5) The Salafis Think Only They Are Correct
We have to make a distinction between that which is being ascribed to – which
is the way of the Salaf – and the one who is ascribing himself to this. In
absolute terms, that which is being subscribed to, that is the way of the Salaf,
is nothing but the truth embodied, in both general specific terms, in issues of
aqidah and manhaj, usool and furoo’ – and no-one denies or negates this save a
heretic.
As for the one who subscribes himself to the Salafi Way, then in the basis of
his ascription – which is to that which cannot err – then he is correct in that,
and what is in opposition to this, is but error and misguidance. We mean here
from the point of view of the generality of aqidah and manhaj and the usool of
the religion. This is because the aqidah and the manhaj and the usool of the
Salaf of all the ages is the same and they are united upon all of that.
Hence, one who is a Salafi and is true in his ascription to the Salaf and who
proceeds upon knowledge and action, imitating their way, then he is correct in
all of that inshaa’allah. And this person will either know the way of the Salaf
in general terms, and he knows it to be correct, even though he may be ignorant
of its particulars, yet he is still correct in considering their way – and his
way of following and imitating them – to be the truth and whatever is in
opposition to it, to be falsehood. Or he will know the way of the Salaf in both
general and specific terms, in terms of aqidah and manhaj and usool and furoo’
and he will be correct in the majority of that which he holds onto and acts
upon, and all of this is dependent upon his sincerity in learning and his zeal
for acquiring knowledge and acting upon it.
As for the individual being correct in every single issue from the subsidiary
matters, then if one makes that claim, then he is in error. Since it is not
possible for any one to be correct in every single subsidiary issue of the
religion, since firstly, it is not possible for him to have knowledge of all of
that, and secondly, when the Imaams of the past did not attain that, it is
hardly likely that any of the followers of the latecomers will ever reach that.
Hence, in the subsidiary matters it is possible for the Salafi to be in error,
yet that does not negate his being correct in his aqidah and manhaj, and in
general terms to be upon that which takes him out from being within the
seventy-two sects of innovation and misguidance.
However, it is often the case that the one subscribing to the way of the
Salaf and making an outward display of that is in fact upon the astray
methodologies, yet he proclaims orthodoxy and pleads a sound aqidah and manhaj.
Though he may be of sound aqidah, he may upon an adulterated manhaj. In this
situation, such a one is not correct or truthful in his ascription, since he has
a manhaj other than that of the Salaf, and this is determined by looking and
seeing: Does he defend Sayyid Qutb? Does he subscribe to the view and scandal of
Abdur-Rahmaan Abdul-Khaaliq? Does he praise Mohammad Qutb and take him as a
guide and leader. Does he defend and aggrandise Hasan al-Bannaa? Does he speak
with the terms and phrases of the Innovators, "al-Ummah al-Ghaa’ibah" (The
Absent Ummah), "Shabaab us-Sahwah" (The Youth of the Awakening), "Tawhid
ul-Haakimiyyah", "al-Muwaazanah" and other such phrases which have become the
slogans of the Innovators. So we look and see, what other affiliations does he
have, who does he mix with, who does he talk to, what are the books that he
refers to, and in this manner we come to know of his true orientation in his
manhaj, and from this we come to know whether he is an imposter, claiming the
way and manhaj of the Salaf, yet upon other than it.
Answers To Common Misconceptions On Naming with Salafiyyah
