Salafi Methodology: Accepting Truth from Any Source
السَّــــــــلاَم عَلَيــْـــــــكُم وَرَحْمَــــــــــةُاللهِ وَبَرَكـَـــــــــاتُه
“The word of wisdom is the lost property of the believer; wherever he finds it, he should take it.”
Nowadays, a flaw is found in the views of most respected and honored Ahl al-Hadith (Salafi) brothers regarding steadfastness on the truth and acceptance of it. These views are used as a criterion that even a truthful statement from a non-Ahl al-Hadith is rejectable for an Ahl al-Hadith. However, the Ahl al-Hadith respect and honor the four Imams and accept from them only that which is based on truth. As for the followers of the four Imams, according to the Ahl al-Hadith, their every statement in matters of belief also requires investigation. In Salafism, the chain of narration (isnad) holds a central position because the foundation upon which Islam stands is the isnad itself. This is why the isnad is fundamental for the Ahl al-Hadith (Salafi), as the methodology of the Ahl al-Hadith is to adhere firmly to the Book (the Quran) and the Sunnah.
Therefore, it was deemed better to convince our Salafi brothers and sisters through evidence and commands that the condition of eligibility for recognizing the truth is a fundamental principle of Salafism.
Dear readers!! Ahl al-Hadith or Salafi is a rightful group whose truthfulness is evident from its first generation to the present day through their writings and compilations. Despite differences in time and place, diversity in civilization and culture, and variations in language and expression, their theological beliefs have remained on a single path. In fact, if the sayings and writings on Salafi beliefs were to be gathered, their essence would be cardiac harmony and unison upon the Quran and Sunnah. Salafism is that caravan whose travel provisions are the promotion of the Quran and Sunnah and whose destination is the pleasure and approval of Allah, the Lord of the worlds. Furthermore, the primary objective of the Salafi methodology is that the loftiness and greatness of the true guide’s (the Prophet’s) Shari’ah become common in the East and the West. Therefore, it is obligatory to act upon the Quran and Sunnah according to the methodology of the Salaf-us-Saliheen (the righteous predecessors). Allah the Exalted says:
﴿ وَالسَّابِقُونَ الْأَوَّلُونَ مِنَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ وَالْأَنصَارِ وَالَّذِينَ اتَّبَعُوهُم بِإِحْسَانٍ رَّضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَضُوا عَنْهُ ﴾
(Surah At-Tawbah: 100)
"And the first forerunners [in the faith] among the Muhajireen and the Ansar and those who followed them with good conduct - Allah is pleased with them and they are pleased with Him."
This is a beautiful principle of the Salaf-us-Saliheen that whatever they unanimously agreed upon in the interpretation of Allah’s Quran and the noble sayings of the Prophet ﷺ should be considered beyond criticism. And whatever comes into existence after them should be investigated and tested against the Salafi understanding of the Book and the Sunnah.
The Salafi understanding of the Book and the Sunnah rejects the idea of diminishing the usefulness of any “literature” or “speech and writing” without investigation. According to the Salaf, the basis for acceptance is wisdom and good counsel, not that if the one bringing the truth is my rival, I should reject his truth. In Islamic Shari’ah, justice and fairness are employed for the acceptance of truth.
The Salafis were those who proclaimed the truth, acknowledged the truth, and propagated the truth. And the Ahlus Sunnah wal Jama’ah are adorned with these very qualities of the Salaf-us-Saliheen. Regarding these characteristics, Sheikh-ul-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) says:
“Ahlus Sunnah wal Jama’ah are foremost in accepting the truth from every person of truth, because they speak the truth and affirm the truth, no matter who the speaker of that truth may be, and their inclination is always towards the truth.”
[See: Minhaj as-Sunnah: 7/190]
Allamah Sa’di (may Allah have mercy on him) says that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ also accepted a true statement from a Jew. As Sayyidah Qutaylah bint Safi al-Juhaniyyah (may Allah be pleased with her) says:
“A Jewish scholar came to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, and said: ‘O Muhammad! You are the best of people, but if only you did not commit shirk (polytheism)?’ The Prophet ﷺ said: ‘SubhanAllah! (How astonishing!) How so?’ He said: ‘When you take an oath, you say: By the Kaaba.’ The Prophet ﷺ remained silent for a while and then said: ‘This man has made a point. Now, whoever takes an oath should swear by the Lord of the Kaaba (and not by the Kaaba).’ He then said: ‘O Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him)! You are very good people, but if only you did not set up a rival for Allah!’ The Prophet ﷺ said: ‘SubhanAllah! How so?’ He said: ‘You say: Whatever Allah wills and you will.’ The Messenger of Allah ﷺ remained silent for a while, then said: ‘This man has made a point. If a man says “Masha’Allah” (What Allah wills), he should then say “thumma shi’ta” (i.e., What Allah wills, and then you will).'”
[Silsilah Al-Ahadith As-Sahihah/Al-Iman wal-Tawhid wal-Din wal-Qadr/Hadith: 4]
Although the Messenger of Allah ﷺ disliked the Jews, this animosity did not prevent him from accepting the truth. Similarly, when Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) was guided towards the significance of Ayat al-Kursi, the Prophet ﷺ confirmed it by saying that he (the source, who was Satan) is a liar, but he told the truth. (Narrated by Al-Bukhari)
All the predecessors, despite hardships, used to accept the truth, propagate it, and refute falsehood. A statement supported by evidence is truth, which is to be accepted regardless of who the speaker is. Allah, the Lord of the worlds, says:
فَہَدَی اللّٰہُ الَّذِیۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا لِمَا اخۡتَلَفُوۡا فِیۡہِ مِنَ الۡحَقِّ بِاِذۡنِہٖ ؕ وَ اللّٰہُ یَہۡدِیۡ مَنۡ یَّشَآءُ اِلٰی صِرَاطٍ مُّسۡتَقِیۡمٍ
(Al-Baqarah/213)
"And Allah guided those who believed to the truth concerning that over which they had differed, by His permission. And Allah guides whom He wills to a straight path."
In the commentary of this verse, Imam Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) says:
The servant who accepts the truth wherever, however, and from whomever he finds it, even if it is from an enemy, and rejects falsehood wherever, however, and from whomever he finds it, even if it is from a beloved one, has certainly been guided to the truth. Such a person is the most knowledgeable, the most guided, and the one with the soundest opinion among people.
[See: As-Sawa’iq al-Mursalah: 3/516]
Sheikh Salih bin Fawzan Al-Fawzan says…
The right of the truth is that it should be followed. Bigotry for a school of thought is not permissible, bigotry for individuals is not permissible, and bigotry for tribes is not permissible. A Muslim’s job is to follow the truth wherever he finds it; he does not show prejudice, he does not abandon the truth. A Muslim is one who, wherever he finds the truth, stays with it. Whether this truth is in his school of thought or in another’s. Whether it is with his Imam or another’s Imam. Whether it is with his tribe and community or with another’s tribe and community. Even if the truth is with his enemy, he still adopts it. Because returning to the truth is better than persisting in falsehood.
[See: I’anat al-Mustafid (2/115)]
Hazrat Mu’adh ibn Jabal (may he be pleased with him) says:
Accept the word of truth, even if it comes from a disbeliever or a sinner, and beware of the mistake of a wise man. The people asked, “How will we know that the disbeliever, etc., is telling the truth?” He replied:
“Over the truth, there is a light from Allah by which it is recognized.” (Narrated by Al-Bayhaqi)
We know this well that just as not every claimant acts upon the Quran and Sunnah today, similarly, only the Ahl al-Hadith truly accept the understanding of the Salaf in its correct sense. May Allah grant us the ability and steadfastness to follow the methodology of the Salaf. May we adopt the same path in accepting the truth that the Salaf-us-Saliheen taught us… Allahumma Ameen, thumma Ameen Ya Rabbal Alameen.
Sheikh Sa’di (may Allah have mercy on him) has said it beautifully:
مپندار سعدی کہ راہ صفا
نواں رفت جز درپے مصطفےٰ
Meaning, there is absolutely no salvation without following the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
جـــــزاک اللّــہ خیراً کـــثیراَ وَ اَحــــسن
الجــزاء فی الـــدنیاوالآخرۃ
وٙالسَّــــــــلاَم عَلَيــْـــــــكُم وَرَحْمَــــــــــةُاللهِ وَبَرَكـَـــــــــاتُه
By: Mrs. Ansari
