The Sufis are the defenders of various principles of Ahlus Sunnah, including theology. The theological schools of Imam Abu al Hasan al Ash’ari, whose school of theology is known to be the Ash’ari school, and Imam Abu al Mansur al Maturidi, whose school of theology is known to be the Maturidi school, have been recognized for centuries to be the sound, mainstream schools of theology of the Sunni Muslims. Modern day movements have claimed that these schools of theology are deviant and are linked to passed extinct sects of Islam such as the Jahmiyyah. Ignorant claims such as, “Ash’ari and Maturidi schools are deviant and flawed and should not be followed. Instead, we should follow the Aqidah of the Salaf!” are common to hear nowadays. This also does not make any sense, considering they are creeds of Salaf.
These schools of theology have always been the mainstream belief system and to say they are wrong is to say that one-thousand years of theological studies went to waste because they are deviant. Not only that, it is also saying that all of our scholars were wrong in the most basic science of Islam. Since the majority of the Muhammadan nation followed these schools, it is needed that we do as well.
"…And this nation (of Muslims) will split into seventy-three sects. All of them will be in the Fire except one sect (the Saved Sect)." They (the Companions) asked, 'Who are they (the Saved Sect) oh Messenger of Allah?' He (SAW) said, "Those who are upon what I and my Companions are upon." (Sunan at-Tirmidhi)
“Allah will never let my Ummah agree upon misguidance, and the hand of Allah is over the group (Jama'ah), so follow the great mass of believers (Sawad ul-'Azam), and whoever dissents from them departs to hell”
al-Hakim (1/116), and al-Dhahabi agreed with him
"Verily Allah will not make my Community -- or Muhammad's Community -- agree on error, and Allah's hand is with the largest Congregation."
Reference : Tirmidhi (gharib) #2256, Cairo ed. `Aridat al-ahwadhi (11:9)
"Whoever among you wants to be in the middle of Paradise, let him cling to the Congregation."
Reference : Tirmidhi related it and said it is sound (sahih).
"My Community shall never agree upon misguidance, therefore, if you see divergences, you must follow the greater mass or larger group”
References:
Ibn Majah (2:1303 #3950) from Anas with a weak chain.
"My Community shall not agree upon misguidance. Therefore, you must stay with the Congregation, and Allah's hand is over the Congregation.
Reference: Tabarani narrated it with two chains from Ibn `Umar, one of which is sound (sahih). See Haythami, Majma` al-zawa'id, chapter on the obligation to stay with the Congregation.
Many sons/daughters of Muslims are ignorant of the Ash'ari School, whom it represents, and its positions on the tenets of the Islamic faith (aqidah), and yet some of them are not God-fearing enough to refrain from accusing it of deviance, departure from the religion of Islam, and heresy about the attributes of Allah. - Shaykh Muhammad Alawi Abbas al Maliki
The Ash'aris are the Imams of the distinguished figures of guidance among the scholars of the Muslims, whose knowledge has filled the world from east to west, and whom people have unanimously concurred upon their excellence, scholarship, and religiousness. They include the first rank of Sunni scholars and the most brilliant of their luminaries, who stood in the face of the excesses commited by the Mu'tazilites, and who constitute whole sections of the foremost Imams of Hadith, Sacred Law, Quranic exegesis.
Shaykh al-Islam Ahmad ibn Hajar 'Asqalani (d. 852/1449; Rahimullah), the mentor of Hadith scholars and author of the book "Fath al-Bari bi sharh Sahih al-Bukhari", which not a single Islamic scholar can dispense with, was Ash'ari.
The shaykh of the scholars of Sunni Islam, Imam Nawawi (d. 676/1277; Rahimullah), author of "Sharh Sahih Muslim" and many other famous works, was Ash'ari.
The master of Qur'anic exegetes, Imam Qurtubi (d. 671/1273; Rahimullah), author of "al-Jami' li ahkan al-Qur'an", was Ash'ari.
Shaykh al-Islam ibn Hajar Haytami (d. 974/1567; Rahimullah), who wrote "al-Zawajir 'an iqtiraf al-kaba'ir", was Ash'ari.
The Shaykh of Sacred Law and Hadith, the conclusive definitive Zakariyya Ansari (d. 926/1520; Rahimullah), was Ash'ari.
Imam Abu Bakr Baqillani (d. 403/1013; Rahimullah),Imam 'Asqalani;
Imam Nasafi (d. 710/1310; Rahimullah); Imam Shirbini (d. 977/1570; Rahimullah);
Abu Hayyan Tawhidi, author of the Qur'anic commentary "al-Bahr al-muhit";
Imam ibn Juzayy (d. 741/1340; Rahimullah); author of "al-Tashil fi 'ulum al-Tanzil";
and others - all of these were Imams of the Ash'aris.
If we wanted to name all of the top scholars of Hadith, Qur'anic exegesis, and Sacred Law who were Imams of the Ash'aris, we would be hard put to do so and would require volumes merely to list these illustrious figures whose wisdom has filled the earth from east to west.
I ask you, is there a single Islamic scholar of the present day, among all the PhD.'s and geniuses, who has done what Ibn Hajar 'Asqalani or Imam Nawawi have, of the service rendered by these two noble Imams (May Allah enfold them in His mercy and bliss) to the pure Prophetic Sunnah? How should we charge them and all Ash'aris with abberancy when it is we who are in need of their scholarship? Or how can we take knowledge from them if they were in error? For as Imam Zuhri (d. 124/742; rahimullah) says, "This knowledge is religion, so look well to whom you are taking your religion from."
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