What is Salafiyyah?

straight-path-as-salafiyyah

Shaykh al-Albaanee (rahimahullaah) said:

However, there are some who claim knowledge who deny this ascription, claiming that it has no foundation, saying, “It is not permissible for a Muslim to say: I am Salafi.” And it is as if he is saying, “It is not permissible for me to say: l am following the Salaf-us-Saalih in what they were upon in ‘aqeedah (creed), worship and manners!” And there is no doubt that the likes of this denial – if that is what is meant – implies that he is disassociating himself from the correct Islaam that the Salaf-us-Saalih were upon. Thus it is not permissible for a Muslim to disassociate himself from being ascribed to the Salaf-us-Saalih. If however, he freed himself from any other nisbah (ascription), then none of the people of knowledge could accuse him of disbelief or sinfulness. However, the one who refuses to call himself with this name Salafi, then it should be seen (i.e., looked into), does he attribute himself to a particular madhhab – whether in matters of ‘aqeedah or fiqh? So perhaps he will call himself an Ash’aree or a Maatureedee, or he may be from Ahlul-Hadeeth, or a Hanafee, Maalikee, Shaafi’ee or Hanbalee – from those matters which enter into the term Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jamaa’ah. Despite that fact, the one who ascribes himself to the Ash’aree madhhab, or the four well-known madhhabs, has ascribed himself to those who are not protected from making mistakes as individuals – even though there are from them scholars that attain what is correct. So why O why, do they not reject the likes of these ascriptions to individuals who are not protected from mistakes? However, as for the one who ascribes himself to the Salaf-us-Saalih collectively – then he ascribes himself to that which is protected from mistakes.

Source: Al-Asaalah Magazine, 9/87 | (original link @ SalafiPublications)


Title: This is Our Call, The Salafi Da’wah
Speaker: Imaam Muhammad Naasir ud-Deen al-Albaanee (may Allaah have mercy upon him)


Title: What is Salafiyyah?
Speaker: Imaam Muhammad Naasir ud-Deen al-Albaanee (may Allaah have mercy upon him)
Translator: sunnahpublishing.net


Title: The Methodology of The Salaf-us-Saalih And The Ummah’s Need For It
Speaker: Shaykh, al-‘Allaamah, Saalih al-Fawzaan (may Allaah preserve him)
Translator: Abu Ismaa’eel Mustafa George

Who Are Ahlul-Hadeeth (as-Salafiyyeen)?

They are those who proceed upon the way of the Companions and those who followed them in righteousness, in clinging to the Book and the Sunnah, biting onto that with their molar teeth, and letting them (i.e., the Qur’aan and the Sunnah) take precedence over any statement or code and conduct – whether in belief, or acts of worship such as dealings and transactions, mannerisms, politics or social life.

They are those who are firm in regards to the fundamentals of the religion and its subsidiary matters, upon that which Allaah sent down and revealed upon his servant and Messenger Muhammad (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wasallam). They are those establishing the call to that with all effort, sincerity and firm will. They are those carrying the knowledge of the Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wasallam), expelling from it the distortions of those who have exaggerated (in its regard) and the undue claims of the people of falsehood and the interpretations of the ignorant ones.

They are those who are observant and lie in wait for every group that has deviated from the way of Islaam, like the Jahmees, the Mu’tazilees, the Khawaarij, the Rawaafidh, the Murji’ah, the Qadriyyah and all of those who have deviated from the way of Allaah and have followed their desires in every time and place – they are not affected by the reproach of the blamers, in the cause of Allaah.

They are the group that the Messenger of Allaah has praised and commended in his saying: 

There will not cease to be a group from my Ummah manifest and upon the truth not being harmed by those who forsake them neither by those who oppose them until the hour is established. [1]

They are the Saved Sect firm upon that which the Messenger and his Companions were upon, those who have been distinguished and defined by the Messenger of Allaah when he mentioned that this Ummah shall divide into seventy three sects all going to the Hell-fire except one and it was said, “Who are they, O Messenger of Allaah?” He said, “They are those who are upon that which I and my Comapnions are upon.”

And this is not something we say in exaggeration or a mere claim, but verily we speak a reality that the text of the Qur’aan and the Sunnah bears witness to, which history bears witness to, and to which their (i.e., the Ahlul-Hadeeth’s) statements, their state of affairs, their writings and works also bear witness to. They are those who put before their eyes the statement of Allaah:

وَاعْتَصِمُوا بِحَبْلِ اللَّـهِ جَمِيعًا
And hold fast, all of you together, to the rope of Allaah. (Soorah Aali-Imran: 103)

And His statement:

فَلْيَحْذَرِ الَّذِينَ يُخَالِفُونَ عَنْ أَمْرِهِ أَن تُصِيبَهُمْ فِتْنَةٌ أَوْ يُصِيبَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ
And let those who oppose the Messengers commandment beware lest some fitnah befall them or a painful torment be inflicted on them. (Soorah An-Nur: 63)

They are the most staunch in distancing themselves from opposing the command of the Messenger and the most distant from fitnah. They are those who make their constitution:

فَلَا وَرَبِّكَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ حَتَّىٰ يُحَكِّمُوكَ فِيمَا شَجَرَ بَيْنَهُمْ ثُمَّ لَا يَجِدُوا فِي أَنفُسِهِمْ حَرَجًا مِّمَّا قَضَيْتَ وَيُسَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيمًا
But no, by your Lord! They can have no faith, until they make you (O Muhammad (sallallaahu alaihi wasallam)) judge in all disputes between them, and find in themselves no resistance against your decisions, and accept them with full submission. (Soorah An-Nisa: 65)

They are those who give to the Qur’aan and the Sunnah their true worth and give it the honor and veneration it deserves, giving priority to them over all the statements of mankind, and give precedence to their guidance over the guidance of all the people, and they judge by them in all affairs with complete pleasure, with chests which are expanded and free of restraint or constriction, and they submit to Allaah and His Messenger (with) a complete submission in their ‘aqeedah (creed) and their worship and their dealings. They are those concerning whom the statement of Allaah holds true:

نَّمَا كَانَ قَوْلَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ إِذَا دُعُوا إِلَى اللَّـهِ وَرَسُولِهِ لِيَحْكُمَ بَيْنَهُمْ أَن يَقُولُوا سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا ۚ وَأُولَـٰئِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ
The only saying of the faithful believers when they are called to Allaah and His Messenger (sallallaahu alaihi wasallam) to judge between them, is that they say, “We hear and we obey,” and such are the prosperous ones. (Soorah An-Nur: 51)

They after all of the Comapanions – and at the head of them the rightly guided Caliphs – are the leaders of the taabi’een and at the head of them: Sa’eed ibn al-Musayyib (d. 90H), ‘Urwah ibn Zubair (d. 94H), ‘Alee ibn al-Hussain Zain al-‘Aabideen (d. 93H), Muhammad ibn Hanafiya (d. 80H), ‘Ubaydullaah ibn ‘Abdillaah ibn ‘Utbah ibn Mas’ood (d. 94H or later), Saleem ibn ‘Abdillaah ibn ‘Umar (d. 106H), Qaasim ibn Muhammad ibn Abee Bakr as-Sadeeq (d. 106H), al-Hasan al-Basree (d. 110H), Muhammad ibn Sireen (d. 110H), ‘Umar ibn ‘Abdul-‘Azeez (d. 101H) and Muhammad ibn Shihaab az-Zuhree (d. 125H).

Then the Atbaa’at-Taabi’een and at the head of them: Imaam Maalik (d. 179H), al-Awzaa’ee (d. 157H), Sufiyaan ibn Sa’eed ath-Thawree (d. 161H), Sufyaan ibn Uyayna (d. 198H), Ismaa’eel ibn Ulayyah (d. 193H), Layth ibn Sa’d (d. 175H) and Aboo Haneefah an-Nu’maan (d. 150H).

Then those who followed them and at the head of them: ‘Abdullaah ibn al-Mubaarak (d. 181H), Wakee’ ibn al-Jarraah (d. 197H), the Imaam Muhammad ibn Idrees ash-Shaafi’ee (d. 204H), ‘Abdur-Rahmaan ibn Mahdee (d. 198H), Yahya ibn Sa’eed al-Qataan (d. 198H) and Afaan ibn Muslim (d. 219H).

Then their students who followed them in this methodology, and at the head of them: the Imaam Ahmad ibn Hanbal (d. 241H), Yahya ibn Ma’een (d. 233H) and ‘Alee ibn al-Madeenee (d. 234H).

Then their students like al-Bukhaaree (d. 256H), Muslim (d. 261H), Abee Haatim (d. 277H), Abee Zur’ah (d. 264H), Aboo Daawood (d. 275H), at-Tirmidhee (d. 279H) and an-Nasaa’ee (d. 303H).

Then those who proceeded in their way in the generations that preceded them, like Ibn Jareer at-Tabaree (d. 310H), Ibn Khuzaymah (d. 311H), ad-Daaraqutnee (d. 385H) in his time, al-Khateeb al-Baghdaadee (d. 463H) and Ibn ‘Abdul-Barr an-Niwaaree (d. 463H).

And ‘Abdul-Ghanee al-Maqdasee (d. 620H), Ibn Salaah (d. 643H), Ibn Taymiyyah (d. 728H), al-Mizzee (d. 743H), adh-Dhahabee (d. 748H), Ibn Katheer (d. 774H) and their contemporaries who lived in their time and those who came after them, and followed their footsteps in holding on to the Book and the Sunnah up until the present day.

These are who I mean by Ahlul-Hadeeth.

NOTES

[1] Hadeeth saheeh, collected by Muslim (3/1523), Ahmad (5/278-279), Aboo Dawood (3/4), Tirmidhee (4/420), Ibn Maajah (1/4-5), Haakim (4/449-450), at-Tabaraanee in Mu’jam al-Kabeer (7643) and Aboo Daawood at-Tayaalisi (p. 94, no. 689). Authenticated by al-Albaanee in As-Saheehah (270-1955).

Source: Makaanat Ahl ul-Hadith by Shaykh Rabee’ al-Madkhali (hafidhahullaah) | (original link @ SalafiPublications)