Abu Umama reported God’s messenger as saying,“No people have gone astray after following right guidance unless they have been led into disputation.”Then God’s messenger recited this verse,“They only put him forth to you as a matter of dispute; nay, they are a contentious people.”Ahmad, Tirmidhi, and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

Anas declared that God’s messenger used to say,“Do not impose austerities on yourselves and so have God imposing austerities on you; for people have imposed austerities on themselves and God has imposed austerities on them. Their survivors are to be found in cells and monasteries.” [Then he quoted] ,“Monasticism, they invented it; we did not prescribe it for them.”Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying,“The Qur’an came down showing five aspects: what is permissible, what is prohibited, what is firmly fixed, what is obscure, and parables. So treat what is permissible as permissible and what is prohibited as prohibited, act upon what is firmly fixed; believe in what is obscure, and take a lesson from the parables.”This is the wording in Al-masabih. Baihaqi transmitted it in Shu’ab al-iman, his wording being,“Act according to what is permissible, avoid what is prohibited, and follow what is firmly fixed.”

Ibn ‘Abbas reported God’s messenger as saying,“Things are of three categories: a matter whose right guidance is clear, which you must follow; a matter whose error is clear, which you must avoid; and a matter about which there is a difference of opinion, which you must entrust to God.”Ahmad transmitted it.

Mu'adh b. Jabal reported God’s messenger as saying,“The devil is a wolf to man, like the wolf which harries sheep, catching the one which is solitary, the one which stays far from the flock, and the one which wanders. So avoid the branching paths and keep to the general community.”Ahmad transmitted it.

Abu Dharr reported God’s messenger as saying,“He who separates himself a handbreadth from the community has cast off the rope of Islam from his neck.”Ahmad and Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Malik b. Anas, in mursal form, reported God’s messenger as saying,“As long as you hold fast to two things which I have left among you, you will not go astray: God’s Book and His messenger’s sunna”He transmitted it in Al-Muwatta.

Ghudaif b. al-Harith ath-Thumali reported God’s messenger as saying,“No people introduce an innovation without its equivalent being withdrawn from the sunna; so holding firmly to a sunna is better than introducing an innovation.”Ahmad transmitted it.

Hassan said that no people had produced an innovation in their religion without God removing an equivalent amount from their sunna, then not restoring it to them till the day of resurrection. Darimi transmitted it.