A Study of the Signification of the Hadith "The best of eras" in the Genuineness of Predecessor's Understanding

Some Salafists claim that it is necessary to engage in interpreting religious texts based on the noble predecessors' perception and understanding of religious texts such as the Quran and tradition. One of their most important reasons is a tradition called Khayrul Qurun (lit. the best of eras). Relying on this tradition, they believe in the validity and genuineness of the understanding of the companions, their disciples and successors. Although the chain of transmission of the tradition cannot be challenged with their principles, the significations of the tradition is questionable since Bukhari and Muslim have abandoned the tradition with the wording "Khayrul Qurun" while Ahmad b. Hanbal admits that the true version of the tradition contains "khayrun naasi aqrani". The word "aqran" is the plural form of "qirn" which means "the likes". Thus, the hadith is not concerned with the generations of disciples. In fact, the tradition has another authentic chain of transmission which Muslim has mentioned in his Sahih. According to it, the tradition includes the fourth generation of disciples onward. Assuming that the companions, the disciples and their successors are the best, it does not mean that each one of them is the best of people. It signifies goodness of those in an inconspicuous and indefinite way. Even if they are presumably the best, it does not necessarily mean that their words and actions are authoritative; or else it will have ramifications which Salafists themselves will not stick to.