[The piece was written some years back]

I just came across this long discussion on 'sheikh' Abdullah Faisal al-Jamaykee al-Khaarijee (May Allâh rectify him and bring him back to the path of the truth). I wonder how some people throw support behind his horrendous creed and methodology which all the flagbearers of Sunnah of the time – Ibn Bâz, Ibn Uthaymeen, al-Albâni, Al-Fawzaan, Al-Madkhalee, Ash-Shinqeetee, etc did (or do) not share. May Allâh forgive the dead among the scholars and safeguard the living among them.

It will interest you that Abdullah Faisal declares the bulk of the above scholars as unbelievers out of his shallow knowledge of Islâm.

Faisal is not a person of Sunnah – either outwardly or inwardly; you may wonder how I knew his inward, it is because of what he utters out on his lips. From what a person says on his tongue you will know what goes on in his mind. This is why when a Muslim says Laa-ilaa-ha illah Allaah we instantly regard him as a Muslim until proven otherwise.

Faisal may be a Muslim but he is definitely not a person of Sunnah even if he makes a one thousand claims to that.

He is a khaarijee – a person who reviles the legitimate Muslim ruler, who permits the killing of Muslims and who sees Muslims as unbeliever because of one sin or the other they might fall into.

His 'Shaykhs' include Salman Al-Awdah, Safar al-Hawali, etc; the evil of these people have been exposed Al-hamdullillah.

Thus a Muslim will be mistaking if he still sees Faisal and his likes such as Osama bn Laden, Ayman Az-Zawahiree and other 'jihad superstars' in Iraq and Afghanistan as Islamic heroes 'who stand up in face of the odds.'

[This does not mean that this writer does not support Jihâd but he is only saying that before a Muslim goes into a Jihâd its conditions must be fulfilled; one, Jihâd is fought behind a Muslim ruler or his representative, two, the enemy are given chance to repent from their evil deed by accepting Islam, three, the non-combatants like children and women are not killed, etc; the Jihâd of these people is a Bid'ah type; remember Bid'ah comes in all endeavors of a Muslim; not only in Salâh or other stuff]. This may be a good read.

The real heroes of Islam are its scholars; the flagbearers of the legacy of Prophet Muhammad, the respecter of the methodology of the Companions.

Thus a good Muslim must be ready to follow the way of the believers in the time of Prophet Muhammad; he must be ready to follow them but must acquire knowledge in doing so.

Thus a Muslim needs to tread the path of the Salaf (Prophet Muhammad and his Companions); in order words a Muslim should be a Salafi.

Please do not mind Faisal and its cohorts, a Muslim must be a Salafi if he or she wants to practice the correct Islâm.

I call your attention once again to a part of what was earlier posted by Codebase (on a Forum):

'From these three texts therefore, a system can be drawn. A system to which all Muslims in these times must adhere, and from which they must not be aloof, as we notice with so many of our contemporaries in the field of Da'wah to the Qur’aan and the Sunnah. They differ with us regarding our method of referring to the understanding of the Salaf from amongst the Companions, the taabi’een and those who adhere to their principles in order for us to understand the Qur’aan and the Sunnah. This in fact, is what must be adopted by each Muslim as his method, in order that he does not stray from the path of the Believers. It is not sufficient therefore, to say today, 'We are upon the Qur’aan and the Sunnah.'

Returning to the understanding of the venerable Salaf, however, is a guarantee and safeguard for the Muslims of today, against falling into what some of those who came after the Salaf fell into. These Muslims have differed severely, because they did not have easy access to the texts of the Sunnah, which is the explanation of the Qur’aan as the Lord of the Worlds says:

"And We have sent down to you the remembrance (dhikr), so that you may explain to the people what has been sent down to them." [Sooratun-Nahl 16:44]

This is the major reason for the differences amongst those who preceded, even among some of the diligent leaders from amongst the scholars, ascetics and pious Muslims. But there are other reasons for these differences. The main reason is the dominance of personal desires and views of some people even though they may have had some knowledge, even some piety and devotion.

We say therefore, that there is no guarantee for the Muslims against falling into contradictions of the Qur’aan and the Sunnah, except to return to the methodology of the venerable Salaf. We sincerely believe that among the reasons for the present state of the Muslims is their differences in the interpretation of the texts from the Qur‘aan and the Sunnah, due to their dependence upon other than what we call the Salafee method.' End of quote.