And this is a protection against differing and splitting. As for when we invent new methodologies and paths and ways which oppose the Book and the Sunnah, then indeed we will be destroyed, as He the Perfect and Most High said:

 وَأَنَّ هَـذَا صِرَاطِي مُسْتَقِيمًا فَاتَّبِعُوهُ وَلاَ تَتَّبِعُواْ السُّبُلَ فَتَفَرَّقَ بِكُمْ عَن سَبِيلِهِ ذَلِكُمْ وَصَّاكُم بِهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ 

And verily, this is my Straight Path, so follow it, and follow not (other) paths, for they will separate you away from His Path. This He has ordained for you that you may become pious. [6:153]

And:

 خطّ التبي ع خطَّا مستقيمًا ، و خط عن يمينه و شماله خطوطًا مِعوَجّة ، و قال للمستقيم : هذا سبيل الله. و قال للمعوجة : هذه سُبل و على كل سبيل منها شيطان يدعو الناس إليها 

The Prophet (sallAllaahu’alaihiwasallam) drew out a straight line, and he drew divergent lines to the right and left of it. And he said regarding the straight line, “This is the path of Allaah”. And he said regarding the divergent lines, “These are the paths, and upon each path from them there is a devil which calls the people to it.”[1]

This is an explanation of the noble verse by the Prophet (sallAllaahu’alaihiwasallam), and an explicit clarification that whoever leaves clinging to the Book of Allaah then he has gone along with the devil and along the divergent paths.

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[1] Ahmad: (1/435); ad-Daarimee: ‘al-Muqaddimah’ (202).

[from wujoob-ut-tathabbut min al-akhbaar wa ihtiraam il-‘ulemaa – ‘The Obligation of Verifying the Reports and Honouring the Scholars’ by Sh Saalih al-Fawzaan hafizahullaah.

Translated by Adnaan ibn Salman and Nasser ibn Najam]