Should he say that he belongs to Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Jamaa’ah or al-Salaf al-Saalih?

 

Is it correct to say that one belongs to Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Jamaa’ah or to al-Salaf al-Saalih?.

Praise be to Allaah.

Both are correct. Al-Salaf al-Saalih (the righteous
forebears) are the elite of Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Jamaa’ah, and following them
is the standard by which Ahl al-Sunnah are distinguished from others. 

But what is more important than merely claiming to belong to
them is belonging to them in a real sense, in words, beliefs and actions,
and following them in that. 

Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him)
was asked: Some people objected to saying that one belongs to Ahl al-Sunnah
wa’l-Jamaa’ah and said that everyone says that, and it is better to say that
one belongs to al-Salaf al-Saalih. 

He replied: 

The Salaf are Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Jamaa’ah, and there is
nothing wrong with saying that one belongs to them. Rather that is a duty,
and he is one of the believers, one of the followers of Ahl al-Sunnah
wa’l-Jamaa’ah, one of the followers of the Sahaabah, one of those who
believe in Allaah and the Last Day, one who belongs to the people of truth
and does not belong to the people of falsehood, who strives to follow truth
path sincerely and does not pay mere lip service, who strives against his
inclinations until he becomes sincere. End quote.