Book excerpt: The Virtue of the Salaf Over the Khalaf (Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali). These are some brief words about the meaning of knowledge and its classification into that which is beneficial and that which is not; as well as a note regarding the excellence of the knowledge of the Salaf over that of the Khalaf. The way and wisdom of the Salaf, all goodness lies in traversing the way of the Salaf, beneficial Knowledge with regards the ?Inner Sciences?, the foundation of knowledge and many other branches of the beneficial knowledge.