A discussion on Salafism and its stance toward other groups.

The questioner : Some issues require, in my view, that we establish principles from which we can then proceed, if Allah wills, to study the specific details. What we know is that Salafism, or the Salafi call, is not a party and not a political gathering. Rather, I understand Salafism as a methodology for understanding the Book and the Sunnah in light of the understanding of the righteous Salaf (may Allah be pleased with them), free from fanaticism toward individuals and opinions, as we all know. So I would like, O Shaykh, for you to clarify this specific issue for us, meaning to help us understand Salafism in terms of the call to Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He), and in terms of its distance from partisanship. Because we see today, O Shaykh, phenomena that give the impression of partisanship, and this partisanship is not explicitly political. This means that I may disagree with the Muslim Brotherhood on certain matters and disagree with other groups on certain matters, but this does not lead me to hold hatred toward these brothers of mine, nor does it prevent me from going to them, visiting them, and conveying the call to them. Many Salafis, when they see a Salafi who understands Salafism correctly and precisely, and who goes to the groups and calls them to Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He)—even if there are innovations among them or superstitions—we have seen and reaped the fruits of this through good character, knowledge, and good treatment. Many of them returned to the methodology of the righteous Salaf and adopted it. So I would like, O Shaykh, may Allah reward you with the best reward, for you to explain this issue to us. May Allah do you good, if Allah wills, and all of us.

The Shaykh : In my opinion, the issue does not need more explanation than what you have mentioned. Because the Salafi call, as I said, is not a party. In fact, we criticize some Salafis who become partisan, because partisanship is not part of Islam. Rather, it is a call, as we have always said, that is broad enough to encompass all Islamic groups, and no single one of these Islamic groups is broad enough to encompass it. It is the widest arena that gathers what is scattered among the Islamic groups under the circle of the Book and the Sunnah and the methodology of the righteous Salaf. Perhaps you do not know that when we were in Damascus, I was with the Muslim Brotherhood as if I were one of them, though I was not. I was with them, accompanying them on their short and long trips in the path of spreading the Islamic call. Perhaps you will hear the effects of these visits and companionships from me toward those people, so you will know that, for example, Isam 'Attar, who was for a long time the president of the Muslim Brotherhood and is now residing in Germany, is one of our Salafi brothers, if that is the correct expression. He is a member of the Brotherhood and follows the Brotherhood's methodology, but he received the Salafi call from attending my lectures there in Damascus. Similarly, Zuhayr al-Shawish and many, many, and very many of the senior members of the Muslim Brotherhood. Although I do not adopt the methodology of the Muslim Brotherhood, because it is not a Salafi methodology, and because it is based on the principle of grouping without education. We see that some people today follow the direction of this call, meaning they try to group people and gather them before educating them. We always say that the basis of grouping must be education and teaching, and conveying the Islamic call in the widest possible circle for any caller. So the original principle is not gathering people, as we have heard this from many callers of the Muslim Brotherhood. The original principle is not that we gather them on the word "La ilaha illa Allah" without them understanding its meaning, and without them being saved by their understanding of its correct meaning. You must first know that this testimony means the oneness of Allah (Mighty and Majestic) in lordship, worship, and names and attributes. So those are merely... there are Muslims who testify that "La ilaha illa Allah" and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. We group them, even if they are in the millions. And at that point, our call becomes a political call, not a scientific Islamic call. Therefore, we are fully convinced that the call begins with education, not with grouping and gathering without knowledge and without guidance. If that is the case, then the completion of this knowledge that one receives, and that one adopts Islam as Book, Sunnah, and Salafi methodology, leaves no doubt or hesitation that this person does not hesitate to connect with any other group, even if they are disbelievers. How much more so should he not gather with Muslims who share his creed, even in general terms, in many of the acts of worship and prayers? It is more fitting for him, and more obligatory, that he meet with them and convey the call of Allah to them. But this, may Allah bless you, cannot be imagined in everyone who says, "I am a Salafi." Because you know as a matter of course that not everyone who says, "I am a Muslim," understands Islam, even in general terms. So a fortiori, not everyone who says, "I am a Salafi," has understood Salafism in its entirety, in all its aspects, and is then able to apply it practically. And so I said at the beginning of what I said that there is no room for speech, because what I said is the call of the Book and the Sunnah: that the Muslim calls the people close to him in thought and those far from him as well. But not everyone is able to do this, nor does everyone understand it well enough to be able to do it and apply it practically. And we observe in the present age very contradictory matters. Many of those who claim Salafism do not understand the Salafi principles and the tenets of Salafism. And even if he understands them, or understands much of them, he contradicts them by following others. So here are two issues that are not hidden from anyone: knowledge and action. Just as every Muslim must lack something in the action of some aspects of Islam, so too knowledge must lack something of it, as you know from the saying of Allah the Exalted: ... And between this and that, people vary to the greatest degree of variation. Therefore, do not be surprised if you find in your country or in other countries someone who says, "I am a Salafi," and may be sincere in his statement, but misses aspects of the Salafi call, either in knowledge or in application. Therefore, we cannot imagine that so-and-so represents the Islamic call alone. This is something no one can say. Therefore, your question was, in my belief, a matter not unknown to the scholars who know the Book and the Sunnah and the methodology of the righteous Salaf. But there may be individuals among these people who do not have long patience or good style in the call... with some of his brothers. So the others may understand from him that this is the Salafi call in his concept, and the matter is not so. And in my belief, if you directed this question to any person who has some correct Islamic culture, he would answer you in the manner you have just heard, that it does not contradict being a Salafi Muslim to mix with others and call them to the Islam that he adopts as a religion. I do not believe this is one of those issues you referred to at the beginning of your speech, where one takes the opinion or fatwa of Ibn 'Umar and another takes the fatwa of 'Umar, his father. This is not a matter of that kind, in my belief. And if you know that there are those who are pointed to as the call of Salafism in knowledge and action, yet they see that they should isolate themselves and not mix with others with their call, then we will cooperate with you in making him understand.