I am critical of all Islamic leaders and feel disappointed quite often by the blithering and dithering, but as for their followers, I like to let them speak for themselves because you can find some amazing Muslims in all places. The situation in North Yemen is quite dire at the moment with wars between Houthi Shiah groups and any sunnah group salafi or otherwise. Battle continue to rage in Amran areas as I write as tribal militia battle to defend their land from invasion. The Salafis of Dammaj capitulated and relocated to Sana'a where they are staying in a masjid in Sawan district. As the district is near my work I decided with another Muhajirah sister to visit them and extend the hand of sisterhood and express solidarity with them during this disaster and great fitnah. We found the group and prayed our two raka'a when entering the masjid then waited a little to meet with the group leader. While we waited we struck up conversation with some of the women and the first question I was asked was, "From where do you take Islamic knowledge?" To this I replied from books and where ever Allah puts it, but I am not enrolled with any particular group. GASP! I may has well let off a great fart! "Oh sister didn't you know that in Akhir Zaman Islam will split into 73 different groups or sects and only one will be accepted into Allah's Jannah, and that groups is the Salafis. There are no Muslims in the WHOLE WORLD on the Sunnah except for the Salafis." Ok, so I follow the Qur'an and Sunnah but I don't like taking labels, can't I just be a Muslim on Sunnah but not call myself Salafi, just be Sunni Muslim? The Salafi stance is NO. And the hand of sisterhood and solidarity in the face of hardship was rejected. Allah says for us to fight in ranks united against the foe of Islam. I excused myself from their presence and left the masjid bewildered at the arrogance and absolute self-righteousness of the Salafis. Some of my sisters with more experience with them laughed at me for my attempt to interact with them. SInce meeting the Salafis in the Sawan masjid I met with some people from Hashid tribe who reported that the head of the Salafis requested tribal military support from Hashid tribes to which the Hashis responded sending reinforcements only to be abandoned a week or so later as the Salafis bugged out.
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