Who are the People of Hadith?

The term "Ahl al-Hadith" represented the group that revered the Sunnah, believed in the creed of the righteous predecessors (Salaf Saliḥ), and based their understanding of religion on the Qur'an and Sunnah without resorting to pure reason or visions. This is the saved sect (Al-Firqa Al-Najiyah) and the victorious group (Al-Ṭā’ifa Al-Manṣūrah) mentioned in the Hadith: "A group of my Ummah will continue to remain manifest upon the truth." Imams such as Al-Hakim, Al-Khatib Al-Baghdadi, and Ibn Taymiyyah affirmed that this group is "Aṣḥāb al-Hadith" (the Companions of Hadith), for they are the trustees of the Sharia and the preservers of the religion, who rely on the Qur'an and Sunnah as evidence and do not follow whims or dissenting opinions. The term "Ahl al-Hadith" includes everyone who acts upon the Prophet's Hadith, peace and blessings be upon him, and prioritizes it over all else, whether they are scholars or laymen. They are characterized by their love for the Qur'an and Hadith and their practice of both.