنْ سَبِيلِهِ

And verily, this is my Straight Path, so follow it, and follow not (other) paths, for they will separate you away from His Path]. [6:153]

This is Allah’s advice and that of His Messenger, and that is to stick and cling to sunnah.

An Excerpt from “It’haf Al-Qaaree Bitta-liqaat Alaa Sharh As-Sunnah Lil Imam Barbahaaree 2/ 313-314