u/just_a_homie_

Ibn Mas'ud said:

لقد أعطانا الله آية لهي أحب إليَّ من الدنيا وما فيها { والذين إذا فعلوا فاحشة... } الآية.

"Allah has given us a verse that is dearer to me than the world and whatever is in it." Allah says:

"And those who, when they have committed fahishah (illegal sexual intercourse) or wronged themselves with evil, remember Allah and ask forgiveness for their sins and none can forgive sins but Allah and do not persist in what (wrong) they have done, while they know."

(Tafsir Durr al-Manthur, quoted from Ibn al-Mundhir under Aal-Imran, verse no. 135)

al Haythami said: From Ibn Masʿūd (may Allah be pleased with him), who said:

وعن ابن مسعود - رضي الله عنه - قال: إن في كتاب الله لآيتين، ما أذنب عبد ذنبا فقرأهما واستغفر الله إلا غفر له: {والذين إذا فعلوا فاحشة أو ظلموا أنفسهم ذكروا الله فاستغفروا لذنوبهم ومن يغفر الذنوب إلا الله} [آل عمران: ١٣٥]، {ومن يعمل سوءا أو يظلم نفسه ثم يستغفر الله يجد الله غفورا رحيما} [النساء: ١١٠].

رواه الطبراني، ورجاله رجال الصحيح.

"Indeed, in the Book of Allah there are two verses; no servant commits a sin, recites them, and seeks Allah's forgiveness except that he is forgiven:

{And those who, when they commit an immorality or wrong themselves, remember Allah and seek forgiveness for their sins – and who can forgive sins except Allah?} [Āl ʿImrān: 135]

and

{And whoever does a wrong or wrongs himself, then seeks forgiveness of Allah, he will find Allah Forgiving and Merciful} [al-Nisāʾ: 110]."

Al-Ṭabarānī narrated it, and its narrators are the narrators of the Ṣaḥīḥ.

Majma al Zawaid 7/11

-Asim Ul Haque

Taqi ud-Din al-Subki Praising Shaykh ul-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah and Censuring the Followers of Ibn 'Arabi

Taqi ud-Din al-Subki on the Followers of Ibn 'Arabi:

Taqi ud-Din al-Subki stated that the followers of Ibn 'Arabi, the Sufi, are deviants. He said:

وَمَنْ كَانَ مِنْ هَٰؤُلَاءِ الصُّوفِيَّةِ الْمُتَأَخِّرِينَ كَابْنِ عَرَبِي وَغَيْرِهِ فَهُمْ ضَلَالٌ جُهَّالٌ خَارِجُونَ عَنْ طَرِيقِ الْإِسْلَامِ

"Whoever is from amongst these later Sufis, like Ibn 'Arabi and others, then they are misguided and ignorant. They are outside the way of Islam."

[Al-'Aqd ath-Thameen by al-Fasi (2/187), Tanbih al-Ghabi by al-Baqa'i (p. 143), Al-Qawl al-Munbi by as-Sakhawi, and Mughni al-Muhtaj by ash-Shirbini.]

Al-Subki's Praise of Ibn Taymiyyah:

Despite his censure of Ibn 'Arabi's followers, al-Subki himself highly praised Shaykh ul-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah the very scholar who declared that seeking help from the dead constitutes shirk.

Ibn Hajar al-'Asqalani mentioned:

وَكَتَبَ الذَّهَبِيُّ إِلَى السُّبْكِيِّ يُعَاتِبُهُ بِسَبَبِ كَلَامٍ وَقَعَ مِنْهُ فِي حَقِّ ابْنِ تَيْمِيَّةَ فَأَجَابَهُ.

وَمِنْ جُمْلَةِ الْجَوَابِ:

وَأَمَّا قَوْلُ سَيِّدِي فِي الشَّيْخِ تَقِيِّ الدِّينِ فَالْمَمْلُوكُ يَتَحَقَّقُ كَبِيرَ قَدْرِهِ وَزَخَارَةَ بَحْرِهِ وَتَوَسُّعَهُ فِي الْعُلُومِ النَّقْلِيَّةِ وَالْعَقْلِيَّةِ وَفَرْطَ ذَكَائِهِ وَاجْتِهَادَهُ وَبُلُوغَهُ فِي كُلٍّ مِنْ ذَٰلِكَ الْمَبْلَغَ الَّذِي يَتَجَاوَزُ الْوَصْفَ. وَالْمَمْلُوكُ يَقُولُ ذَٰلِكَ دَائِمًا وَقَدْرُهُ فِي نَفْسِي أَكْبَرُ مِنْ ذَٰلِكَ وَأَجَلُّ مَعَ مَا جَمَعَهُ اللَّهُ لَهُ مِنَ الزُّهْدِ وَالْوَرَعِ وَالدِّيَانَةِ وَنُصْرَةِ الْحَقِّ وَالْقِيَامِ فِيهِ لَا لِغَرَضٍ سِوَاهُ وَجَرْيِهِ عَلَى سُنَنِ السَّلَفِ وَأَخْذِهِ مِنْ ذَٰلِكَ بِالْمَأْخَذِ الْأَوْفَى وَغَرَابَةِ مِثْلِهِ فِي هَٰذَا الزَّمَانِ بَلْ مِنْ أَزْمَانٍ

Al-Dhahabi wrote to al-Subki, censuring him for certain remarks he had made against Ibn Taymiyyah, and al-Subki replied. Among his response was the following:

"As for what sayyadi says regarding Shaykh Taqi ud-Din [Ibn Taymiyyah], then I am fully convinced of his great standing, the abundance of his knowledge like an overflowing ocean, his vast expertise in both transmitted and intellectual sciences, his extraordinary intelligence, his diligent ijtihad, and his achievements in all of these fields which defy description. And I have always held this opinion. In fact, his status in my eyes is even greater and more exalted than that. In addition to all this, Allah has blessed him with asceticism, piety, religious commitment, defense of the truth, and steadfastness in it for Allah's sake alone, without any worldly motive. He adhered to the path of the Salaf (pious predecessors) and followed it most completely. Indeed, someone like him is a rarity in this age nay, in any age."

[Ad-Durar al-Kaminah by Ibn Hajar, under the biography of Ibn Taymiyyah (1/159), and Dhail Tabaqat al-Hanabilah by Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali (2/392).]

Historical Answer of Umar ibn al-Khattab at Yarmuk

Ayadh al-Ashari narrated: "We sent a message to Umar (radhiAllahu anhu) that death was upon us from all four sides, and we asked him to send us reinforcements for our help."

The great al-Farooq, Umar ibn al-Khattab, replied:

فَكَتَبَ إلَيْنَا أنَّهُ قَدْ جاءَ كِتابُكُمْ تَسْتَمِدُّونِي، وأنِّي أدُلُّكُمْ عَلى مَن هُوَ أعَزُّ نَصْرًا وأحْضَرُ جُنْدًا فاسْتَنْصَرُوهُ، وأنَّ مُحَمَّدًا ﷺ كانَ نُصِرَ يَوْمَ بَدْرٍ فِي أقَلَّ مِن عَدَدِكُمْ، فَإذا أتاكُمْ كِتابِي هَذا فَقاتَلُوهُمْ ولا تُراجِعُونِي

"I have received your message asking me to send you reinforcements. So I will guide you to the One who is Mightier in aid and more present in armies seek His help, and He is Allah. Muhammad (peace be upon him) was given victory at Badr with even fewer men than you have. When this letter of mine reaches you, fight them and do not write back to me."

Ayadh said: "We fought them and were victorious, killed many of their army men, and obtained war booty."

(Musnad Ahmad, Hadith 1/49)

When the Prophet peace be upon him forgave EIGHTY Armed Men who ambushed him and Muslims.

Imam Ahmad recorded that Anas bin Malik said, “On the day of Hudaybiyyah, eighty armed men from Makkah went down the valley coming from Mount At-Tan’im to ambush the Messenger of Allah peace be upon him . The Messenger invoked Allah against them, and they were taken prisoners.” ‘Affan added, “The Messenger pardoned them, and this Ayah was later on revealed,

(And He it is Who has withheld their hands from you and your hands from them in the midst of Makkah, after He had made you victors over them.)” Muslim, Abu Dawud in his Sunan and At-Tirmidhi and An-Nasa’i, in the Tafsir section of their Sunan, collected this Hadith.[Tafsir Ibn Katheer under the ayah 24 of Surah al-Fath]

Anas bin Maalik (Radiyallahu 'Anhu) says:

"I remained in the service of Rasulullah (Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam) for ten years. He never once told me 'Oof.' When I did something, he never asked me, 'Why did you do so?' When I did not do a certain task, he never asked me, 'Why did you not do it?' Rasulullah (Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam) had the best character among all people, and also possessed the most excellent features — so much so that I never felt silk cloth, nor pure silk, nor any other thing softer than the palm of Rasulullah (Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam). Nor did I smell any musk or any other fragrance more sweet-smelling than the sweat of Rasulullah (Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam)."

(Shama'il Tirmidhi, Book 48, Hadith 345)

A man said to Imam Ahmad Ibn Hanbal (رحمه الله) advice me:

Imam Ahmad Ibn Hanbal (رحمه الله) replied:

Honor the command of Allah wherever you are, and Allah will honor you.

[Al-Adab al-Shar'iyyah Ibn Muflih, volume 2, pg.108]

قال رجلٌ لإمامنا أحمد بن حنبل (رحمه الله): أوصني.
فقال الإمام أحمد بن حنبل (رحمه الله):
«عَظِّمْ أَمْرَ اللهِ حَيْثُمَا كُنْتَ، يُعَظِّمْكَ اللهُ.»
[الآداب الشرعية لابن مفلح، ج ٢، ص ١٠٨]

I have observed a lot of posts disregarding the sunnah as a whole or partially, either as a valid source in our religion, or doubting the methods of authenticity and so on. So I want to share some ayat from the Quran mentioning the status and importance of sunnah and following it. I will be proving reference and translation

Sunnah is a revelation
Surah Najm ayah 3-4
"Nor does he speak of (his own) desire. (3) It is only an Inspiration that is inspired."

Allah commanded us to obey and follow His Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم
Surah Ale Imran ayah 132
"And obey Allah and the Messenger (Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) that you may obtain mercy."

Also in Surah Ale Imran ayah 31-32
"Say (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم to mankind): "If you (really) love Allah then follow me (i.e. accept Islamic Monotheism, follow the Quran and the Sunnah), Allah will love you and forgive you of your sins. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful." Say (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم): "Obey Allah and the Messenger (Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم)." But if they turn away, then Allah does not like the disbelievers. "

A side benefit: Many scholars call this ayah(31) as the ayah of test(آية الامتحان) because if one claims to love Allah then it is incumbent that he shows his obedience to the His Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم. So if one claims that obedience to the Messenger was only in his lifetime then how can we prove our love for Allah without following His Messenger. This also shows that some parts of the Qur'an is not applicable till the end of time.

Surah Nisa ayah 59
"O you who believe! Obey Allah and obey the Messenger (Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم), and those of you (Muslims) who are in authority. (And) if you differ in anything amongst yourselves, refer it to Allah and His Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم), if you believe in Allah and in the Last Day. That is better and more suitable for final determination. (59)"
So the obedience of Allah and His Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم is absolute unlike the obedience to people in authority. And in case of dispute we are to return to Allah and His Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم. This is also an argument against the claim previously mentioned.

Sunnah explains the Quran
Surah Nahl Ayah 64
"And We have not sent down the Book (the Quran) to you (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم), except that you may explain clearly unto them those things in which they differ, and (as) a guidance and a mercy for a folk who believe. "
So one of the tasks of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم was to explain the Quran. If they claim that Quran is easy to understand(which is true in core of the religion and its message but not in particulars), then there was no need for the Prophet to be sent to explain it to them, since Qur'an was revealed in their own language.

Some additional points
Allah command us to not go against the Prophet and his companions. Going against them is a path to hellfire. As Allah says in Surah Nisa ayah 115
"And whoever contradicts and opposes the Messenger (Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) after the right path has been shown clearly to him, and follows other than the believers' way. We shall keep him in the path he has chosen, and burn him in Hell - what an evil destination. (115) "
It is well known and mass transmitted that the companions of the Prophet used his traditions, his sayings, actions, approval as proofs in our religion, apart from Qur'an and even used those to understand ayaat of Qur'an. They were the first of believers of this ummah, so going against their way is path to destruction and hellfire.

Secondly,
For the Qur'an to be preserved, its meaning has to be preserved. So the arabic language at the time of the revelation of the Quran has to be preserved. If language can be preserved, so can ahadith of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم

Thirdly,
It is impossible to understand all of the meaning of Qur'an just by Qur'an and arabic langauge. A very famous example is the ayah in Surah An'am
"الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَلَمْ يَلْبِسُوا إِيمَانَهُم بِظُلْمٍ"
A common person who does not know sunnah, cannot tell what is intended by the word ظُلْم in this ayah. Even the sahaba misunderstood the ayah in the first place(even though it was revealed in their langauge) then went to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم to consult as recorded in Sahih Al-Bukhari 6918. Those who know arabic language and balagha would understand why the sahaba first misunderstand(hint: a negation followed by an indefinite).

May Allah keep us steadfast on the straight path and grant us tawfeeq to follow the Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم and his companions رضي الله عنهم