Ahl al-Hadith (, Urdu:
Ahl-e-Hadith, "The people of
hadith" or "People of the traditions (of the Prophet)"; also
Așḥāb al-ḥadīṯ; ), is a branch of
Sunni Islam and a name given to various
Islamic conservative traditionalists, and refers to the adherent's belief that they are not bound by
taqlid but consider themselves free to seek guidance in matters of religious faith and practices from the authentic
hadith which, together with the
Qur'an, are in their view the principal worthy guide for
Muslim. Adherents contrast themselves with those they call
Ahl al-Rai, literally "the people of rhetorical theology". The Ahl-e-Hadith movement is often described as being synonymous with
Salafism.