The Meaning of the Salaf
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Q346: The questioner asks: Who are the Salaf whose words are cited as evidence from the Book and the Sunnah?
A346: The Salaf are the Companions, the Tabi'un, and the generation following the Tabi'un. They are the preferred generations about whom the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sahih al-Bukhari 3651. The narrator said: I do not know if he mentioned two generations or three. So the preferred generations are the righteous Salaf, about whom Allah said: [At-Tawbah 9:100].
A346: The Salaf are the Companions, the Tabi'un, and the generation following the Tabi'un. They are the preferred generations about whom the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
The best people are those living in my generation, and then those who will follow them, and then those who will follow the latter
خير الناس قرني، ثم الذين يلونهم، ثم الذين يلونهمAnd the first forerunners [in the faith] among the Muhajireen and the Ansar and those who followed them with good conduct - Allah is pleased with them and they are pleased with Him
وَالسَّابِقُونَ الْأَوَّلُونَ مِنَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ وَالْأَنْصَارِ وَالَّذِينَ اتَّبَعُوهُمْ بِإِحْسَانٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَضُوا عَنْهُ
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.