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Salafi movement

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This article is on the beliefs of the followers of the Salaf. For the article on the group of early Muslims, see Salaf

Salafi (Template:ArB "predecessors" or "early generations"), is an adherent of a contemporary movement in Sunni Islam ascribing his understanding and practice of Islam to the 'Salaf'. Salafism is derogatorily named by outsiders as Wahhabism. Salafis insist that their beliefs are simply pure Islam as practiced by the first three generations of Muslims praised by prophet Muhammad in hadiths, and that they should not be regarded as a sect. Saudi Arabian Salafis do not like to be called Wahhabis.

The word Salaf means predecessors (or ancestors) and refers to the Companions of the prophet Muhammad (the Sahaba), the early Muslims who followed them, and the scholars of the first three generations of Muslims. They are also called Al-Salaf Al-Salih or "the Righteous Predecessors".

Salafis view the first three generations of Muslims, who are Muhammad's companions, and the two succeeding generations after them, the Tabi'een and the Taba‘ at-Tabi‘in as perfect examples of how Islam should be practiced in everyday life. These three generations are often referred to as the pious generations. This principle of law is derived from the following hadith (tradition) by Muhammad: "The people of my generation are the best, then those who follow them, and then whose who follow the latter (i.e. the first three generations of Muslims)." (Bukhari 3:48:819 and 820 and Muslim 31:6150 and 6151 .

One tenet of Salafism is that Islam was perfect and complete during the days of Muhammad and his Sahaba, but that much undesirable innovation ( bid`a) was added to Islam afterwards due to materialist and cultural influences over the later centuries. Salafism seeks to revive the original practice of Islam .

Distinctive beliefs and practices

Salafis preaches a purified Islamic monotheism, or tawhid that strictly prohibits shirk (a comprehensive term which is commonly translated as polytheism), or bid`a. Salafis believe that widespread Muslim practices such as venerating the graves of Islamic prophets and saints are shirk. Photographs of any living being that possesses a soul are forbidden. Celebration of Muhammad's birthday (Mawlid) is also considered as bid`a. Salafis in general are opposed to both Sufism and Shi'a, which they regard as deviations.

Salafis place great emphasis on ritual not only in prayer but in every activity in life -- three fingers should always be used when eating, water is to be drunk in three pauses with the right hand while sitting -- so as to follow the example of Muhammad and his companions and make religion part of every activity in life.

Salafism differs from the earlier contemporary Islamic revival movements of Islamism of the 1970s and 1980s, in that (at least many) Salafis reject not only Western ideologies such as socialism and capitalism, but also common Western concepts like economics, constitutions, political parties, revolution and social justice. Muslims should not engage in Western activities like politics, "even by giving them an Islamic slant." Instead, Muslims should stick to Islamic activities, particularly dawah and jihad. Salafis promote sharia rather than an Islamic political program or state.

Salafis reject dogmatic theology (kalam). They consider this to be based on classical Greek philosophy (Plato and Aristotle) and an import foreign to the original practice of Islam.

Salafis are divided on the question of adherence to the four recognized schools of traditional legal interpretation (madhhabs).

  • Some Salafis wish to base their jurisprudence directly on the Qu'ran and Sunnah. They believe that literal readings of the Qur'an and the hadith (or oral traditions) are sufficient guidance for the believing Muslim. One scholar who supported this position was Albaanee.
  • Some Salafis follow the teachings of the 14th century Syrian scholar Ibn Taymiya, and his students Ibn al-Qayyim and Ibn Kathir.
  • Some Salafis rely on the jurisprudence of one of the four famous madhabs. For example, Ibn Taymiya followed the Hanbali madhhab. Some of his students (such as Ibn Kathir and Al-Dhahabi) followed the Shafi madhhab. Other students (such as Ibn Abu al-Iz) follow the Hanafi madhhab.

Because Salafis see themselves as practicing "pure" Islam, Salafi teachers and adherents will not necessarily identify themselves as Salafi. They can be identified as part of a particular current of contemporary Islam by their characteristic beliefs, by their use of terms like "the Salaf" or "Qur'an and sunnah." They also tend to use a more rigorous style of transliteration of Arabic into English: long vowels are indicated by doubling, emphatic consonants are doubled, and words that end with a ta marbuta in Arabic are rendered with a terminal h.

History of Salafism

From the perspective of the Salafis themselves, their history starts with the Prophet himself. They consider themselves direct followers of his teachings, and wish to emulate the piety of the earliest followers of Islam (the salaf al-salih). All later scholars are merely revivers (not 'founders'). Modern scholars may only come to teach (or remind) us of the instructions of the original Salaf.

Contemporary Salafis

Salafism is a movement within Sunni Islam. It includes many groups and shades of belief. It is strongest in the Middle East, in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Palestine, Syria, Jordan, etc. It is also found in most other Muslim-majority countries (see Islam by country and Demographics of Islam). It is increasingly important to diasporic Muslims in Europe, Canada, and the United States.

Salafis tend to differentiate themselves not so much by matters of Islamic practice, such as prescriptions for prayer (salat) or Islamic dress (hijab), but by their attitude towards the state.

  • Some Salafis urge believers to support or endure the state under which they live. Believers are encouraged to spread Salafism non-violently, by missionary activity, social work, and political organization. Above all, they should help each other lead lives of true Islamic piety. (Rabe' al-Madkhali)
  • Some Salafis believe that violent jihad is permissible against foreign, non-Muslim, occupation, but not against governments that claim to be Islamic. Those governments are to be reformed, not violently overthrown. Civil war (fitna) is to be avoided. (Salman al-Auda)
  • Other Salafis (sometimes called Jihadist-Salafists) believe that it is permissible, even required, for believers to engage in violent jihad to overthrow oppressive regimes, even if they claim to be Islamic. One of the most famous proponents for violence, (or "physical power and Jihaad for abolishing the organizations and authorities of the Jahili system") was Sayyed Qutb, an Egyptian member of the Muslim Brotherhood. After (an alleged) plot to assassinate Egyptian president Nasser was uncovered, the Brotherhood was suppressed and Qutb imprisoned. There he wrote a short manifesto on political Islam called Ma'alim fi-l-Tariq or Milestones. This book, along with his Tafsir, were widely read, and had a strong influence on various Islamist or jihadi movements. Hence these Muslims are sometimes called Qutbis. Dr. Abdullah Azzam is also said to be a proponent of violent jihad.

Despite some similarities, the different tendencies often strongly disapprove of each other and deny their Salafi character.

Saudi Arabia

Some Salafis support the government; others distance themselves from it, or oppose it.

  • Some Salafis believe that most majority-Muslim countries, including Saudi Arabia, have strayed and that the only answer to the plight of Muslims today is Jihad. Osama bin Laden is a prominent example of a Salafi Saudi Muslim who has gone from supporting the Saudi regime to violently opposing it.

However, whether the platform is peaceful or requires force, the Muslim ascribing himself to the Manhaj (methodology) of salafiyyah, refers his affair back to the Qur'an first, then the statements of the Prophet Muhammad. After looking at those two foundations, they will then review how the community of Muslims who lived during the Prophet and Messenger Muhammad practiced those verses. Then they will look at each generation, that followed to see their various opinions and deducement to look for similarities to the current circumstances prior to applying force, or anything else that's indicative of the practices of Islam.

Notable modern Salafi Scholars

Saudi Arabia

  • Advocate of a return to a puritanical view of Islamic theology
  • Author of Kitab at-Tawheed (Book on Islamic Monotheism) that explains Islamic Monotheism and those things that contradict it
  • Former Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia
  • Scholar of fiqh and authored over fifty books on the subject
  • Wrote an explanation of ibn Taymiyyah's al-Aqeedat Al-Hamawiyyah and al-Aqeedat Al-Waasittiyah

Yemen

Albania

Older authorities accepted by modern Salafis as Salafi Imams

Greater Khorasan

Egypt

Syria

  • Author of al-Aqeedat Al-Hamawiyyah and al-Aqeedat Al-Waasittiyah which are concise explanations of the creed of Ahlus-Sunnah (People of the Sunnah)
  • Scholar of fiqh, having issued many fatawa on different issues

See also

References

  1. Six Points of Tabligh, Its chapter on `Desired Manners of Eating and Drinking`, includes 26 norms on the etiquette of eating and drinking. From: Globalized Islam : the Search for a New Ummah, by Olivier Roy, Columbia University Press, 2004
  2. Globalized Islam : the Search for a New Ummah, by Olivier Roy, Columbia University Press, 2004 (p.245)
  3. Qutb, Sayyid, Milestones, p.55
  4. Manhaj al-Asha'ira (Arabic), By Dr Safar Al-Hawali

External links

Pro-Salafi

Anti-Salafi

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