> What is da'wah Salafiyah?

[abdulrahman al muhajir]

is there anything by shaykh Shanqitee oon ahlus sunnah wal jama'ah?

[salman]

akhee, I am sure there will be some work by shaykh; however, I haven't come across it in English. If you find it please do not hesitate to post it.

[ardianto]

If you ask Indonesian Muslim brothers.
"What is Da'wah Salafiyah ?".
The answer is not far from "Da'wah that full of hatred".
"Who are the Salafis ?".
Don't be shocked if their answer is "Trouble makers !".

Of course, this is incorrect. I know some Salafi brothers personally, not in the web but in the real world. They are good people, they are Shaleeh Muslims, Masha Allah. But usually these brothers never call themselves as Salafis.

Different than some people who actually Khalafis but always declare themselves as "The True Salafis". They are very active in giving Da'wah, but their 'dawah' is 'dawah' that full of hatred. I noticed, they never hesitate to call other Muslim brothers even Ulama with names of animals.

That's why, image of Salafi and Da'wah Salafiyah in Indonesia is very bad.

[salman]

It's a sad reality akhee. Due to same bad apples, who took salafiyyah as a movement and hizbiyyah, the term "salafi" carries negatives connotation among many Muslims. We need to understand that the label is not important as much as it's important to have correct understanding and aqeedah. And we should be wise when giving da'wah and use other terms (i.e., Sunni, Muslim) which would make people listen to what we are saying and not have any prejudice and run away.

Akh Harris Hammam raised some good points on IA regarding this:

The terms 'Salafi' and 'Salafism' are ambiguous both within those who profess to uphold these terms and those who have declared war against who do so. For me, there is no problem in the term Salafi, but ambuguity - in addition to the fact that the students of the Salaf didn't use this term on the scale they do today, and in addition to the fact that it is the Majhalis are normally considered to be the promoters of this term to the opponents of Imam Ahmed (which makes this term hated) - is a valid factor for us to at least consider whether we should even be pumping out this name as the standard name of us.

Furthermore, the term is either associated with Fiqh or Aqeedah. As for "Fiqh Salafi", then that is just Jahl and no such thing exists, whether you are a layman, a student or a full-blown Mujtahid.

As for "Aqeedah Salafiyyah", then why can't we adopt what was adopted by our Salaf - why not 'Sunni'??? Or why can't we adopt what was adopted by the students of our Salaf - why not 'Hanbali'??? A combination of these two terms and to use them appropriately in the right context is beneficial, I think.

Because I am of the above opinion, one of the things I am constantly challenged is how I refer to those who are on the Aqeedah of Imam Ahmed. I use Hanbali/Hanaabilah many a time. I hardly use 'Athari' or 'Salafi'. I use Sunni - on its own when referring to the Salaf themselves but coupled with 'Hanbali' when I want to make sure the reader understands that it is the Hanbalis who are the Sunnis.

Even when I refer to the Salaf, I have a variety of saying 'Salaf', 'Ahl al-Hadith', 'Ahl al-Athar', 'those represented by Tahawi', 'those on the manhaj of Imam Ahmed', etc. There is a variety in this one and I use the best term for different contexts.

I honestly think that the term Salafi the way it is today - over-hyped - is just a waste of time, a distraction for everyone and has done no benefit to anybody. Nobody is going turn Salafi anytime soon with this term, as the term 'Salaf' itself is a source of contention between us and our opponents.

Contrast that with 'Hanbali' - people will take notice (esp. those who make Taqleed Shakhsi obligatory) as it is directly associated with Imam Ahmed - a personality our opponents cannot really associate themselves with but want to be associated with; their claims of association can be proven to be childish very easily and their status as 'wannabe-associates of Imam Ahmed (& Tahawi - an Athari by the admission of many of our opponents in Aqeedah)' can be annihilated easily - and this, I think, benefits the Da'wah.

We should be making our opponents - the opponents of Imam Ahmed - play to our tune, not vice versa. This is such a basic principle of Da'wah that is unfortunately being overlooked.

And remember, it is content and not unimportant names that we should really be concerned with. Anything that compromises that would have all the hallmarks of a cult.

[linuses]

thank you for the clarification brother!