The Shaykh’s commentary on the mention in the speech of the Salafis’ adherence to the Book and the Sunnah, and his pointing out the necessity of qualifying that with the understanding of the Salaf al-Salih.

The Shaykh : The third issue, which is actually, as I said, a further clarification of some of what the brother mentioned. The Salafi call converges with all other calls, old and new, in that their callers all revolve within the circle of Islam. They all meet in a common word, which is that they return to the Book and to the Sunnah. So, from this perspective, the Salafi call has no distinction over the other calls, especially those that exist in the present day. However, the Salafi call is distinguished in this area where everyone revolves around the Book and the Sunnah by calling for the understanding of the Book and the Sunnah according to the methodology of the Salaf al-Salih. They do not merely call Muslims to return to the Book and the Sunnah, but they add to that the return to the Book and the Sunnah according to the methodology of the Salaf al-Salih. This is because of the many sects to which the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) referred in a passing mention in the hadith of the seventy-three sects. He said about all of them: They said, “Who are they, O Messenger of Allah?” He said: And in the other narration, which is more authentic, he said: And in the other hadith: to the end of the hadith. So we find here in the two hadiths a pointing out to this qualification that the Salafis hold to among the other callers: the Book, the Sunnah, and understanding according to the methodology of the Salaf al-Salih. This is because the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) did not say only “what I am upon,” but rather he said: He did not say only “hold to my Sunnah,” but rather he said: And this is actually a quotation from the Noble Qur’an, like the saying of the Lord of the Worlds: So Allah (Mighty and Majestic) said, “and follows other than the way of the believers.” Why did He bring this phrase? This phrase is a very serious explanatory point. It would have been sufficient for Him to say: But He added to the opposing of the Messenger His saying (Mighty and Majestic): for a profound wisdom, which is that opposing the Messenger only manifests by contradicting the Sunnah of the believers and the methodology of the Salaf al-Salih about which you heard the previous speech. Therefore, Ibn al-Qayyim says, confirming and making a quick passing reference to this qualification in understanding the Book and the Sunnah:
“Knowledge is what Allah said, what His Messenger said, and what the Companions said”.
He also did not suffice with saying “Knowledge is what Allah said, what His Messenger said,” as the majority of Muslims say, but he added to that: “...*** The Companions, not by deception.”
What is knowledge? You have set yourself up for foolishness in disagreement *** Between the Messenger and the saying of a jurist.
No, and neither denying the attributes and negating them, out of fear of ta'til (denial of the divine attributes) and tashbih (likening Allah to creation) .
I want to say briefly that the Salafi call revolves, among other things, around understanding the Book and the Sunnah according to the methodology of the Salaf al-Salih. And from this comes for them the protection from falling into the matters that the scholars of Islam spoke about, which deviated from the straight path, such as the Mu’tazilah, the Murji’ah, the Jabriyyah, and the like. And from the modern ideas today that many Islamic writers speak of and write down in the name of Islam, which are not of Islam in any way. No one from the people of knowledge can know that unless he is holding to the Book and the Sunnah according to the methodology of the Salaf al-Salih. This is a reminder, and the reminder benefits the believers. And this is sufficient, and praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds.