By Shaikh-ul-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah
From the wisdom of Allaah is that He made for every Prophet an enemy from the criminals, preventing the truth as they can with words and actions. They do this by various means of plots and plans, doubts and dubious beliefs,(and) false calls. Allah decreed this so the truth is made clear despite this, so that it manifests and rises above all falsehood.
One of those means was through wrongfully branding the people of the Truth with evil names to try to scare other people from following them. [It should be noted that the names Ahl-us-Sunnah have given the innovators, are because they do indeed engage in the innovations. So Ahl-us-Sunnah do this justly, to warn the muslims from innovation and it's people].
Hence the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Salaam) and his Companions faced this from the Mushrik-s - see (3):186. They called him a magician, madman, fortune-teller, liar etc.
And similarly, the people of Knowledge and Truth have also faced this from the Innovators who wrongfully branded names of defamation and mockery onto them.
Some did so out of ignorance, thinking themselves to be upon the Truth. Others did so maliciously, to repel people from the Truth, even though they knew it to be the Truth.
THE JAHMEEYAH
- Call Ahl-us-Sunnah "Mushabbihah" claiming that affirming the Attributes according to the most apparent meaning, is Tashbeeh.
THE RAAFIDHEE SHEE'AH
- Call Ahl-us-Sunnah "Naasibee", i.e. adversaries of 'Alee, because they befriend Aboo Bakr and 'Umar. Hence the Shee'ah claim that anyone who befriends these two has automatically declared enmity for 'Alee and the Ahl-ul Bayt!!!
THE QADAREEYAH
- Call Ahl-us-Sunnah "Mujabbirah" claiming that affirming Allaah's Decree implies that the slaves are forced upon the actions they do!!!
THE MURJI-AH
- Call Ahl-us-Sunnah "Shukkaak" - the Doubters, as they say "I am a Believer if Allaah has Willed," while the Murji-ah forbid this saying and insist on only saying "I am a Believer," for they claim that to add "if Allaah has Willed," shows doubt in having Eemaan. [See 26.4.1].
THE PEOPLE OF LOGIC AND KALAAM
- Call Ahl-us-Sunnah "Hashaweeyah" [people with no worth] and "Nawaabit" [weeds] and "Ghuthaa" [scum], as they think that any one who's not upon their logic and theology are unintelligent rabble. However the truth is that their way is not needed by an intelligent man, nor is it useful to a stupid man.
adapted from the chapter titled
"The Evil Names with which the People of Innovation Refer to the People of Sunnah" Chapter 25 pgs 146-148 of Aqidat ul-Hamawiyyah of Shaikh ul-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah
