Who are Al-Salaf Al-Saleh
Question:
I hear much about the Salaf, who are the Salaf, O Noble Shaykh?
Answer:
The meaning of the [word] Salaf is (Al-Mutaqaddimoon) the predecessors so every person that precedes another is a salaf for him but when this term is used unrestrictedly then it only refers to the first three praised generations from the companions (as-Sahabah) and those that followed them (at-Tabi’un) and those that followed them [Atba’ at-Tabi’in]. They indeed are the pious predecessors (as-Salaf as-Saleh). Whoever came after them and traversed upon their way (Minhaj) then he is like them upon the way of the Salaf; even though he may have come after them with regards to time because as-Salafiyyah is a designation which applies to the way (Minhaj)) which was traversed by the pious predecessors (as-Salaf as-Saleh) ( may Allah be pleased with them) as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Indeed my nation will split into seventy three sects all of them in the Fire except one and it is the united body (al-Jama’ah)” and in another wording, “..whoever is upon the same as what I am upon and my companions.”
So based upon that then as-Salafiyyah here is specific in meaning, hence whoever is upon the way (Minhaj) of the Sahabah, the Tabi’un and those who followed them upon goodness then he is a Salafi even if he is in our contemporary times and whilst it being the fourteenth century after the Migration [of the Prophet] (al-Hijrah).
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- Estimated Reading Time1 min read
- Source :Fatawa Nur 'ala al-Darb, at-Tawhid wal-'Aqidah
- Ref :من هم السلف
- Translated by :Abu Abdillah al-Kashmiri
- Fatwas Manhaj
- Last modified