Why Should You Be Ashamed In Saying You Are Salafi? Whats The Problem? Abdulilah Lahmami.

On a regular basis we are confronted by brothers who say that we are "dividing" the Muslim community in New Zealand even further by calling ourselves Salafis. However using words such as Salafi, Ahlul Hadeeth, Sunni, Athari and so on to distinguish oneself from the deviant sects is correct and the scholars of Ahlus-Sunnah past and present have never said this was a bidah. Disunity is a punishment from Allah because of shirk, bidah and sins and the only way we will achieve unity is by returning to our Deen. So how can calling to tawheed and the way of the Salaf be the cause of disunity? It's not names that divide us it is shirk and bidah. Tawheed will bring unity because this is what united the Sahaabah.
Allah says, "And whoever opposes the Messenger after guidance has become clear to him and FOLLOWS OTHER THAN THE WAY OF THE BELIEVERS -- We will give him what he has taken and drive him into Hell, and evil it is as a destination} [4:115] The scholars of tafseer have said that the believers are the Companions.
The Prophet (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) said:
"And my Ummah will split up into seventy-three sects - all of them will be in
the Hellfire, except one." They said: "Which one is it, o Messenger of Allaah?"
He said: "It is that which I and my Companions are upon." And he didn't just
say, "That which I am upon today." Rather, he said, "and my companions."
Abu Haneefah (d. 150H) (rahimahullaah) said: "Adhere to the athar (narration) and the tareeqah (way) of the Salaf (Pious Predecessors) and beware of newly invented matters for all of it is innovation" [Reported by As-Suyootee in Sawn al Mantaq wal-Kalaam p.32]
maam al-Asbahaanee - rahimahullaah - said: "The sign of Ahlus-Sunnah is that they follow the Salafus-Saalih and abandon all that is innovated and newly introduced into the Deen." [Al-Hujjah fee Bayaanil Mahajjah 1/364]
Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani used the term, salafi to describe Muhammad ibn al-Qaasim ibn Sufyan al-Misri al-Maliki (d. 966 C.E., 355 A.H.) He said that al-Malaiki was: "Salafi al-madh'hab -- salafi in his school of thought."
lbn Taymiyyah (d.728H) - rahimahullaah - said: "There is no criticism for the one who proclaims the way (madhdhab) of the Salaf, who attaches himself to it and refers to it. Rather, it is obligatory to accept that from him by unanimous agreement (Ittifaaq) because the way (madhdhab) of the Salaf is nothing but the Truth (Haqq)." [Majmoo al-Fataawaa 4:149]
Imaam adh-Dhahabee (d.748H) - rahimahullaah - said: "It is authentically related from ad-Daaraqutnee that he said: There is nothing more despised by me than 'ilmul-kalaam (innovated speech and rhetorics). I say: He never entered into 'ilmul-kalaam, nor argumentation. Rather, was a Salafee (a follower of the Salaf)."[Siyar 16/457]
Shaikh Salih al-Fawzaan was asked, "Is Salafiyyah a hizb (party) from amongst the parties. And is ascribing to them (i.e. the Salafis) a blameworthy thing?"
To which he replied, "As-Salafiyyah (i.e. the Salafis) is the Saved Sect, and they are Ahl us-Sunnah wal-Jamaa ah. It is not a hizb (party) from amongst the various parties, those which are called "parties" today. Rather they are the Jamaa ah, the Jamaa ah upon the Sunnah and upon the Deen (religion). They are Ahl us-Sunnah wal-Jamaa ah. The Messenger (sallallaahu alaihi wasallam) said, "There will not cease to be a group from my Ummah manifest and upon the truth not being harmed by those who forsake them neither by those who oppose them" and he (sallallaahu alaihi wasallam) also said, "And this Ummah will split into seventy-three sects, all of them in the Hellfire but one". They said, which one is this O Messenger of Allaah? He replied, "They are those who are upon what I and my companions are upon today". Hence Salafiyyah is a group of people (i.e. the Salafis) upon the madhhab of the Salaf, upon what the Messenger (sallallaahu alaihi wasallam) and his companions were upon and it is not a hizb from amongst the contemporary groups present today. Rather it is the very old Jamaa ah, from the time of the Messenger (sallallaahu alaihi wasallam) which inherits (this way) and continues, and which never ceases to be upon the manifest truth until the establishment of the Hour, as he (sallallaahu alaihi wasallam) has informed (us)." (Cassette: "at-Tahdheer min al-Bid ah" second cassette, delivered as a lecture in Hawtah Sadeer, 1416H).
''Sheikh Ubayd bin Abdullaah al- Jabiree said:
'So you do not find a Khalafee (one who opposes Salafeeyah), especially from those who ascribe themselves to the modern day Dawa' groups, except that he hates the ascription to Salafeeyah. Because Salafeeyah is not just an ascription, rather Salafeeyah is singling out pure sincerity for Allaah and singling out following the Prophet -sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam.
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ASalaam Aleikum
Surah Taubah 9:100
And the foremost to embrace Islam of the Muhajirun (those who migrated from Makkah to Al-Madinah) and the Ansar (the citizens of Al-Madinah who helped and gave aid to the Muhajirun ) and also THOSE WHO FOLLOWED them exactly (in Faith) (not JUST ONE imam of A mathab). Allah is well-pleased with them as they are well-pleased with Him. He has prepared for them Gardens under which rivers flow (Paradise), to dwell therein forever. That is the supreme success.