The difference between Ahl al-Sunnah and Ahl al-Ahwaa’

‎ بـسـم الله والحـمـد لله والـصلاة والـسـلام عــلى رسـول الله، وبـعـد

How the Ahl al-Sunnah (people following the Sunnah) differ from Ahl al-Ahwaa' (people of desires):

Allaah تعالى says:

﴿وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ لِلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ لَوْ كَانَ خَيْراً مَّا سَبَقُونَآ إِلَيْهِ﴾

{And those who disbelieve say of those who believe: “Had it been a good thing, they (the poor believers) would not have preceded us to it!”} [Surah al-Ahqaaf (46): 11]

Imaam Ibn Katheer رحمه الله commented on the above mentioned aayah:

“which means that those who disbelieve say of those who believe in the Qur’aan: “Had it (the Qur’aan) been any good, they (the weak and poor) would not have preceded us to it!” By that, they meant Bilaal, `Ammaar, Suhayb, Khabbaab رضي الله عنهم and others like them of the weak, the male servants, and female servants. The pagans said this only because they thought that they held a high status with Allaah, and that He took special care of them. By that, they made a great and obvious error, as Allaah تعالى says:

﴿وَكَذلِكَ فَتَنَّا بَعْضَهُمْ بِبَعْضٍ لِّيَقُولواْ أَهَـؤُلاءِ مَنَّ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِم مِّن بَيْنِنَآ﴾

{Thus have We tried some of them with others, that they might say: “Is it these whom Allaah has favored from among us”} [Surah al-An`aam (6):53] meaning, they wonder how could those weaklings be the ones who were guided from among them. Thus, Allaah تعالى says,

﴿لَوْ كَانَ خَيْراً مَّا سَبَقُونَآ إِلَيْهِ﴾

{Had it been good, they (the weak and poor) would not have preceded us to it!} [Surah al-Ahqaaf (46): 11]

Contrary to this is the position of Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jamaa`ah: They say about any act or saying that has not been reported from the Companions: "It is an innovation. If there was any good in it, they would have preceded us in doing it, because they have not left off any of the good characteristics except that they hurried to perform them.”

--end of quote.