Imaam Ahmad (rahimahullaah) said:
He was a Shaikh, a righteous person and virtuous person. Indeed I love Rayyaah, I love his hadeeth and I love a mention of him.
Chapter: A mention of those who followed the followers of the companions: Source: Seeratus Salaf As-Saaleh by: Imaam Ismaaeel Bin Muhammad Bin Fadl Al-Asbahaanee (535AH:
Ataa Al-Khaffaaf (rahimahullaah) said:
I never met Sufyaan Ath-Thawree (rahimahullaah) except that he was weeping; so I would say to him: What is it with you? He would say: ”I fear that I have been written as a wretched one in the preserved tablet.”
[Source: Seerah As-Salaf As-Saaliheen of Imaam Ismaa’eel Ibn Muhammad Al-Asbahaanee]
And from his (rahimahullaah) supplications were:
”O Allaah! Safeguard me through your Book and the Sunnah of your Prophet; (Safeguard me) from opposing the truth and from following desires (due to an absence) of guidance from you; (Safeguard me) from the paths of misguidance, from the affairs that resemble truth but are falsehood in reality, from deviation, deception and blameworthy argumentation (in religion).”
[Source: Seerah As-Salaf As-Saaliheen of Imaam Ismaa’eel Ibn Muhammad Al-Asbahaanee: section: Those who followed the companions in righteousness]
Imaam Shaafi’ee (rahimahullaah) said:
”The sensible person is the one whose intellect makes him concious of every blameworthy affair”
[Source: Quoted by Shaikh Abdullaah Al-Bukhaari (may Allaah preserve him) in Sharh Umdatul Ahkaam, lesson 14]
Imaam Dhahabi (rahimahullaah) reported in Siyar A’laam Nubulaa: [10/216]
There used to be roughly five thousand or more in the gatherings of Imaam Ahmad (rahimahullaah). Five hundred used to write and the rest would learn good manners and good character from him.
Abdullaah Ad-Daylamee (rahimahullaah) said:
”Indeed the disappearance of the religion will firstly be (by way of the) disappearance of one Sunnah (after) another Sunnah; just as a rope loses strength (after) strength.”
[Quoted by Shaikh Jamaal Al-Fareehaan al-Haarithee in Durar al-Manthoor page: 20. The Shaikh reference this statement of Ad-Daylamee to Ad-Daarimee:97, Ib Wadaah, No:73 and Laalikaa’ee, No:127]
Mu-aadh Ibn Jabal (radiyallaahu-anhu) said:
Knowledge is obligatory upon you, for indeed seeking it is worship; learning it for the sake of Allaah is a good deed; giving it freeing to its people is a seeking to get close to Allaah; teaching it to the one who does not know about it is charity; researching it is Jihaad and revising it is glorification (of Allaah).
[Quoted by: Shaikh Jamaal al-Fareehaan al-Haarithee in Ad-Durar Al-Manthoor Minal Qawl Al-Ma’thoor: page: 67. The Shaikh referenced the original source of this statement of Mu-aadh (radiyallaahu-anhu) to Ad-Daylamee No: 2237; Tazkiratus Saami: 35 and Majmoo Al-Fataawaa: 4/42]
Imaam Ahmad (rahimahullaah) said:
”I never wrote down a hadeeth except that I acted on it at least once, so that it may not be a proof against me.”
[Quoted by: Shaikh Jamaal al-Fareehaan al-Haarithee in Ad-Durar Al-Manthoor Minal Qawl Al-Ma’thoor: page: 34. The Shaikh referenced the original source of this statement of Imaam Ahmad to Adabul Imlaa Wal-Istimlaa (323), Manaaqib Ahmad (179) and other sources]
In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy
Imaam al-Asbahaanee (d.535H) – rahimahullaah – said: “The sign of Ahlus-Sunnah is that they follow the Salafus-Saalih and abandon all that is innovated and newly introduced into the Deen.” [Al-Hujjah fee Bayaanil Mahajjah 1/364]
Abu Haneefah (d. 150H) (rahimahullaah) said: “Adhere to the athar (narration) and the tareeqah (way) of the Salaf (Pious Predecessors) and beware of newly invented matters for all of it is innovation” [Reported by As-Suyootee in Sawn al Mantaq wal-Kalaam p.32]
lbn Taymiyyah (d.728H) – rahimahullaah – said: “There is no criticism for the one who proclaims the way (madhdhab) of the Salaf, who attaches himself to it and refers to it. Rather, it is obligatory to accept that from him by unanimous agreement (Ittifaaq) because the way (madhdhab) of the Salaf is nothing but the Truth (Haqq).” [Majmoo al-Fataawaa 4:149]
Imaam adh-Dhahabee (d.748H) – rahimahullaah – said: “It is authentically related from ad-Daaraqutnee that he said: There is nothing more despised by me than ‘ilmul-kalaam (innovated speech and rhetorics). I say: He never entered into ‘ilmul-kalaam, nor argumentation. Rather, was a Salafee (a follower of the Salaf).”[Siyar 16/457]
As-Sam’aanee (d.562H) said in al-lnsaab (3/273): “As-Salafi: this is an ascription to the Salaf and following their ways, in that which is related from them.” lbn al-Atheer (d.630H) said in al-Lubaab fee Tahdheebul-lnsaab (2/162), commenting upon the previous saying of as-Sam’aanee: “And a group were known by this ascription.” So the meaning is: that the term Salafi, and its ascription to them, was a matter known in the time of Imaam as-Sam’aanee, or before him.
[Source: www.salafipublications.com]
In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy
Sometimes a narration may come from someone from whom it is obligatory to accept, or from whom it is obligatory to reject, or from whom it is necessary to withhold from (until further clarification). And how foolish it would be, that that which is from the truth which the Seal of the Prophets conveyed from His Lord, the Mighty and Majestic and that which is from the falsehood that Allaah and His Messenger are free of, should be known by other than knowing the conditions of the narrators.
It is likewise for the various historical occurrences. In fact the need for knowing the condition of those who narrate them is even more severe, due to the prevalent neglect in the narration of such events and occurrences.
(And this is) in addition to the fact that being acquainted with condition of men is itself one of most important branches of history. So when it is necessary to be acquainted with the condition and state of the narrators, it is also necessary to make this known, so that everyone who knows the condition of a narrator should inform (others) about his condition, so that the people may know of it.
And this Ummah has (indeed) acted upon this obligation in the desired manner.
[Source: Ahimmiyatu Ilm ur-Rijal (translated Abu Iyaad Amjad Rafiq: for further details see: www.salafipublications.com article id: SLF020003]