The Shaykh's answer to the one who says that it is not permissible to use the name "Salafi" because there is no evidence for this name in the Book and the Sunnah?

The questioner : ... .

The Shaykh: What did I answer you? What did I answer you? The name is a synonym for you... in the Levant, it is "Baba," do you know "Baba"?

The questioner: No.

The Shaykh: It means something scary.

The questioner : ... .

The Shaykh: The name, my dear, the name indicates a meaning.

The questioner: What... the brothers say: We follow the methodology of the Salaf... they say: We follow the methodology of the Salaf, and every group and every...

The Shaykh: You have strayed from the topic, this is a second discussion, that these people say this and those people say that, these people say: There is no god but Allah, and those people say: There is no god but Allah, do we deny "There is no god but Allah"? But we look at who is truthful in saying "There is no god but Allah," so you have now resorted to a new method of research; these people say: We are on the methodology of the Salaf, and those people say this, what do we have to do with this talk? Our discussion with you now is by what evidence do you deny this affiliation, and you affirmed it just now? You said: If a Muslim says: I am on the methodology of the righteous Salaf, then we are with him in this, if you summarize this methodology for you in one word, in one word which is: "I am a Salafi," what is wrong with it? You say: This name did not come in the Book and the Sunnah, okay?

The questioner: Yes.

The Shaykh: We made this name a distinction for the saved sect from the perishing sects, we did not make it a name by which we seek nearness to Allah. You now, if a questioner asks you: What is your madhab? We know some Salafis who have no knowledge say: I am a Muslim. Good; and if we ask the Shi'i and the Zaydi: What is your madhab? He says: I am a Muslim. It becomes like what they say in our region in the Levant; you are a Muslim, and the Shi'i is a Muslim, and the Zaydi is a Muslim, and the Qadiani is a Muslim; it became a "mixed bag"; do you know this expression? It means the wheat and the chaff are mixed together, so if you want to distinguish yourself from the Shi'i and the Zaydi and the Qadiani and the many sects like the Naqshbandi and so on; it is not permissible for you to give yourself a name that is the title of your methodology which you acknowledge... I am a man - for example - who prays from the land of Albania, if I say an expression of this origin that I am Albanian, do you say: You have contradicted the Book and the Sunnah? I do not say: Albanian in pride or claiming affiliation to other than what I am affiliated to, but to clarify the reality, I am Albanian, and you know that in the Sunnah there are the Ansar and the Muhajirun, this is a Muhajir and this is an Ansaari, does this mean something that the Shari'ah denies? Does this naming with other than the name Muslim? I am a Muslim, but my methodology is on the methodology of the righteous Salaf, you, O Zaydi, what is your methodology? On the madhab of Zayd ibn Ali, and you, O Shi'i?
We do not affiliate ourselves to individuals, we affiliate ourselves to the group of infallibility, and from here the one who does not distinguish between the affiliation to the Salaf and the affiliation to the Muslim Brotherhood, and the affiliation to al-Tahrir, and so on, is ignorant, all these people affiliate themselves to a group, to a community that is not associated with infallibility, whereas the Salafis affiliate themselves to the righteous Salaf to whom the Messenger (peace be upon him) testified to their excellence, and made holding fast to what they were upon the sign of salvation, so your denial of this is rigidity and distance from understanding the realities, so we do not take pride in saying: We are Salafis, but we clarify what our methodology is in the da'wah, otherwise you now, if I ask you: What is your madhab? You say to me: I am a Muslim, you did not make me understand! I may think that you are a Zaydi, I may understand from you that you are a Shi'i, do you want this? Good; then clarify to me what your madhab is? You will say to me: My madhab is on the methodology of the righteous Salaf, this is what we think, and by Allah I do not know you before, but what we think is that you will say to me: My madhab is on the methodology of the righteous Salaf.

The questioner: Yes.

The Shaykh: ... and peace be upon you.
On the methodology of the righteous Salaf, if you express this long phrase with the word "Salafi," what is the difference between this and that? If a questioner asks me: Which country are you from? By Allah, I am from Albania, there is nothing wrong with it, if I answer him: I am Albanian. No, you did not affiliate yourself to other than, I affiliate myself to indicate my nationality, not to indicate my religion and my nationality, and I take pride in it, but I am from the country of Albania; so I am Albanian, my methodology is on the madhab of the righteous Salaf, so I am a Salafi, you are an Arab man, summarize this whole phrase for me in one word, can you? You cannot; because you are Arab and you forgot Arabic; because if it were not for that, you would not have denied the word Salafi and affirmed that my methodology is on the methodology of the righteous Salaf; so this phrase: My madhab is on the methodology of the righteous Salaf.

Another questioner: It is equal.

The Shaykh: Its summary is: I am a Salafi; what does Salafi mean? I am on the Book and the Sunnah and the methodology of the righteous Salaf; therefore we say: So-and-so disavows "the Muslim Brotherhood," for example, and So-and-so disavows "the Tabligh group," for example, and So-and-so disavows "the Tahrir Party," did he disavow Islam?

The questioner: No.

The Shaykh: I say to you: A man disavows the righteous Salaf; what is your opinion of him?

The questioner : ... .

The Shaykh: I ask you, say it plainly, a man disavows the righteous Salaf?

The questioner: He disavows the group of truth.

The Shaykh : Yes?

The questioner: He disavows the group of truth.

The Shaykh: Okay; so they are not equal, the one who affiliates himself to the group of truth is not like the one who affiliates himself to a group in which there is truth and in which there is falsehood, so the Salaf are on the truth; and therefore the Messenger (peace be upon him) made them a sign that whoever holds fast to what they were upon is from the saved sect. Therefore - may Allah bless you - there is no division and dispute and disagreement between you and your brothers around you because of the formality of a name, if you know that this name is an expression of a principle that you - it appears, and Allah knows best - are with them in, then we hope that - if Allah wills - this will not be a cause of division and disagreement.

Another questioner: The waters return to their channels...

Another questioner: It settles on the ground.

The Shaykh: Come on, please, gentlemen, in the name of Allah.

The questioner: In the name of Allah.

The Shaykh: Affiliation to the Salaf, stating this explicitly means there are reasons that necessitate the use of this name, from the perspective: "By their opposites, things become clear," they said to us: That this name is, as our companion said, an innovation, and the one who said this is affiliated either to "the Tahrir Party" or "the Muslim Brotherhood," so I said to them: Cover all these affiliations, remove them and say with us: We are Muslims and that is all; at that time we say to you: You have hit the mark; because you affiliate yourselves to other than infallibility, but we are not with you, we do not disavow the Salaf, we are with them and we affiliate ourselves to them; because we affiliate ourselves to infallibility as we mentioned just now, so now you have a Hanafi, who says: Hanafi, who says: Shafi'i, who says: Zaydi, Shi'i, and so on, this is only limited to the request that you affiliate yourselves to what affiliation? An innovation. Good; and all these affiliations have been followed for a thousand years and more; this is a Hanafi, and this is a Shafi'i, and this is a Maliki, and so on, and there is no denial; even to the point that "the Muslim Brotherhood" - for example - who carry the banner of this affiliation deny this affiliation, among them are Hanafis, Shafi'is, Malikis, and Hanbalis, among them is a Sufi, and their imam before said: Their da'wah is Salafi-Khalafi, and so on, they hate this name for us, good; and what about these other names that you are satisfied with and not angry about? ... The Salafi da'wah is intended, not the name is intended, and the one who intends only the name has, I mean, a good intention but does not have correct knowledge, whereas the others want to keep their affiliation and raise this affiliation from which a Muslim who knows his religion cannot disavow.

Another questioner : The problem with the process, in my opinion, is the Arabic language; because sometimes you name a thing with a single word from these attributes, as if it is a tone that differs from something else, which is the Muslim.

The Shaykh: Of course.

Another questioner : Rather, the meaning intended is the second one—for example... the Salafi brothers, right now, it is very clear... Salafi, and the word used indicates a meaning and a method of action, not just a name for the sake of naming.

Another questioner : And to return to the roots.

The Shaykh : The principles, yes, returning to the principles, the roots.

Another questioner : Meaning, those who return to the principles.

Another questioner: Yes.

Another questioner : And this is a thing.

The Shaykh : And this is intended, of course.

Another questioner : So why does the Salafi call insist on holding onto this formality, which when taken as a formality, the observer looks at it... it appears as if this word "Salafi"...

The Shaykh : The observer looks at it, what? You say: the observer looks at it; I didn't understand what comes after!

Another questioner : The observer looks at it in a way that they are attacking it, it appears as if he is attacking a formality, while in reality, like... those who are with this call through attacking the formality.

The Shaykh : Yes.

Another questioner : Why is it necessary to maintain this formality? I mean.

The Shaykh : To display the methodology.

Another questioner : Yes.

The Shaykh : You didn't express that just now.

Another questioner : Yes, but I express it with a word, and the expression remains that he is a Muslim, not on the way of the Salaf.

The Shaykh : Excuse me, right now, regarding what we are telling you: this is a formality, this formality.

Another questioner : This formality is not that formality.

Another questioner : We understand that insistence on the formal.

The Shaykh : How?

Another questioner : That we must call him Salafi, that insistence...

The Shaykh : Wait a moment... take a breath, rest a little.
If you are with us and you believe that this word is a creed, if you believe that this word expresses the methodology; why do you call it a formality?

Another questioner : Expressing the methodology, there is nothing wrong with it.

The Shaykh : I am not asking you this, excuse me, I am telling you: if you believe that this word expresses a methodology, why do you call it a formality and not call it a means of expressing the methodology in the closest phrase?

Another questioner : If there were two phrases...

The Shaykh : Excuse me, I am asking you: why? Why? You start your speech with "if," a hypothetical, and the written text is clear from its title.

Another questioner : You are not mentioning the hypothesis or... anything else.

The Shaykh : How, how?

Another questioner : You are mentioning the hypothesis or... the permissibility of others; meaning you are saying this word, if we assume it represents the methodology of the people of the Salaf, and does not represent others.

The Shaykh : I did not say that, I did not say that.

Another questioner : Except.

The Shaykh : Here, pay attention to what I told you, I told you: if you believe, you, not me, you and those like you, if you believe that this word expresses that methodology, why do you call it a formality, not me, you; why? You deny the methodology, invalidate the methodology; then the matter is easier to understand, but you believe with us, like our friend here, that this methodology is obligatory for every Muslim, this is from one side, and from the other side you admitted that this word, in terms of Arabic style, is an expression of that Salafi methodology; yet you return and say: this is a formal issue.

Another questioner : I did not concede this second point.

The Shaykh: What is it?

Another questioner : That it is the best word.

The Shaykh : I just said: best, my brothers?

The questioner : No, the one who works in blacksmithing is a blacksmith.

The Shaykh : Glory to Allah! I did not say best, you will bring back to us the story of the hadith, that it became "repentance" and "not repentance," I did not say: best, my brother, understand me, may Allah bless you, you believe with us that the Muslim should understand his religion and his creed on the methodology of the righteous Salaf, that this is an obligatory matter; is that not so?

Another questioner: Yes.

The Shaykh : Good; this is in terms of religion, in terms of language you also believe and say: the word "Salafi" and "Salafi" is a reference to these Salaf whom we see that we should worship Allah on their methodology, this is linguistically, then you finally return and say: this is a formality; how is it a formality? The methodology you believe in, and this expression with one word linguistically you believe in, you call it a formality, how? This is the question.
And peace be upon you.

Another questioner : ... because I do not believe that the word is the best word to express this, and if several words were found that express this belonging instead of one word that in the modern era somehow became applied to this type of people, I believe it is...

The Shaykh : Can you summarize your answer?

Another questioner : More than that, a summary?

The Shaykh : Your answer is based on a hypothesis, and I now, in my way, when I am asked about an issue, I tell him: this—my brother—does not happen. He says to me: assume. I tell him that the answer is such, assuming; meaning the question is hypothetical and the answer is hypothetical!
Now we have crossed out the name "Salafi"; because it has what? A special sensitivity with some people, we gave you the alternative.

Another questioner : ... several alternatives.

Another questioner : It gives the meaning...

The Shaykh : Be patient a little, we gave you the alternative, I will meet you with the same logic of yours.

Another questioner : ... my situation, I want several alternatives...

Another questioner : Why and why?

The Shaykh : So, glory to Allah!

Another questioner : It indicates the people who... an Islamic school of thought... now...

Another questioner : Like the one who says: this cup, come, let us agree to call it a stone, and every time I tell you someone... the cup, why? Let us call it a cup and... a cup.

The Shaykh : My brother, the name you want to assume, is it a compound of four or five words like: "My school of thought is on the methodology of the righteous Salaf." How many words is that, six or seven? Perhaps a person with eloquence and rhetoric can summarize these seven words into three words, who among the sensible would object to this? Another person summarizes the three words into one word; it has a special sensitivity with some people, forgive us for it and we removed it from our language, give us the alternative; instead of saying: our school of thought is on the methodology of the righteous Salaf, we gave the alternative, our brother and those like him, the alternative is "Muslim," and we know what is said in response to the word "Muslim"; "a mixed bag"!! Muslim?! Druze Muslim, Alawite Muslim, and so on; so give us the alternative that indicates the person's school of thought and his personality, so what name remains, you put it or someone else, I will meet it with what you met this word with; what became a formal issue?

Another questioner : No, it takes on a connotation.

Another questioner : Let us give an example.

Another questioner : I am a Salafi Muslim.

Another questioner : We call our situation, Professor Adnan, "the strangers."

Another questioner : Or, no, or "the predecessors."

Another questioner : By Allah, this is not permissible.

Another questioner : Yes.

Another questioner : It is not permissible for everyone to come up with a name every day.

The Shaykh : Okay; you are permitting, may Allah guide you.

Another questioner : I am putting several names so that it does not become a name.

The Shaykh : You are permitting, no; but you are permitting, how do you say...

Another questioner : I am permitting that you describe them with several attributes; so that you do not apply one name to them like the Khawarij, like the Mu'tazilah, like the Shi'ah, like the Zaydiyyah, names that...

The Shaykh : Now, you, before, before now in this session.

Another questioner: Yes.

The Shaykh : Didn't I say they used to be called "the people of the Sunnah and the community"?

Another questioner : I said that one of the things...

The Shaykh : I am telling you I said, didn't you say?

Another questioner : ... .

The Shaykh : ... or later, did I say or did I not say? What do you think of this name "the people of the Sunnah and the community"?

Another questioner : It has acquired other connotations.

The Shaykh : I am telling you now: it has acquired a connotation?

Another questioner : Do you accept it?

The Shaykh : Name, name, is there something on this name?

Another questioner : A title.

The Shaykh : Oh?

Another questioner: No.

The Shaykh : Okay; instead of "the people of the Sunnah and the community," "the people of the Sunnah"; is there a difference for you?

The questioner: No...

The Shaykh : Okay; instead of "the people of the Sunnah," "the Sunniyyin," I want... it remains; it means it is a formality, you are making it a formality!!

Another questioner : Originally, the Salafis in some countries have this name.

The Shaykh : Yes, yes, right away, oh Salafi, oh one of the people of the hadith, oh supporters of the Sunnah, oh Sunniyyin, what...

Another questioner : In some countries their name is "the people of the hadith."

Another questioner : If we said: we are the people of the community, it also has something, my sheikh... more sensitivity.

Another questioner : Any naming...

Another questioner : It means we are the saved ones and others are not saved!!

The Shaykh : It is necessary—Professor Adnan—that one displays his principle, in the closest phrase and closest style.

Another questioner : Indicating the methodology.

The Shaykh : Not at all.

Another questioner : My Shaykh, if a person does not use this name; I am on the methodology, I am a Muslim on the methodology of the pious predecessors.

The Shaykh : What is it ... .

Another questioner : Yes, this is what we arrive at.

The Shaykh : Our companion agreed in it.

The questioner : This is a designation. Rather, when he says: a Muslim on the path of the Salaf or the understanding of the Salaf, it is not the designation which is "Salafi," which has led to division.

The Shaykh : Where is the division?

The questioner : Division as a designation of the name of the existing group.

The Shaykh : May Allah guide you, say: Ameen. I am asking you a question now, and may Allah guide me, not just you ... Is it the name that divides, or the reality of the one designated?

Another questioner : The one designated.

The Shaykh : I am asking you now, is it the mere name that divides and the mere name that has an effect, or is it the one designated? That is, is it the name "Saliha" that affects him, or is he himself righteous?

Another questioner : ... .

The Shaykh : Okay; my methodology is actually on the madhhab of the pious predecessors, and I do not designate myself as a Salafi. If I designate myself as a Salafi, it has an effect, and if I follow the Salafi methodology, it does not have an effect?

Another questioner : It has an effect.

The Shaykh : If I follow the Salafi methodology, it affects me with righteousness, and it affects the disbelievers and hypocrites with what? Harm. But if I name myself a Salafi and do not believe in the madhhab of the pious predecessors and do not act, does it have an effect? So where are you going?

Another questioner : I mean, if we designate ourselves as Salafis and do not act on the methodology, they will not oppose us! No one will come out to oppose you, someone will oppose you.

Another questioner : You are opposed because you built the methodology, not because you designated yourself as a Salafi.

Another questioner : We are not talking about the opposition to building the methodology.

The Shaykh : Excuse me - Mr. Adnan - a small note, I hope you do not say: "We"; for two reasons; first, the one who says "we" is the one who speaks from above, do you see? Second, it gives us the impression that there is someone with you in the matter, and you are alone [The Shaykh laughs!].

Another questioner : If Allah wills, if Allah wills, we notice this, it is our constant speech.

The Shaykh : It is fine, but here the matter is sensitive, it has precision, say: I see.

Another questioner : I am afraid one person will record for the other ... .

Another questioner : In any case, all these names should be set aside, and the Shaykh is the first person to wipe it out by saying: Salafi, put it aside, and we are all Muslims, but they all become walking, evaluate all these names.

Another questioner : I mean, the Shi'i evaluates his being a Shi'i, and the Zaydi says: I am not a Zaydi.

Another questioner : ... I told him: You are a Rafidi. He said to you: No. I told him: You are ...? He said to you: No. I told him: You are a Qadari? He said to you: No. I told him: You are what?

Another questioner : ... It is the designation, the designation is a matter that imposes itself.

Another questioner : ... He spoke yesterday about the issue of formalities, these things I did not do ... the misbaha and not a misbaha, and I do not know what, the issue is bigger than that, it includes ... judging by what Allah has revealed, meaning, it needs a methodology to follow, meaning it is correct.

The Shaykh : Yes, finished, they established the methodology, they have been there for sixty years, they did not establish a government that rules by what Allah has revealed, nor did they create an Islamic society, nor did they establish the state of Islam in every ... place, go back, they did nothing at all!! They are now in understanding Islam correctly dependent on the Salafi da'wah, and if you find among them someone who has something of the correct 'aqidah, they took it from outside the group; so what did they benefit in the span of sixty years?

Another questioner : He is not talking about the group.

The Shaykh : He is talking about the group.

Another questioner : About the group, did you say?

The Shaykh : Okay; Mansur, give me the certain news.

Another questioner : ... .

The Shaykh : Enough, we have an appointment, we need to catch Maghrib there.

Another questioner : There is a small question.

The Shaykh : ... Your questions, my dear, are always small and big.

Another questioner : ... .

The Shaykh: Yes.