The Noble Shaykh Ahmad ibn Yahyaa an-Najmi (may Allah have mercy upon him) was asked:

Some of those who claim that they are Salafis say, “We are Salafis, however, we don’t speak about the one who has made a mistake nor do we disparage anyone.  (Is this correct?)”

Answer:

Say to them: Salafiyyah would not be sound without no one being disparaged.  There is loving for the sake of Allah and hating for the sake of Allah.  There is having an alliance for the sake of Allah and having enmity for the sake of Allah.  If the person rids (himself) of these four matters, this means that his Islam is weak.

Source: Al-Fataawaa al-Jaliyyah 1/76

Translated by Abu Yusuf Khaleefah
28th of Muharram, 1437 (11-10-2015)
Masjid Nur Allah, Queens, NYC

Original Arabic