BENEFIT: Does Differing Within the Salafi Manhaj Take a Person Out?

Question: If people differ within the framework of the Salafi manhaj, does that mean they have left the saved sect? Sheikh Yahya Al-Hajoori hafidhahullah: Disagreement in issues where differences are allowed has always existed among scholars. It is rare to find a fiqh issue on which there is complete consensus. Most issues contain differing opinions among the scholars of guidance and Sunnah. One scholar may favour one opinion, while another favours a different one. Everyone’s opinion can be accepted or rejected, and the correct view is the one supported by evidence. Sometimes a scholar may rely on a general proof, while another may rely on a weaker narration that he considered stronger. Those who study and research know this well. Books of fiqh are full of differing opinions. The one able to distinguish between them is the strong and capable researcher — someone skilled in hadith, principles of jurisprudence, Arabic language, and the study of fiqh and hadith literature. Such a person can weigh stronger and weaker opinions through knowledge and experience, and say: “This is correct and this is mistaken.” Some disagreements are not merely “variety of opinion”; rather, they are contradictions. There is disagreement of variety, disagreement of understanding, and disagreement of opposition. Disagreement of understanding happens when scholars understand the evidence differently. One understands a text in one way, while another understands it differently. Disagreement of opposition occurs when truth is opposed — especially in matters of creed, or between the people of Sunnah and the people of falsehood. For example, someone may deny one of Allah’s attributes, or claim an attribute not proven for Him, or introduce something new into the religion — whether an innovation, partisanship, or similar matters. This is considered opposing the truth and the evidence. The Prophet ﷺ said: “Whoever introduces into this matter of ours that which is not from it, it is rejected.” The early Salaf regarded newly introduced religious practices as opposition to the correct path and the Salafi manhaj followed by the scholars of the Ummah. The Prophet ﷺ also said: “A group from my Ummah will continue upon the truth, victorious. Those who oppose or abandon them will not harm them until the Hour is established.” This shows that the people of truth will indeed be opposed and abandoned by the people of falsehood, but such opposition does not harm the people of truth — rather, it harms the opposers themselves. He ﷺ also said: “I have left you upon a clear path, its night like its day. No one deviates from it except one who is destroyed.” This shows that whoever turns away from the Sunnah and the truth brought by the Messenger ﷺ is ruined. He ﷺ also said: “Every deed has enthusiasm, and every enthusiasm has a period of weakness. Whoever’s weakness remains upon my Sunnah has been guided,” and in another wording, “has succeeded.” “But whoever turns to other than that has gone astray.” So when weakness in faith causes a person to leave steadfastness upon the Qur’an, Sunnah, evidence, and the Salafi manhaj — either fully or partly — then he has strayed from the correct path. Keeping company with people of desires and innovations is also a path to misguidance. The Salaf warned strongly against sitting with such people because it can corrupt one’s religion little by little. A person is influenced by those he associates with. The Prophet ﷺ said: “A person will be with those whom he loves on the Day of Resurrection.” And he ﷺ compared good company and bad company to: “the seller of perfume and the blacksmith’s furnace.” So sitting with people of innovation is seen as a sign of inclination toward them. “Whoever sits with a people becomes like them.”