Salaf

Salaf, also often referred to with the honorific expression of al-salaf al-ṣāliḥ, are often taken to be the first three generations of Muslims. This comprises companions of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, their followers, and the followers of the followers. Their religious significance lay in the statement attributed to Muhammad: "The best of my community are my generation, the ones who follow them and the ones who follow them", a period believed to exemplify the purest form of Islam. The generations of Muslims after the third are referred to as the Khalaf.

Second generation

The Tabi‘ al-Tabi‘in, the successors of the Tabi‘un.