Chapter on Following the Sunnah and Evidence of the Book

“The holy Prophet (s.a.), “Over every truth there is a reality and above every valid issue there is light. Whatever agrees with the holy Quran you must follow it and whatever does not agree disregard it.”

2. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from ‘Abdallah ibn Muhammad from Ali ibn al-Hakam from Aban ibn ‘Uthman from ’Abdallah ibn Abu Ya‘fur and al-Husayn ibn al-'Ala' who was also present at the gathering with Ibn Abi Ya‘fur (Abu Ya'fur narrates the following): "I asked Abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) about the differences in Hadith which is narrated from people whom we trust and yet from other people we do not trust. The Imam replied, 'If you come across a Hadith and you find evidence in the holy Quran to support it or in the Hadith of the holy Prophet (you may follow it), otherwise, the one who has come to you with it is more deserving of it.'"

“Abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) has said, ‘Everything must be referred back to the Book of Allah and the Sunnah, and any hadith that does not agree with the Book of Allah is a worthless embelishment.’”

“Of Hadith whatever does not agree with the holy Quran is a useless statement.”

“The holy Prophet once addressed the people in Mina (a place in Makkah) saying, “O people, whatever comes to you in the form of my Hadith you must see if it agrees with the holy book of Allah then know that I have said it but whatever comes to you that does not agree with the book of Allah then know that I have not said it.”

“Abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) who has said, ‘Whoever disagrees with the book of Allah and the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (s.a.) he has certainly become a unbeliever.’”

“The best deed in the sight of Allah is the one that is performed according to the Sunnah, the noble tradition of the holy Prophet (s.a.) even if it would be in small degree.”

“A man asked a question from Imam abu Ja‘far (a.s.) who replied to it and then the man said, “The Fuqaha, scholars of law, do not say this.” The Imam then said, “It is a pity. Have you ever seen a Faqih, a scholar of law? The real Faqih, scholar of law is one who maintains restraint from the worldly matters, who is deeply interested in the life hereafter and holds firmly to the Sunnah, noble tradition of the holy prophet (s.a.)”

“There are no words without action, thee are no words or actions without intention and there are no words, actions and intentions without learning the Sunnah, the noble traditions of the holy Prophet, (s.a.).

“There is no one without excitement and calmness. Whoever’s calmness would lead him towards the Sunnah, noble traditions of the holy prophet (s.a.), he is rightly guided but if it would lead him towards innovations then he has gone astray.”

“Whoever may transgress against the Sunnah, noble traditions of the holy Prophet (s.a.), he must return to the Sunnah.”

There are two kinds of Sunnah, (traditions). There is a Sunnah in obligations and following such Sunnah is guidance and its disregard is misguidance. There is a Sunnah, (tradition), in none obligatory issue. The following of this kind of Sunnah is a virtuous deed and its disregard for other matters is a sin.’”