I came across the following explanation on the aforementioned hadith a salafi. Can someone please clarify the position of ahl as-Sunnah with regard to the hadith in question. Jazakallah Imam Qurtubi says in his "Tazkirah fi Ahwalil Mowta wal Akhirah" after quoting ahadith of Hawd and people being pushed away from it, and Prophet (saw) would first say theur are my Companions, and then Angels will inform him that he does not know what innovations they did after him and turned on their heels... Chapter : Our scholar, may Allah’s mercy be on them all, have stated : whoever apostasies from the religion of Allah or innovates in it what displeases Allah and what Allah did not legislate, they will be pushed away and distanced from it, and the most pushed away are those who oppose the Jama’ah of Muslims and separate from their way, as the Khawarij with their difference in sects, the Rawafid with their difference in misguidance, and the Mu’tazilah with their categories of passion, all of them are people who have changed. And this is also the case for the darkness of people involved in tyranny and oppression and discredit of the truth and killing those who support the truth and their humiliation. The same for those who do Kabair openly and exceed the bounds in sins and the Jama’at of people of deviation and desire and innovation. Then the distance can be in a state then they can get approach it after forgiveness if it is change in actions and it was not in beliefs. And on this supposition, they will be recognized (by the Prophet) with the light of their Wudhu, and then they will be said : May you perish. And if they are among hypocrites that were present at time of Prophet (saw) and they were showing faith and hiding Kufr, then he will consider them on Zahir (evident actions) and then their covers (real states) will be uncovered (to him) and he will say to them : May you perish.END OF QURTUBI's WORDS So Imam Qurtubi gave two interprations from scholars : 1) These people are innovators or Tyrants or severe sinners, and these people will be recognised by the Prophet (saw) because of the lighteness of their Wudhu and he will call them companions because of that, and then will be informed of their innovations 2) These people are hypocrites and Prophet (saw) will recognise them because of their apparent actions as they were hiding their Kufr, then their hidden Kufe will be told to him. There is no mention of Bralwi creed that Prophet (saw) knew their actions, by lack of concentration or hope for their mercy he called them My companions... Nawawi, Baji, Ibn Teen, Dawoodi, Ibn Hajar, 'Ayni, 'Iyad has already been given in Fathul Bari, and none of them wether they consider these people as innovatore of apostate said the Prophet (saw) did recognise them or know their state...those who said they were innovators said Prophet (saw0 recognised them with lights of Wudhu, and those who said they were apostate or hypocrites said Prophet (saw) recognised them on what he left them and so he was not aware of their apostasy... And this matter is clear, as the ahadith are Mutawatir and leave no place of taweel... And Allah's help is sought
