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Revision as of 20:39, 25 August 2004
A Salafi (lit. early muslim), from the Arabic world Salaf, is a practictioner of Salafiyyah (Salafism). Modern usage from the Islamic phrase minhaj as-Salaf, or method of the early Muslims. Also known as the Wahhabi branch of Islam.
The word Salaf means predecessors (or ancestors) and refers to the Companions of the Prophet Muhammad, the early Muslims who followed them, and the scholars of the first three generations of Muslims. They are also called - As Salafus Saalih (the Righteous Predecessors).
The Salafis view the first few generations of Muslims, including the Prophet Muhammad (SAWS), the early Khalifahs, the Companions, and first three generations as a prime authority and as perfect examples. These three generations are classified as the Pious generations.
Islamic jurisprudence holds that, in order of precedence, the sources of Islamic law are : a) the Quran (the Muslim revealed scripture), b) the Hadith (prophetic traditions) and c) Ijma' (consensus). Modern Salafis hold that those should be interepreted as the above three generations would have interpreted them, and not according to innovative ways, thus holding a traditionalist view. They thus reject many later Islamic viewpoints as Bida and Shirk.
In modern Islam, the term Salafi has come to describe a Saudi-based group of fundamentalist Muslims who seek to purify modern Islam, reinstate ijtihad, abolish classical and most medieval Islamic jurisprudence, and promote the interpretations of Salafi Islamic thinkers such as Ibn Taymiyah. These modern Salafis are sometimes called "neo-Salafis" (often disparagingly) or Salafists in order to distinguish Salafism from the early generations of Muslims (the original salaf).