How to Know a True Salafee

The generality of the Jews, Christians and the people of misguidance from among the adherents of Islaam claim that they are following the believers who preceded them (in faith). The Jews claim that they are among the followers of Moosaa (alayhis–salaam) and those who believed in him; the Christians claim that they are following al–Maseeh (alayhis-salaam) and those who believed in him; while the people of misguidance in this Ummah claim that they are following the salaf of this Ummah of the Companions, the taabi’een and their successors; and (they also claim) that, what they are upon, is the creed of the salaf.

It is not everyone who claims to be upon the creed of the salaf or manhaj of the salaf that his claim is correct; (such claim cannot be accepted) until what he possesses (of manhaj) is referred to the manhaj of the righteous predecessors. If it conforms to it, he is upon the manhaj of the salaf, but if it disagrees with it, he is not upon the manhaj of the salaf even if he claims such. The entire misguided sects today claim that they are upon the manhaj of the salaf, but they are not upon the manhaj of the salaf because the statement of Allah’s Messenger  (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) regarding the yardstick of the creed of the salaf: “Those upon the like of what I and my companions are upon”, is not applicable to them.

This is the person that would be considered to be upon the manhaj of the salaf. But whoever opposes that which the Prophet and his Companions were upon is certainly not upon the manhaj of the salaf even if he claims such. Consideration is not given to (mere) claim; rather, consideration is only given to the reality. Those who claim salafiyyah are many. However, it is a must to refer what they are upon to the manhaj of the righteous predecessors. If it conforms to it, such is the truth, but if it opposes it then they are not upon the manhaj of the righteous predecessors. Similarly, those who affiliate themselves with the four schools of thought while they oppose the Imams in creed, their affiliation is not correct because they oppose them in the most important of things, which is ‘aqeedah.

Source: Sharh Masaa’il al-Jaahiliyyah, p. 295-296, by Shaykh Saalih bin Fawzaan bin al-Fawzaan