The salafism is a movement sunnite asserting a return to the Islam of the origins.

Étymologiquement, salafism (in Arab: السلفية have-salafiyyah ) comes from the word salaf , predecessor or ancestor , which designates the companions of Mohamed and the two generations which succeeded to them.

Origins

The salafis refuse to be seen like a movement of recent foundation, and consider that they represent the legitimate continuation of the Islam of the first centuries. The use of the Arab word salafiy (salafist) goes back at least to the 14th century. Ibn Taymiyyah declared as follows: " there is not no disadvantage to be allotted to the salafs". One finds also this attribution in the writings of his pupil, historian and specialist in the Hadith, Adh-Dhahabiy.

Attribution with the salafism was more widely diffused at the beginning of the 20th century by the rationalist school of the Egyptian Muhammad Abduh and of its Syrian pupil Muhammad Rashid Ridha, in opposition to the Soufisme, which they fought as being one of the independent sources of the decline of the Moslems. However, they did not adopt the other bases which distinguish the salafists today (not interpretation of the divine attributes, limited role of the reason in the interpretation of the crowned texts…). The salafis of today are thus rather critical towards this school. The Yemeni Muqbil Ibn Hâdî thus wrote a book to show that Rashid Ridha and even less its Master Muhammad Abduh, cannot prevail himself of the salafism.

Al-Albâni considered that it is necessary to be called today " salafis" , and that it is not enough to declare " simply; musulman" , because the most opposed currents, of the Shiism to the Sufism, are declared also Moslem. It is thus in a preoccupation with a distinction of the other currents that he insisted on this name. He affirmed that it was simply a summary in a word of the sentence " Moslem following the Coran and the Sunna, according to the interpretation of the piles prédécesseurs" ( have-salaf have-sâlih ).

Principal bases of the salafism

• To insist on the tawhid (monotheism) from which they distinguish three branches, which is a clear differentiation with respect to the other Moslem theologists:

• Tawḥîdu r-rubûbiyya^h (unicity in Its Seigneurerie): The unicity of Allah as creator, Master (Owner) of His creation and Administrator (Manager) of His creation.
• Tawḥîdu l-Ulûhiyya^h (Unicity in Its worship): The fact of devoting all its acts of worship to Allah and Him only. They affirm that the first mission of all the prophets was to invite people to conform to this aspect of the monotheism.
• Tawḥîdu l-ʾAsmâʾi wa s-Sifât (unicity in Its names and attributes): The fact of accepting the apparent direction of the attributes and divine acts which appear in Coran and authentic Sunna, without interpreting them in a metaphorical way, and without comparing them to the human attributes.
• To return to the religion as practiced by the " piles prédécesseurs" and to denounce any innovation in the precepts or the religious practices, which very often leads them to denounce things which are not recognized like innovations by the others sunnites, the latter tolerating more or less certain religious innovations.
• No word or opinion of any person must take precedence over the texts of Coran and Sunna. They thus often quote the word of Imâm Malik: " The opinion of any person is likely to be accepted or refused, except words of that which to lie in this tombe" , showing falls it from the prophet Muḥammad: " If the Hadith appears authentic that he contradicts himself with my word, then throw my word against the mur" .

Position about the divine attributes

From the doctrinal point of view, the salafis are opposed to the acharites and the maturidites, while claiming to refuse to interpret in a metaphorical way the divine attributes and acts (such as the rise on the throne, the " hand of Dieu" , " the eye of Dieu" , " the leg of Dieu" , " the face/the face of Dieu" , " the smile of Dieu" …), without however comparing them to the human attributes. They thus claim majority of the hanbalites, and in particular of Ibn Taymiyyah which constitutes one of their privileged references. But in the facts, they interpret the divine attributes in a literal way, which is regarded by a considerable part of the others sunnites as Anthropomorphisme. Indeed, for each attribute, they say that the direction is known but the unknown method. Thus the Hand of God would be according to them truly a hand with the direction or let us hear we it but would not resemble the other known hands.

This position is attested in old writings. At-Tirmidhiy at the 10th century, known as in its Sunan (delivers which constitutes one of the six more important references of Hadîth at the sunnites), by commenting on the hadîth according to which " Allah accepts alms and its right hand takes it… " :

“In connection with this hadîth and of the accounts of the same order, mentioning attributes, or evoking the descent of the Lord - Glorifié and Elevé be-It - each night, to the sky low, several scientists said: some of these accounts are authentic, must believe in it, but one should not imagine it nor to wonder about how. This was brought back of Mâlik Ibn Anas, Sufyân Ibn “Uyaynah and Abd-Allâh Ibn Al-Mubârak. They said in connection with these hadîths: " Make pass them without speaking about the “comment'". This is the opinion of the scientists among people of the Sunna and the consensus. As for of the djahmiyyah , they disavowed these accounts and said that it is anthropomorphism. Whereas Allah mentioned in several passages of its Book, " Main" , " Ouïe" , " Vue" , the djahmiyyah interpreted these verses in manner Métaphorique and explained it in a contrary way to that of people of science. They claimed that Allah did not create Adam His Hand, but they said that " main" here " means; force". Ishâq Ibn Râhawayh said: " It would be anthropomorphism if one said: “A hand such as such hand” ( yadun ka-yad ) or “a hearing such as such hearing” ( sam' ka-Sam” ) or “which resembles such hearing” ( sam' a mithla Sam” ) (...). As for saying, as Allah said, “a Hand”, “a hearing”, “a sight” without speaking of how and without saying “which resembles such hearing” or “such as such hearing”, then this is not to in no case anthropomorphism. It is in conformity so that Allah - Glorifié and Elevé be-It - said in its Book: لَيسَكَمِثْلِهِشَيْءٌوهُوَالسَّمِيعُالبَصِيرُ (" There is nothing which resembles to Him; and it is Him Audient, Clairvoyant") ” (Coran, Sourate 42 verse 11)

The acharites show the salafists of anthropomorphism when they speak about " Hand of Allah" , of the " Eyes of Allah" , of the " Anger of Allah" , of the " Mercy of Allah" , etc with the clean direction, because for them these attributes are clean creatures and imply a certain weakness. The salafis answer them that the acharites also recognize certain attribus (" Vie" , " Volonté" , " Vue" ,…) whereas they are divided by the creatures. The salafis thus wonder why they do not speak about anthropomorphism in this case. People of Sunna and the consensus often quote this formula: " We know what is hearing (or the hand, the sight….), we are unaware of how it is (near God), and to put questions on this subject is a innovation". In other words, they recognize that God has a hand, a hearing etc… but they refuse to raise the question of how which, according to them, is an innovation, which is sure, it is that to in no case God does not resemble his creatures.

The salafis accept all the divine names and attributes without denying them, neither to transform them, nor to compare them…

In short, they are neither metaphorists, nor anthropomorphists, but between the two.

Position compared to the four traditional schools

The salafis learn from these schools and affirm that it is not obligatory to adhere some to one. On the contrary, it is duty of the salafis to seek the Islamic truth, even if that contradicted the opinion of one of these methodological ways. This point of view of the salafis caused the anger of the fanatics of the four Madhab.

The advanced arguments by the salafis, on this subject, are developed in books such as I' lâm ul-Muwaqqi' in of Ibn Al-Qayyim (XIVe century), Al-Qawl ul-Mufîd fî hukm it-taqlîd of Ash-Shawkâniy (19th century), Hadiyyat custom-Sultân, ilâ muslimî bilâd it-Yâbân of Sultân Al-Ma' sûmiy, or Bid' At C-Ta' assub it-Madhhabiy of the contemporary 'Îd 'Abbâsiy, who is an answer to the book Al-Lâmadhhabiyyah of Al-Bûtî.

The salafis remained close to the Saudi Arabia, One of the famous words of the sheik salafi Nasir ud-DIN Al-Albani was: “It belongs to the policy, today, to forsake the policy”. This theologist Albano-Syrian who was the most outstanding figure of the salafism since the Sixties, until his death in 2000, and which contributed much to the diffusion of the salafism, was convinced that the only solution with the problems of the Moslems consists of what it called " At-Tasfiyatu wa-Tarbiyah" (purification and education): on the one hand, to purify the Islamic religion of all " innovations" who sullied its precepts and its dogmas, to return to the original religion such as it was transmitted by the Prophet, and in addition, the education of the Moslems so that they conform to this purified religion, and forsake their bad habits. He thus considered, which any other solution (that it is political or revolutionist) does nothing but divert the Moslems of the good way to be followed. Little before its death, it estimated that much was done as regards the " purification" , but that essence remains to be made with regard to " the éducation".

Critical of the salafis

Certain Moslems reproach the salafis their manner of interpreting the texts which they regard as vacuums of their context, their deep sense and suitable justifications. They reproach them also their lack of rationalism and scientific references. The only arguments that the salafis hold for reliable and sure sources, according to their remarks, are their references to the scientists whom they chose to recognize like good thinking. However, the Scientists of Islam are not infallible and can be mistaken, or emit errors on questions of Fiqh or on the interpretation of the texts.

Moreover, their opposition to the democracy for various and varied reasons, but ever concretely justified: according to them, even if Islam cannot come by the ballot boxes, the will of a minority is of right. From these some facts it results that certain Moslems oppose this mobility which they regard as sectarian.

Relationships to the Muslim brothers and other movements

The Muslim brothers are more or less sympathizers of the salafism, but the movement in itself is not an exclusive emanation of the salafism. Hassan El-Banna, the founder of the movement, defined it as " at the same time salafist and Soufi " , in a concern of gathering the most Moslems in his movement politico-monk. Some salafis would be very critical towards the movement of the Muslim brothers. They show them in particular:

• not to insist on the Tawhid in their sermon.
• to gather people of various beliefs without worrying to correct their possible deviances.
• to base the criteria of alliance and disavowal on the membership of their movement, the compliance with its rules, and obedience with their murchid instead of basing them on the respect of Islam.
• to be itself close to the Shiites who are the group more hated salafis.

Cf Waqafâtun ma' has kitâbi Li-ddu' âti faqat () of Muhammad Ibn Sayf Al 'Adjmiy.

Sâlih Âl Ash-Shaykh, current Saoudi Minister for the religious affairs, declared:

“As for the group of the Muslim brothers, among the principal aspects of their call, one raises: the secrecy, the dissimulation, fickleness, the bringing together of those which are of an interest for them (...). Also, among the aspects of this group and its bases, is the fact that they prevent their disciples from hearing the opinions which are opposed to their. They for that of the tactics varied: to occupy the time of the young people of the morning at the evening (...) so that they do not on any more the occasion to be interested in another thing, to show people which know their truth and to defame them (...) to prevent the others from listening to them. They are in that similar to the polytheists, in a certain aspect, which showed the Messenger of Allah (...), in public, of various evils to prevent people from following it. (...)

In addition, the ultimate goal of the call Muslim brothers is to arrive at the capacity. (...) As for the fact that people are saved punishment of Allah (...) and enter to the paradise, this is not important for them.”

(Remarks recorded in a cassette entitled Fatâwâ Al 'Ulamâ `I wire-djamâ' âti wa atharuhâ 'alâ bilâd it-h' aramayn , with the editions Minhâdj custom-Sunnah , Riyadh).

The salafis repudiate the belief which they think of being erroneous Shiites, mourjis, mou' tazila, ach' arites, Muslim brothers, khawarijs, jahmites, habaches, soufis, tijanis, tablighis… Because for them, these sects belong to the groups which will pass by the hell, that supported by some Hadiths of the Prophet.

The exact terms are: Salafi, and the others, Khawaridj, which one calls also the terrorists, even if in a very large majority of the cases, the media do not take time to specify, and put the terrorists in the camp of Salafis.

References of the salafis

The salafis refer to old Ouléma S:

• Initially companions of the Prophet, whom they regard as being most erudite and the first example to be followed after Muhammad.

• four Imâms founders of the legal schools, for which they show a large respect although they refuse to follow them blindly.

• the scientists specialists in the hadith of the IXe-13th century, such as: Ibn Al-Mubârak, Ibn 'Uyaynah, Al-Bukhâriy, Muslim, At-Tirmidhiy, Abû Daoûd, Ibn Khuzaymah, Ibn Battah, Ibn Mandah, Ibn Qudâmah…

• Ibn Taymiyyah and its disciples Ibn Al-Qayyim, Ibn Kathîr and Adh-Dhahabiy, which lived in XIIIe-XIVe century, at the time of the Mamelouks. The salafists very often quote them (especially three first) because their works are abundant and that they defended with energy the belief “salafi” against the currents Soufi S and asharites, majority at their time. In practice, this preferential reference to Théologien S of the school Hanbalite place salafists in a vision of the Islam which is rather close to that of this last school, even if the salafists refuse by principle of referring to a school rather than with another.

All the theologists who precede are also recognized and respected by the sunnites of the other currents.

• Muhammad Ibn Abd Al-Wahhâb and its disciples, whose works were gathered in " Complete works of Muhammad Ibn 'Abd Al-Wahhab" and " Al-Fatâwa Year-Nadjdiyyah". These theologists are the subject of much more polemics between the salafis and the other currents.

• Muhammad Ibn Ibrâhîm, former mufti of Saudi Arabia, at the beginning of the 20th century. Its book Tahkîm ul-Qawânîn is very quoted by the khawarijs, because they think of finding there a judgment of apostasy of the governors who do not apply the chari' has. This passage of the book was discussed by certain salafis to give him its true interpretation.

As for the contemporary oulémas, the salafis refer to:

• Ibn Bâz, precedent Mufti of Saudi Arabia. Its complete works were gathered in a collection.

• Nasir ud-DIN Al-Albâniy, specialist in the science of the Hadith. He emigrated of Albania with his father who was a mufti Hanafite, to settle in Syria. He is for a great self-educated part. It was called to teach sciences of the hadith at the University of Médine, the year of its foundation. But, after two years, its contract was not renewed. He lived a certain time in Lebanon and the Emirates, before settling definitively in Amman in Jordan.

• Ibn 'Uthaymîn, former member of the Committee of the large Saoudi scientists. Among its famous fatwas is the fact that " the author of a suicide bombing will be in hell for all the éternité" (cf its book Sharhu Riyâdh is-Sâlihîn ).

• the Yemeni Muqbil Ibn Hâdî, formed in Saudi Arabia. After of being expelled, he lived that like an injustice. This one was very critical towards the Saoudi government, until little before its death, but reconsidered its position when Saoudi persons in charge accommodated it and transferred to be neat in the United States then in Saudi Arabia. It reported that Usama Bin Laden proposed to him to provide out of weapons its students to Yemen, which it refused. This last also declared before the attacks of September 11th: " That Allah protects us from Usama Bin Laden. It is ill omen for the musulmans".

These four all oulémas, deceased between 1999 and 2001, constitute the first contemporary references of the salafis. They are often more or less attacked by the contemporary djihadists or khawarijs which readily regards them as being with the pay of the Arab governments, because they refused to declare them " apostats" as the terrorists do it, and are opposed to arbitrary armed risings and with the attacks.

Among the still alive oulémas to which the salafis refer:

• the Saoudi Rabî' Ibn Hâdî Al-Madkhaliy, who is undoubtedly their first spokesperson today. Former chief of the department of sciences of Sunna at the University of Médine. It was raises of Al-Albâniy, and concentrates criticisms most vehement of the khawarijs (terrorist).

• the current mufti of Saudi Arabia, 'Abd Al 'Aziz Âl Ash-Shaykh (descendant of Ibn 'Abd Al-Wahhab).

• Sâlih Al-Fawzân, member of the Committee of the large Saoudi scientists.

• Sâlih Âl Ash-Shaykh, current Minister for the religious affairs of Saudi Arabia (also descendant of Ibn 'Abd Al-Wahhab).

Salafism in the world

• Saudi Arabia : The Saoudi authorities and oulémas claim salafism while rejecting name " wahhabite" regarded as an insult.

• Afghanistan : At the time of the Soviet occupation, the salafism was represented by rear-Rahmân the Djamîl combatant who was assassinated by a rival faction related to the Muslim brothers. The talibans did not assert salafism. They were rather soufis of the school of Deoband. In Afghanistan, India and Pakistan, the salafis name Ahl ul-Hadîth .

• Algeria : Some see in Djam' iyyat Al 'Ulamâ ` (the association of the oulémas) founded by Ibn Bâdis and Al-Bachîr Al-Ibrâhîmiy in 1931 a tendency being attached to the salafisme.
  the organization Groupe Salafiste for Preaching and the Combat or GSPC classified among the terrorist movements asserts its membership of the salafism, however as we mentioned above, all the scientists salafis completely reject the terrorist acts (which it are made in the name of Islam or not).

• Egypt : Mohammed Rachid Rida (1865 - 1935) contributed to the diffusion of attribution to the salafism, but he is criticized by the salafis today. The salafists were represented a long time by association Ansâr have-sunnat it-Muhammadiyyah founded in 1926 by Muhammad Hâmid Al-Faqî (1892-1959), and which counted among its members of the oulémas such as Ahmad Shâkir, Muhyi-ddîn Al-Khatîb, 'Abd Ar-Rahmân Al-Wakîl, Khalîl Harrâs, and others. Muhammad Hâmid Al-Faqî was very opposite with the organization of the Muslim brothers, whom it ironically called Al-Khuwwân (traitors) instead of Al-Ikhwân (Brothers). This association still exists in Egypt and in Sudan. Even if certain members of the Muslim brothers approached the salafists or adopted some their principles, they cannot be regarded as a continuation of the tendency salafie. The great figures of the Egyptian salafism are today Hassan Ibn 'Abd Al-Wahhâb El-Banna (not to be confused with its homonym founder of the brotherhood of the Muslim brothers) and his/her brother Muhammad El-Banna, or the preachers Muhammad Ibrahim and Abou Al-Yamin (raises of sheik Nasir ud-DIN Al-Albâniy, in the area of Alexandria).

• Pakistan : one of the most eminent representatives of the salafism was Ihsân Ilâhî Zhahîr.

• Syria, Lebanon, Jordan : The followers of the salafism in this area were influenced much by Nâcir ud-DIN Al-Albâniy. A group of its pupils (Jordanian of Palestinian origin for the majority) created a center called Markaz Al-Albâniy in Amman.

• Yemen : The salafis presence in Yemen is in particular due to the teaching of Muqbil Ibn Hâdî (death in 2001). Its pupils are with the head of centers of teaching in several cities of Yemen. With the beginning of the year 2003, the centers of the former students Sheikh Abû `Abd Al-Rahmân Muqbil ibn Hâdî Al-Wâdi `I (Rahimahullah) were the following:

Its `da (Dammâj), with seven kilometers of Its `da, mudîriyyyat Al-Sâfra, founded with the beginning of the year 1980 and directed by sheik Al Hajjûrî, Hodeida (directed by Sheikh Al-Wi/sâbî), Dhamâr (sheik Sheikh `Abd Allâh `Uthmân), My `bar (Sheikh Muhammad Al-Imâm), Mafraq Hubaysh (Sheikh `Abd Al `Aziz Al-Bur `I), Ibb (Sheikh `Abd Al-Sabûr Al-Ba `dânî), Sanaa (Masjid Al-Khayr of Sheikh Al-Sawmalî and Markaz sharqayn of Sheikh My `mar, in the past Hajjûrî, founded in 1998), Mâwiya (Sheikh Sâlih Al-Jamîlî), Shaykh `Uthmân (Sheikh `Uthmân Al `Utmî), Al-Shihr (Sheikh `Abd Al-Rahmân Mar `I and his/her brother `Abd Allâh).

• West Africa : The preachers salafis are numerous in the world and West Africa sees being born the movement. One will note the most noticed (even if the West African oulémas remain very ignored): To the Mali , At-talabul-ilm Adam Sangaré, the preacher (At-talabul-ilm) Abdoul Wahab Sylla, the family of Sheikh Al-Hajj Mory Doukouré in the town of Toubakoura, in Guinea At-talabul-ilm Sheikh Salih Camara, and to the Senegal Sheikh Ahmad Lo which bases his dawa (preaching) on education by the discipline, moderation, the happy medium and is opposed to any violence.

External bonds

• Salafi of the East - Fatwa S of scientists Salafis
• Al Minhadj - (methodology) Fatwas of Salafis scientists and information on the salafism
• Ryad-custom-Salihîn - (the garden of virtuous) Course of scientists Salafis
• Directory of the sites salafis in the World
• the Web Salafi - Banners of Salafi Sites, infos, course of the scientists, books of medine, where to study

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