Assalamualaikum.
What is the difference between Sunnis and hadith experts? Then, what is Wahhabism? And, what is the difference between Hanafi and Salafi?
ANSWER:
Peace be upon you and God's mercy and blessings be upon you
WL…
Talking about Sunni, the term is a nisbat for Muslims who follow the sunnah or whatever was taught and exemplified by His Majesty the Prophet sallallaahu 'alaihi wasallam. In other words, it is called ahlus sunnah wal jama'ah (adherents of the sunnah within the jama'ah frame).
Sunnis are the largest Islamic sect in the world. Sunnis have adherents of nearly 90% of Muslims in the world. The rest are other sects such as the Khawarij, Mu'tazilah, and Shi'a.
Shi'a itself is another sect outside of Sunni whose followers are almost 10% of Muslims in the world. However, of all the existing sects, only Sunnis or ahlus sunnah wal jama'ah are the only survivors, as the hadith of the Prophet sallallaahu 'laihi wasallam reads:
عَنْ مُعَاوِيَةَ بْنِ أَبِيْ سُفْيَانَ أَنَّهُ قَامَ فِيْنَا فَقَالَ: أَلاَ إِنَّ رَسُوْلَ اللهِ صَلَّ ى اللّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَامَ فِيْنَا فَقَالَ: أَلاَ إِنَّ مَنْ قَبْلَكُمْ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ ا ِفْتَرَقُوْا عَلَى ثِنْتَيْنِ وَسَبْعِيْنَ مِلَّةً وَإِنَّ هَذِهِ الْمِلَّةَ سَتَفْتَرِقُ عَلَى ثَلاَثٍ وَسَبْعِيْنَ. Amen
From Mu'awiyah bin Abi Sufyan, that he (Mu'awiyah) once stood before us, then he said: "Know, indeed the Messenger of Allah Shallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam once stood before us, then he said, "Know that those who those before you from the People of the Book (Jews and Christians) were divided into 72 (seventy two) groups and indeed this ummah will be divided into 73 (seventy three) groups, (as for) seventy two will go to Hell and one group will enter Heaven, namely “al-Jama'ah.” (Narrated by Abu Dawud)
So who are the Hadith Experts?
The hadith expert is a Sunni Islamic sect that emerged in the 2nd/3rd century of the Islamic era (late 8th and 9th century AD) as a movement of hadith scholars who considered Al-Quran and authentic hadith as the only authority in matters of law and faith. However, for Shiites, they have their own authority in accepting hadiths and narrations related to faith and law. Because they did not want to accept the hadiths narrated by many of the companions of the Prophet sallallaahu 'alaihi wasallam on the grounds that they did not side with Ali bin Abi Talib. So there are many differences between the two sects.
However, over time, the term hadith expert began to shift from the definition above. There are some scholars and Muslims who claim to be hadith experts in matters of faith and law. Usually, the term expert hadith is a form of rejection of the Ash'ari creed which is adhered to by the majority of Muslims in the world, where both parties claim to be ahlus sunnah or sunni.
Who are Wahhabis & Salafis?
Talking about Wahhabism, is actually not much different from discussing who Salafi is. Wahhabism is the claim given to a reformer from the Hijaz (Saudi Arabia) named Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab. Even though its followers reject Wahhabi claims directed at them, basically this teaching calls for the purification of Islamic teachings and away from traditionalist culture which is considered to lead to heresy. However, not all Sunni scholars agree with this Wahhabi view.
As for Salafi, it is the nisbat for the salaf or the best three generations ever in Islamic history, namely the time of the Prophet sallallaahu 'alaihi wasallam with his companions, tabi'in, and tabi'it tabi'in (followers of tabi'in). This golden generation ended at the end of the 3rd hijri century.
According to most Sunni scholars, the salafi understanding is in line with Wahhabism. However, not all of them do not want to be discussed. There are some who want to have discussions with other groups so that they can reduce tensions and bridge differences with Sunni groups in general.
Then who is Hanafi?
The term Hanafi was taken from a prominent scholar from Kufa, namely Nu'man bin Thabit or commonly known as Abu Hanifah (80–150 H / 699–767 AD). His influence in the field of jurisprudence was so great that many people wanted to study with him.
Therefore, his students ascribed an understanding of his ijtihad in the field of fiqh by calling Hanafi, or what is commonly called the Hanafi school (madzhab), as the nisbat for the name Abu Hanifah. Hanafi schools are widely spread in almost all corners of the world such as Afghanistan, Iraq, Persia, Egypt, Turkey, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, China, Russia, Hong Kong, and parts of West Africa. Hanafi schools are included in the four largest Sunni schools in the world besides Maliki, Shafi'i, and Hambali.
Hope it works!
Peace, mercy and blessings of God
(Answered by Ustadz Very Setiyawan, Lc., S.Pd.I., MH)
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