Assalamu alaykum Who are following the Salaf: The salafees or the followers of madhabs. I was reading this in a book: Imaam Abu Bakr bin Abi Shaibah (rahmatullahi alaih). He passed away in 235 A.H. He had compiled a voluminous Hadith Kitaab, which spanned 16 volumes. This Kitaab has a compilation of Fiq`hi Fataawa of more than 30 000 Sahaba (radhiAllaahu anhum) and Taabi`een (rahmatullahi alaihim). There does not appear any Qur`aanic proof from the Sahabi or Taabi`i providing the Fatwa. Nor is there any Hadith cited in support of the Fatwa given. There is also no record of objectors to these Fataawa. This proves that during the era of the Sahabah and Taabi`een, Fataawa were given without and proof being cited from Qur`aan or Ahadith. The people practised upon these Fataawa without seeking any such proof. There is no evidence of anyone refuting these continuous practises. Hence, many of the Fataawa of the Khulafah-e-Rashideen appear in AMusannif ibn Abi Shaibah, wherein no mention is made of their proofs, nor was there ever any objectors or rejecters, neither did any of the followers seek proof. Many Fataawa of Hadhrat Abdullaah ibn Abbaas, Hadhrat Zaid bin Thaabit, Hadhrat Anas,Hadhrat Abdullaah bin Mas`ood, Hadhrat Abu Darda (radhiAllaahu anhum ajmayeen) are listed in AMusannif Abdur Razzaaq and AMusannif Ibn Abi Shaibah.