السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ

The Salaf as-Salih are those who proceeded us in virtue from the first 3 generations. A Salafi is someone who follows those from the first 3 generations in their Aqidah (core beliefs as a Muslim) and Methodology. Some FAQ’s about Salafiyah:

1. Is it mandatory to call yourself Salafi? Here are a few videos from our teachers regarding the issue:

In summary, it is not mandatory to call yourself Salafi. However, it is mandatory to follow the understanding of the Salaf. The methodology of following the Salaf is what matters, and the name doesn’t. As the ustadh mentioned, some call themselves AhlusSunnah (People of Sunnah) and worship graves. This has nothing to do with the Sunnah even if they claim they are “Sunni.”

2. Can you be Hanafi and Salafi? Are they separate groups where you can only join one and not the other?

In summary, Hanafi/Shafiee/Maliki/Hanbali are schools of thought in Fiqh (rulings of Islam and branches of Islam). As for Salafiyah, that is a group in Aqidah (the core beliefs of a Muslims/the foundations of Islam) and Methodology. All four Imams indicated towards the same Aqida which is the Aqida we follow today known as Salafiyah.

If you want more information on the topic, check out the following resource:
https://abdurrahman.org/salafiyyah/

And Allah Azza w Jaal knows best.