Who is a Salafi?

By: Shaikh Luthfur Rahman
The original translation of SALAF is Predecessors Scholars and the meaning of SALAFI is a follower of those Predecessors.  In that sense, whoever follows a group of predecessors scholars in their religious matters is considered as Salafi. It also proves that, the followers of early stage Mazhabs  like Hanafi, Maaliki, Shaafie, Hanbali are the actual and better Salafi than anybody else. Further more,  each of this Mazhab never belonged  to an individual Faqeeh (Jurist) only as some might assume rather it belonged a number of extra ordinary  learned predecessors Fuqahaa (jurists).
What about the Salafi Dawah Movement of this time and a person who is claiming to be Salafi? Salafi Dawah Movement is a contemporary school of thought which is highly committed to invite the Muslims to follow the Quran and Sunnah according to the understanding of their contemporary scholars and some selected predecessors. It must be clarified that, anybody claims to be Salafi at this time is nothing but a follower of the contemporary Salafi Dawah Movement in his religious matters.