What is the way that a Muslim should follow? Is it the way of Ahlus-Sunnah Wal-Jamaa‘ah or some other way?

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

Every Muslim must follow the way of Ahlus-Sunnah Wal-Jamaa‘ah. Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {And, [moreover], this is My path, which is straight, so follow it; and do not follow [other] ways, for you will be separated from His way. This has He instructed you that you may become righteous.} [Quran 6:153]

On the authority of ‘Abd Allaah ibn Mas‘ood the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, drew a straight line before the Companions and told them that this line is like the way of Allaah The Almighty. Then he drew other lines to the right and the left of the first line and told the Companions that these lines are the ways of Satan. Then the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, recited the Saying of Allaah The Almighty (what means): {[Moreover], this is My path, which is straight, so follow it ….} [Quran 6:153] [Ahmad]

In his Sunnah (Prophetic tradition), the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, explained this straight path. Allaah The Almighty also Says (what means):

•        {And We revealed to you the message that you may make clear to the people what was sent down to them and that they might give thought.} [Quran 16:44]

•        {And indeed, [O Muhammad], you guide to a straight path.} [Quran 42:52]

On the authority of Al-‘Irbaadh ibn Saariyah the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, ordered them (the Companions and all Muslims) to follow his Sunnah and that of the rightly guided caliphs after him. [Ibn Maajah]  [Al-Albaani: Saheeh] That is why our predecessors used to say that adhering to the Sunnah is a means of rescue from evil.

Imaam Maalik said that the Sunnah is like the ship of Nooh (Noah) ; whoever boards it will be rescued; and whoever does not, will drown.

All thanks are due to Allaah The Almighty that all the Companions boarded this ship and ordered the entire Ummah (Muslim nation) to do so. They reported and conveyed the Sunnah to us so that there would be no excuse for anyone who chooses a way other than theirs.

The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, explained that there are groups among his Ummah that will deviate from this right path when he informed us that his Ummah would divide into seventy-three groups. [Al-Haakim: Saheeh]

In another report, the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said that all of these groups are in Hell except the group that will follow his way and that of his Companions. [Al-Haakim and At-Tabaraani]

A third report tells us that it is only one group among the thirty-seven that will enter Paradise, namely, the group that adheres to his Sunnah, while the rest will be in Hell. [Ibn Maajah]

Thus, the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, illustrated that the right path which guarantees rescue for whoever follows it, is  the way of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, and that of his Companions, and this is the way followed by Ahlus-Sunnah Wal-Jamaa‘ah. On the other hand, whoever deviates from this way will be among the other groups, who the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said will be in Hell.

Allaah Knows best.