What is your opinion of the one who says: Allah named us Muslims, so there is no need for us to call ourselves Salafis?
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The Shaykh : Is there any legal impediment to a person revealing his religious identity and his direction in understanding the texts of the Shari'ah from the Book and the Sunnah? Is there any legal impediment in the view of those who ask, "Why do you call yourselves Salafis?" I do not see any impediment in that, just as I do not see an impediment in a Muslim saying, "I am Syrian," or that one saying, "I am Egyptian," or another saying, "I am from Hijaz," and so on. Al-Albani, there is no impediment, because this reminds people of the reality of this person in terms of his nationality, and in terms of creed, school of thought, and madhhab. This is much more important, especially when the madhahib mix and multiply, becoming seventy-three sects, all in the Fire except one. So if we simply say "Muslims," we do not express our direction, and we mix with others. The truth is that we hear this doubt often, and very often. Then we say, "Suppose we agreed to say only what Allah named us, which is Muslims. What proportion do we represent of the Muslim community, which has split into seventy-three sects? A white spot on the skin... Has the problem disappeared? There are those who say, 'I am Hanafi,' 'I am Shafi'i,' 'I am Maliki,' 'I am Hanbali,' 'I am a party member,' 'I am Qadiri,' 'I am Shadhili,' 'I am Shi'ite,' 'I am Zaydi,' and so on. So if we are tolerant, yes?"
The questioner : And I am a Tablighi, and I am a Muslim Brotherhood member.
The Shaykh : Yes, we are tolerant by relinquishing the designation. And I say something that I think is very important: we relinquish the designation from which one has disavowed himself. In my opinion, one who disavows himself from it, knowing that what he disavowed is disbelief—we relinquish this designation, while others cling to persons, no matter how high their status, how elevated their knowledge, or how righteous they are; they are persons. This one is Hanafi and clings to his Hanafism, and that one is Shafi'i, and so on. They are not satisfied with an alternative to this designation. So when we simply relinquish it and say, "Allah named us Muslims," well, a questioner will ask you: "Are you Hanafi?" You say, "No." Can you say, "I am Hanafi?" No. "Shafi'i?" He keeps listing them. "If not, then what are you?" "I am a Muslim." "Why... why do you hide yourself?" And he is a Muslim, so he will tell you.
The questioner : He follows the path of the Shi'ite.
The Shaykh : Yes?
The questioner : He follows the path of the Shi'ite who slips in his madhhab and tells you, "I am a Muslim."
Another questioner: No, no, in that case, the implication of the opposite applies: I am a Muslim and you are not a Muslim. That means you are judging who... that is, if we call the Salafis Muslims, then it means the Shi'ite is not a Muslim, and every other sect is not a Muslim, which automatically becomes the case for you.
The Shaykh : And we gave an example just now, and this is, of course, a more fitting example.
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : Yes, yes.
The questioner : Some Salafis have no connection to it.
The Shaykh : I told you just now, and this is more fitting; this example is more fitting.
The questioner : And originally, the people of the Sunnah means the Salaf. In the era of the Salaf, when the fitnah of the Khawarij began, then the Shi'ah, and after that, there were the people of the Sunnah. The people of the Sunnah were in opposition to these sects and innovations. The Salafis today are the people of the Sunnah; they are the people of the Hadith. Others who say, "This one is a Sufi," or "this one is such-and-such," claim to be from the people of the Sunnah, but in practice, they do not represent the people of the Sunnah. The Ash'ari does not represent the people of the Sunnah, and the Maturidi does not represent the people of the Sunnah in his creed. The people of the Sunnah followed the Hadith and the athar in creed, but these people do not follow that; they follow the methodology of the scholars of kalam in establishing creeds. The issue is not just a matter of jurisprudential branches; it is a matter of creed. So these people do not follow the methodology of the Salaf and the people of the Sunnah.
Another questioner: The other sects are named after a specific person.
The questioner : Yes, Ash'ari, Maturidi, after a person.
Another questioner: Salafiyyah is named after following the methodology of the Salaf, not after Zayd or 'Amr.
The Shaykh : That is why I said to some of them: "You affiliate with the Muslim Brotherhood, and the Muslim Brotherhood affiliates with Shaykh Hasan al-Banna (may Allah have mercy on him). I am now disavowing the Muslim Brotherhood; do I remain a Muslim or am I a disbeliever?" He says: "By force, against his will, you are a Muslim." Can you disavow the righteous Salaf? He cannot disavow them, if he has any understanding or knowledge.
The student: If he has awareness.
The Shaykh : Yes, but if he is ignorant, he will tell you: "No, I don't care; I am a Muslim and also a Muslim Brotherhood member." So I disavow affiliation with an imam from the imams of the Muslims and remain a Muslim, but if I disavow the righteous Salaf, it means that the statement of Allah the Exalted applies to me:[An-Nisa 4:115]. This is the difference between this designation and all the designations of this world; it is a very great difference. But partisan fanaticism blinds the hearts and makes them deny what they must affirm, and affirm what they must deny, unfortunately.
The questioner : So these people you spoke about were asked about in the Afghan group, and they said: "They named themselves the Muslim Group," and they said: "The Muslims, and whoever is other than them is a disbeliever."
The Shaykh : They are not Muslims.
The student: He is not a Muslim.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The student: Like this, meaning when he names himself a Muslim, whoever is other than him is a disbeliever.
The questioner : And I am a Tablighi, and I am a Muslim Brotherhood member.
The Shaykh : Yes, we are tolerant by relinquishing the designation. And I say something that I think is very important: we relinquish the designation from which one has disavowed himself. In my opinion, one who disavows himself from it, knowing that what he disavowed is disbelief—we relinquish this designation, while others cling to persons, no matter how high their status, how elevated their knowledge, or how righteous they are; they are persons. This one is Hanafi and clings to his Hanafism, and that one is Shafi'i, and so on. They are not satisfied with an alternative to this designation. So when we simply relinquish it and say, "Allah named us Muslims," well, a questioner will ask you: "Are you Hanafi?" You say, "No." Can you say, "I am Hanafi?" No. "Shafi'i?" He keeps listing them. "If not, then what are you?" "I am a Muslim." "Why... why do you hide yourself?" And he is a Muslim, so he will tell you.
The questioner : He follows the path of the Shi'ite.
The Shaykh : Yes?
The questioner : He follows the path of the Shi'ite who slips in his madhhab and tells you, "I am a Muslim."
Another questioner: No, no, in that case, the implication of the opposite applies: I am a Muslim and you are not a Muslim. That means you are judging who... that is, if we call the Salafis Muslims, then it means the Shi'ite is not a Muslim, and every other sect is not a Muslim, which automatically becomes the case for you.
The Shaykh : And we gave an example just now, and this is, of course, a more fitting example.
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : Yes, yes.
The questioner : Some Salafis have no connection to it.
The Shaykh : I told you just now, and this is more fitting; this example is more fitting.
The questioner : And originally, the people of the Sunnah means the Salaf. In the era of the Salaf, when the fitnah of the Khawarij began, then the Shi'ah, and after that, there were the people of the Sunnah. The people of the Sunnah were in opposition to these sects and innovations. The Salafis today are the people of the Sunnah; they are the people of the Hadith. Others who say, "This one is a Sufi," or "this one is such-and-such," claim to be from the people of the Sunnah, but in practice, they do not represent the people of the Sunnah. The Ash'ari does not represent the people of the Sunnah, and the Maturidi does not represent the people of the Sunnah in his creed. The people of the Sunnah followed the Hadith and the athar in creed, but these people do not follow that; they follow the methodology of the scholars of kalam in establishing creeds. The issue is not just a matter of jurisprudential branches; it is a matter of creed. So these people do not follow the methodology of the Salaf and the people of the Sunnah.
Another questioner: The other sects are named after a specific person.
The questioner : Yes, Ash'ari, Maturidi, after a person.
Another questioner: Salafiyyah is named after following the methodology of the Salaf, not after Zayd or 'Amr.
The Shaykh : That is why I said to some of them: "You affiliate with the Muslim Brotherhood, and the Muslim Brotherhood affiliates with Shaykh Hasan al-Banna (may Allah have mercy on him). I am now disavowing the Muslim Brotherhood; do I remain a Muslim or am I a disbeliever?" He says: "By force, against his will, you are a Muslim." Can you disavow the righteous Salaf? He cannot disavow them, if he has any understanding or knowledge.
The student: If he has awareness.
The Shaykh : Yes, but if he is ignorant, he will tell you: "No, I don't care; I am a Muslim and also a Muslim Brotherhood member." So I disavow affiliation with an imam from the imams of the Muslims and remain a Muslim, but if I disavow the righteous Salaf, it means that the statement of Allah the Exalted applies to me:
And whoever opposes the Messenger after guidance has become clear to him and follows other than the way of the believers - We will give him what he has taken and drive him into Hell, and evil it is as a destination.
ومن يشاقق الرسول من بعد ما تبيَّن له الهدى ويتبع غير سبيل المؤمنين نولِّه ما تولَّى ونصله جهنَّم وساءت مصيراًThe questioner : So these people you spoke about were asked about in the Afghan group, and they said: "They named themselves the Muslim Group," and they said: "The Muslims, and whoever is other than them is a disbeliever."
The Shaykh : They are not Muslims.
The student: He is not a Muslim.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The student: Like this, meaning when he names himself a Muslim, whoever is other than him is a disbeliever.