Salafus-Saaliheen سلف صالحين

Characteristics of the Incorrect Paths
Written by Dr. Saleh as-Saleh

The other (incorrect) paths are characterized by the following qualities:

1. Denying that Allaah ascended His ‘Arsh (Throne) above the seven heavens in the Most Majestic manner that suits Him, and that He is distinct and separate from His Creation.

2. Denying, altering, or insisting on figuratively interpreting the Names, Attributes and Actions of Allaah. [1]

3. Denying, or altering the actual meaning of Ru’yah: The Seeing of Allaah by the believers on the Day of Resurrection.

4. Making analogous comparisons between Allaah and His Creation, leading to Tashbeeh (making parables) or Ta’teel (denying or suspending the obvious meanings) of the Names, Attributes, or Actions of Allaah.

5. Complete or partial denial of the intercessions approved by Allaah, or confirming intercessions not approved by the Sharee’ah.

6. Complete, partial denial, or figurative interpretations of revealed information on matters of al-Ghayb like as-Siraat, [2] al-Meezaan, [3] the Prophet’s Hawd, [4] the Torture or Bliss in the grave, the Angels, the Signs of the Hour, etc.

7. Denying the Kalaam (Speech) of Allaah.

8. Saying that the Qur’aan is not the Word of Allaah, but a creation of His!

9. Insisting that Eemaan is an uttering on the tongue only!

10. Denying that deeds fall under the meaning of Belief.

11. Denying that Eemaan increases with obedience, and decreases with disobedience.

12. Denying that Allaah’s Actions are linked to His Wisdom.

13. Denying the Foreknowledge and the Writing of all measures and preordainment in the Allawh al-Mahfooth (The Preserved Tablet).

14. Saying that man creates all or some of his own deeds.

15. Saying that man has no choice.

16. Contradicting the principles of Tawheed by offering any form of worship to other than Allaah.

17. Saying anything about Allaah or about His Messenger (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam)without knowledge.

18. Arguing about the Qur’aan and hadeeth, following what is not entirely clear to some, instead of referring it to the clear texts and (or) those learned scholars who follow the path of the Salaf thus eliminating any misunderstanding.

19. Complete or partial denial of the validity of the authentic Sunnah.

20. Resorting to Baatini interpretations of texts saying that the texts have an outer aspect and an inner (Baatini) aspect!

21. Exaggerating in matters of Deen, e.g. easily declaring that such and such is a Kaafir.

22. Exaggerating about the status of certain men, making of them holly, infallible, etc.

23. To hold sacred certain places like tombs, clothes, etc.

24. Innovation in Deen: Adding to, or deducting from the prescribed matters of Islaam. Introducing innovated celebrations and declaring them holly.

25. Laying basics and rules related to the understanding of Islaam without resorting to the Qur’aan, authentic Sunnah, & the path of the Salaf.

26. Insulting the Sahaabah (The Prophet’s companions) or declaring that most of them as Kuffar as the Raafidah (Rejectionists) of the Shee’ah sect do.

27. Insulting the Salaf from Ahlul-Hadeeth and their followers.

28. Making mockery of the Muslims who adhere to the authentic Sunnah.

29. Giving allegiance to groups and (or) parties irrespective of their creeds and (or) methodologies in the name of “uniting the Ummah”. This kind of “unity” which is not based on the true belief in Tawheed and on the way of the Salaf exemplified by the saying of the Prophet (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam): “My way and the way of my companions” keeps:

30. Magnifying the civilization of the Kuffar under the pretext of modernisation and development! The injustice inflicted on some Muslims in their countries should not be the driving force for judging other societies. This may overshadow the Islaamic stand towards the Kuffar.

31. Dissent against the Muslim rulers, even if they are ruthless, or oppressors. Islaam calls for patience under such conditions. The believer may give advice to the best of his ability, and deny the wrong in ways that may not lead to more evil. The confrontations with such rulers led and continues to lead to bloodshed, divisions, and a bad reputation that hinders the da’wah for Allaah. This does not mean the acceptance of wrong neither is it a baseless excuse for advocating the munkar. Rather this is a matter of our creed not an emotional or political view. So hold firm to this matter of your Deen.

32. Following scholastic and philosophical ways, making them the reference for understanding the revealed texts.

33. Taking a strange stand towards the bid’ah and the Mubtadi’ah (innovators), by ignoring their bid’ah for worldly or political gains!

The above positions may exist with varied degrees amongst those who follow any of them. And Allaah Knows best!

The deviation from the Manhaj of as-Salaf is a very serious matter. Muslims know well that the split of this Ummah into many sects is real and that the protection from this is possible by Allaah’s will once we take by the command of the Prophet (sall-Allaahu ‘alayi wa sallam): “My way and the way of my Sahaabah.” It is Sabeel al-Mu’mineen (The Way of the Believers) whom Allaah was pleased with and they were pleased with Him.

All Praise is due to Allaah, the Exalted. Any success in this work is from Allaah and any mistake is from me and shaytaan, and I ask Allaah to forgive me and to guide me and the reader to the path of as-Salaf as-Saalih and make us die on it. I thank Him for enabling me to finish this work and I ask Him to accept it from me.

May Allaah, the Most Merciful, forgive me and my parents, my entire family, and the rest of the Muslim Ummah.

Dr. Saleh as-Saleh
1st of Rajab 1425 AH Corresponding to 17th of August 2004

Footnotes:
[1] We ask Allaah’s Forgiveness for some of the great scholars of Ahlus-Sunnah (e.g. al-Haafidh ibn Hajar, Imaam an-Nawawee, and others) who may have indulged in figurative interpretation of some of Allaah’s Sifaat (Attributes). On the other hand it is not right to exaggerate in rejecting all of their works. They have great contributions which enriched the understanding of the Sciences of Hadeeth, Fiqh, Usool, Tafseer, etc. While they may have been influenced by some aspects of the late Ash’arite school, they are not considered to be followers of the systematic methodology of this school. And Allaah knows best. See the introduction in ar-Rudud wat-Ta’qeebaat ‘ala ma Waqa’ah lil Imaam an-Nawawee Fee Sharh Saheeh Muslim Min at-Ta’weel Fee as-Sifaat by Shaykh Mashhoor bin Hasan Aal Salmaan. Daar al-Hijrah, Riyaadh, 1413/1993.

[2] As-Siraat: The Bridge over the midst of Hell; It is extremely slippery. On it there are hooks, claws, and barbs. Over it mankind will pass. The believers, as Prophet Muhammad (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) explained, “Will pass like the blink of an eye, like the lightning, like the wind, like the birds, and like the fast horses and camels. Some will be saved, some will be lacerated then set free, and some will be thrown into the Fire...” (Saheeh Muslim, Vol. 1, No. 352)

[3] Al-Meezaan: The Scale set up on the Day of Resurrection for weighing the deeds of men.

[4] Hawd: The Pool of Allaah’s Messenger (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam). He (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: “The size of my Pool is like what is between Jerusalem and San’aa in Yemen and it has drinking cups like the number of stars in the sky.” (Saheeh al-Bukhaaree, Vol. 8, No. 582) It is referred to in the Qur’aan (Soorah 108) as al-Khawther in al-Jannah.