It is narrated on the authority of 'Abdullāh [bin Mas’ūd] (may Allāh be pleased with him) that he said: ‘Having an intention to act upon the sunnah is better than striving in innovation.’
It is narrated that Imām az-Zuhrī said: “Our scholars who came before us used to say: Salvation lies in clinging to the sunnah. And knowledge will be snatched away swiftly. So, with the spread of knowledge, the world and religion stand. With the departure of knowledge, all that vanishes.”
'Amr bin Yaḥyā said: “I heard my father narrating from his father who said: ‘We were at the door of 'Abdullāh ibn Mas'ūd before the early morning prayer. When we came out we walked with him to the masjid. Abū Mūsā al-Ash'arī came up to us and said: ‘Has not Abū 'Abdur-Raḥmān come out to you yet?’ We said: ‘No.’ He sat down with us until (Abū 'Abdur-Raḥmān) came out. When he came out, we all stood up to greet him, and Abū Mūsā said to him: ‘O Abū 'Abdur-Raḥmān, earlier I saw in the masjid something that I have never seen before, but it seems good, alḥumdulilāh.’ He said: ‘And what was it?’ He said: ‘If you live, you will see it. I saw people in the masjid sitting in circles waiting for the prayer. In every circle there was a man, and they had pebbles in their hands. He would say: ‘Say Allāhu Akbar one hundred times,’ and they would say Allāhu Akbar one hundred times. Then he would say: ‘Say Lā ilāha illallāh one hundred times,’ then he would say: ‘Say Subḥānallāh one hundred times,’ and they would say Subḥānallāh one hundred times.’ He asked: ‘What did you say to them?’ He said: ‘I did not say anything to them; I was waiting to see what your opinion would be and what you would tell me to do.’ He said: ‘Why did you not tell them to count their bad deeds and guarantee them that nothing of their good deeds would be wasted?’ Then he left, and we went with him, until he reached one of those circles. He stood over them and said: ‘What is this I see you doing?’ They said: ‘O Abū 'Abdur-Raḥmān, these are pebbles we are using to count our takbīr, tahlīl and tasbīḥ.’ He said: ‘Count your bad deeds, and I guarantee that nothing of your good deeds will be wasted. Woe to you, O Ummah of Muḥammad, how quickly you are getting destroyed! The companions of your Prophet are still alive; his garment is not yet worn out and his vessels are not yet broken. By the One in Whose hand is my soul, either you are following a way that is more guided than that of Muḥammad or you have opened a door of misguidance!’ They said: ‘By Allāh, O Abū 'Abdur-Raḥmān, we only wanted to do good.’ He said: ‘How many of those who wanted to do go good failed to achieve it! The Messenger of Allāh (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him) told us that people recite Qurānو and it does not go any further than their throats. By Allāh, I do not know, maybe most of them are people like you.’ Then he turned away from them. 'Amr bin Salamah said: ‘I saw most of the men of those circles fighting alongside the khawārij on the day of Nahrawān.’’”
Hilāl bin Khabbāb says: I asked Sa’īd bin Jubayr, “O 'Abu ‘Abdullāh, what is a sign of the destruction of people?” He replied: “When their ‘Ulamā [learned ones] pass away.”
Commentary by Shaykh ‘Abdul-Mannān Rāsikh added.
It is reported on the authority of Abī Sa’īd al-Khudrī, that he said: “Whoever reads Sūrah al-Kahf on the night of Jumu’ah, will have a light that will stretch between him and the Ancient House (the Ka’bah).”
