From Sh Fawzaan's hafizahullaah explanation of Usool-uth-Thalaathah 
(Lesson 1; audio/text):

And beginning with these shorter works is the foundation for the students of knowledge, so the student of knowledge should begin by learning little by little, taking from the initial points of knowledge and its fundamentals and then proceed in stages through it.

 So these brief works are the path leading on to the longer works. So it is not possible for the longer works to be understood except after the brief works have been understood and then the person has proceeded on from them in stages. And therefore they said about the meaning of His saying, He the Most High:

وَلَـكِن كُونُواْ رَبَّانِيِّينَ بِمَا كُنتُمْ تُعَلِّمُونَ الْكِتَابَ وَبِمَا كُنتُمْ تَدْرُسُونَ 

But rather be rabbaaniyyoon (wise scholars who cultivate the people) by your teaching them the Book and your studying it
[3:79]

The word rabbaaniyoon - they are those who begin with the small matters of knowledge before the greater ones. They cultivate themselves and their students beginning with the smaller matters and moving on to the larger matters, and this is something natural, because all things begin from their roots and their foundations and then they grow bigger and larger after that.

 As for the person who pounces upon knowledge from its top, then this person will just tire himself out and will not attain anything. Whereas the one who begins with the fundamentals and proceeds in stages, this is the person, who by the permission of Allaah will be proceeding in the correct way and with sound direction.

Translated by Aboo Talhah Daawood Burbank, rahimahullaah.


(If you would like to study Usool-uth-Thalaathah you can do so here)

From Sh Fawzaan's explanation of Sharh-us-Sunnah:

So from the Sunnah is adhering to the Jamaa`ah – meaning adhering to the united body, of the Muslims, and what is meant by the Jamaa`ah here is the united body of the Muslims who are upon the Truth[1].

As for the jamaa`aat, the groups which are not upon the Truth, then these are not called the true Jamaa`ah.  Every Jamaa`ah which gathers upon misguidance or upon a methodology contrary to Islaam or upon a way contrary to Islaam, then it is not called the trueJamaa`ah that which is required and praiseworthy. 

So the Jamaa`ah, the united body, which is meant here, they are the people of the Truth and this does not necessitate that they must be numerous, rather even if it is a single person upon the Truth then he will be called the Jamaa`ah, the united body.  So theJamaa`ah is those who are upon the Truth, whether its people are few or whether they are many, so you adhere to whoever is upon the Truth and you do not contradict the Jamaa`ah which is upon the Truth, rather you should be with them upon the Truth. So whoever splits from the Jamaa`ah, the united body, then explanation of this will follow.


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[1] Translator’s side point:  This is something which is authentically reported as the statement of the noble Companion `Abdullaah ibn Mas`oodradiyAllaahu `anhu that he explained with this same meaning what is meant by ‘Jamaa`ah’.  Shaykh al-Albaanee rahimahullaah mentioned in his notes to Mishkaat al-Masaabeeh, Volume 1, page 61, the statement of `Abdullaah ibn Mas`ood radiyAllaahu `anhu in that regard, that he said, “The Jamaa`ah is whatever conforms to the Truth even you are alone.”  Shaykh al-Albaanee said this is reported by Ibn Asaakir in his Taareekh Dimashq, volume 13, page 322 part number 2, with an authentic, a saheeh chain from him.

[translated by Abu Talhah rahimahullaah]

(listen to the whole lesson here)
(listen to the whole transcript here)

From Sh Fawzaan's explanation of Sharh-us-Sunnah by Imaam al-Barbahaaree:

Quote:

...as for it being said that ‘we will gather together upon what we agree about and as for what we disagree about then we’ll just pardon each other’.  This is something impossible if it refers to differing in `aqeedah.  However if it is differing in the matter of fiqhand matters of questions of fiqh which are possible can be this way or that way, then that may be allowable, even though even there what is still obligatory is following the evidence even in matters of fiqh.  He the Most High said:

  فَإِن تَنَازَعْتُمْ فِي شَيْءٍ فَرُدُّوهُ إِلَى اللّهِ وَالرَّسُولِ

So if you differ about anything then refer it back to Allaah and to the Messenger

Sooratun-Nisaa (4), aayah 59

[Translated by Abu Talhah rahimahullaah]

Listen to the whole lesson here
Read the whole transcript here