What is the Salafi group about?
Question:
Asalaam u Alaikum
What is the Salafi group about? I have been hearing negative things. I understand that the Salafi is one who adheres to the strict Quran and Sunah. In Trinidad I often here that the Salafi are taking over the Masjid or be careful of the Salafi in U.W.I. Recently I visited Tobago and discovered a new Masjid in Crown Point, some brothers told me “that is a Salafi Masjid”, I did not have a chance to visit it.
Is the Salafi of Ahlus Sunah Wal Jamaat? The word Salafi seems to be thrown around loosely. Is it that the Salafi is rejecting the `cultural practices’ of the ASJA controlled Masajid?
I ask that you shed some light on this issue. Thank you.
Jazaak Allah.
Answer:
According to my understanding and observation, the Salafi seems to be a recent movement rather than an organized group. Muslims generally adhere to the teachings of the Quran and Sunnah and not only those who use the name ‘Salafi’ for themselves.
The behaviour of many of those who called themselves ‘Salafis’ is such that they condemn other Muslims who do not do things ‘their way’ or have their type of understanding’. Many of them condemn upright and reliable scholars, while they themselves are not scholars. Many of them behave as if they have great knowledge, yet, they do not commit themselves to study Islam properly.
Many of them condemn Taqleed, although it has been accepted and done by some of the greatest scholars of the early centuries until today. Worst than this, is that some of them call those who do Taqleed as Mushrik (polytheist). If their Aqeedah (belief) is correct, then they are certainly from among the Ahlus Sunnah wal Jamaah. But, many of them say things that are different from each other, so it is (at times) difficult to figure out what do they adhere to. In short, the conduct of those who use the name ‘Salafi’ for themselves has led them to be given a bad image in the eyes of many people. Muslims (generally) throught this country look at them as having created a lot of disunity. This is not on account of ‘who they follow’ or ‘what they do not do’. Instead, it is based on their arrogance, ignorance and condemning attitude. Many of them show no respect and regards to anyone including the scholars.
This is my observation, but Allah knows best.
Mufti Waseem Khan