Question:
We want to know what Salafiyyah (Salafism) is as a methodology (manhaj), and is it permissible for us to affiliate ourselves with it? Is it permissible for us to criticize someone who does not affiliate with it, or someone who objects to the word “Salafi,” or similar matters?
Answer:
Salafism is: following the methodology of the Prophet — peace and blessings be upon him — and his Companions; because they are the ones who preceded us and went before us, and following them is Salafism.
As for adopting Salafism as a specific, isolated methodology by which a person sets themselves apart and considers those Muslims who disagree with them to be misguided — even if those others are in the right — or adopting Salafism as a partisan methodology, there is no doubt that this is contrary to Salafism. The pious predecessors (Salaf) all called for unity and coming together around the Sunnah of the Messenger — peace and blessings be upon him — and they did not declare those who disagreed with them due to interpretation (ta’wil) to be misguided, except regarding matters of creed (aqidah), where they did indeed view anyone who opposed them in that regard as misguided.
However, regarding practical matters, they are very lenient. Yet, some of those who have adopted Salafism in our present era have begun to declare anyone who disagrees with them as misguided, even if the truth is with that other person. Some of them have turned it into a partisan methodology, akin to the methodologies of other groups that affiliate with the religion of Islam. This is precisely what is objectionable and cannot be approved of; rather, it is said: Look at the school of thought of the righteous predecessors and what they used to do! Look at their approach and the breadth of their chests regarding differences where independent reasoning (ijtihad) is justified. Indeed, they used to differ on major issues, as well as matters of creed and practice.
For instance, you find some of them denying that the Prophet — peace and blessings be upon him — saw his Lord, while others say: Yes, he did. You see some of them saying that deeds themselves are what will be weighed on the Day of Resurrection, while others hold that the records of deeds are what will be weighed. You also see them differing greatly in jurisprudential (fiqh) matters concerning marriage, inheritance shares, business transactions, and others. Despite all this, they did not declare one another misguided.
Therefore, Salafism in the sense of being a distinct party with its own characteristics, whose members consider everyone else to be misguided — these people have nothing to do with Salafism whatsoever.
As for Salafism: it is following the methodology of the Salaf in creed, word, deed, unity, disagreement, agreement, mutual mercy, and mutual affection. As the Prophet — peace and blessings be upon him — said: “The parable of the believers in their mutual affection, mercy, and compassion is that of a single body: when one limb aches, the rest of the body responds with wakefulness and fever.”
This is true Salafism.