Taken From SLF010004 @ SalafiPublications.Com (A Reply to the Doubts of the Qutubiyyah On Ascription to Sunnah and Salafiyyah). If you find this beneficial then please make reference to the above article, when quoting.
In the verdict of the Permanent Committee, No. 1361 (1/165) there occurs,
"Salafiyyah is an ascription to the Salaf, and the Salaf are the Companions of
Allaah’s Messenger (sallallaahu alaihi wasallam) and the Imaams of Guidance from
the the first three generations (may Allaah be pleased with them), those whose
goodness has been testified for by Allaah’s Messenger (sallallaahu alaihi
wasallam), "The best of people are my generation, then those who follow after
them, then those who follow after them, then there will come a people whose
testimony will precede their oath and their oath will precede their
testimony." Reported by Imaam Ahmad in his Musnad and also by al-Bukhaari
and Muslim. And "the Salafis" (Salafiyyoon) is the plural of "Salafi", which
is an ascription to the Salaf, and its meaning has already preceded. And they
are the ones who traverse upon the minhaaj of the Salaf, from amongst the
followers of the Book and the Sunnah, those who call to them both, and to acting
upon them, as a result of which they are from Ahl us-Sunnah
wal-Jamaa’ah."
There also occurs in their reply to the question, "I want the explanation of
the word ‘Salaf’ and also who are the Salafis?", the following, "The Salaf
[i.e. the Salafis] are Ahl us-Sunnah wal-Jamaa’ah, the followers of Muhammad
(sallallaahu alaihi wasallam) from amongst the Companions and whoever follows
their methodology until the Day of Judgement, and when the Messenger
(sallallaaahu alaihi wasallam) was asked about al-Firqah an-Naajiyah (the Saved
Sect), he said, "They are those who are upon what I and my companions are upon
today…" (Fatwaa No. 6149, 2/164).Shaikh Ibn Uthaimeen states,
"Who are the Ahl ul-Athar? They are the
ones who follow the aathaar, they follow the Book and the Sunnah and the sayings
of the Companions (radiallaahu anhum). And this does not befit any group
(firqah) amongst the sects except the Salafiyyeen, those who adhere to the path
of the Salaf…" which occurs on the first tape of his explanation of
"al-Aqeedat as-Safaareeniyyah".
Likewise the Noble Shaikh stated in Sharh ul-Aqeedat ul-Waasitiyyah (1/123),
"...There is no doubt, however, that one of them is truly Ahl us-Sunnah - but
which one? Is it the Ash'arees, the Maatureedees or the Salafis?
Whichever of them agrees with the Sunnah is considered to be Ahl us-Sunnah,
whilst whichever of them opposes is not. So we say: The Salaf are Ahl
us-Sunnah wal-Jamaa'ah, and this description cannot be true for anyone else
besides them… Rather Ahl us-Sunnah wal-Jamaa'ah are those who hold to what
the Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wasallam) and his Companions were upon, and to
the aqidah of the Salaf - until the Day of Judgement – and they are the
Salaf."
Shaikh Saalih al-Fawzaan said, "And the Salaf and whoever follows their way
never cease to distinguish between the Salaf and their followers from those who
are other than them from the Innovators and Astray Sects, and they call them
(i.e. the followers of the Salaf) Ahl us-Sunnah wal-Jamaa’ah, the Followers of
the Salaf, and their works are full of this, when they refute the sects
in opposition to the sect (firqah) of Ahl us-Sunnah and the
Followers of the Salaf." (al-Bayaan p.130).
He also said, "And how can making one’s madhhab that of the Salaf be an
innovation, an astray innovation?! And how can it be an innovation when it is
but the following of the madhhab of the Salaf, and following their madhhab is
obligatory by the Book and the Sunnah, and truth and guidance?!" (al-Bayaan
p. 156).
And he also said, "And so he described this one sect to be the one that
follows the manhaj (methodology) of the Salaf, and which traverses upon it, so
he said, "They are those who are upon what I and my companions are upon
today…". So he indicated that there is a Salafi Jamaa’ah which has
preceded and that there will be a Jamaa’ah which comes after, who will follow
the former one in its way and methodology, and that there will be groups in
opposition to it and who have been threatened with Hellfire." (al-Bayaan p.
133).
Are The Salafis From Ahl us-Sunnah wal-Jamaa'ah