Chronological usage of the term 'Salaf'

[Maher.ibn.Ahmad.Attiyeh]

Bismillaah Al-Hamdulillaah wa salatu wa salaamu 'ala rasulullaah
Amma ba'd

Chronological usage of the term 'Salaf':

1. Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم (d. 11H)
2. Ayyub Al-Sakhtiyani (130H)
3. Abu Haneefah (d.151H)
4. Abdur-Rahmaan al-Awzaa’ee (d. 157H)
5. Ahmad ibn Hanbal (d.241H)
6. Abu Ja’far at-Tahawi (d. 321)
7. Abu Muhammad Ibn Abi Zayd al-Qayrawani (d.386)
8. al-Laalikaa’ee (d. 418H)
9. Aboo ‘Uthmaan as-Saboonee (449H)
10. Al-Khateeb al-Baghdaadee (d.463H)
11. Al-Asbahaanee (d.535H)
12. As-Sam’aanee (d.562H)
13. Ibn Qudaamah al-Maqdisee (d.620H)
14. lbn Taymiyyah (d.728H)
15. Adh-Dhahabee (d.748H)
16. Ibn al-Qayyim (d.751H)
17. Ibn Kathir (d.774H)
18. Ash-Shatibi (d.790H)
19. Ibn Abi al-Izz al-Hanafi (d. 792H)
20. Al-Hafidh Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani (d. 852H)
21. As-Suyooti (d. 911H)
22. As-Safaareenee (d.1188H)
23. Muhammad Ibn ‘Abdul-Wahhaab (d.1206H)
24. Abdur Rahmaan as-Sa’dee (d.1376H)
25. Muhammad Naasir-Uddin al-Albaanee (d.1420H)

1. Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم )

‘Aisha reported: We, the wives of Allaah’s Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, were with him (during his last illness) and none was absent therefrom that Fatima, who walked after the style of Allaah’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم, came there, and when he saw her he welcomed her saying: You are welcome, my daughter. He their made her sit on his right side or on his left side. Then he said something secretly to her and she wept bitterly and when he found her (plunged) in grief he said to her something secretly for the second time and she laughed.

I (‘A’isha) said to her: Allaah’s Messenger has singled you amongst the women (of the family) for talking (to you something secretly) and you wept. When Allaah’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم recovered from illness, I said to her. What did Allaah’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم say to you?

Thereupon she said: I am not going to disclose the secret of Allaah’s Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم).

When Allaah’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم died, I said to her: I adjure you by the right that I have upon you that you should narrate to me what Allaah’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم said to you.

She said: Yes, now I can do that (so listen to it). When he talked to me secretly for the first time he informed me that Gabriel was in the habit of reciting the Qur’an along with him once or twice every year, but this year it had been twice and so he perceived his death quite near, so fear Allaah and be patient (and he told me) that he would be a befitting SALAF (forerunner) for me and so I wept as you saw me. And when he saw me in grief he talked to me secretly for the second time and said: Fatima, are you not pleased that you should be at the head of the believing women or the head of this Umma? I laughed and it was that laughter which you saw. [Sahih Muslim, The Virtues of the Companions (Book 31), CHAPTER: THE MERITS OF FATIMA, DAUGHTER OF ALLAAH'S APOSTLE (SALLALLAAHU ALAYHI WA SALLAM), No. 6004]

Narrated ‘Aisha: He added, ‘But this year he (referring to Gabriel due to hadith in Sahih Muslim above) reviewed it with me twice, and therefore I think that my time of death has approached. So, be afraid of Allah, and be patient, for I am the best SALAF (predecessor) for you (in the Hereafter).’ “

Fatima added, “So I wept as you (‘Aisha) witnessed. And when the Prophet saw me in this sorrowful state, he confided the second secret to me saying, ‘O Fatima! Will you not be pleased that you will be chief of all the believing women (or chief of the women of this nation i.e. my followers?”) [Sahih Bukhari, Volume 8, The Book of Asking Permission, No. 5885]

2. Ayyub Al-Sakhtiyani (130H): Whoever loves Abu Bakr has upheld the religion, whoever loves ‘Umar has made the way clear, whoever loves ‘Uthman is enlightened by the light of Allah, and whoever loves ‘Ali has taken the firmest handhold. Whoever speaks well of the Companions of Allah’s Messenger – Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him – is clear of hypocrisy (nifaq), but whoever belittles any one of them or dislikes [any one of them] for something he did, then he is a heretic (mubtadi’), an opponent of the Sunnah and the SALAF (Righteous Predecessors), and it is feared that none of his deeds will be raised to the heavens until he loves all of [the Companions] and his heart is clear towards them. [Ibn Abi Zamanin, Usul Al-Sunnah article 189]

3. Abu Haneefah (d.151H): “Stick to the athaar (narrations) and the way of the SALAF and beware of newly invented matters, for all of it is innovation.” [Related by as-Suyootee in Sawnul-Mantaq wal-Kalaam (p.32)]

4. Abdur-Rahmaan al-Awzaa’ee (d. 157H): “Hold fast to the narrations of the SALAF, even if people were to abandon you. Beware of the opinions of the people, no matter how much they beautify it with their speech.” [Related by al-Khateeb al-Baghdadee in his excellent book Sharafu Ashaabul-Hadeeth (p.7)]

Al-Awzaa’ee also said: “Fortify your soul with having patience upon the Sunnah. And stop at where the people (i.e. the Salaf) have stopped. And derive your statements from where they drew their statements (i.e. the Qur’aan and Sunnah). And be satisfied with what they were satisfied with. And tread the path of your SALAF AS-SAALIH (PIOUS PREDECESSORS), for indeed you will be sufficed by what sufficed them.” [Reported by Ismaa'eel Ibn al-Fadl in Al-Hujjah fee Bayaan-il-Mahajjah with an authentic chain of narration]

5. Ahmad ibn Hanbal (d.241H): Ninety men from the Taabi’een, the scholars of the Muslims and of the SALAF and the Jurists of the various cities are [unanimously] agreed that the Sunnah upon which the Messenger of Allaah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) died is: [then he listed 14 points] [Tabaqaatul-Hanaabiliah, 1/130-131]

6. Abu Ja’far at-Tahawi (d. 321): And the early scholars from the SALAF (the early predecessors), and the Taabi’een (successors) who came after them: the people upon good and the narrations, and the people of Fiqh and discernment; are not to be mentioned except with fine words; and whoever speaks ill of them then he is not upon the correct path. [Aqeedah Tahawiyyah, point 203]

7. Abu Muhammad Ibn Abi Zayd al-Qayrawani (d.386): He said while discussing the affairs of the Religion that the Muslim nation has unanimously agreed upon and the aspects of the Sunnah that if opposed is considered innovation (bid’ah) and misguidance, “[This requires] total submittance to the Sunnah. It is not to be opposed by opinion or averted by way of analogy.The way the texts were interpreted by the righteous SALAF, then we interpret them in the same fashion; and whatever way they applied them, then we apply them in the same way and whatever they abandoned then we abandon. We refrain from what they refrained from and we follow them in what they have explained.” [al-Jami (p.117) of Ibn Abi Zayd al-Qayrawani]

8. al-Laalikaa’ee (d. 418H): That which is most obligatory upon a Muslim: Knowledge of the aspects of the creed of the Religion and what Allaah has obligated upon His Servants including the understanding of His Tawheed and of His Attributes, and believing in His Messengers with evidences and with certainty. And arriving at [all of] that and seeking evidences for them with clear proofs. And among the mightiest of statements and clearest of proofs and understandings is:
[1] The Book of Allaah, the Manifest Truth
[2] Then the Saying of the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu alaihi wasallam)
[3] And of his Companions, the chosen, pious ones
[4] Then that which the SALAF US-SAALIH were unanimously agreed upon
[5] Then holding fast to all of that and remaining firm upon it till the Day of Judgement
[6] Then turning away from the innovations and from listening to them – from amongst those things the astray people have invented… [Sharh Usool ul-I'tiqaad (1/9)]

9. Aboo ‘Uthmaan as-Saboonee (449H): The scholars of the Ummah and in particular the aa`immah from the SALAF, raheemahumullaah, did not disagree that Allaah, The Most High, is over His Throne and the Throne is above the seven heavens. They affirm what Allah, the Most High, has affirmed, and believe in what He, The Lord, the Most Majestic, has informed us with.” ['Aqeedatus-Salaf as'haabul-Hadeeth - The Creed of the (Pious) Predecessors & the People of Hadeeth, Chapter 5 : Allaah Istiwaa over his throne, point 22]

10. Al-Khateeb al-Baghdaadee (d.463H): He said in his treatise al-Kalaam fis-Sifaat,
“As for speech concerning the Attributes, then whatever is related about them from the authentic Sunan in the madhhab of the SALAF – may Allaah be pleased with them all – is to be affirmed and conveyed upon its apparent (dhaahir) meaning, and the kayfiyyah (modality) and tashbeeh (resemblance) must be negated from it.” [Recorded by Ibn Qudaamah in Dhammut-Ta'weel (p. 17-18)]

11. Al-Asbahaanee (d.535H): “The sign of Ahlus-Sunnah is that they follow the SALAFUS-SAALIH and abandon all that is innovated and newly introduced into the Deen.” [Al-Hujjah fee Bayaanil Mahajjah 1/364]

12. As-Sam’aanee (d.562H): “We have been commanded to follow and we have been encouraged with this. We have been forbidden from innovating (bid’ah) and severely warned against such behaviour. The hallmark of the People of the Sunnah is their adherence to AL-SALAF AL-SALIH (the Pious Predecessors) and their abandonment of everything that constitutes an innovation(mubtada’) or a matter from the Religion that appears without precedent (muhdath)” [al-Intisar li Ahl al-Hadith of Abu al-Muzaffar al-Sam'ani by way of the book Sawn al-Mantaq wa al-Kalam (p.158)]

As-Sam’aanee also said in al-lnsaab (3/273): “AS-SALAFI: this is an ascription to the SALAF and following their ways, in that which is related from them.”
lbn al-Atheer (d.630H) said in al-Lubaab fee Tahdheebul-lnsaab (2/162), commenting upon the previous saying of as-Sam’aanee: “And a group were known by this ascription.”

13. Ibn Qudaamah al-Maqdisee (d.620H): Abu Dawood reported in his Sunan that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “Indeed what is between one level of heaven and (another) level of heaven is a distance of such and such…” He continued until he صلى الله عليه وسلم mentioned: “And above that is the Throne. And Allaah, the One free of all defects, is above that.” This and what is similiar to it is from what the SALAF, may Alllah have mercy of them, have unanimously agreed upon reporting and accepting. And we do not incline towards rejecting it, nor toward distorting its meaning (ta’weel), nor towards making comparisons to it, nor towards likening it. [Lumut-ul-Itiqaad (Sufficiency in Creed) of Ibn Qudaamah al-Maqdisee, Chapter/Section: Mentioning Some of the Ahaadeeth of Allaah's Attributes, points 18 - 19]

14. lbn Taymiyyah (d.728H): “There is no criticism for the one who proclaims the way (madhab) of the SALAF, who attaches himself to it and refers to it. Rather, it is obligatory to accept that from him by unanimous agreement (Ittifaaq) because the way (madhab) of the SALAF is nothing but the Truth (Haqq).” [Majmoo al-Fataawaa 4:149]

15. Adh-Dhahabee (d.748H): “It is authentically related from ad-Daaraqutnee that he said: There is nothing more despised by me than ‘ilmul-kalaam (innovated speech and theological rhetoric). I say: No person should ever enter into ‘ilmul-kalaam, nor argumentation. Rather, he should be SALAFEE (a follower of the Salaf).”
[Siyar 16/457]

Adh-Dhahabee also said concerning the biography of Muhammad Ibn Muhammad al-Bahraanee, “He was a good SALAFEE with respect to the Religion.” [Mu'jamush-Shuyookh (2/280)]

He also said about Imaam Abul-Abbaas bin Majd al-Maqdisi, “He was reliable and trustworthy, intelligent, SALAFI and pious…” [Siyar 23/118]

16. Ibn al-Qayyim (d.751H): “Our Shaykh said, ‘The reality of disbelief has been married to immoral innovation (bid’ah) and they have given birth to a state of loss in the life of this world and the hereafter.’ If he overcomes this imposing obstacle and escapes it with the light of the Sunnah, and he seeks to stay clear of it by truly adhering to the Sunnah and by emulating those who have passed from the illustrious SALAF from the Companions and their students who followed them in goodness, and it is rare for these later generations to produce one of these types of people…”
[Madarij al-Salikin (1/223)]

17. Ibn Kathir (d.774H): His tafsir of: and then He rose over (Istawa) the Throne
[Surah Al-A'raf (7):54] “the people had several conflicting opinions over its meaning. However, we follow the way that our SALAF (righteous predecessors) took in this regard, such as Malik, Al-Awza’i, Ath-Thawri, Al-Layth bin Sa’d, Ash-Shafi’i, Ahmad, Ishaq bin Rahwayh and the rest of the scholars of Islam, in past and present times. Surely, we accept the apparent meaning of, Al-Istawa, without discussing its true essence, equating it (with the attributes of the creation), or altering or denying it (in any way or form).”

And his tafsir of:
The Most Gracious Istawa the Throne [Surah Ta-Ha (20):5]
“discussion concerning this has already preceded in Surat Al-A’raf, so there is no need to repeat it here. The safest path to take in understanding this, is the way of the SALAF (predecessors). Their way was to accept that which has been reported concerning this from the Book and the Sunnah without describing it, reinterpreting it, resembling it to creation, rejecting it, or comparing it to attributes of the creatures.”
[Tafsir Ibn Kathir, Section:The Qur'an is a Reminder and a Revelation from Allah]

18. Ash-Shatibi (d.790H): “The SALAFUS-SALIH, the Companions, the tabi’een and their successors knew the Qur’aan, its sciences and its meanings the best.”
[al-Muwafiqat (2/79) of ash-Shatibi]

19. Ibn Abi al-Izz al-Hanafi (d. 792H): And whoever hears the hadiths of the Messenger – salla Allahu ‘alayhi wa sallam- and the words of the SALAF, will find innumerable evidences of Allah’s Elevation, and there is no doubt that when Allah created the creation, He did not create them in His divine Essence, Exalted is Allah from this! [Sharh al-'Aqeedah al-Tahawiyah by Ibn Abil-`Izz al-Hanafi (1/372,379-380)]

20. Al-Hafidh Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani (d. 852H): “..the saying of who said: the way of the SALAF is safer and the way of the Khalaf is wiser is not correct, because he thought that the way of the SALAF is only the belief in the Lafz (words/letters) of the Quran and Hadith without having understanding of it , (and) the way of the Khalaf is to derive the meanings of the texts that are turned away from their haqiqa with different types of majaz (figurative meaning); so the one who said this combined between the ignorance of the way of the SALAF and the claiming of the way of the Khalaf, and it is not like he thought/assumed. The SALAF had utmost knowledge of what befits Allah, and had the utmost glorification, obedience to His commands and submission to what He intended/willed, and the one who took the path of the Khalaf is not sure that his ta’wil is what is intended, and he can’t be positive of the correctness of his tawil.” [Fath al Bari sharh Sahih al Bukhari, Book of Tawhid, 1st chapter, 2nd hadith – in its explanation]

Stated al-Haafidh Ibn Hajr about Abu Amr Ibn as-Salaah, “He was extremely strong and given to devotion, SALAFI in the generality (of his affairs)…”
[Siyaar 23/142]

21. As-Suyooti (d. 911H): Stated as-Suyooti about Ibn as-Salaah, “He was SALAFI, abstemious and was of sound creed…” [Tabaqaat al-Huffaadh p.500]

22. As-Safaareenee (d.1188H): “What is meant by the madh-hab (belief) of the SALAF is that which the Companions, may Allaah be pleased with them, adhered to, as well as the distinguished ones who followed them upon goodness, their successors and the Imaams of the Religion – those who received testimony as to their leadership, were known for their great status in the Religion and whose words are taken by the people after the SALAF, apart from those who are accused of innovation or renowned for unacceptable ascriptions such as the Khawaarij, Rawaafid, Qadariyyah, Murji’ah, Jabariyyah, Jahmiyyah, Mu’atazilah, Karaamiyyah and those similar to them.”
[Lawaami'-ul-Anwaar: (1/20)]

23. Muhammad Ibn ‘Abdul-Wahhaab (d.1206H): After mentioning the hadith ending in “Ukashah has preceded you” which is recorded in the two Sahihs (Bukhari and Muslim), the following important points/benefits derived from this hadith were noted:
* That the SALAF used to keep away from riyaa’ and anything that might lead to it
* The profound knowledge of the SALAF.
[Kitab at-Tawheed, Chapter: The one who fulfils tawhid enters paradise without reckoning]

24. Abdur Rahmaan as-Sa’dee (d.1376H): “Know that from the agreed upon principles by the SALAF and the Imaams of this Ummah (Muslim nation) is belief in His Names and Attributes and the verdicts concerning those Attributes.” [His Tafsir of the Qur'aan: Tayseer al-Kareem ar-Rahmaan fee Tafseer Kalaam al-Mannaan, Tafsir of Surah Al-Fatihah]

25. Muhammad Naasir-Uddin al-Albaanee (d.1420H): “…as for the one who ascribes himself to the SALAF AS-SALIH collectively – then he ascribes himself to that which is protected from mistakes” [Al-Asaalah Magazine (no.9/p87)]


Source: SalafisofFlorida Group, via
http://realtruthaboutislam.wordpress...-salafsalafee/