al-Usul al-Ilmiyya lil-Dawa al-Salafiyya
- Author died
- 1442 AH
- Editions
- al-Dār al-Salafiyyah
al-Usul al-Ilmiyya lil-Dawa al-Salafiyya (The Methodological Principles of the Salafi Call) is a concise treatise by the contemporary scholar Abd al-Rahman ibn Abd al-Khaliq (d. 1442 AH / 2020 CE), outlining the foundational principles, methodology, and objectives of modern Salafi thought .
Background and Composition
The author composed the treatise in Kuwait, concluding its initial draft in Rabi al-Thani 1395 AH (1975 CE) . Abd al-Rahman ibn Abd al-Khaliq wrote the work to define the methodology established by early generations of scholars (al-salaf) for interpreting and implementing the Quran and Sunnah, aiming to clarify the path for contemporary seekers and prevent confusion with competing trends .
In the preface to the second edition, completed in Kuwait on 26 Muharram 1403 AH (12 November 1982 CE), the author noted that approximately seven years had passed since the first printing . He recorded that the initial edition had circulated widely through manuscript copies, private distribution, and photocopying . For the revised edition, he edited select phrasing and added a closing chapter covering the distinctive features and benefits of the Salafi call .
Structure and Content
The treatise is organized into four main parts (abwab):
- Part One: Introductory Matters (Bayna Yaday al-Kitab): Contains introductory remarks and replies to objections leveled against the Salafi movement . The author clarifies that adhering to the term "Salafiyyah" denotes practicing Islam in conformity with the Quran, Sunnah, and the righteous predecessors rather than forming a partisan faction . He rejects the charge of blind following (taqlid), distinguishing it from evidence-based adherence (ittiba'), while emphasizing respect for classical jurists and warning unqualified novices against dismissing scholarly consensus .
- Part Two: The Methodological Principles of the Salafi Call (al-Usul al-Ilmiyya lil-Dawa al-Salafiyya): Outlines core theological principles, beginning with Tawhid (Islamic monotheism) . It highlights the affirmation of divine names and attributes as reported in the Quran and authentic Sunnah without allegorical interpretation (tawil) or distortion (tahrif), alongside warnings against various forms of associationism (shirk) .
- Part Three: The Goals of the Salafi Call (Ahdaf al-Dawa al-Salafiyya): Articulates the overarching objectives of the call, identifying its first aim as the formation of the "true Muslim" (ijad al-muslim al-haqiqi) through sound creed, obedience, and spiritual self-purification . The text argues that the movement is neither a localized social reform campaign nor a political party, and contrasts its comprehensive scope with political movements that compromise doctrinal tenets under the pretext of public interest (maslahat al-dawa) .
- Part Four: Distinctive Features of the Salafi Call (Mumayyizat al-Dawa al-Salafiyya): Focuses on the realization of monotheism as the ultimate purpose of religion, showing how all articles of Islamic faith trace back to the oneness of God .
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