# Are the Salafis themselves orthodox by their own standard?

*Point one, reason and orthodoxy: the Salafis are themselves unorthodox*

- URL: https://muftiabulayth.org/r/7cylt19gx5k/s/6/
- Date: 2018-10-20 · Kind: lesson · Transcript tier: machine · Recording: A Reply to Sheikh Yasir Qadhi - Mufti Abu Layth (28:50–31:27)
- Status: general teaching
- Watch from the start of the segment: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CYLT19GX5k&t=1730s
- Recording page: https://muftiabulayth.org/r/7cylt19gx5k/

**Topics:** Exchanges with Yasir Qadhi; Creed and the schools of theology; Schools of law and following them

**Summary (not a quotation; machine-made, unchecked):** The Salafis are themselves unorthodox: the orthodoxy of the ummah has been Ash'ari and the four schools of law, both of which they reject, so their appeal to orthodoxy against new interpretations is inconsistent.

**Checked position (checked by two independent reviews, not by the channel):** Mufti Abu Layth says the Salafis are themselves unorthodox, since the orthodoxy of the ummah has been Ash'ari in belief and the four schools in law, both of which they reject, so their appeal to orthodoxy against new interpretations of verses is inconsistent.

**Evidence, his words at 30:04:** “the seller fees themselves are unorthodox by going against the orthodoxy of this Ummah the seller fees reject methods they do not follow any of the four traditional schools of thought” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CYLT19GX5k&t=1804s)

## Longer summary

The segment opens with the end of the quotation from Qadhi's emails, that his beliefs had been developing for six or seven years, which Mufti Abu Layth contrasts with the dogmatic U-turn of the last year or two. He turns to the first point, that people today reinterpret verses so that they make sense to them and that this is impermissible especially in beliefs, and observes that Qadhi himself said his beliefs were still developing. He defines orthodoxy as the prevalent belief of Muslim society, which has been Ash'ari, and says Qadhi is not an Ash'ari; the Salafis, he argues, are themselves unorthodox, since they reject the four schools of law, which he does not say is wrong but which goes against the orthodoxy of Islam, and when asked about the congregation of the Muslims they quote the report that one man can be the jama'ah as long as he is upon the truth. He finds it inconsistent to forbid others to depart from what the majority said about certain verses while departing from the majority oneself.

## Sources and names cited

- Yasir Qadhi
- Ash'ari
- madhhab
- Salafi (Wahhabi)
- report: one man can be the jamaah as long as he is upon the truth (unresolved; quoted as a Salafi argument)

## Transcript (machine tier, 28:50–31:27)

[28:45] verbalize my beliefs not only because I'm not quite prepared to defend them now but also because they will be developing and I have been developing them this is beliefs for the last six to seven years these are the words of Shelia's Arkady himself speaking of himself in only the last few years and that was the time I was highly praising him now I for some reason he seems to have done a u-turn and become very dogmatic in the last few years 1 or 2 years definitely now right ok so let's take a look at this first point people

[29:25] right now he said about reason he's saying that people today are reinterpreting the verses of the Quran so they make sense to them that they they feel that this sense is above everything right and you can't do this especially for beliefs although just a moment ago we read the words of share he has a father himself saying that his beliefs are still continuously developing over several years and that when it came to the schools of belief which was also doxy orthodoxy means the general prevalent belief of a people of

[30:04] a society of Muslim society which is really a Shari's have been the main orthodoxy of this Ummah right so firstly he's chef has a car D is not a shoddy which in itself is a contradiction because the seller fees themselves are unorthodox by going against the orthodoxy of this Ummah the seller fees reject methods they do not follow any of the four traditional schools of thought if you are sure here so called the do you follow method he will say no we don't need to follow method which I'm not saying it has to be wrong but it's unorthodox it's against

[30:42] the orthodoxy of Islam on that point he will say oh let's refer to the Quran and Sunnah and you will say to him you wish what about the Jamaa of the Muslim and then the Salafis they quote the Hadees that oh one man can be a Jemma as long as he's upon the truth so you think well that's interesting so when it comes to understanding certain verses you're saying oh no youyou can't go against the general what majority of the people have said now but but you yourself go against it on that but so this that's something for you

[31:21] guys to think about now he mentioned certain verses of the Quran he gives that right now he gives the first verse he he mentions is the one to do with the birds in Surat al-baqarah verse 260 what if Ali Ibrahim that Ravi araignee a kafir to heal motor show me how you bring the lot at the dead to life I wouldn't talk mean Allah said do you not believe it Raheem ELISA Lam said I do it so I may have tranquility in my heart so Allah say is called Allah for who's our bottom in a fiery force or on

## Cite

Mufti Abu Layth Archive, segment 7CYLT19GX5k/s/6. https://muftiabulayth.org/r/7cylt19gx5k/s/6/

Not a fatwa: these answers were given to specific people at specific times. Ask a qualified scholar about your own situation.