THE␣ CONCEPT␣OF␣ ␣OF␣A␣ SALAF␣␣AND␣A␣KHALAF

THE␣ CONCEPT␣OF␣ ␣OF␣A␣  SALAF␣␣AND␣A␣KHALAF␣

Here we␣shall␣endeavour␣to␣explain␣the␣concept␣of␣the␣salaf␣ and␣ the␣khalaf␣according␣our␣scholars␣who␣ are␣well-considered,␣and␣ according␣to␣the␣Wahhābīs␣and␣others␣who␣are␣in␣agreement␣with␣
them.␣We␣ shall␣ explain␣ the␣ universal␣ foundations␣ upon␣ which␣ these␣ concepts␣ are␣ based.␣ They␣ shall␣ serve␣ as␣ foundational␣ principles␣for␣studying␣the␣effect␣of␣the␣Wahhābīs␣and␣those␣who␣follow␣Ibn␣Taymiyya.␣␣

The␣Concept␣of␣ of␣  a␣Salaf␣␣and␣a␣Khalaf␣␣according␣ ␣to␣our␣ Scholars

As␣is␣well-known␣to␣you the␣esteemed␣attendees␣ and␣ scholars,␣within␣our␣scholarly␣heritage␣there␣ is␣a␣concept␣of␣a␣ salaf␣ and␣a␣ khalaf.␣This␣concept␣is␣only␣temporal␣in␣nature,␣and␣it␣is␣not␣ a␣concept␣ that␣ marks␣a␣separate␣reality␣between␣those␣ present␣ in␣early␣times␣ and␣those␣who␣came␣later,␣in␣the␣sense␣that␣ those␣ who␣ are␣ not␣ from␣ the␣ Salaf␣ are␣ despised␣ and␣ those␣ who␣ are␣ from␣ the␣ Salaf␣ are␣ praised␣ unrestrictedly.␣ ␣

When␣the␣verifying␣scholars␣of␣Ahl␣al-Sunna␣would␣speak␣ about␣the␣ terms␣“salaf”␣and␣“khalaf”,␣they␣ primarily␣meant␣their␣ respective␣ time␣periods.␣And␣when␣they␣would␣praise␣the␣Salaf,␣they␣would␣intend␣ those␣among␣them␣who␣were␣known␣to␣be␣from␣Ahl␣al-Sunna;␣who␣ were␣for␣the␣most␣part␣identified␣with␣ the␣first␣three␣generations.␣ ␣␣␣␣␣␣␣

It␣is␣no␣secret␣to␣the␣esteemed␣scholars␣that␣based␣on␣this␣definition,␣many␣of␣the␣sects␣we␣mentioned␣were␣ present␣during␣the␣time␣ of␣the␣ Salaf,␣such␣as␣the␣Qadirites␣who␣appeared␣in␣the␣ time␣of␣the␣ Companions␣ and␣Followers,␣the␣extreme␣Shiites,␣and␣many␣sects␣ among␣the␣anthropomorphists␣who␣appeared␣in␣the␣ early␣history␣of␣ Islam.␣It␣is␣impossible␣to␣say␣that␣all␣of␣these␣sects␣were␣ praiseworthy␣ and␣good␣merely␣ because␣they␣existed␣–␣without␣any␣choice␣of␣their␣ own␣–␣in␣an␣early␣time␣period.␣ ␣␣␣␣␣␣␣

Due␣to␣the␣depth␣of␣knowledge␣our␣scholars␣possessed,␣they␣would␣ distinguish␣between␣the␣Salaf␣who␣ were␣from␣the␣people␣of␣the␣truth,␣and␣the␣Salaf␣who␣proclaimed␣their␣differences␣with␣the␣former.␣The␣ scholar’s␣praise␣for␣the␣Salaf␣is␣incontrovertibly␣reserved␣for␣the␣Salaf␣
who␣were␣from␣Ahl␣al-Sunna␣wa␣al Jamā‘a;␣not␣for␣others,␣even␣if␣they␣ were␣from␣the␣Salaf␣temporally.␣ ␣␣␣␣␣␣␣

In␣light␣of␣this␣definition,␣the␣scholars␣called␣those␣who␣came␣ after␣ these␣generations␣the␣“khalaf”,␣and␣ with␣that␣in␣mind,␣the␣terms␣salaf␣ and␣khalaf␣were␣originated.␣Considering␣this,␣some␣of␣Ahl␣al-Sunna␣are␣ among␣the␣Salaf␣and␣some␣are␣among␣the␣Khalaf.␣The␣verifying␣ scholars␣distinguished␣between␣the␣Salaf␣ and␣Khalaf␣in␣a␣general␣ sense␣insofar␣as␣methodology␣is␣concerned;␣the␣distinction␣is␣not␣ between␣truth␣on␣ one␣side␣and␣falsehood␣on␣the␣other.␣In␣other␣words,␣most␣of␣the␣Salaf␣took␣to␣dealing␣with␣the␣issues␣and␣ pursuing␣ the␣ sciences␣ in␣ a␣ general␣ sense␣ (barring␣ some␣ issues␣ and␣ circumstances).␣ This␣ was␣ the␣ predominant␣situation␣during␣ their␣ time,␣but␣it␣was␣not␣universal.␣

Conversely,␣the␣Khalaf␣pursued␣these␣ sciences␣and␣dealt␣with␣these␣ issues␣in␣a␣detailed␣fashion␣and␣with␣scholarly␣verification␣and␣investigation.␣ They␣eschewed␣generalities.␣Having␣said␣that,␣this␣is␣not␣a␣ universal␣judgement␣of␣them␣in␣the␣sense␣that␣ no␣one␣among␣them␣ took␣an␣alternative␣route.␣This␣was␣the␣predominant␣situation␣ during␣their␣time.␣ ␣␣␣␣␣␣␣

These␣facts␣serve␣as␣the␣basis␣for␣the␣scholars’␣statement␣about␣
figurative␣interpretation␣[ta’wīl]␣and␣noncommittal␣[tafwī]␣and␣realising␣the␣doctrine␣of␣Divine␣transcendence␣that:␣“The␣way␣of␣the␣Salaf␣was␣ non-committal␣–␣although␣some␣of␣them␣ engaged␣in␣figurative␣ interpretation␣–␣and␣the␣way␣of␣the␣latterday␣scholars␣is␣figurative␣interpretation␣–␣although␣some␣of␣them␣take␣a␣position␣of␣non-committal.”␣Both␣ the␣position␣of␣figurative␣interpretation␣and␣non-committal␣are␣ well-considered␣and␣relied␣upon␣by␣Ahl␣ al-Sunna,␣past␣and␣present.␣Both␣positions␣lead␣to␣the␣doctrine␣of␣Divine␣transcendence,␣which␣ is␣the␣ doctrine␣of␣the␣people␣of␣truth.␣ ␣␣␣␣␣␣␣

Consequently,␣ according␣ to␣ our␣ scholars,␣ both␣ the␣ Salaf␣ and␣ the␣ Khalaf␣ are␣ from␣ Ahl␣ al-Sunna,␣ and␣ neither␣ group␣ is␣ opposed␣ to␣ it␣ [the␣ way␣ of␣ Ahl␣ al-Sunna]␣ or␣ deviated.␣ We␣ believe␣ in␣ the␣continued␣ connection␣of␣truth␣between␣the␣scholars␣of␣the␣Salaf␣and␣the␣Khalaf␣
from␣the␣Ash‘arīs␣and␣Māturīdīs:␣ they␣are␣united␣upon␣one␣creed␣ and␣ never␣has␣there␣appeared␣a␣time␣in␣which␣there␣was␣mutual␣boycott␣or␣ disunity␣between␣them.␣ ␣ ␣␣ ␣

The␣Concept␣of␣␣a␣Salaf␣␣and␣a␣Khalaf␣␣according␣to␣our␣ Opponents 

We␣mentioned␣that␣the␣basis␣for␣our␣understanding␣lies␣in␣the␣natural␣progression␣of␣time␣and␣the␣ continuous␣development␣of␣the␣sciences␣ and␣the␣respective␣generalities␣and␣details␣between␣the␣two␣eras.␣ By␣ opponents,␣ we␣ primarily␣ mean␣ the␣ Wahhābis:␣ those␣ who␣ follow␣ Shaykh␣ Muhammad␣ b.␣ ‘Abd␣ alWahhāb,␣and␣by␣extension the␣ secularists␣ (as␣we␣shall␣ soon␣explain).␣ ␣␣␣␣␣␣␣

Let␣us␣now␣take␣a␣moment␣to␣focus␣on␣Wahhābīte␣thought,␣or␣Taymite␣ thought␣(i.e.␣the␣followers␣of␣Ibn␣ Taymiyya)␣as␣I␣sometimes␣like␣ to␣ call␣it.␣Their␣view-point␣can␣be␣summed␣up␣in␣the␣following:␣the␣Salaf␣ were␣upon␣the␣true␣creed␣and␣their␣affair␣remained␣for␣a␣while.␣Afterwards␣their␣occurred␣a␣disconnection␣ and␣ the␣ innovators␣ from␣other␣sects␣ became␣dominant,␣and␣that␣has␣continued␣ unabated␣till␣today␣–␣ barring␣of␣course,␣the␣specific␣time␣periods␣ in␣ which␣certain␣callers␣to␣their␣doctrine␣appeared.␣The␣most␣ important␣ of␣these␣callers,␣according␣to␣the␣Wahhābīs,␣are␣Ibn␣Taymiyya␣and␣ his␣student␣Ibn␣Qayyim␣alJawzīyya,␣both␣of␣whom␣appeared␣in␣ the␣ eighth␣century␣Hijra.␣ ␣␣␣␣␣␣␣

Were␣you␣to␣ask␣the␣Wahhābīs␣and␣the␣modern-day␣Salafis␣about␣a␣ fully␣connected␣chain␣of␣scholars␣ spread␣across␣the␣world␣who␣ were␣ known␣by␣the␣common␣people␣for␣their␣teaching␣of␣the␣religion␣(which␣ is␣only␣fitting␣for␣the␣people␣of␣truth␣whom␣the␣Messenger␣of␣Allah␣␣described␣as␣being␣victorious␣and␣ upon␣the␣truth,␣unharmed␣by␣those␣who␣ oppose␣them,␣until␣the␣affair␣of␣Allah␣[the␣Last␣Hour]␣arrives),␣ they␣ would␣not␣be␣able␣to␣produce␣a␣single␣one,␣and␣they␣would␣only␣ be␣ able␣to␣name␣individuals␣from␣the␣ eighth␣century,␣individuals␣in␣the␣ ninth␣century,␣and␣some␣individuals␣in␣the␣fourth␣century,␣and␣so␣on.␣ They␣will␣never␣be␣able␣to␣provide␣proof␣for␣a␣continued␣connection␣ through␣the␣times␣and␣places␣in␣ which␣the␣Islamic␣nation␣has␣spread.␣ ␣␣␣␣␣␣␣
The␣most␣they␣will␣mention␣to␣you␣are␣disconnected␣and␣disparate␣individuals␣ in␣ separate␣ times␣ and␣ places;␣and␣this␣in␣my␣view␣is␣one␣ of␣the␣biggest␣proofs␣demonstrating␣the␣falsehood␣of␣their␣ideas,␣beliefs,␣and␣rulings␣in␣which␣they␣oppose␣Ahl␣al-Sunna␣wa␣al-Jamā‘a.␣Because␣of␣this␣fact,␣they␣employ␣various␣ stratagems␣in␣order␣to␣ somehow␣prove␣that␣some␣Ash‘arī␣scholars␣were␣in␣fact␣from␣their␣own,␣arguing␣ that␣they␣were␣scholars␣of␣adīth␣or␣Qur’ānic␣exegetes,␣such␣as␣Imām␣Ibn␣ajar␣al-‘Asqalānī,␣Imām␣alNawawī,␣al-Bayhaqī,␣and␣Ibn␣‘Asākir.␣After␣some␣time,␣when␣they␣discover␣that␣ these␣ scholars␣were␣in␣ explicit␣ agreement␣ with␣ the␣ doctrine␣ of␣ the␣ Ash‘arīs,␣ they␣ retract␣ their␣ statement␣ and␣ declare␣ their␣ innocence␣ from␣ them,␣ or␣ perhaps␣ some␣ Wahhābīs␣ suffice␣ by␣ saying␣ that␣ these␣ scholars␣ “were␣ in␣ agreement␣with␣the␣Ash‘arīs␣in␣certain␣ issues␣only,␣and␣not␣in␣the␣fundamentals␣of␣their␣doctrine”.␣ ␣␣␣␣␣␣␣

These␣are␣mere␣claims␣for␣ which␣they␣will␣ never␣find␣ any␣ evidence.The␣ Wahhābīs␣reason␣that␣these␣ scholars␣were␣in␣agreement␣with␣ the␣Ash‘arīs␣because␣the␣Ash‘arīs␣were␣the␣majority,␣and␣thus,␣they␣ were␣ influenced␣ not␣ because␣ of␣ their␣ [the␣ Ash‘arī’s]␣ doctrine,␣ but␣ because␣ of␣their␣close␣ companionship␣to␣ them.␣ They␣ are␣ seemingly␣ unaware␣ that␣ this␣ theory␣ of␣ individual␣ scholars␣ becoming␣ affected␣ and␣ influenced␣by␣doctrines,␣if␣affirmed is␣an␣insult␣to␣these␣ very␣ scholars.␣ ␣␣␣␣␣␣␣

It␣is␣clear␣to␣us␣now␣that␣the␣reality␣of␣the␣Wahhābī␣school␣is␣the␣belief␣that␣the␣people␣of␣this␣time␣and␣ those␣before␣them␣are␣ disconnected␣ from␣the␣creed␣of␣the␣Salaf.␣This␣is␣why␣they␣do␣not␣rely␣upon␣the␣ opinions␣and␣views␣of␣many␣scholars␣or␣hold␣them␣in␣a␣position␣of␣esteem␣unless␣they␣are␣from␣their␣own␣ ranks.␣ ␣ ␣␣ ␣

The␣Effect␣of␣this␣ upon␣the␣Secularists ␣

This␣ understanding␣ that␣ is␣ deeply␣ embedded␣ in␣ the␣ minds␣ of␣ the␣ Wahhābīs␣ and␣ modern-day␣ Salafis␣has␣proven␣to␣be␣the␣greatest␣ cause␣disconnecting␣the␣present␣day␣Umma␣from␣its␣past.␣It␣is␣no␣ secret␣that␣this␣mental␣separation␣weakens␣the␣Umma␣both␣in␣ideas␣and␣beliefs,␣and␣leaves␣them␣to␣fall␣ victim␣to␣attacks␣from␣those␣who␣ oppose␣them␣in␣the␣fundamentals␣of␣the␣religion.␣It␣is␣also␣no␣secret␣ that␣ if␣this␣disconnection␣is␣true,␣it␣will␣serve␣as␣the␣greatest␣opening,␣allowing␣the␣secularists␣to␣find␣fault␣with␣the␣fundamentals␣of␣the␣
religion.␣ ␣␣␣␣␣␣␣

This␣has␣in␣fact␣occurred;␣there␣are␣groups␣of␣secularists␣ who␣find␣ fault␣with␣the␣fundamentals␣of␣the␣ religion␣and␣who␣do␣not␣ attest␣ to␣the␣fundamentals␣of␣Ahl␣al-Sunna␣wa␣al-Jamā‘a.␣Most␣of␣their␣ objections␣ stem␣from␣this␣point␣of␣view;␣a␣refusal␣to␣submit␣to␣the␣ understandings␣and␣rulings␣issued␣by␣the␣scholars␣ over␣successive␣ generations,␣whether␣concerning␣issues␣of␣creed,␣issues␣of␣ jurisprudence,␣or␣other␣issues.␣ They␣claim␣that␣these␣opinions␣are␣ merely␣the␣opinions␣of␣other␣humans␣and␣that␣they␣are␣not␣obliged␣to␣ hold␣fast␣to␣them,␣rather;␣they␣claim␣that␣they␣must␣go␣back␣ to␣the␣ original␣sources␣and␣commit␣to␣a␣rereading␣of␣the␣religious␣texts␣and␣reach␣new␣conclusions␣that␣are␣suitable␣for␣this␣day␣and␣age.␣ ␣

The␣secularists␣have␣adopted␣the␣fundamental␣premise␣of␣the␣
Wahhābīs␣and␣added␣to␣it␣by␣going␣well␣ beyond␣the␣Salaf.␣They␣claim␣ to␣refer␣back␣to␣the␣Book␣and␣the␣Sunna␣directly,␣resulting␣in␣what␣is␣ today␣ called␣a␣“modern␣reading␣of␣our␣heritage”,␣a␣“modern␣reading␣of␣ the␣Qur’ān”,␣or␣a␣“modern␣reading␣of␣ our␣history”:␣these␣things␣are␣ nothing␣more␣than␣gross␣distortions,␣reminding␣us␣of␣the␣distortions␣ of␣the␣ Qarmatites␣and␣Batinites␣of␣old!␣ ␣ ␣ ␣␣ ␣ ␣ 

STATEMENTS␣FROM␣THE␣CALLERS␣OF MODERN-DAY␣SALAFISM␣

Here we␣shall␣reproduce␣statements␣from␣some␣of␣the␣pillars␣of␣
modern-day␣Salafism␣and␣those␣who␣laid␣ down␣its␣ ground␣work.␣These␣statements␣are␣reproduced␣as␣examples␣only;␣it␣is␣ not␣ our␣ intention␣ to␣ discuss␣the␣history␣of␣this␣movement.␣We␣shall␣ endeavour␣to␣explain␣some␣of␣them␣in␣a␣manner␣that␣is␣ fitting.␣ ␣ ␣ ␣␣