The trend of testing people according to personalities

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Question: Virtuous Shaykh – may Allaah give you Tawfeeq – there is a trend among some of the youth, that they test people according to personalities. If you agree with them [on these personalities] then you are from Ahlus Sunnah, and if you disagree with them then you are an innovator. So what is your advice regarding this?

Response: The advice is that we say: whoever conforms to the Book and the Sunnah, he is from Ahlus Sunnah, without paying attention to personalities – except Muhammad (sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam). We do not follow anybody except the Messenger of Allaah (sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam).

{Certainly, there is a good example for you in the Messenger of Allah for the one who has hope in Allah, the Last Day and remembers Allah often} [33:21]

As for other than him, then whoever obeys [Allaah and His Messenger], we follow his guidance; and whoever opposes [Allaah and His Messenger], we oppose him.

The person who deserves to be followed is the Messenger of Allaah (sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam).

This is why Shaykhul Islaam [Ibn Taymiyyah] said, ‘whoever claims there is a person who it is obligated to be followed other than the Messenger of Allaah (sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam), then he should be asked to repent. Either he repents or he is to be killed.’

This is because he has affirmed that somebody else apart from the Messenger of Allaah (sal Allaah alayhi wa sallam) should be followed.

The only person who should be followed is the one who shows obedience to Allah and His Messenger. We don’t test people according to personalities; rather we test people according to the Book, the Sunnah and being obedient to the Messenger of Allaah (sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam).

[…unclear] to test a person according to a personality, then test him according to the Messenger of Allaah (sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam), as he is the only one who it is obligated to obey and follow.