Whoever said that ‘Salafis are educated Sunnis’ is incorrect. The two terms are synonymous in the specific sense.
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It has become frequent on the tongues of the people that so and so is “Salafee” and so and so is “not Salafee” so what is meant by the Salafee Manhaj, and who are the most predominant callers to it from the ‘Ulamaa of the Muslims? And is it permissible to call them Ahlus Sunnah Wal Jama’ah or the Saved Sect? Also wouldn’t this be considered a Tazkiyah (praise) of oneself?”
The meaning behind the Salafee Manhaj is that which the Salaf (predecessors) of this ummah were upon, from the Sahaabah, the Tabi’een and those esteemed Imaams from correct ‘Aqeedah, sound Manhaj and true Eemaan as well as strictly adhering to Islaam based upon Aqeedah, the legislation, etiquettes and (good) manners. In contrast to that which the Mubtadi’ah, the deviant and astray are upon.
From the most predominant callers to the Salafee Manhaj are the four Imaams (Abu Haneefah, Imaam Maalik, Imaam Shafi’ee and Imaam Ahmad), Shaykhul Islaam Ibn Taymiyah, Shaykh Muhammad Ibn ‘Abdul Wahaab and his students and other than them from every rectifier and reformist as there is no time period except that there is someone who establishes the [call to the truth] for Allaah.
There is no problem in them calling themselves Ahlus Sunnah Wal Jama’ah distinguishing themselves from those who follow deviant Mathaahib and this is not a Tazkiyah (praise) of oneself but indeed it is only a distinction of the people of truth from the people of Baatil.
[Al Muntaqaa Min Fataawa As Shaykh Saalih Al Fawzaan:1/459]
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Questioner: With due respect, what you have mentioned is simply fallacy. This would demonstrate that whatever information you’ve heard is perhaps propaganda against what you can read above. By definition of the word, the call is to the way of those who have preceded; to what the Companions were upon, and those who followed then on that path – including Imaam Abu Haneefah, Imaam Maalik, Imaam Ash-Shaafi’i, Imaam Ahmad, and others – is no doubt the correct call
With regard to the concept of ‘taqleed’, then none of the Imaams mentioned above called the people to follow them blindly.
Imaam Abu Haneefah:
“When I say something contradicting the Book of Allaah the Exalted or what is narrated from the Messenger (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam), then ignore my saying.”
Imaam Maalik:
“Truly I am only a mortal: I make mistakes (sometimes) and I am correct (sometimes). Therefore, look into my opinions: all that agrees with the Book and the Sunnah, accept it; and all that does not agree with the Book and the Sunnah, ignore it.”
Imaam Ash-Shaafi’i:
“If you find in my writings something different to the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam), then speak on the basis of the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam), and leave what I have said.”
Imaam Ahmad:
“Do not follow my opinion; neither follow the opinion of Maalik, nor Shaafi’i, nor Awzaa’i, nor Thawri, but take from where they took.”
[For references, see the book 'Sifat-us-Salaah An-Nabee' by Shaykh Al-Albaani]
Indeed, these great Imaams are free of those people who claim to ‘follow’ any one of them by rejecting the authentic texts and preferring mistakes.
I advise you not to ‘cling’ to what ‘certain people’ may have told you about da’wat-us-salafiyyah, and research for yourself with sincerity