I write on my books and dedications: So-and-so ibn So-and-so al-Salafi; and it was said to me: this is a commendation; is this truly considered a commendation?
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The Shaykh : Yes?
The questioner: Peace be upon you.
The Shaykh : And upon you be peace and the mercy of Allah.
The questioner : How are you, my Shaykh?
The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah for the good, and how are you?
The questioner : Praise be to Allah for the good, from the Emirates, the United Arab Emirates.
The Shaykh : Welcome, welcome, greetings.
The questioner : May Allah reward you, O our Shaykh.
The Shaykh : And may He reward you.
The questioner : May Allah keep you. O Shaykh?
The Shaykh : Yes?
The questioner : I have always been in the habit of writing in some of my books—for example—my name and my father's name, al-Salafi.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : I write myself—for example—So-and-so So-and-so al-Salafi.
The Shaykh: Yes.
The questioner : ... when I give a book as a dedication to some of my friends, I write: So-and-so So-and-so al-Salafi; is this permissible or not permissible? Is this considered a commendation, since some of the brothers said to me: this is considered a commendation?
The Shaykh : We say to the one who told you: this is a commendation; I thank him on one hand; because he does not say to you: it is not permissible to affiliate yourself to the righteous Salaf; because affiliation to the righteous Salaf is a virtue and an excellence; and therefore he fears for you that you will commend yourself with this affiliation; at that point, I say to you, and before you convey to me the reasoning you conveyed to me, I wanted to answer you with the following.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : So I say to you: if you say: So-and-so ibn So-and-so al-Salafi to clarify your scholarly methodology, not to commend yourself in the eyes of people; then this is permissible, indeed it is a good and recommended matter, indeed it is perhaps obligatory in the present age; where the chaff has been mixed with the wheat.
The questioner: There is no power nor strength except with Allah.
The Shaykh : And the Rafidi, the Shi'i, the Zaydi, the Ibadi, the Khariji, and the Mu'tazili, each one when you ask him: what is your madhhab? says: I am a Muslim, and the difference between this and this and this and this, and so on; so if you affiliate yourself to the righteous Salaf to clarify your methodology in your worship of your Lord, then that is excellent; but if you affiliate yourself with this good affiliation in boasting, showing off, and commending yourself; then the matter is as they told you.
The questioner : O my Shaykh, Allah knows, and by the great Allah, that we love the righteous Salaf, and I do not write this designation; meaning because I love this designation.
The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah.
The questioner : Yes?
The Shaykh : I say to you: Praise be to Allah, you have understood.
The questioner : ... meaning if I write this thing, Satan may enter; I mean if it is from the perspective of commendation only; mere distinction; meaning is this permissible? The important thing is it is permissible, if Allah wills.
The Shaykh : And up to now I have not understood me?! May Allah forgive you.
The questioner : I understood, O Shaykh, I understood, may Allah bless you.
The Shaykh : That is enough, so I will add to your knowledge now, so I say to you.
The questioner : Yes, my Shaykh.
The Shaykh : Who told you: this is a commendation, you say as you told me just now; I do not commend myself with this affiliation, but rather out of my love for the righteous Salaf and my love for following them, I affiliated myself with them.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : And the complete speech that you should say to the one who takes exception to you regarding this affiliation; you say to him the following, and I am presenting to you now a lesson; so I hope you memorize it well.
The questioner : If Allah wills.
The Shaykh : Are you ready?
The questioner : If Allah wills.
The Shaykh : Listen to what I say to you.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Who told you what you told me just now, ask him: what is your madhhab? I think he will say to you: Muslim, say to him: today it is not sufficient to say: Muslim; because all the misguided sects all say about themselves Muslim; so it is necessary to distinguish yourself, not in boasting, but in gratitude to Allah (Mighty and Majestic) for that He guided you while the others went astray; so what is your madhhab? He will say—for example—: my madhhab is the Book and the Sunnah, did you understand up to here?
The questioner : Meaning the Book and the Sunnah is not sufficient.
The Shaykh : Well done, but you did not answer me; did you understand up to here?
The questioner : I understood—and praise be to Allah—, your cassette—O Shaykh—is all with us, praise be to Allah.
The Shaykh : That is enough then; take the answer from the cassette.
The questioner : May Allah reward you.
The questioner: Peace be upon you.
The Shaykh : And upon you be peace and the mercy of Allah.
The questioner : How are you, my Shaykh?
The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah for the good, and how are you?
The questioner : Praise be to Allah for the good, from the Emirates, the United Arab Emirates.
The Shaykh : Welcome, welcome, greetings.
The questioner : May Allah reward you, O our Shaykh.
The Shaykh : And may He reward you.
The questioner : May Allah keep you. O Shaykh?
The Shaykh : Yes?
The questioner : I have always been in the habit of writing in some of my books—for example—my name and my father's name, al-Salafi.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : I write myself—for example—So-and-so So-and-so al-Salafi.
The Shaykh: Yes.
The questioner : ... when I give a book as a dedication to some of my friends, I write: So-and-so So-and-so al-Salafi; is this permissible or not permissible? Is this considered a commendation, since some of the brothers said to me: this is considered a commendation?
The Shaykh : We say to the one who told you: this is a commendation; I thank him on one hand; because he does not say to you: it is not permissible to affiliate yourself to the righteous Salaf; because affiliation to the righteous Salaf is a virtue and an excellence; and therefore he fears for you that you will commend yourself with this affiliation; at that point, I say to you, and before you convey to me the reasoning you conveyed to me, I wanted to answer you with the following.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : So I say to you: if you say: So-and-so ibn So-and-so al-Salafi to clarify your scholarly methodology, not to commend yourself in the eyes of people; then this is permissible, indeed it is a good and recommended matter, indeed it is perhaps obligatory in the present age; where the chaff has been mixed with the wheat.
The questioner: There is no power nor strength except with Allah.
The Shaykh : And the Rafidi, the Shi'i, the Zaydi, the Ibadi, the Khariji, and the Mu'tazili, each one when you ask him: what is your madhhab? says: I am a Muslim, and the difference between this and this and this and this, and so on; so if you affiliate yourself to the righteous Salaf to clarify your methodology in your worship of your Lord, then that is excellent; but if you affiliate yourself with this good affiliation in boasting, showing off, and commending yourself; then the matter is as they told you.
The questioner : O my Shaykh, Allah knows, and by the great Allah, that we love the righteous Salaf, and I do not write this designation; meaning because I love this designation.
The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah.
The questioner : Yes?
The Shaykh : I say to you: Praise be to Allah, you have understood.
The questioner : ... meaning if I write this thing, Satan may enter; I mean if it is from the perspective of commendation only; mere distinction; meaning is this permissible? The important thing is it is permissible, if Allah wills.
The Shaykh : And up to now I have not understood me?! May Allah forgive you.
The questioner : I understood, O Shaykh, I understood, may Allah bless you.
The Shaykh : That is enough, so I will add to your knowledge now, so I say to you.
The questioner : Yes, my Shaykh.
The Shaykh : Who told you: this is a commendation, you say as you told me just now; I do not commend myself with this affiliation, but rather out of my love for the righteous Salaf and my love for following them, I affiliated myself with them.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : And the complete speech that you should say to the one who takes exception to you regarding this affiliation; you say to him the following, and I am presenting to you now a lesson; so I hope you memorize it well.
The questioner : If Allah wills.
The Shaykh : Are you ready?
The questioner : If Allah wills.
The Shaykh : Listen to what I say to you.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Who told you what you told me just now, ask him: what is your madhhab? I think he will say to you: Muslim, say to him: today it is not sufficient to say: Muslim; because all the misguided sects all say about themselves Muslim; so it is necessary to distinguish yourself, not in boasting, but in gratitude to Allah (Mighty and Majestic) for that He guided you while the others went astray; so what is your madhhab? He will say—for example—: my madhhab is the Book and the Sunnah, did you understand up to here?
The questioner : Meaning the Book and the Sunnah is not sufficient.
The Shaykh : Well done, but you did not answer me; did you understand up to here?
The questioner : I understood—and praise be to Allah—, your cassette—O Shaykh—is all with us, praise be to Allah.
The Shaykh : That is enough then; take the answer from the cassette.
The questioner : May Allah reward you.
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.