The Early Ahlul-Hadith and their Books in Defense of the Salafi Creed | Ustadh Abu Khadeejah

This video features the first two lectures of a lecture series (1-2) held by Abū Khadījah ʿAbdul-Wāḥid (حفظه الله) at Masjid as-Salafi, Birmingham. Through utilization of the explanation of Shaykh Aḥmad an-Najmī, Shaykh Zaid al-Madkhalī, and Shaykh Rabīʿ ibn Hādī al-Madkhalī, Ustādh Abū Khadījah ʿAbdul-Wāḥid (حفظه الله) expounds upon the treatise of of Imām Aḥmad regarding the foundations of the correct creed.

Lesson 1: https://www.salafisounds.com/an-intro...

Lesson 2: https://www.salafisounds.com/the-earl...

Ustādh Abū Khadījah ʿAbdul-Wāḥid (حفظه الله) wrote:

"The creed (‘aqeedah) of Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jamā’ah was penned down by Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal (may Allaah’s mercy be upon him) in his great work Usoolus-Sunnah translated as The Foundations of the Sunnah. The term Sunnah in the title refers to the belief and the ‘aqeedah of Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jamaa’ah. Indeed there were many works compiled in the early generations that dealt with clarifying and conveying the belief of the Companions of Allah’s Messenger (salallāhu ‘alaihi wasallam), from them we have the following:

Usool us-Sunnah of Imaam Ahmad ibn Hanbal (d. 241H)
As-Sunnah of Al-Athram (d. 273H)
Kitāb us-Sunnah of Abu Dawood (d. 275H)
Kitāb us-Sunnah of Ibn Abee ‘Aasim (d. 287H)
Kitāb us-Sunnah of Abdullaah ibn Ahmad ibn Hanbal (d. 290H)
As-Sunnah of Al-Marwazee (d. 292H)
Sareeh us-Sunnah of Ibn Jareer at-Tabaree (d. 310H)
As-Sunnah of Al-Khallaal (d. 311H)
Sharh us-Sunnah of Al-Barbahāri (d. 329H)
As-Sunnah of Al-Assāl (d. 349H)
As-Sunnah of At-Tabarānee (d. 360H)
All these works and many more were compiled by the illustrious scholars of the past in explanation of the Islamic belief as it was understood and conveyed by the Companions of Allaah’s Messenger.

Those who adhere to the creed expounded in these works are known as Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jamā’ah and those who turn away and reject what these works speak of are known as Ahlul-Bid’ah wal-Furqah (the people of innovation and separation from the truth).

As for the book we are discussing, Usool us-Sunnah, then though it is small in size it is indeed great in meaning. Abu Ya’la al-Hanbali (died 526H) stated (Tabaqaat al-Hanābilah 1/241):

“If one was to travel to China in search of it, it would be no mean feat.”

This aqeedah was penned down by the Imaam of Ahlus-Sunnah by consensus – the one who remained firm and steadfast in the times of tribulation in which the people of misguidance compelled the people with their saying that the Qur’an was created along with the denial and distortion of the Attributes of Allaah. So Allaah, the Most High, made the truth clear by way of Imām Ahmad (rahimahullāh), the Imaam of Ahlus-Sunnah – born in the year 161H and died in 241H.

Isnād (chain of narration) of the Book to Imām Ahmad
This work begins with the chain of narration that connects this work to Imam Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Hanbal – and one should not doubt the blessing that has been conveyed upon this Ummah by Allaah by preserving this Religion by way of the chain of narration (i.e. the isnād):

“Ash-Shaikh al-Imaam Abul-Muzafar Abdul-Malik ibn ‘Ali ibn Muhammad al-Hamdaani said: Shaikh Abu Abdullaah Yahyah ibn al-Hasan ibn Ahmad ibn al-Banaa narrated to us saying: My father, Abu ‘Ali al-Hasan ibn Ahmad ibn Abdullaah ibn al-Banaa, informed us saying: Abul-Husayn ‘Ali ibn Muhammad ibn Abdullaah ibn Bishraan al-Mu’dal informed us saying: ‘Uthmaan ibn Ahmad ibn as-Sammaak informed us saying: I read to Abu Muhammad al-Hasan ibn Abdul-Wahhaab ibn Abil-‘Anbar from his book in the month of Rabee’ al-Awwal in the year 293H and he said: Abu Ja’far Muhammad ibn Sulaymaan al-Munqaree al-Basree narrated to us in Tanees (a city in Egypt) and said: ‘Abdoos ibn Maalik al-‘Ataar informed me saying: I heard Abu Abdullaah Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Hanbal, rahimahullāh, say:

أصول السنة عندنا التمسك بما كان عليه أصحاب رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم
“The foundations of the Sunnah with us are: Holding fast to what the Companions of Allaah’s Messenger (salallaahu ýalaihi wassallam) were upon.”"