What is the Meaning Of Our Saying “I Am Salafi” – Imam Muqbil ibn Hadi al-Wa’di

Trans. Taalib Alexander

Question: What is the meaning of our saying, ‘I am Salafi’? what are the sources of knowledge and legal reasoning according to the Pious Predecessors (Salaf as-Saalih)?Answer: All praise is due to Allaah Lord of all creation. All praise is due to Allaah and peace be upon His servants whom he has chosen. Salutations of Allaah and (His) peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon his family (be) peace in abundance, and I testify that no deity (has the right to be worshipped in truth) except for Allaah alone with no partners, and I testify that Muhammad is His servant and messenger, to proceed: 

As for the meaning of Salafi, indeed he is the one who is steadfast upon the Book and the Sunnah according (to) the understanding of our Pious Predecessors (Salaf as-Saalih).

The sources of knowledge according to the Salafis are: the Book of Allaah, the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allaah (sallaahu alayhi wa ‘ala Aalihi salam) – they do not have any leader except for the Messenger of Allaah (sallaahu alayhi wa salam) – so this is a distinction of the People of Hadeeth, the People of the Sunnah and the Salafis: because the meaning of the three (previous terms) lead to one meaning, upon that, it is possible to be Salafi but not a scholar of Hadeeth, it is possible to be Sunni also and not be a scholar of Hadeeth, and possibly be a scholar of Hadeeth and he is dotard. And possibly a scholar of Hadeeth and he is an open sinner, for example: Sulaymaan bin Dawood ash-Shaathakoonee (Shadhkuni) Aboo Ayyoob, and likewise Muhammad bin ‘Umar al-J’aabee (Juba’i), and others, it is possible to be a great memorizer (of Hadeeth) and be accused of despicable matters, And we seek Allaah’s aid. 

[Source:http://www.muqbel.net/fatwa.php?fatwa_id=3632]