Shaikh al-Albaani: "Do you find any of those whom we have just mentioned by way of example saying, ‘I am a Muslim who is not upon the Book and the Sunnah’?" Who is the one who says, ‘I am not upon the Book and the Sunnah’?"

At this point the Shaikh then began to explain in detail the importance of being upon the Book and the Sunnah in light of the understanding of the Salaf us-Saalih…

Questioner: "In that case I am a Muslim upon the Book and the Sunnah with the understanding of the Salaf us-Saalih".

Shaikh al-Albaani: "When a person asks you about your madhhab, is this what you will say to him?"

Questioner: "Yes".

Shaikh al-Albaani: "What is your view that we shorten this phrase in the language, since the best words are those that are few but indicated the desired intent, so we say, ‘Salafi’?" End of quotation.

Hence, the point is that naming with "Muslim" or "Sunni" is not enough, since everyone will claim that. And Imaam al-Albaani emphasised the importance of the truth being distinguished from the falsehood – from the point of view of the basis of manhaj and aqidah, and that is taking from the Salaf us-Saalih, as opposed to the various sects and groups whose understandings are based upon those of their mentors and leaders and not that of the Salaf, fundamentally.

3) Calling Oneself a Salafi is a Blameworthy ‘Tazkiyah’ of Oneself

And this doubt has been answered by our Mashaayikh: Allaamah, ‘Abdul-‘Azeez Ibn Baz – the [former] mufti of Saudi Arabia was asked: What do you say about the one who calls himself ‘Salafi’ or ‘Athari’? Is this is a tazkiyah (purification) of his own self? So he replied – may Allaah have mercy upon him – "When he is being truthful [in his claim] that he is Salafi or Athari then there is not harm in that, [this is] similar to what the Salaf used to say, ‘So and so is a Salafi’, ‘So and so is Athari’. This is a tazkiyah (commendation) which is necessary, a tazkiyah that is obligatory." (Cassette: Haqq ul-Muslim 16/1/1413 Ta’if)

Shaikh Salih al-Fawzan was asked "Is the one who gives himself the title of ‘as-Salafi’ considered to have set up a ‘hizb’?". To which he replied, "There is no harm in labelling oneself with Salafiyyah when it is in truth. However, if it is merely a claim then it is not permissible to label oneself with Salafiyyah, whilst one is upon a manhaj other than that of the Salaf." (Al-Ajwibah al-Mufidah p.16)

As for those who wish to discourage others from ascribing themselves to the Salaf and claim that it is a tazkiyah (self-praise) then their machinations are not hidden from us. Rather, Shaikh ul-Islaam refuted this false claim centuries ago and made it obligatory to accept the ascription of a person to the Salaf – and held it to be by unanimous agreement – since the aqidah and manhaj of the Salaf is nothing but the truth. But when it is the case that the manhaj of these people (the false claimants) is adulterated, then it should come as no surprise that they wish for the people to detach themselves from the Salaf – since that is the only way that their falsehood can remain undetected.

4) Salafiyyah Causes Disunity

When it is the case that Salafiyyah is the understanding of the Book and the Sunnah upon the understanding of the Salaf of the Ummah and the Messenger (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) stated, "And this Ummah will split into seventy-three sects, all of them in the Hellfire but one". They said, which one is this O Messenger of Allaah? He replied, "They are those who are upon what I and my companions are upon today" (Tirmidhee, no.2643) – and when it is also the case that the splitting occurred by their abandoning the correct understanding, then Salafiyyah is but the way forward for unity and is not splitting or sectarianism. As Shaikh Salih al-Fawzaan said, "As-Salafiyyah (i.e. the Salafis) is the Saved Sect, and they are Ahl us-Sunnah wal-Jamaa’ah. It is not a hizb (party) from amongst the various parties, those who which are called "parties" today … Hence Salafiyyah is a group of people (i.e. the Salafis) upon the madhhab of the Salaf, upon what the Messenger (sallallaahu alaihi wasallam) and his companions were upon and it is not a hizb from amongst the contemporary groups present today." (Cassette: "at-Tahdheer min al-Bid’ah" second cassette, delivered as a lecture in Hawtah Sadeer, 1416H).