It was said to Abu Bakr bin ʿAyyāsh:

“In the mosque are people who sit and people sit with them.”

He said:

“Whoever sat for the [sake of the] people, the people will sit with him. However, Ahl al-Sunnah die and their mention lives on, and Ahl al-Bidʿah die and their mention dies [with them]. [This is] because Ahl al-Sunnah revived what the Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم) came with, so they have a share in His saying: ( وَرَفَعْنَا لَكَ ذِكْرَكَ ) “And we made lofty your mention” (94:4).

And Ahl al-Bidʿah disliked [and opposed] what the Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم) came with, so they have a share of His saying: ( إِنَّ شَانِئَكَ هُوَ ٱلْأَبْتَرُ ) “Indeed, your hateful opponent is the one to be cut off.” (108:3).”

So beware, beware O man that you should dislike something that the Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم) came with, or you reject it due to you desire, or in aid of your school, or your shaykh, or due to your preoccupation with desires, or the world.

For Allāh did not obligate obedience of anyone except obedience to His Messenger, and acceptance of what he came with, such that if the servant opposed all of creation and followed the Messenger, Allāh will not ask him about opposing anyone [other than the Messenger].

For indeed, the one who obeys or is obeyed, he is only obeyed consequentially, due to [his] following the Messenger. Otherwise, if he was ordered with what opposes what the Messenger ordered, he is not to be obeyed.

So know that well, and listen, and obey and follow and do not innovate [lest] you becme cut off and your action is thrown back at you [in rejection]. Rather, there is no goodness in an action that is devoid of following [the Messenger] and there is no goodness in the one doing it, and Allāḥ knows best.