Hayyah bint Abi Hayyah said: A man came to us at noon, and I said: O servant of Allah! Where are you coming from? He said: My companion and I came in search of someone who was lost; my companion went out searching, and I came here in search of shade and water. Hayyah said: I brought a clay jug and gave him water to drink; he drank, and I also drank. I asked for introduction: O servant of Allah! Who are you? He said: I am Abu Bakr. I said: The same Abu Bakr about whom I have heard, the companion of the Messenger of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) in the cave? He said: Yes, the same. Hayyah said: I mentioned the battles of Khath'am and some of the events of the Age of Ignorance, and the affection and love that Allah Almighty created, and those tents. Abdullah bin Awn interlaced his fingers, and Mu'adh bin Mu'adh demonstrated the same, and Ahmad and his teacher Ahmad bin Abdullah did likewise. I said: O Abdullah! How long do you think this situation will continue? He said: As long as the Imams or rulers remain on the straight path. I said: What is meant by Imams? He said: Have you not seen that when the master (owner) is in the house, people follow and obey him? So, as long as they remain on the straight path.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Darda’ (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said:“The thing I fear most for you is misguided leaders (imams).”

Qais bin Abi Hazim narrates that Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) met a woman from the tribe of Ahmas whose name was Zainab. He saw that she was not speaking at all, so he asked: "What is the matter, why does she not speak?" It was said that she had made a vow to perform Hajj in silence. Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "Tell her to speak, this is not permissible, this is a custom from the days of ignorance." The narrator said: She then began to speak and asked: "Who are you?" He replied: "I am one of the Muhajirun." The woman asked: "From which tribe of the Muhajirun?" He said: "From the Quraysh." The woman inquired: "From which family of the Quraysh?" Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "You are very inquisitive; I am Abu Bakr." She said: "After the age of ignorance, for how long will we be able to remain firm upon this religion that Allah Almighty has granted us?" He said: "You will remain firm upon this state as long as your leaders remain upright." She asked: "What is meant by leaders?" He said: "Are there not chiefs and nobles among your people, who when they give an order, the people follow them?" She said: "Yes, of course." He said: "There will be such (rulers) over the people."

Wasil narrated from a woman whose name was Aizah. She said: I saw Sayyiduna Ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) advising men and women, saying: Whoever among you, man or woman, reaches that time, should adhere to the way of the predecessors, remain upon their way, and you will remain upon the natural disposition (fitrah). Abdullah said: By «السمت» is meant the way.

It is narrated from Ziyad bin Hudair that Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said to me: Do you know what will destroy Islam? I said: No. He said: The mistake of a scholar, the argument or debate of a hypocrite in the Book of Allah, and the command of misguided leaders. (That is, the mistake of a scholar, the debate of a hypocrite, and the command of misguided imams or rulers will destroy Islam, it will demolish its structure.)

Muhammad bin Ali said: Do not sit with the philosophers, they find faults in the verses of Allah (or they criticize them).

Hasan (may Allah have mercy on him) said: By the One besides whom there is no deity, your Sunnah (adherence) is between the extremes of the exaggerator and the one who turns away, so adopt this middle path—may Allah have mercy on you. In the past, those devoted to the Sunnah were the fewest among people, and in the remaining times to come, they will also be the fewest—those who did not follow the rebellious in their rebellion, nor the innovators in their innovation, and remained firm upon their Sunnah way until they met their Lord. So you too, by Allah’s command, be like them.

Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Moderation in the Sunnah is better than striving hard in innovation.