Who were the Salaf?

 

Who were the Salaf?

‘’Muhammad Nasir- Deen Al-Albaani (d.1420A.H) -Rahimullaah- said:

‘The Salaf As-Salih includes the three generations about whom the Messenger -SallAllaahu alayhi wa

sallam- testified regarding their goodness in a Hadeeth whose authenticity is agreed upon. Rather this Hadeeth has reached the level of Mutawwatir due its many chains in the Saheeh of Muslim and other than them from a great deal of the Companions, that the Prophet -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam- said:

خير الناس قرني ثم الذين يلونهم ثم الذين يلونهم

‘The best people are my generation then those who will come after them and then those after them.

So the three generations whose goodness has been testified are the ones who are intended by being the Salaf as-Salih.’[  ‘Silsilah Huda wa Noor’ Page: 848]

‘’Al-Qalshaani said:

‘The Salaf as-Salih were the first generations deeply rooted upon knowledge, guided with the guidance of the Prophet -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam, preservers of his Sunnah, Allaah Ta’ala chose them for the companionship of his Prophet. Allaah selected them to establish His Deen and was pleased with them to be the Imams of the Ummah, and they rightfully fought Jihad in the path of Allaah, they exerted themselves in advising the Ummah and benefiting them and they sacrificed themselves for the pleasure of Allaah.

Allaah praised them in His Book by saying:

(مُّحَمَّدࣱ رَّسُولُ ٱللَّهِۚ وَٱلَّذِینَ مَعَهُۥۤ أَشِدَّاۤءُ عَلَى ٱلۡكُفَّارِ رُحَمَاۤءُ بَیۡنَهُمۡۖ 

Muhammad is the Messenger of Allaah; and those with him are forceful against the disbelievers, 

merciful among themselves. >

[Surah Al-Fath 29]

And the saying of Allaah Ta’ala:

(لِلۡفُقَرَاۤءِ ٱلۡمُهَـٰجِرِینَ ٱلَّذِینَ أُخۡرِجُوا۟ مِن دِیَـٰرِهِمۡ وَأَمۡوَ ٰ⁠لِهِمۡ یَبۡتَغُونَ فَضۡلࣰا مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ وَرِضۡوَ ٰ⁠نࣰا وَیَنصُرُونَ ٱللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥۤۚ أُو۟لَـٰۤىِٕكَ هُمُ ٱلصَّـٰدِقُونَ)

< For the poor emigrants who were expelled from their homes and their properties, seeking bounty from 

Allaah and [His] approval and supporting Allaah and His Messenger, [there is also a share]. Those are the truthful. [Surah Al-Hashr 8]

Allaah Ta’ala mentioned the Muhajirun and the Ansar in the Ayaat, then he praised their followers, and He was pleased with those who came after them for following them. Allaah promised those who opposed the Salaf and those who followed other than their way with punishment, Allaah said:

(وَمَن یُشَاقِقِ ٱلرَّسُولَ مِنۢ بَعۡدِ مَا تَبَیَّنَ لَهُ ٱلۡهُدَىٰ وَیَتَّبِعۡ غَیۡرَ سَبِیلِ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِینَ نُوَلِّهِۦ مَا تَوَلَّىٰ وَنُصۡلِهِۦ جَهَنَّمَۖ وَسَاۤءَتۡ مَصِیرًا)

And whoever opposes the Messenger after guidance has become clear to him and follows other than the way of the believers We will give him what he has taken and drive him into Hell, and evil it is as a destination

[Surah An-Nisa' 115]

Therefore it is obligatory to follow them in that which they narrated, to follow their footsteps in that which they acted upon, and seeking forgiveness for them, Allaah Ta’ala said:

(وَٱلَّذِینَ جَاۤءُو مِنۢ بَعۡدِهِمۡ یَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا ٱغۡفِرۡ لَنَا وَلِإِخۡوَ ٰ⁠نِنَا ٱلَّذِینَ سَبَقُونَا بِٱلۡإِیمَـٰنِ وَلَا تَجۡعَلۡ فِی قُلُوبِنَا غِلࣰّا لِّلَّذِینَ ءَامَنُوا۟ رَبَّنَاۤ إِنَّكَ رَءُوفࣱ رَّحِیمٌ)

And those who came after them say: ‘Our Lord! Forgive us and our brethren who have preceded us in 

Faith, and put not in our hearts any hatred against those who have believed. Our Lord! You are indeed full of kindness, Most Merciful.’ 

[Surah Al-Hashr 10]

’As-Safaarini (d. 1188 A.H) said:

‘The meaning of the Madhab of the Salaf is that which the noble Companions -Radi Allaahu anhum- were upon and the eminent ones from the Taba’een who followed the Companions in goodness, and those that followed them, and the Imams of the Deen from those who were testified as being Imams. 

Their great status was known from the Deen, and the people have accepted their speech generation after generation, without them having been accused of Bida’, or having become famous with a title which is not acceptable, the likes of the Khawarij, Rawafid, Qadareeyah, Murji’ah, Jabareeyah, Jahmaeeyah, Mu’atazilah, 

Karameeyah and those similar to them.

‘’Muhammad bin Ahmad as-Safaarini (d. 1188 A.H) also said:

The indication to the Madhab of the Salaf and a clarification of its reality, and that the Madhab of the 

Salaf is safer out of the other Madhahib, it is more knowledgeable and wiser, and they are the first to embrace Islam of the Muhajirun (those who migrated from Makkah to Al-Madinah) and the Ansar (the citizens of Al-Madinah who helped and gave aid to the Muhajirun). Likewise the rest of the Companions of the chosen Prophet -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam- and those who followed them in goodness, and the Imams of guidance, they are those upon whom the Muslims agree regarding their guidance, their 

understanding, and their precedence, and taking them as an example and to follow them, and follow their way, and take the same methodology as them. Indeed Allaah –Subhana wa Ta’ala- sent His Prophet, His beloved and His Messenger Muhammad -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam- with guidance and the true Deen, to 

take the people out of darkness to light by the permission of their Lord to the praiseworthy, noble path. Allaah testified for him that He Himself sent the Messenger -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam- as a caller to Allaah with His permission and a guiding light and with His command, Allaah said:

(قُلۡ هَـٰذِهِۦ سَبِیلِیۤ أَدۡعُوۤا۟ إِلَى ٱللَّهِۚ عَلَىٰ بَصِیرَةٍ أَنَا۠ وَمَنِ ٱتَّبَعَنِیۖ وَسُبۡحَـٰنَ ٱللَّهِ وَمَاۤ أَنَا۠ مِنَ ٱلۡمُشۡرِكِینَ)

<< This is my way; I invite to Allaah with insight, I and those who follow me. 

[Surah Yusuf 108]