What's the historical evidence for the use of the term salaf or salafee?

In short, Salafiyyah is Islaam. It is following Islaam based upon the understanding of the Salaf-us-Salih (the Righteous Predecessors, i.e. the Prophet, peace be upon him, the Companions, the first generations of Muslims, and all the scholars throughout Islamic History who followed this Straight Path).

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"A Brief Introduction to the Salafi Da'wah"

The Salafi Da'wah (da'wah literally means "call", and in this sense it refers to calling to the truth, preaching and propagation) is that of the Qur'an and the Sunnah (i.e. the Religion of Islam - pure and free from any and all additions, deletions and alterations). It means adherence to the Path of the Messenger, may the peace of Allah upon him, and the Faithful Believers, namely the Salaf as-Saalih and all those who follow in their footsteps in belief, actions and morals.

Allah has said: "And whoever contends with and contradicts the Messenger after guidance has been clearly conveyed to him and chooses a path other than that of the Faithful Believers, We shall leave him in the Path he has chosen and land him in Hell, what an evil refuge!" [Surah al-Nisaa' 4:115]

Shaikh-ul-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah commented on this verse: "All who contradict and oppose the Messenger after the right path has been clearly shown to them, have followed other than the Path of the Believers; and all who follow other than the Path of the Believers have contradicted and opposed the Messenger after the right Path has been shown to them. If one thinks that he is following the Path of the Faithful Believers and is mistaken, he is in the same position as one who thinks he is following the Messenger and is mistaken."

-Who are the Salaf and who are the Salafis?-

The Salaf as-Saalih are the Companions of the Prophet, peace be upon him, their Followers (the Taabi'een and the Taabi Taabi'een (i.e. the first three generations of Muslims) and the Scholars of the Ahl-us-Sunnah wal-Jamaa'ah after them who followed their way in belief and deed. Among them are :

Imam Abu Hanifah (150 AH), Al-Awzai (157 AH), Ath-Thawri (161AH), Al Laith ibn Saad (175 AH), Imam Malik (179 AH), Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak (181 AH), Sufyan ibn Uyainah (198 AH), Imam Ash-Shafi'i (204 AH), Ishaq (238 AH), Imam Ahmed bin Hanbal (241 AH), Al-Bukhari (256 AH), Muslim (261 AH), Abu Dawood (275 AH) and others.

Ibn Taymiyyah (728 AH), and his students: Adh-Dhahabi (748 AH), Ibn al-Qayyim (751 AH), Ibn Katheer (774 AH) and others.

Muhammed bin 'Abd al-Wahhab (1206 AH) and many of his students.

And in our time: Abdul Aziz bin Baz, Muhammed bin Saalih Uthaimeen, Muhammed Naasir-ud-Deen al-Albaani.

The Salafis are the Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jamaa'ah. They are the Taaifatul- Mansoorah (the Aided, Victorious Group) and the Firqatun-Naajiyyah (the Saved Sect) which have been mentioned in the following statements of the Messenger, peace be upon him:

"There shall not cease to remain a single group from my community upon the Truth, victorious; they are unharmed by those who abandon them and those who oppose them. They will remain (in my community and in such a state) until they fight the liar (i.e. the Anti-Christ (Dajjal)." [Reported in Sahih Muslim]

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For the rest of the article, please see the link:

http://www.spubs.com/sps/sp.cfm?subsecID=SLF02&art...

And to answer related questions:

Q) I thought "very strict" meant Wahhabi?

A) The term "Wahhabi" was a term invented by deviant cults and disbelievers to slander Muslims who adhere to the Qur'an and Sunnah upon the understanding of the Salaf-us-Salih. "Wahhabi", was particularly used by the Sufi grave worshipers in the time of Shaykh Muhammad ibn Abdul-Wahhaab, may Allaah have mercy on him, as they took offense to their shrines of shirk being demolished in accordance with the Sunnah. See http://www.thewahhabimyth.com/ .

Q) "They follow the Qur'an, Sunnah and the example of the Sahabah etc... pious predessors."...that means every Muslim...?"

A) No it does not. Many Muslims claim to follow the understanding of the Sahabah, but it is an empty claim. For example, the Sufis claim to follow the Qur'an and the Sunnah, but they perform and call to acts of worship that were never taught by the Prophet, peace be upon him. The Shia claim the same, but they have taken their Imams as intermediaries with Allah. Terrorists claim to be following the Sunnah, yet they kill innocent people all over the world and cause widespread corruption. All of these groups have fallen into severe error because they interpret the Qur'an and the Sunnah in a way that opposes the actual, authentic, and contextual teachings of the Prophet, peace be upon him, and the scholars throughout Islamic History.

Q) Difference between Salafi/Sunni?

A) The terms are interchangeable to an extent. They are terms used when needed to clarify the difference between true Islam and deviant ideologies that claim to be Islamic. The term "Sunni" came about to clarify to the general Muslims that the "Islam" claimed by the Shia is not true Islam. Later on in Islamic history, the scholars of the religion, used the term "Atharee" (means: a follower of the authentic narrations) to clarify to the general Muslim that a true Muslim is one who accepts and follows the authentic narrations from the sunnah (because in that time, people who rejected hadeeth would still call themselves "Sunni" so the general layman would be confused about the difference between truth and falsehood.) Likewise the term "Salafi" is used when necessary to clarify that true Islam entails following the understanding of the Salaf-us-Salih in actuality (because there exists Muslims who claim to be Sunni but who practice Islam with a corrupt methodology). These terms are not "sectarian" terms, rather they are used so the person seeking to worship Allaah correctly will not be confused by all the parties that claim Islam.

I hope that helps. May Allaah bless you!

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Additional Note:

Shaykh 'Uthaymeen did not oppose the ascription or use of the word "Salafi".

With regards to the specific quote referring to the Salafis as a blameworthy "hizb" (partisan group), then it is not even confirmed that ibn 'Uthaymeen has ever mentioned it.

However, there are recordings in which the Shaykh speaks on a similar issue. Ibn Uthaymeen intended to point out the difference between the way of the Salaf (the genuine Salafi) and the people who falsely claim to follow them but in reality are nothing but a blameworthy hizb.

"Regarding Uthaymeen's Statement"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SteQV17mv0&feature...

And Shaykh Uthaymeen approved of the term "Salafi" in no uncertain terms, as Salafiyyah is indeed nothing except the truth.

See:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XAFMW1TIykc&feature...

Not only is there no evidence of his being resurrected, there are no contemporary accounts that Jesus ever lived, let alone performed any of the miracles attributed to him. You'd think that people would have noticed the sky growing dark at noon and mentioned it somewhere to somebody when it happened but no one did. You'd think feeding the multitudes, healing the sick and the crippled, and preaching to huge crowds might have caught someones attention and been worth a comment or two in the public record but it wasn't. You'd think the trial and crucifixion of someone would, at the very least, have been included in Pontius Pilate's court records, but they weren't. All the tales about Jesus the Messiah were promulgated after his supposed death by people who, for the most part, hadn't known him, and those people didn't just go to other countries but actually had to go to other Continents to find believers, does this not suggest that the authors were consciously avoiding eye-witness testimony that would have contradicted, if not outright refuted, their claims?

Quite a number of historical evidences. It just requires intelligent people to take the time to read the books of the Scholar of the past.

as-Sam’aanee said in his definition of “as-Salafee”,

السلفي؛ بفتح السين واللام وفي آخرها فاء: هذه النسبة إلى السلف، وانتحال مذاهبهم على ما سعمت منهم

((As-Salafee: with a fat-hah on the Seen and the Laam and in the end is Faa. This is an ascription to the Salaf and following their ways, in that which is related from them.))

The usage of this term is well-known amongst the scholars of the past such as Imaam adh-Dhahabee and other than him when he described that a scholar must be:

ان يكون تقيا ذكيا نحويا لغويا زكيا حييا سلفيا

((-Taqiyan (have taqwah) -Dhakiyah (have intelligence) -Nahwiyan (firm in Arabic grammar) -Lugawiyan (firm in Arabic language) -Dhakiyan (pure in action and/or intentions) -Hayiyan (shy) -Salafiyan (follow the way of the Salaf As Saleh))

Read the rest here:

http://abulhaarith.wordpress.com/2008/08/19/the-me...

Allah (s.w.t) called us with a better name as 'Muslims'. Why do we want to label as Salafiyya. Is it not enough we call to the ways of Salaf Salihoon and be like them in beliefs and actions. Did any of Salaf Saliheen label themselves with a title 'Salafee'???. Let's prove we follow the 'Salaf' by following the Salaf, not by proving. But by actions and beliefs.

Shaikh Salih Al-Uthaimeen (r.a) have said " It is obligatory for the Islamic Ummah to adopt the way of the salaf as-salih as their madhhab, not bigotry to those called "the salafis". Pay attention to the difference: There is the way of the salaf, and there is a party (hizb) called "the salafis".

What is the objective? Following the Salaf. Why? The salafi brothers are the closest sect to that which is right, no doubt, but their problem is the same as others, that some of these sects declare others as being misguided, they declare them to be innovators and as being sinners. We don't censure this, if they deserve it, but we censure handling this bid'ah in this way. It is obligatory for the leaders of these sects to get together and say, “Between us is the book of Allah, and the Sunnah of His messenger, so lets us judge by them and not according to desires, opinions and not according to personalities. Everyone makes mistakes and achieves correctness no matter what he has reached with regards to knowledge and worship. Infallibility is [only] in the religion of Islam."

In this hadeeth the Prophet SAW guided to the way in which a person secures himself. He doesn't affiliate him to any sect, only the way of the salaf as-salih, to the Sunnah of our Prophet SAW and the rightly guided caliphs."

salaf: means something that passed in time....like "aussur al salifa" meaning the times that passed...

Aslaf: your grandfathers and their fathers..

so when you say the methodology of salaf: you are not talking about a sect but rather referring to the methodology of people of old times..

As Salaamu 'alaikum wa Rahmatullaahi wa Barakaatuh.

A7sanallaahu elayka, wa Baarakallaahu feeka.

Al Haakim said: I heard ar-Rabee' [saying]: I heard ash-Shaafi'ee, and indeed he was narrating a hadeeth. So a man said to him: Will you implement this o Abaa Abdullaah? So he said: If I narrate an authentic hadeeth from the Messenger of Allaah (Sallallaahu 'Alayhi Wa Sallam) and I don't implement it, then you can testify that my intellect has left!

[Reported by Ibn Abee Haatim in Aadaabush Shaafi'ee Wa Munaaqibuhu (p. 93), and by Imaam adh-Dhahabee in Mukhtasir Al Uloow' (no. 197) It's chain of narration is authentic. It was authenticated by Shaykh al-Albaanee in Sifatus Salaah (fifth edition) (p. 33)]

A man came to Imaam Maalik Ibn Anas (radiyallaahu 'anhu) and said: From where should I put on the ihraam? So he said: From the place where the Messenger of Allaah (Sallallaahu 'Alayhi Wa Sallam) stopped and put on ihraam. So the man said: So what if I put on ihraam from farther than that? So Maalik said: I do not advise that. So he said: What do you dislike about that? He said: I dislike the Fitnah upon you. He said: And what is the Fitnah in increasing the good?! So he said: Verily Allaah the Exalted says, "So let those who oppose his (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) command beware that a Fitnah may strike them, or a painful punishment." And which Fitnah is greater than you specifying an action with virtue which was not specified by the Messenger of Allaah (Sallallaahu 'Alayhi Wa Sallam)?

[Related Abu Shaamah in his book Baa'ith 'alaa Inkaarul Bid'ah Wal Hawaadith (p. 14). Quoted by Abee Bakr Al Khallaal.]

The Signs of the Saved-Sect:

[1] al-Firqatun-Naajiyah (the Saved-Sect) are few amongst the people. Allaah’s Messenger (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) prayed for them in the following words: “Toobaa (a tree in Paradise) is for the Strangers - the people who are righteous amongst a people who are mostly wicked, those that disobey them are more than those who obey them.” [29] And the noble Qur‘aan inform about them. So it says in praise of them,

“But few of My Servants are grateful.” [30]

[2] The Saved-Sect are abandoned by most people, who slander them and ridicule them with insulting names. So there is for them an example in the Prophets - ’alayhimus-salaam - about whom Allaah said,

“And so We appointed for every Prophet an enemy; devils amongst mankind and jinn, inspiring one another with flowery discourses by way of deception.”

And Allaah’s Messenger (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) was treated in this way by his people. So when he called them to Tawheed they called him a sorcerer and a liar - whereas prior to this they used to call him as-Saadiq (truthful) and al-Ameen (trustworthy).

[3] Shaykh ’Abdul-’Azeez Ibn Baaz - hafidhahullaah - was asked about al-Firqatun-Naajiyah (the Saved-Sect), so he said, “They are the Salafees and all who adhere to the path of the Salafus-Saalih (the Pious Predecessors).”

http://www.troid.org/index.php?option=com_content&...

Is this the salafi you talking about?

Bukhari,Volume 1, Book 10, Number 507:

Narrated Ghailan:

Anas said, "I do not find (now-a-days) things as they were (practiced) at the time of the Prophet." Somebody said "The prayer (is as it was.)" Anas said, "Have you not done in the prayer what you have done?

Narrated Az-Zuhri that he visited Anas bin Malik at Damascus and found him weeping and asked him why he was weeping. He replied, "I do not know anything which I used to know during the life-time of Allah's Apostle except this prayer which is being lost (not offered as it should be)."

http://www.usc.edu/schools/college/crcc/engagement...

Alhamdulillah. May Allah (swt) reward you for your effort.

Jazakhallah Khayr.

Jazakallahu Khayr, brother.

lol, text me what you want for dinner.

You people are hilarious

May Allaah reward you for your efforts

Assalamu Alaikum