"Salafis are extremists—be careful not to become a Salafi."

People often say, "Salafis are extremists," but the purpose of this statement is to turn people away from what they see as the truth. Those who repeat it most are often people who belong to religious groups or movements. One of the misconceptions they spread is that Salafis consider everything to be forbidden. This claim is false. Salafis do not declare everything forbidden, as some people claim. Rather, they only forbid what Allah has forbidden and allow what Allah has allowed. They do not make things lawful or unlawful based on their own opinions. If you find that a Salafi advises you to stay away from something that you did not know was forbidden, then listen to the evidence for why it is forbidden and say, "We hear and we obey." This is not extremism. He is simply warning you against something prohibited so that you may be safe from Allah's punishment. In fact, a Salafi who sincerely advises you to avoid what is forbidden wants good for you. Would you rather he compromise his religion just to win your approval? So be careful not to believe those who claim that "Salafis are extremists." Written by: Abu Abdullah Ziyad Al-Mulaiki