The Salaf’s Manhaj with respect to the Innovators

The Scholars of the Salaf detest argumentation with the People of Innovation and sitting with them. In fact they forbade even the mentioning and quotation of their doubts and explaining them to the people and this was due to their fear of the weakness (if the one who quotes it, his incapability to refute it and render it futile the and as a result of which, he is put to trial by it after he had heard or read it.

In this there is a defense for the hearts of the Muslims and a protection for their minds and thoughts. This is an addition to it also being a means of humiliating the Innovators and a barrier against their opinions and their arrogation in not using the books of the Salaf for evaluating their deviant Opinions.

Among the narrations from the Salaf which make their methodology (with respect to the Innovators) clear are:

The saying of Sufyaan ath-Thawree (d. 161H), “Whoever hears an innovation, let him not inform his companions with it (so) that he does not throw it into their hearts (i.e., they become affected by it).” [Sharhus-Sunnah of al-Baghawee, 1/227]

Ayyoob as-Sakhtiyaanee said (d. 131H), “You will not refute them with anything more severe than silence (i.e., do not argue with them).” [Al-Ibanah of Ibn-Battah, 2/365-366]

‘Abdullaah ibn as-Sariyy said, “It is not the Sunnah with us, that the People of Desires should be argued with, but the Sunnah with us, is that we did not talk to a single one of them.” [Al-Ibanah of Ibn-Battah, 2/365-366]

Ma’mmar said, “The son of Taawoos (d. 104H) was sitting and a man from the Mu’tazilah came and began to speak. Taawoos placed his fingers in his ears and said, ‘0 my son! Place your fingers in your ears so that you do not hear anything of what he says, for this heart is weak (i.e., his son’s.)’ Then he said, ‘0 my son! Press you fingers harder, harder.’ And he never stopped saying, ‘Harder, until the man-stood and left.” [Reported by al-Laalikaa’ee in Sharh Usoolul-I’tiqaad, no. 248 with a different wording.]

This then, is the methodology of the Salaf in the affirmation and preservation of their ‘aqeedah and this will become clear to the one who looks into their books, from the earliest to the later times.

[Source: Taken from Imaam Ahmad ibn Hanbal (rahimahullaah)’s, ‘Usool us-sunnah’ Chapter 9]