A Study of the Authority of Predecessors Understanding with Reference to Verse 100 of Chapter al - Tawbah

Salafis making references to some narration and Quranic verses including the verse 100 Chapter al-Tawbah claim that God, the Exalted, has approved of all the actions of the Salaf (i.e. the first three generations of Muslims) saying their understanding is authentic and authoritative. They state that those living at a later and more recent time should give up on their own ideas and turn to those of the predecessors. They are of the view that the purport of the verse is absolute and unrestricted in the sense that it encompasses all the predecessors and that, according to the verse, God, the Glorified is pleased with them and their followers in all times and circumstances. By studying reliable exegetical works, it can be concluded that the verse 100 of Chapter al-Tawbah does not include all the predecessors. The praise in the verse does not mean that whatever is understood by them is authoritative. Just as the obedience and subservience in the verse includes all Muslims until the Day of Judgment, so if one considers the understanding of the predecessors to be valid and authoritative, he must inevitably consider the understanding of all Muslims to be authoritative until the Day of Judgment.