Muslimmatters.comAl-Salafiyyah: The Methodology of the Pious PredecessorsPosted by: Waleed Basyouni June 17, 2014 in Aqeedah and Fiqh, Featured, Islam 19 Comments

All praises and thanks are due to Allāh, and may the blessings and prayers be upon the Messenger of Allāh, his family, his companions, and all those who follow in their footsteps until the Day of Judgment.Al-Islam is a collection of rules and articles of faith, of knowledge and action, of things we should know and things we should do. The theoretical part is the theology aspect of the religion, and the rules are either related to dealing with Allāh (and this is known as Ibaadah, or acts of worship) or related to dealing with other humans and creations. Therefore, the religion is made up of Aqidah, Fiqh and Sulook (etiquettes and socializing). The details related to all of these areas have been addressed in the Qurʾān and Sunnah.

During the time of Umar's Khilafah,   one of his companions came back from al-Shaam (Syria/Palestine) and told Umar the good news of how many people had started reading the Qurʾān and memorizing it in this new land of Islam and by the new generation of Muslims. This

sounded like very good news, but it did not satisfy Ibn 'Abbas   who was asked by Umar  ,

“What you think?” Ibn '  said, “O Prince of the Believers, the Jews and Christians had their books, but it did not save them from becoming divided and fighting one another. I wish they did not do that without understanding it first. I worry that they will be divided over the Qurʾān, and

they will fight one another like the people of the Book did.” Umar agreed with Ibn 'Abbas   and his wisdom. This narration is on the mark in describing how this Ummah will be divided.

The verses of the Qurʾān and the statements of the Prophet   are the sources of our religion, but how do we practice them and what methods should be used to understand them? The

companions (Sahabah) took directly from the Prophet   by watching him as a practical

example in front of them. 'A'ishah   said, “The Qurʾān was his character,” and the Sahabah

witnessed the Prophet   living the Qurʾān in his daily life. The Qurʾān was revealed in the language of the Sahabah, and it was revealed within their cultural setting. Add to this their trustworthiness which is referenced in the Qurʾān, and this gives them an instant advantage over everyone else. Any person, who comes after the Sahabah, must go through a lengthy process before he/she can derive any rulings from a hadith, for example. He must look at the authenticity of the narration, study the culture of the time, familiarize himself with the history of the text, evaluate what scholars have said about it, and look at it through the principles of Usool before arriving at any ruling(s), but as for the Sahabah, they did not need any of these steps. Because of that, the Sahabah have become the role models for the Muslim Ummah, and following them is the means of following the Qurʾān and Sunnah. They had no imām or Madh-hab or source other

than the Prophet   himself. They are our predecessors (Salaf), and they are an example for all

others. Ibn Mas'oud   said, “They (the companions) possessed the most pious hearts of this Ummah. They were the most profound in knowledge and had the least constraint. They were a

people whom Allāh chose for the companionship of His Prophet  , so emulate their character and way, for by the Lord of the Ka'bah, they are upon the straight path.” [As-Shari`ah by Al-Aajurri]

Not too long after what Ibn 'Abbas   said to Umar  , his fear became a reality. Muslims began using the Qura'n and Sunnah to support their own ideas, and they interpreted them a different way other than the way of the Sahabah. The most famous examples in Islamic history are those of the Khawarij and the Shi'ah, who opposed the way of the companions and even considered most of the Sahabah to be Kuffar (disbelievers). The Khawarij, for example, took up

arms against the Khalifah Ali Ibn Abi Talib  , based on their faulty understanding of the verse that says, “Allāh is the Only Judge.” They understood that to mean that mediation is not allowed,

and they considered arbitration as an act of disbelief. When Ibn Abbas  debated them on this opinion, he said, “I do not see any one of the companions with you.” In other words, he was saying that no one among the Sahabah understood what the Khawarij understood from this verse and that the understanding of the Sahabah was the criterion.As they were the first of our Ummah to precede us, following the companions became known as following the “Salaf” (predecessors), and their way of understanding the religion and practicing it became known as the methodology of the Salaf.  Al-imām al-Awza`i (d. 157 H.) said, “Patiently restrict yourself upon the Sunnah, stop where the people (i.e. the companions) stopped, say what they say and refrain from that which they refrained. Traverse upon the path of your Salaf as-Salih (righteous predecessors), for indeed what was sufficient for them is sufficient for you.” He also said, “Hold fast to the Athar (narrations) of the Salaf, even if people abandon you. Beware of the opinions of men, no matter how much they beautify it with their speech, for indeed the matter will become manifest whilst you will be upon the correct straight path concerning it.” [Sharh Usool I`tiqad Ahl-Assunnah wal-Jama'ah by AL-Lalaka'i]

Since years to come after that, dozens of groups and sects appeared in the history with a wide

variety of ideologies and views, but with one common factor; they all did not follow the way of al-

Salaf. They rejected it and freed themselves of it. Sheikh al Islam Ibn Taymiyyah   said, “It is

therefore known that the characteristic of the people of innovation is their disassociation of

themselves from the followers of the Salaf.” (Majmoo' al-Fatawa 4/155). At the same time, there

were always those who followed the footsteps of the companions as Allāh and His Messenger

commanded.

Allāh   said,

“And the first forerunners (in the faith) among the Muhajireen, and the Ansar, and

those who followed them with good conduct – Allāh is pleased with them and they are

pleased with Him, and He has prepared for them gardens beneath which rivers flow,

wherein they will abide forever. That is the great attainment.” [Surah At-Taubah,

100] 

He also said,

“And whoever opposes the Messenger after guidance has become clear to him and

follows other than the way of the believers – We will give him what he has taken and

drive him into Hell, and evil it is as a destination.” [Surah An-Nisa', 115] 

There were no other believers when this verse was revealed other than the Sahabah, and it is

their way we are commanded to follow.

 “So if they believe in the same as you believe in, then they have been (rightly)

guided…” [Surah Al-Baqarah, 137] 

The Sahabah -may Allāh be pleased with them- were upon that guidance and the truth and

whoever follows it, then he will be upon guidance and upon the straight path as well. It is the

Sahabah who are the ones first addressed in the verse, then those who came after them and

followed their path.

The Prophet   said, “For indeed, those who will still be alive after me will see many differences,

so hold fast to my Sunnah and to the sunnah of the rightly guided Khalifahs after me; Adhere to

and cling tightly to it and beware of newly-invented matters, for every newly-invented matter is

an innovation and every innovation is deviation.“ [At-Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud]

Also, he said, “The Jews split up into seventy-one sects, the Christians split up into seventy-two

sects, and this Ummah (Muslims) will split up into seventy-three sects; all of them are in the Fire

except one.” Someone asked, “Which is that one O Messenger of Allāh?” He replied, “Whoever is

upon that which I am upon and my companions.“  [At-Tirmidhi]

Based on this, the scholars who refused to follow any way other than the way of the companions

in understanding or practicing the religion were known as “the followers of al-Salaf” or “Salafi”.

They might not call themselves by that name, so they will not praise themselves or divide the

community by using a name that is not mentioned in the Qurʾān and Sunnah in this sense, but

those labels were merely used to distinguish those who follow the way of the Salaf from those

who do not.

Al-imām Ahmad bin Hanbal (d. 241 H.) said, “The Fundamental Principles of the Sunnah with

us are: Holding fast to what the Companions of the Messenger of Allāh   were upon, taking

them (and their way) as a model to be followed, and the abandonment of innovations. And every

innovation is misguidance. [Usool Al-Sunnah]

Abdullah Ibn Abi Zayd al Qairawani (d. 386 H.) said, “Salvation lies in seeking protection in the

Book of Allāh Almighty and the Sunnah of His Prophet and following the path of the believers and

that of the best of generations of the best community produced for mankind. Reliance on that is

protection. Salvation lies in following the righteous Salaf.” [Introduction to his book al-Risalah]

Abu Al-Qasim Al-Lalaka'i (d. 418 H.) said in the introduction of his book Sharh Usool I`tiqad Ahl

As-Sunnah Wal-Jama`ah, when speaking about understanding of Tawheed and Allāh's Attributes,

“From the greatest of statements and the clearest of proofs and reasoning are Allāh's Book, the

Clear Truth, then the sayings of the Messenger of Allāh   and his pious companions, then what

was agreed upon by the Righteous Salaf, then holding on to it until the Day of Judgment, and

avoiding innovations and listening to what was innovated by the misguided.” [Sharh Usool I`tiqad

Ahl As-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah by Lalikai 1/154]

Al-imām al-Dhahabi (d. 748 H.) in his great collection of biographies entitled 'Siyar A'lam Al-

Nubala' reports from Al-Daraqutni (d. 385 H.) by saying, “It was soundly reported from Al-

Daraqutni that he said, 'There is nothing more hated to me than the art of Al-

Kalam (A philosophic way of understanding the Nature of God and His Divine Attributes).' I say:

Al-Daraqutni was never involved in any Kalam-based arguments, nor did he ever use it. He was

indeed a Salafi.” [16/407]

Ibn Hajar Al-'Asqalani (d. 852 H.) said, “The happy one is the one who sticks to what the Salaf

were upon and avoids what was innovated by the Khalaf.”  [Khalaf: The ones who came after the

time of the pious Salaf, the successors]  [Fath Al-Bari by Ibn Hajar 13/267]

Throughout history, those who held onto the way of the Sahabah (as opposed to the way of

others) carried and were given many labels such as Ahl As-Sunnah Wal-Jama`ah, Ahlul-Hadeeth,

Ahlul-Athar, Al-Firqah Al-Najyah, Salafis, and at a time they were known as Al-Hanabilah not

because they followed the Madhhab of imāmAhmad in Fiqh, but because they followed him and

not the Mu'tazilah who claimed that Al-Qurʾān is one of Allāh's creations and that He does not

speak. These titles were never a description of the members of a group, rather the methodology

and way of understanding the religion according to the way the Prophet   himself did that they

followed. It is the pure, simple, clear, comprehensive understanding of Islam. For that reason the

title was only used when there was a need to distinguish between understandings, and

otherwise no titles were used. Al-imām Malik was asked what defines “Ahl As-Sunnah wa al

Jama'ah?” He replied, “They are those who have no title that they are known by; they are not the

Jahmis, nor Rafidis, nor Qadaris.” [Majmoo' al-Fatawa by Ibn Taymiyyah 4/155]

About a hundred years ago the Muslim nation drifted far away from the way of the Salaf and

surely from the Sunnah of the Prophet Muḥammad   in all areas: Fiqh, Aqidah, mannerisms,

spirituality, politics and even began understanding the principles of the religion in completely

unprecedented manners. That led many people to call the Muslims to go back to the way of the

Salaf and leave the extremism that destroyed the beauty of Islam. Rampant Sufisim had robbed

the religion of its strength and purity by basing it on innovations and fairy tales. The erection of

shrines and the worshiping of the dead and the Jinn became common practices in the Muslim

world, even though they run contrary to monotheism of Islam. The followers of the Madhahib (the

famous four schools of Fiqh) emptied the Shari'ah from its strength by closing the door for Ijtihad

and transformed the beauty of diversity into a curse of division. It reached the extent that

in Mecca there were four prayers, four Adhans, and four Jum'ahs. You would find statements in

Hanafi Fiqh books saying that a Hanafi male is allowed to marry a Christian or Jewish woman but

never a Shaf'i. In a Shaf'i book, you would find that praying behind a Hanafi is only allowed in the

case of necessity. Towards the end of the Ottoman State some Caliphs replaced the Islamic law

with the western secular law, and a big part of the Muslim Ummah was under occupation, and the

call for Jihad and resistance became a strange voice. Many scholars, activists, and leaders among

the Muslim Ummah from the mountains of the Far East to the coasts of the West, from the cold of

the north to hot forests of Africa, there was interest to change the situation of the Muslims.  The

title of “Salafiyyah” and the revival of the methodology of Al-Salaf were needed more than ever

before. Many movements and groups in India, Iraq, Arabia, Syria, Egypt, and North Africa called

for restoring Islam in all aspects of life to the way it was during the Prophet's time and the early

Muslims, i.e. following the way of al-Salaf. Al-imām Malik said, “The matters of the last of

this Ummah will not be rectified except by that which rectified the first of this Ummah.”  Not all of

those voices for change and correction necessarily were upon the way of Al-Salaf in all aspects,

and some of them focused on some areas at the expense of others for various reasons. Our

religion is Aqidah, Fiqh, and  Suluk. Many of the modern movements, in an attempt to go back to

the way of the Salaf, concentrated on the Salaf's methodology concerning some of these areas

and neglected the understanding of the Salaf in the others.

Take-away points from the historical background to the Salafiyyah

·          Following the way of Al-Salaf is not an option; it is a must.

·          Following the way of the Salaf does not mean following a specific scholar or group

of scholars, nor does it mean to be a member of a particular movement. Rather it is following

what the companions agreed upon and that which was understood and practiced by the first

three generations of Islam.

·          Just as merely labeling oneself “a Salafi” does not automatically make one a follower of

“Al- Salafiyyah”, it is also true that one who does not label himself “a Salafi” is thus removed out

of “Al-Salafiyyah”. It is not a specific group that is known through its members and who, by

default, are called Salafi based on their membership.

·          Mistakes committed by anyone associated with Al-Salafiyyah should never be attributed to

it. Such generalized criticism against Al-Salafiyyah is indeed both disconcerting and prejudiced,

and it is caused by the failing to understand the difference between Al-Salafiyyah as a

methodology and Salafis as individuals and groups.

·          Most certainly Al-Salafiyyah does not mean that all who associate with it are to agree on

every issue related to Fiqh or political stance which is based on the evaluation of Al-Masaalih wal-

Mafaasid (benefits and harms). The Salaf's (and thus Salafis') consensus on a general

methodology does not mandate that they should agree on the details. Al-Salaf Al-Salih (righteous

predecessors) did not agree on many of the Fiqh issues due to their differences in weighing the

benefits and harms that may result from such issues. This definitely did not call for criticizing any

of them due to that differing, as long as every one of them held fast to the general principles and

methodology. On the contrary, difference of opinion is a sign of the strength and flexibility of the

Salafi methodology.

·          Falling into mistakes does not take one out of Al-Salafiyyah as long as one holds fast to its

principles and fundamentals while striving to observe such principles in their real life. The only

exception is when one opposes a major fundamental principle of the Sunnah, or when one

continuously comes up with ideas contradicting the principles of the Sunnah, to the point where

he may be characterized as being a deviant from its path. It is important though to differentiate

between this matter as a rule and applying it to a specific person.

·          Considering Al-Salafiyyah as a methodology, not a group, necessitates that by default all

Muslims are followers of Al-Salafiyyah, being that every Muslim is required to follow Islam based

on evidence and according to the methodology of the companions of the Prophet  . Al-

Salafiyyah as such becomes the default state of all Muslims and any deviation from it becomes

the exception. Therefore, attempting to restrict it to a group or few specific matters is nothing

but due to ignorance of certain people or perhaps a vendetta against Al-Salafiyyah by certain

groups and or individuals that have their own agendas.

·          Al-Salafiyyah being a methodology, not a group, does not mean that all human efforts to

understand and interpret the texts lead to an acceptable and correct result all the time.  Al-

Salafiyyah is a methodology that has its own principles and guidelines with vast room for Ijtihad.

However, Al- Salafiyyah in its vastness, flexibility and wealth does in no way lead to ambiguity in

finding decisive solutions among all of the acceptable attempts of Ijtihad and recognizing the

opposing unacceptable Ijtihad.

I ask Allāh to help all of us to follow the Sunnah of the Prophet   and his companions and to

give us a good life, a good ending and grant us Paradise.

Al-Ḥasan Al-Baṣrī (d. 110 H.)   said, “Verily, you will find the believer (Muʾmin) consistent time

after time, upon one way, showing the same face; [whereas] you will find the hypocrite (Munāfiq)

changing colors, trying to be like everyone around him, running with every wind.” [Abū Bakr Al-

Daynūrī, Al-Mujālasah wa Jawāhir Al-ʿIlm #1936]

Lexical Meaning: 

Ibn Faris (d. 395 H.) states: “The (letter) Sin, the (letter) Lam, and (letter) Fa (together), is a root

which indicates precedence and antecedence. A derivation of this root is “Al-Salaf” which means

those who have passed on, and the Salaf are the predecessors. [Maqayis Al-Lugha by Ibn Faris,

the root: Salaf]