To what extent is it valid to excommunicate, disparage, and antagonize those affiliated with Salafism in favor of the Khalaf (later generations), and do the two noble verses: "And a few of the later generations" and "And follow the way of those who turn to Me" indicate the righteousness of the Khalaf and the absence of an obligation for blind adherence to the Salaf?

Salafism is not merely a love for the righteous predecessors, but rather it is following their method in understanding and applying the religion, and adhering to their approach in dealing with the Book and the Sunnah. The later generations are praised and corrected in proportion to their excellence in following the predecessors, as Allah Almighty says: {And the first forerunners [in the faith] among the Muhajireen and the Ansar and those who followed them with excellence - Allah is pleased with them and they are pleased with Him, and He has prepared for them Gardens beneath which rivers flow, wherein they will abide forever. That is the great attainment.}

Among the principles of the Salafi methodology is following the Sunnah and giving it precedence over the statements of men, and referring disputes to the Book and the Sunnah. Whoever adheres to this, their following of the predecessors is based on knowledge and insight, and it is not correct to describe their following as blind. Those who follow blindly are not among those who followed the predecessors; rather, they are the furthest people from following them.

A distinction must be made between methodology and behavior; just as some Muslims may harm their religion through their behavior, some of those affiliated with Salafism may also cause harm through their behavior. We do not know the intent of describing those who declare later generations as disbelievers and disdain them, but the later generations are only criticized for their deviation and departure from the methodology of the predecessors in understanding and application.

His Almighty's saying: {And a few of the later generations} does not mean not following the predecessors; rather, it praises the earlier generations and prefers them, and indicates that the close ones from the earlier generations are more numerous. This verse encourages following the earlier generations, and the few from the later generations who attained the rank of the close ones did so by following the path of the earlier ones.

Similarly, His Almighty's saying: {And follow the way of whoever turns back to Me}, for the earlier generations are more deserving of the description of turning back, and none of the later generations deserves the description of turning back except those who are upon the path of the earlier ones, as confirmed by His Almighty's saying: {So if they believe in the same as you have believed in, then they have been [rightly] guided; but if they turn away, then they are only in dissension.}