Question:
Is Salafiyyah a group from amongst the (various) groups? And is the ascription to it blameworthy?
Answer:
Salafiyyah: It is the saved sect, and they areAhlus-Sunnah wal-Jamaa’ah, it is not a sect from amongst the party spirited groups that are labeled with partisanship; it is a Jamaa’ah upon the Sunnah and theDeen. He (the Prophet)sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallamsaid:
“áÇ ÊÒÇá ØÇÆÝÉ ãä ÃãÊí Úáì ÇáÍÞ ÙÇåÑíä¡ áÇ íÖÑåã ãä ÎÐáåã æáÇ ãä ÎÇáÝåã”
“There will not cease to be a group of my nation manifest upon the truth, not being harmed by those who abandon them, nor by those who appose them.”[1]
He (the Prophet)sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallamsaid:
"æÓÊÝÊÑÞ åÐå ÇáÃãÉ Úáì ËáÇË æÓÈÚíä ÝÑÞÉ ßáåÇ Ýí ÇáäÇÑ ÅáÇ æÇÍÏÉ."
This Ummah will split into seventy three sects all of them in the fire except one.”
They (the Companions) asked: “What is it (the saved sect) O Messenger of Allaah?” He (the ProphetsallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said:
"ãä ßÇä Úáì ãËá ãÇ ÃäÇ Úáíå Çáíæã æÃÕÍÇÈí"
”Those that are upon what I and my Companions are upon today.”[2]
So Salafiyyah is a group upon the methodology of the Salaf, upon that which the MessengersallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallamand his Companions were upon, that is not a sect from the party spirited sects of today. Indeed it (as-Salaffiyah) is an ancient Jamaa’ah traced back to the time of the MessengersallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallama continually inherited legacy, remaining manifest upon the truth up until the establishment of the Hour as hesallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallaminformed.
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[1] Reported by Muslim (no.1920)
[2] Reported by at-Tirmidhee (no.2641)
Shaykh Saalih al-Fawzaan
ÇáÝÊÇæì ÇáãåãÉ Ýí ÊäÕíÑ ÇáÃãøÉ: p.134, DAAR AL-MINHAAJ
Translated by Abu Maryam Taariq bin 'Ali