Salafiyya

 Saying “I am Salafi” | Sheikh Al-Albanī 

Q: Some of the Du‘āt say: “I refuse to say that I am salafi out of fear that people will think I am a Hizbi.” Is this statement correct or do I have to explain what Salafiyyah is to the people? 

A: A discussion took place between me and an Islamic writer who is with us upon the Qur’ān and Sunnah. I ask our brothers from the students of knowledge to memorise this discussion as it has an important benefit. 

I told him: “If someone asks you “What is your Madhab (viewpoint)?” What would your answer be?”

He said: Muslim 

I said: “This answer is wrong”

He said: “Why?”

I said: “If someone asks you “What is your religion?” What would your answer be?” 

He said: Muslim 

I then said: “At first, I didn’t ask you what your religion is, I asked you what your madhab is. And you know that in the Islamic lands today there are a lot of different madhabs. You are with us in declaring that some of them have left the fold of Islam, like the “Durooz” and the “Ismā‘īliyyah” and the “‘Alawiyyah” and other similar groups. And yet, those groups still say “We are Muslims”. And there are other groups which we do not say that they have left the fold of Islām, but there is no doubt that they are from the deviant groups that went past the Qur‘ān and Sunnah in a lot of issues; like the “Khawarij”, the “Mu‘tazilah”, the “Murji’ah, the “Jabriyyah” and other similar groups. What is your opinion, is this not present in this day and age?” 

He said: “Yes” 

I said: “So if a person from one of these groups asks us “What is your madhab?” He will reply with your answer. “Muslim” is a reserved answer. As he is a Muslim and so are you. So we want you to clarify in your answer, what is your madhab after your religion?” 

He said: “Then my madhab is the Qur’ān and the Sunnah” 

I said: “Again this answer is not enough”

He said: “Why?” 

I said: “Because the groups that we have mentioned all say that they are Muslim. And none of them says “I am not upon the Qur’ān and Sunnah” For example, do the “Shi‘ah” say we are against the Qur’an and Sunnah Rather they say “We are upon the Qur’ān and Sunnah and you have deviated from the Qur‘ān and Sunnah”. So it is not enough to say that you are a Muslim upon the Qur’ān and Sunnah, there has to be another enclosed description. Is it permissible for us to understand the Qur’ān and Sunnah by adopting a new method of understanding, or do we stick to the understanding of the pious predecessors (Salaf As-Sālih)? 

He said: “Absolutely”

I said: “Do you believe that the people of the other madhabs-who have left the fold of Islām, and claim to be Muslim, and from the groups who have not left the fold of Islām but have deviated from some of its rulings- Do you believe that they say like you and I?- “We are upon the Qur’ān and Sunnah according to the methodology of the Salaf As-Sālih? 

He said: “No they do not associate with us in that”

I said: “Then it is not enough for you to say I am upon the Qur’ān and Sunnah. There has to be another enclosed description.” 

He said: “Yes”

I said: “Therefore you will say, upon the Qur’ān and Sunnah according to the understanding of the Salaf As-Sālih.” Then I told him, and he was an author and a poet “Is there a single word in the Arabic language that summarises this statement “Muslim upon the Qur’ān and Sunnah according to the understanding of the Salaf As-Sālih” like the word “Salafi”?” 

He said: That’s the one 

So he was left with no choice but to agree. This is the answer. If someone censures you then tell him this. Ask him “What are you?” He will say “Muslim” and then from there carry on the fore-mentioned discussion with him.

[حكم تعدد الجماعات الحزبية from the tape]