11/01/2025
Salafiyyah: By Whose Understanding?
In a previously established article titled What Makes a Madhhab a Madhhab of the Salaf, it was affirmed that Salafiyyah (or rather Islam) is a path to earning the Creator's pleasure by worshiping Him in the manner He loves and approves. Salafiyyah, as we understand it, means: the way the Prophet ﷺ left his companions upon, which was followed by the Tabi'un (the generation after the Companions) in righteousness.
However, in contemporary Salafi circles, there is a noticeable tendency for some individuals to impose their particular understanding of Salafiyyah on others, considering those who differ in interpretation as deviating from Salafiyyah (which is Islam, consistent with the way the Prophet ﷺ lived and died on). This necessitates clarifying the understanding upon which the correctness of Salafiyyah is founded. Therefore, I say:
First:
If Salafiyyah is understood by you and me to mean the purified Islam upon which the Prophet ﷺ died, then it can only be based on his understanding of the fundamentals and branches of Islam. Any disagreement on a principle should be referred back to Allah first (by consulting His Book), then to the Sunnah of the Messenger ﷺ (by consulting his authenticated sayings, actions, and approvals), and thirdly, to the understanding of his companions in cases where they unanimously agreed. If they differed in their understanding, no one's opinion should take precedence unless it is supported by evidence. This is a fundamental principle that admits no debate.
Second:
The validity of any foundational principle of Salafiyyah or its interpretation must be established through authentic reports from the Salaf, free from opposition by others of equal rank in knowledge, time, and virtue. The condition of freedom from opposition excludes cases where a Salafi statement is contradicted by another Salafi statement of equal standing. In such cases, the determining factor should be the weight of the evidence.
Third:
It is not a valid argument, in affirming a principle of Salafiyyah, to attribute the correct understanding exclusively to a specific sect or school of thought, while treating other interpretations with skepticism. This is a new innovation not in line with the methods of the Salaf among the Companions and their followers. The Salaf did not confine the understanding of Salafiyyah to the teachings of specific imams, such as Abu Hanifa, Malik, Al-Shafi'i, or Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on them). Rather, they transmitted from them and others whenever their reports were authenticated and found to align with the understanding of the earlier Salaf among the Prophet's companions and the Tabi'un.
Hence, we find Muslim scholars extensively referencing works like Abu Ja'far Al-Tahawi's Aqidah (known as Al-Tahawiyyah), in which he transmitted from Muhammad ibn Al-Hasan Al-Shaybani and Ya'qub ibn Ibrahim Al-Ansari, both companions of Abu Hanifa, what they narrated from Abu Hanifa. Scholars also cite the works of figures such as Ibn Abi Zayd Al-Qayrawani and Ibn Nasr Al-Baghdadi in affirming the creed of Imam Malik, as transmitted from his teachers among the scholars of the Tabi'un.
Similarly, scholars reference the works of Al-Ash'ari in his Maqalat and Al-Ibanah (while clarifying his errors without unnecessary disruption or confusion) for positions that align with the Salaf's methodology in matters of belief.
They also reference the writings of Imam Ahmad's students, such as his son Abdullah, Al-Barbahari, Ibn Battah Al-Ukbari, and Al-Lalaka'i, for their documentation of the creed of the Salaf.
This is not to consider their words authoritative in themselves but to utilize what they authentically transmitted in affirming the creed of the Salaf.
In this regard, Shaykh Al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) responded to criticisms that he only cited the creed of Imam Ahmad by stating in Al-Fatawa (3/169):
> “I have only compiled the creed of the righteous Salaf as a whole. It is not unique to Imam Ahmad. Imam Ahmad was merely conveying the knowledge brought by the Prophet ﷺ. If Ahmad had spoken from his own opinion about matters not brought by the Messenger, we would not have accepted it.”
The phrases in brackets above are highlights of Ibn Taymiyyah's invaluable words, emphasizing that the understanding of Salafiyyah is based on what is authentically transmitted from the Salaf through reliable chains of narration to the Prophet ﷺ, supported by the understanding of his companions. Allah says:
> "So if they believe in the same as you believe in, then they are rightly guided; but if they turn away, they are only in dissension." [Al-Baqarah: 137]
Although the verse was revealed to address the People of the Book (Jews and Christians), its application extends to anyone, as the lesson is derived from the generality of the wording, not the specificity of the cause. The verse remains universal in its meaning and conditions.
Thus, true faith is measured against the faith of the Companions.
One must have faith, creed, worship, activism, and loyalty like theirs. This is derived from the phrase "the same as you believe in," which implies emulating them in all righteousness and goodness, making them the true exemplars.
The ultimate model remains the Prophet ﷺ, who exemplified the comprehensive guidance of Islam.
In conclusion, Salafiyyah is based on the understanding of the Prophet’s companions who witnessed and lived Islam authentically with him. It is not their independent opinions (as no individual’s opinion is an authoritative proof), but rather their authentic transmissions of what they learned from those before them, verified through reliable chains, ultimately tracing back to the Prophet ﷺ.
Written by Dr. Habeebullah Abiodun Jumu’ah Agbabiaka
Wednesday, 23 Shawwal 1440 AH / June 26, 2019
