Be Salafee upon the Path
Shaykh ‘Abdus-Salaam as-Suhaymee
Translated by Abu Moosaa Raha Batts
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilized in any form, or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, without prior permission from the publisher.
1st Edition: October 2013 | E-Book Edition: May 2014
ISBN: 978-1-927012-34-5
Translator’s Foreword
Foreword by Dr. ‘Alee Naasir al-Faqeehee
Introduction by the Noble Shaykh, ‘Ubayd Ibn ‘Abdullaah al-Jaabiree (May Allaah Preserve Him)
Author’s Introduction
Lesson One: What Is Meant by As-Sunnah
Lesson Two: The Legislative Names for Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jamaa’ah
Lesson Three: What Is Intended by As-Salaf
Lesson Four: The Obligation of Openingly Manifesting the Madh-hab of the Salaf
Lesson Five: The Permissibility of Ascribing to the Salaf and Being Named with As-Salafiyyah
Lesson Six: Mentioning Some of the Evidences Which Prove the Obligation of Following the Salafus-Saalih and Clinging to Their Madh-hab
Lesson Seven: The Methodology of the Salaf in ‘Aqeedah
Lesson Eight: The Methodology of the People of Innovation and Desires
Lesson Nine: The Path of Security and Safety Is Following the Sunnah and Leaving off Innovation
Lesson Ten: Some of the Principles of the Salafee Methodology
The Principle of Commanding the Good and Forbidding the Evil
The Principle Concerning Acts of Worship
The Principle that the Religion Revolves Around Beneficial Knowledge and Righteous Action
The Principle That Repelling the Evil Takes Precedence over Bringing About Benefit
The Principle That the Primary and the Subsidiary Rulings Are Not Complete, Except by Two Matters: The Presence of the Conditions and the Negation of the Preventative Factors
Lesson Eleven: The Position of the Salafus-Saalih against the Innovators: Cautioning and Warning against the People of Desires and Innovations Who Oppose the Sunnah
Lesson Twelve: From the Minhaj of the Salaf Is Refuting the One Who Opposes
Lesson Thirteen: Rules Which Must be Observed Regarding Individuals and Groups
Those Who It Is Obligatory to Honour:
Those Who It Is Permissible to Censure, Criticize, and Warn the People against Their Harm:
Lesson Fourteen: Instances in Which It Is Permissible to Backbite and Criticize According to the Scholars of Al-Islaam
Conclusion
Appendix: When a Da’ee Makes a Mistake in Minhaj
Glossary of Important Arabic Words and Phrases
Index
All the praise is for Allaah, Lord of all that exists. May prayers and peace be upon the best of creation, Muhammad Ibn ‘Abdullaah, and upon his family and companions.
In the hands of the noble reader is the magnificent book:
Be Salafee upon the Path
(Kun Salafiyyan‘Alal-Jaaddah 
By the noble Shaykh, ‘Abdus-Salaam as-Suhaymee, may Allaah preserve him.
Indeed, we are living in times of fitnah wherein clarity is needed regarding many of the affairs of manhaj. For many who ascribe to this noble methodology, the methodology of the Salafus-Saalih, are unaware of some of its more intricate details. Hence, we see them falling into errors of manhaj and ‘aqeedah, and making statements which Salafiyyah is free from. We see these errors emanating from the common people as well as some of those who claim knowledge, claim Salafiyyah, and are involved in the field of Da’wah. So what is the position of the true Salafee in these times of fitnah?
The answer to this and all of our questions concerning the affairs of manhaj—a return is needed. What is that return? It is a return to the scholars of this da’wah; a return which is marked by ikhlaas wherein we do not take the statements of our scholars and interpolate them to advance personal agendas; a return to the essence of ad-¬Da’watus-Salafiyyah is needed. So a book such as this one is greatly needed in these trying times. This invaluable book lays out the principles of the Salafee methodology with clarity such that it can be grasped by the scholar as well as the layman. I am grateful to my Lord for the opportunity to participate in presenting it to the English-speaking reader.
Within the book you will find several beneficial footnotes. All but a few are the author’s. I have taken the opportunity to make very few translator’s notes. You will also find an introduction by the Shaykh, ‘Alee Naasir al-Faqeehee, in addition to another introduction by the Shaykh ‘Ubayd al-Jaabiree. May Allaah preserve them. At the end is a brief glossary of Arabic terms that were used throughout the book which the reader will find beneficial.
Thanks are due to our brothers at TROID, in Toronto, Canada for their striving and efforts in ad-Da’watus-Salafiyyah: ‘Umar Abu Zakee and Ahmad Abu Sakeenah, for their assistance towards publishing this book. Also to our sister Umm Zakee for her typesetting, proofreading and editing. Thanks are also due to our brothers and companions at Masjid Tawheed was-Sunnah in Durham, NC: Abu Qaylah Rasheed Barbee for his help and encouragement, Khaleel Abu Na’eem for staying on top of me about finishing my projects, and to my wife Umm Faheem for her assistance in that which was needed.
May Allaah bless this effort and reward the author abundantly; likewise, all those who aided in its production and to place it in their scale of good deeds on the Day of Reckoning. May He raise the rank of our Prophet Muhammad, and bestow peace and blessing upon his family and Companions. Ameen.
Written by the one in need of Allaah,
Abu Moosaa Raha Ibn Donald Batts
To the noble brother, Dr. ‘Abdus-Salaam Ibn Saalim as-Suhaymee, may Allaah grant him success: As-salaamu ‘alaykum wa rahmatullaahi wa barakaatuh.
I have read your research entitled, Be Salafee upon the Path. I have found it to be a good study in its topic. I am unable to make substantial notes upon it, except on some of the terminology and I have added some suggestions which you will find on some pages of the study, if you see fit to include them. May Allaah grant you success.
As-salaamu ‘alaykum wa rahmatullaahi wa barakaatuh.
Written by one who loves you,
Dr. ‘Alee Naasir al-Faqeehee
24 Safar 1424 (April 26, 2003)
All the praise is for Allaah, Lord of all that exists. The good end is for the pious, and we have no enmity except for the wrongdoers. I bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped save Allaah alone who has no equals, the custodian of the heavens and the earths and the owner of divinity and servitude of all of His creation.
I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and messenger, the seal of the prophets. May prayers and peace from Allaah be upon him, his family members, and his good and pure companions—the leaders of humanity after the prophets and messengers. And may abundant peace be upon the passing days, nights, and years.
How excellent is that which the Imaam, the ‘Allaamah, the ocean, the authoritative scholar, Muhammad Ibn Abu Bakr az-Zar’ee ad-Dimashqee, well known as Ibnul-Qayyim al-Jawziyyah, rahimahullaah, who said in his great and blessed book, Zaad Al-Ma’aad:
Whoever issues statements or formulates principles in accordance with his [own] understanding and interpretation, it is not obligatory upon the Ummah to follow them [understanding and interpretation] or to refer to them in judgement until that which Allaah’s Messenger (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) came with is reviewed. So, if they correspond with it [what Allaah’s Messenger (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) came with], and it attests to their correctness, then at that time they are to be accepted. If they contradict it, then it is obligatory to reject and repudiate them. If neither of the two matters is clear, then one must halt regarding them. The best of their conditions is that it is permissible to rule and issue fataawaa by them or to leave them.1
This is the case because it is confirmed with the Imaams from the Salafus-Saalih that the statements and actions of the people are to be weighed by the text and the consensus. So whoever agrees with the text or the consensus is accepted, whoever opposes one of the two is refuted, whoever he may be.
Whoever is acquainted with the condition of the Imaams and callers to guidance from the pious predecessors (starting with the companions, the Imaams of the Taabi’oon, and whoever traversed upon their path and followed in their footsteps) sees clearly that they treaded upon this (straight) path. They stood firm in the faces of the people of desires as refuters of falsehood, arguing (for the truth) with what Allaah has given them—the strong proofs and evidences from the Book and the Sunnah.
In truth, they were as is in the narration: “The just ones in every generation will carry this knowledge. They will repel from it the distortions of the extremists, the undue assumptions of the people of falsehood, and the false interpretations of the ignorant.”2
They were as the truthful one who is believed; the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) informed us: “There will not cease to be a group from my Ummah who is victorious upon the truth. They will not be harmed by those who oppose them or forsake them until the command of Allaah comes.”3
I say: Our brother, the noble Dr. ‘Abdus-Salaam Ibn Saalim as-Suhaymee, associate professor in the Fiqh division in the College of Sharee’ah at the Islamic University, has excelled, brought benefit, and done well (with this book). Hence, he has explained clearly in a manner of exalted knowledge, the principles, foundations, and characteristics within the true Salafee methodology in his magnificent book entitled: Be Salafee upon the Path 
May Allaah thank him abundantly, make ample his reward, and make what he has written heavy on his scale of good deeds on the Day of Standing.
From these principles, foundations, and characteristics discussed are:
The writer of these lines says: Our brother ‘Abdus-Salaam, may Allaah preserve him and fortify him in his statements and actions—depended in that which he has prepared—upon the proof from the Quranic verses, the Prophetic ahaadeeth, the narrations of the Salaf, and other than that which we have mentioned.
So this book, and for Allaah is the praise and thanks, is strong and abundant in its contents and is an actualization, inshaAllaah, of what the author aspired to do.
It is Allaah whom I ask, for myself, for the brother ‘Abdus-Salaam, and for all of the Muslims, sincerity in statements and actions. That He makes us traverse upon the way of the pious predecessors who clung to the Book and the Sunnah, to make us see the truth as truth, and to allow us to follow it; to make us see falsehood as falsehood and allow us to avoid it, and do not make it (truth and falsehood) confusing for us so that we go astray. Indeed, my Lord is upon an Upright Way and is kind to His slaves.
May prayers and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family members, and his companions.
Written by ‘Ubayd Ibn‘Abdullaah al-Jaabiree
Former teacher at the Islamic University in al-Madeenah
On the morning of Saturday, 23rd Rabee’ Al-Awwal, 1423H (June 4th 2002)
1 Zaad Al-Ma’aad 1/34.
2 Tahdheeb Sharaf Ashaabul, pg 57–58. Hadeeth on the authority of Abu Hurayrah.
3 Saheeh Muslim 6/52-53, Abu Daawood 2/202.
In the Name of Allaah, the Most Merciful, the Bestower of Mercy.
Verily, all the praise is for Allaah. We praise Him, we seek His aid, and we seek His forgiveness. We seek refuge with Allaah from the evil of ourselves and from the evil consequences of our actions.
Whosoever Allaah guides there is none to misguide and whosoever Allaah misguides there is none to guide him. I bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped except Allaah, who is one with no partners. I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger.
O you who believe! Fear Allaah as He should be feared and do not die except as Muslims.
[Soorah Aali-‘Imraan, 3:102]
O Mankind! Be dutiful to your Rabb who created you from one soul, created from it its mate, and from them both He scattered many men and women. And fear Allaah through whom you demand your mutual rights and do not cut the ties of the womb.
Surely, Allaah is an All-Watcher of you.
[Sooratun-Nisaa’, 4:1]
O you who believe! Fear Allaah and always speak the truth or
be straight to the point. He will direct you to do good deeds and He
will forgive you your sins. And whosoever obeys Allaah and His
Messenger has achieved a great achievement.
[Sooratul-Ahzaab, 33:70-71]
Allaah has sent his prophet Muhammad (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) as a mercy to mankind.
As Allaah said:
And We have sent you [O Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam] not but as a mercy for the ‘Aalameen [Mankind, Jinns, and all that exists].
[Sooratul-Anbiyaa’, 21:107]
And He has made his nation a balanced nation.
Allaah has also said:
Thus We have made you [true Muslims - real believers of Islamic Monotheism, true followers of Prophet Muhammad and his Sunnah (legal ways)], a Wasat (just) (and the best) nation, that you be witnesses over mankind and the Messenger (Muhammad) be a witness over you.
[Sooratul-Baqarah, 2:143]
Meaning: Just, not deviating from the truth, neither by extremism nor by roughness. Rather, they are balanced and temperate.
Hence, the religion of al-Islaam has forbidden al-ghuloo (extremism) and al-jafaa’ (roughness) and it has commanded balance and temperateness in all matters. From the most manifest of the characteristics of this religion are justice, equity, judging by the upright scales, and the absence of oppression.
The best of those who exemplify balance in statements, actions and beliefs—the balance which al-Islaam has brought—are Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jamaa’ah. They are the ones who exemplify al-Islaam in all of their affairs, following the example of the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam), his rightly guided Khulafaa’ (successors), and following the Book and the Sunnah in accordance with the understanding of the Salaf of the Ummah.
So they are foremost to exemplify this balance. Every meaning from the meanings of al-wasatiyyah (balance) which is affirmed for this Ummah, Ahlus-Sunnah wal -Jamaa’ah has the largest share and the highest portion of it. This is because they are the most exemplary role models for the nation, a nation which Allaah has made balanced, informing us that they are the best nation brought forth from mankind.
Hence, they are the only sect who has actualized following of the Book of Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, and the Sunnah of His Messenger (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) as (we have been) urged to do, as opposed to others from the sects and groups of the Ummah. There is no other sect or group except that it has statements and beliefs that contradict the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam).4 Due to this, Ahlus-Sunnah is the best of the sects of this Ummah and the most balanced of its groups.
So they are the Victorious Group (at-Taa’ifah al-Mansoorah) and the Saved Sect (al-Firqah an-Naajiyah).5 They are as Shaykhul-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah, rahimahullaah, has said: “…balanced amongst the sects, just as the religion of al-Islaam is balanced amongst the [other] religions.”6
From that which is known, Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jamaa’ah are the companions of Allaah’s Messenger (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) and those who follow them in goodness. (Also they are) whoever traverses upon their methodology and treads their path until the Day of Recompense. And Ahlus Sunnah wal-Jamaa’ah was not named with this title, (i.e. Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jamaa’ah, the people of the Sunnah and the general body), until after innovations became manifest, the number of deviant groups increased, and each one took to calling to his innovation and desires while apparently ascribing to al-Islaam.
Hence, it became necessary for the people of the truth to be known by titles which distinguished them from the people of innovations and deviation. So at that time the Eternal Legislation brought forth their names from the legislative text. From their names are:
(The People of the Sunnah)
(The People of the Sunnah and The Main Body)
(The Saved Sect)
(The Victorious Group)
(The People of Hadeeth and Narrations)However, when some of the groups of innovation laid claim the term Ahlus-Sunnah, while they are in fact not upon the creed of Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jamaa’ah, Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jamaa’ah became known as the Salafiyyoon. They called their da’wah, ad-Da’watus-Salafiyyah (the call to the way of the pious predecessors). They restricted their following of the Book and the Sunnah to the understanding of the Salafus-Saalih (pious predecessors): the Companions, the Taabi’oon (successors of the Companions), and those who followed them in goodness. They are from those who have been acknowleged to have adherence to the Sunnah, leadership therein, as well as avoidance of and cautioning from innovation. Allaah has commanded us to follow the Companions, emulate them, and traverse upon their methodology.
He, the Exalted, has said:
…and follow the path of whom who turns to Me…
[Soorah Luqmaan, 31:15]
Ibnul-Qayyim, rahimahullaah, said:
Every one of the Companions is repentant to Allaah, therefore it is obligatory to follow their path and statements. And their beliefs are from the greatest [aspects] of their path. The proof that they return to Allaah, the Exalted is the fact that Allaah has guided them. He has said:
…And guides unto Himself who turns to Him in repentance and in obedience.
[Sooratus-Shoorah, 42:13]7