The Essential Qualities of a True Salafi Scholar
السَّــــــــلاَم عَلَيــْـــــــكُم وَرَحْمَــــــــــةُاللهِ وَبَرَكـَـــــــــاتُه
Islam is a religion that signifies the pinnacle of knowledge and action. The Qur’an, the noble Qur’an, the Sunnah of the Messenger ﷺ, and the teachings of the righteous predecessors (Sahabah and Tabi’een) are symbols of greatness and excellence. In this religion, learning, teaching, and acting upon knowledge carry great rewards. That is why Islam has given scholars preference over worshippers (ʿĀbidīn).
Abu Umamah Al-Bahili (RA) narrates that two men were mentioned before the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, one was a worshipper and the other was a scholar. The Prophet ﷺ said: “The superiority of a scholar over a worshipper is like my superiority over the least of you.” Then the Prophet ﷺ said, “Indeed, Allah, His angels, and all the inhabitants of the heavens and the earth, even the ant in its hole and the fish in the sea, pray for the one who teaches people good.”
[Jamʿ al-Tirmidhi: 2685]
“Whoever pursues a path seeking knowledge, Allah will make his path to Paradise easy. The angels lower their wings in approval of the seeker of knowledge. And indeed, the scholar is prayed for by all those in the heavens and the earth, even the fish in the sea. The superiority of the scholar over the worshipper is like the superiority of the moon over all the stars. Scholars are the heirs of the Prophets. The Prophets did not leave behind dinars or dirhams, but rather they left knowledge, and whoever takes from it has taken a great portion.”
[Jamʿ al-Tirmidhi: 2682, and other narrations agreeing on its text]
Definition of Scholars in the Qur’an:
- یَرۡفَعِ اللّٰہُ الَّذِیۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا مِنۡکُمۡ ۙ وَ الَّذِیۡنَ اُوۡتُوا الۡعِلۡمَ دَرَجٰتٍ ؕ “Allah will raise those who have believed among you and those who were given knowledge in degrees.” [Surah Al-Mujadila 58:11]
Learning and teaching are of such importance that Allah even commanded His Messenger ﷺ to ask for more knowledge:
وَقُلۡ رَّبِّ زِدۡنِیۡ عِلۡمًا
“And say, ‘My Lord, increase me in knowledge.'”
[Surah Ta-Ha 20:114]
In the Qur’an, Allah says:
قُلۡ ہَلۡ یَسۡتَوِی الَّذِیۡنَ یَعۡلَمُوۡنَ وَ الَّذِیۡنَ لَا یَعۡلَمُوۡنَ ؕ إِنَّمَا یَتَذَکَّرُ اُولُوا الۡاَلۡبَابِ “Say, ‘Are those who know equal to those who do not know? Only those of understanding will take heed.'” [Sura Az-Zumar 39:9]
Another verse:
یُّؤۡتِی الۡحِکۡمَۃَ مَنۡ یَّشَآءُ ۚ وَ مَنۡ یُّؤۡتَ الۡحِکۡمَۃَ فَقَدۡ اُوۡتِیَ خَیۡرًا کَثِیۡرًا ؕ وَ مَا یَذَّکَّرُ اِلَّاۤ اُولُوا الۡاَلۡبَابِ “He gives wisdom to whom He wills, and whoever has been given wisdom has certainly been given much good. But none will be reminded except those of understanding.” [Sura Al-Baqarah 2:269]
Characteristics of a True Salafi Scholar Based on the Teachings of the Righteous Predecessors (Salaf):
We are living in a time when the decrees of fate have become dominant. As the earth nears its destined end, corruption and turmoil grow in the land and the sea.
ظَهَرَ الْفَسَادُ فِي الْبَرِّ وَالْبَحْرِ
“Corruption has appeared throughout the land and sea.”
[Surah Ar-Rum 30:41]
Have we not entered a time when people are mixing truth with falsehood? As justice disappears, righteous scholars are leaving, and innovation is growing, so is the loss of blessings. The fruits, animals, and people’s wealth and offspring suffer due to human sins. The distinction between the believer and the disbeliever is fading, and the honor of scholars is diminishing. Good becomes bad in the eyes of the people, and the lawful is being replaced by the unlawful.
The time has come when the world’s materialism is affecting many Salafi scholars. Worldly desires, fame-seeking, and self-interest have distanced many scholars from their true purpose. The main reason for this is the lack of fear of Allah.
Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya, in his book Al-Fawa’id (page 162), quotes Abdullah ibn Mas’ud as saying:
“Indeed, a person forgets knowledge because of the sins he commits. Knowledge is not just the narration of many traditions, rather, it is the fear of Allah.”
The True Salafi Scholar Exhibits These Qualities:
- Fear of Allah and Contentment: A scholar must embody Qur’anic qualities such as gratitude to Allah, contentment with wealth, and obedience in all matters while fearing Allah in actions.
إِنَّمَا یَخۡشَی اللّٰہَ مِنۡ عِبَادِہِ الۡعُلَمٰٓؤُا ؕ إِنَّ اللّٰہَ عَزِیۡزٌ غَفُوۡرٌ “Only those of His servants who have knowledge fear Allah.”
[Surah Fatir 35:28]
- Compassion for the Ummah: A true scholar feels the pain of the Ummah and strives to solve their problems. He is concerned about their state, even during the night.
- Consistency with Actions: A scholar must not call others to goodness while neglecting it himself.
أَتَأْمُرُوْنَ النَّاسَ بِالْبِرِّ وَ تَنْسَوْنَ أَنْفُسَکُمْ وَ أَنْتُمْ تَتْلُوْنَ الْکِتٰبَ أَ فَلاَ تَعْقِلُوْنَ
“Do you enjoin people to righteousness and forget yourselves while you recite the Scripture? Then will you not reason?”
[Surah Al-Baqarah 2:44]
- Humility and Sincerity: A true scholar is sincere, humble, and free of arrogance. His priority is not status, fame, or his own self-interest.
- Diligence in Teaching and Enjoining Good: A scholar who lacks the courage to clarify the truth and is hesitant to speak out against wrongdoing is not a true scholar of the Salafi tradition.
- Wisdom in Speech: The Salafi scholar’s words are filled with wisdom and guidance, and his teachings are impactful. His sincerity and the sweetness of his call to Allah make his words powerful.
- Constant Self-Reflection: A scholar consistently reflects on his own actions and continually strives to improve himself. If not, his heart may become susceptible to the whisperings of Shaytan.
- Avoiding the Pursuit of Fame: A scholar should not be preoccupied with seeking fame or comparing himself with others. His efforts should be devoted to serving the truth and spreading knowledge.
- Absence of Arrogance: A true scholar is not driven by self-love, arrogance, or pride. He is known for his humility and sincerity, following the path of the Salaf in both his character and actions.
- Commitment to Commanding Good and Forbidding Evil: A scholar should live according to the principles of amr bil ma‘ruf wa nahy an al-munkar (commanding good and forbidding evil), striving to create positive changes within society.
- True Salafi Scholars are Humble and Free of Self-Centeredness: They are not concerned with the trappings of this world, but with fulfilling their responsibility to guide others according to the Sunnah and the way of the Salaf.
- Avoiding Delaying or Justifying Mistakes: If a scholar makes a mistake, he should quickly correct it without justifying it or avoiding responsibility.
The Salafi scholars always referred to the earlier scholars for guidance, as seen in the example of Shaykh al-Uthaymin who consulted his teacher, Shaykh Ibn Baz, before issuing a fatwa.
A true scholar does not ignore the dangers of innovation or the falsehoods spreading in society. He teaches the people about these threats, as the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was commanded to deliver the message of Allah clearly:
یٰۤاَیُّہَا الرَّسُوۡلُ بَلِّغۡ مَاۤ اُنۡزِلَ اِلَیۡکَ مِنۡ رَّبِّکَ ؕ وَ اِنۡ لَّمۡ تَفۡعَلۡ فَمَا بَلَّغۡتَ رِسَالَتَہٗ ؕ وَ اللّٰہُ یَعۡصِمُکَ مِنَ النَّاسِ ؕ اِنَّ اللّٰہَ لَا یَہۡدِی الۡقَوۡمَ الۡکٰفِرِیۡنَ “O Messenger, deliver that which has been revealed to you from your Lord. And if you do not, then you have not conveyed His message. And Allah will protect you from the people. Indeed, Allah does not guide the disbelieving people.”
[Sura Al-Ma’idah 5:67]
A Salafi scholar continuously holds himself accountable, as self-reflection and evaluation are key to ensuring sincerity and fulfilling his obligations.
May Allah guide us all to the path of knowledge and righteousness.
وَمَا ذٰلِکَ عَلَی اللّٰہِ بِعَزِیْزٍ
Mrs. Arshad Ansari
Mrs. Arshad Ansari