Is the Methodology of the Salaf Suitable For This Era?

Question: Some people claim that the manhaj (methodology) of Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jamaa’ah is no longer suitable for this era. They say that the Sharee’ah fundamentals that Ahlus-Sunnah wal Jamaa’ah hold onto are not possible to implement today.

Answer: Those who feel that the methodology of the Salafus-Saalih (righteous predecessors) is no longer suitable for this age, this is a misguided and misleading implication, because the manhaj of the Salafus-Saalih is the manhaj that Allaah commanded us to follow until the Hour is established. The Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) said:  “Whoever from amongst you lives, then he shall see much differing. So adhere strictly to the Sunnah and the Sunnah of the Rightly Guide Caliphs after me. Hold onto it with your molar teeth.”  This is a sermon to the ummah until the Hour is established. So this proves that there is no escape from traversing the manhaj of the salaf and that the manhaj of the Salafus-Saalih is suitable for every time and place.  Allaah the Glorified and the Exalted says: “And the first to embrace Islâm of the Muhâjirûn (those who migrated from Makkah to Al-Madinah) and the Ansâr (the citizens of Al-Madinah who helped and gave aid to the Muhâjirûn) and also those who followed them exactly (in Faith). Allâh is well-pleased with them as they are well-pleased with Him…” [Sooratut-Tawbah 9: 100].

This covers all of the Ummah until the Hour is established. [Therefore], the obligation upon them is to follow those who preceded from the Muhaajireen (emigrants) and the Ansaar (helpers). And Imaam Maalik Ibn Anas used to say, “The latter part of this Ummah will not be corrected, except by that which corrected its first part.” So those who wish to separate this ummah from its predecessors, and who wish to separate this Ummah from its Salafus-Saalih only wish evil for the Muslims; and they wish to alter this Islaam and to invent innovations into it and contradictions. And it is obligatory to reject this and to cut-off its proponents and to warn against its evil, because there is no escape from holding onto the manhaj of the Salaf, and to take the Salaf as example. And there is no escape from travelling upon the path of the Salaf. This is found in the Book of Allaah the Mighty and Majestic and in the Sunnah of His Messenger (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) as we have mentioned. So those who wish to cut-off the latter part of this Ummah from its Salaf, it is obligatory to refuse and reject their statement, and to warn against them, and those who know of an evil statement from them should not repeat it.

Source: Questions and Answers Concerning Muslim Unity, no. 16 by the noble Scholar Shaykh Saalih Ibn Fawzaan al-Fawzaan, translated by Maaz Qureshi.