Shaykhul-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy upon him) stated:

Many from amongst the people weigh statements according to men. If one of them believes concerning a person that he is magnified (i.e. has status), then his statements will be accepted even if they are falsehood, opposing the Kitaab and the Sunnah. Rather in this case (you’ll find that the one who accepts these statements) will not listen to the one who refutes that statement (of falsehood) with the Kitaab and the Sunnah. Rather (the one who accepts the statement) deems the one who made the statement (to be) infallible. And when he believes concerning a person that they don’t have status, he rejects the statements (of that person) even if they are the truth. Therefore he deems the one who makes the statement as the reason for accepting (the statement) or rejecting it without weighing the statement according to the Kitaab and the Sunnah.

‘Alee Ibn Abee Taalib (may Allah be pleased with him) said to al-Haarith Ibn Hoot when he said to him: “Oh Alee, do you think that Talhah and az-Zubayr were upon falsehood and you were upon the truth?” Alee said in response: “No oh Haarith, the matter is confusing to you. Know the truth and you will know its people. For indeed the truth is not known by the men, rather the men are only known by the truth.”
Everyone who takes a Shaykh or a scholar to be one who is followed in everything he says and does, having alliance for those who are in agreement with the Shaykh/scholar, and having enmity for those who oppose him (i.e. the shaykh/scholar) other than the Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam), then that person is a misguided innovator who is outside of the Kitaab and the Sunnah. This is the case whether the person is from the people of knowledge and religion, like the Mashaayikh and the Ulamaa; Or whether the person is from the people of war and counsel, like the kings and the ministers. This is the differentiating foundation between Ahlus Sunnah wal-Jamaa’ah and Ahlul-Bid’ah wal-Furqah.

Verily Ahlus Sunnah wal-Jamaa’ah make the Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) the unrestricted Imaam, the one who they follow in everything. They have an alliance for those who have an alliance with him (i.e. The Messenger of Allah). They have enmity towards those who have enmity with him. They make the Book of Allah to be the speech which is followed in its entirety. They believe in all of its information and obey all of its commandments. They make the best guidance, the best path, the best ways and methodology to be the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam).

As for Ahlul-Bid’ah, they place for themselves an Imaam that they follow or a path they traverse upon. They have alliance and enmity based upon it, even if it has within that which opposes the Sunnah. Even until the point that they have an alliance for the one who agrees with them although the person is far from the Sunnah and they have enmity for the one who opposes them although he’s close to the Sunnah.

Source: Jaami’ al-Masaa-il, vol. 1, p. 463.

Translated by Abu Yusuf Khaleefah
7th of Rabee’ ath-Thaani, 1436 H (01-27-2015)
Masjid Nur Allah, Queens, NYC

Original Arabic

كلام في غاية الأهمية لشيخ الإسلام ابن تيمية رحمه الله تعالى اقرأه وتأم

– قال – رحمه الله

وكثير من الناس يزن الأقوال بالرجال، فإذا اعتقد في الرجل أنه معَظَّم قَبِل أقوالَه وإن كانت باطلةً مخالفةً للكتاب والسنة، بل لا يصغي حينئذ إلى مَنْ يردّ ذلك القول بالكتاب والسنة. بل يجعل صاحبه كأنه معصوم. وإذا ما اعتقد في الرجل أنه غير معَظَّم ردَّ أقوالَه وإن كانت حقًّا، فيجعل قائل القول سببًا للقبول والرد من غير وزن بالكتاب والسنة

– وقد قال علي بن أبي طالب رضي الله عنه للحارث بن حوط لما قال له: يا عليّ أتظن أن طلحة والزبير كانا على باطل وأنت على حق؟ فقال: لا يا حارِ إنه ملبوس عليك، اعرف الحق تعرف أهله، إن الحق لا يُعرف بالرجال، وإنما الرجال يُعرفون بالحق.
وكلّ من اتخذ شيخًا أو عالمًا متبوعًا في كلّ ما يقوله ويفعله، يوالي على موافقته ويعادي على مخالفته غير رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم؛ فهو مبتدع ضالّ خارج عن الكتاب والسنة، سواء كان من أهل العلم والدين؛ كالمشايخ والعلماء أو كان من أهل الحرب والديوان؛ كالملوك والوزراء وهذا هو الأصل الفارق بين أهل السنة والجماعة، وبين أهل البدعة والفرقة

فإنّ أهل السنة والجماعة يجعلون رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم هو الإمام المطلق، الذي يتبعونه في كلِّ شيء ويوالون من والاه ويعادون من عاداه. ويجعلون كتاب الله هو الكلام الذي يتبعونه كلَّه ويصدِّقون خبره كلَّه، ويطيعون أمره كلّه. ويجعلون خير الهدي والطريق والسنن والمناهج هي سنة رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم

– وأما أهل البدعة فينصبون لهم إمامًا يتبعونه، أو طريقًا يسلكونه، يوالون عليه ويعادون عليه، وإن كان فيه ما يخالف السنة، حتى يوالوا مَن وافقهم مع بُعْدِه عن السنة، ويعادون من خالفهم مع قُرْبه من السنة

(جامع المسائل (١/ ٤٦٣