Shaykh Saalih Al-Fawzaan (may Allah preserve him) said:
“In regards to His statement, the Exalted:
وَالسَّابِقُونَ الْأَوَّلُونَ مِنَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ وَالْأَنصَارِ وَالَّذِينَ اتَّبَعُوهُم بِإِحْسَانٍ
“And the first to embrace Islam of the Muhajirun (those who migrated from Makkah to Al-Madinah) and the Ansar (the citizens of Al-Madinah who helped and gave aid to the Muhajirun) and also those who followed them exactly (in Faith)” [9:100]
(بِإِحْسَانٍ) means with perfection and not only a claim. So the one who says, “I am Salafi. I am upon the Mathhab of the Salaf”. However if you ask him what the Mathhab of the Salaf is? He says, “I don’t know”.
We say you are not Salafi because you don’t know the Mathhab of the Salaf.
وَالَّذِينَ اتَّبَعُوهُم بِإِحْسَانٍ
And also those who followed them exactly (in Faith)” [9:100]
That is: in knowledge and action and not simply a claim. So learn the Mathhab of the Salaf and what they were upon until you hold fast to it and follow it”. End quote. [al-Ijaabaat al-Faasilah ‘ala ash-Shubuhaat al-Haasilah (pg. 67)]
Translated by
Faisal bin Abdul Qaadir bin Hassan
Abu Sulaymaan
