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This article is on the group of early Muslims. For the article on the contemporary Islamic movement, see Salafi

Salaf or Salaf aṣ-Ṣāliḥ (Arabic: السلف الصالح) can be variously translated as "(righteous) predecessors" or "(righteous) ancestors." In Islamic terminology, it is generally used to refer to the first three generations of Muslims:

Ṣaḥāba: (Arabic: الصحابه, "The Companions") The companions of Muhammad, who had met or had seen him while in a state of īmān, and then died on that state

Tābi‘īn: (Arabic: التابعين, "The Successors") Those who had met or had seen the ṣaḥāba while in a state of īmān (belief), and then died on that state.

Tāba‘ at-Tābi‘īn: (Arabic: تابع التابعين, "The Successors of the Successors") Those who had met or had seen the tābi`īn while in a state of īmān, and then died on that state.

In a ḥadīth (prophetic tradition), Muhammad says of the salaf, "The best people are those living in my generation, then those coming after them, and then those coming after (the second generation)." (Ṣaḥīḥ Bukhārī [1])

Following is an incomplete alphabetical list of the Salaf.

Contents 1 Usage of the Word in the Qur'an 2 First generation 3 Second generation 4 Third generation 5 See also 6 References

The word salaf is mentioned in the Qur'an in the following verses:

"When they angered Us, We punished them and drowned them every one. And We made them a thing past (salafan), and an example for those after." (43:55-56)

"Tell those who disbelieve that if they cease (from persecution of believers) that which is past (salafa) will be forgiven them; but if they return (thereto) then the example of the men of old hath already gone (before them, for a warning). And fight them until persecution is no more, and religion is all for God. But if they cease, then lo! God is Seer of what they do." (8:38-39)

• See: List of Sahaba

Abd al-Rahman ibn Abd-Allah Abu Hanifa Abu Muslim Al-Khawlani Abu Suhail an-Nafi' ibn 'Abd ar-Rahman Al-Qasim Ibn Muhammad Ibn Abi Bakr Al-Rabi Ibn Khuthaym Ali Akbar Ali bin Abu Talha Ali ibn Husayn (Zain-ul-'Abidin) Alqama ibn Qays al-Nakha'i Amir Ibn Shurahabil Ash-sha'bi Ata Ibn Abi Rabah Atiyya bin Saad Fatimah bint Sirin Hassan al-Basri Iyas Ibn Muawiyah Al-Muzani Masruq ibn al-Ajda' Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiya Muhammad Ibn Wasi' Al-Azdi Muhammad ibn Sirin

Muhammad al-Baqir Muhammad ibn Muslim ibn Shihab al-Zuhri Muhammad ibn Munkadir Musa Ibn Nussayr Qatadah Rabi'ah Al-Ra'iy Raja Ibn Haywah Rufay Ibn Mihran Sa'id bin Jubayr Said Ibn Al-Musayyib Salamah Ibn Dinar (Abu Hazim Al-A'raj) Salih Ibn Ashyam Al-Adawi Salim Ibn Abdullah Ibn Umar Ibn al-Khattab Shuraih Al-Qadhi Tawus Ibn Kaysan Umar Ibn Abdul-Aziz Umm Kulthum bint Abu Bakr Urwah Ibn Al-Zubayr Uwais al-Qarni

Abd al-Rahman al-Ghafiqi Ahmad bin Hanbal Ja'far al-Sadiq

Malik ibn Anas Muhammad Ibn Idris al-Shafi'i Tariq Ibn Ziyad

• Ahl al-Bayt
• Non-Muslims who interacted with Muslims during Muhammad's era

• Calgary Islam
• Salaf.com learn more at salaf.com!
• Sayings of the Salaf Original translations of quotes from the Salaf.