Imam Abu Muthaffar Samaani (d.489 A.H.) -Rahimullaah- said:

‘Indeed we have been ordered with following and have been recommended to it, and prohibited from innovating and rebuked for it. The sign of the Ahl-ul-Sunnah is that they follow the Salaf as-Salih, and that they leave everything that is innovated and a novelty.’

[Taken from: ‘al-Inteesar li Ahl-ul-hadeeth’ p.69]

Translated by Abbas Abu Yahya.