In the verdict of the Permanent Committee (al-Lajnah al-Daa'imah), No. 1361 (1/165) there occurs:

Salafiyyah is an ascription to the Salaf, and the Salaf are the Companions of Allaah's Messenger (sallallaahu alaihi wasallam) and the Imaams of Guidance from the the first three generations (may Allaah be pleased with them), those whose goodness has been testified for by Allaah's Messenger (sallallaahu alaihi wasallam), "The best of people are my generation, then those who follow after them, then those who follow after them, then there will come a people whose testimony will precede their oath and their oath will precede their testimony. Reported by Imaam Ahmad in his Musnad and also by al-Bukhaari and Muslim. And "the Salafis" (Salafiyyoon) is the plural of "Salafi," which is an ascription to the Salaf, and its meaning has already preceded. And they are the ones who traverse upon the minhaaj (methodology) of the Salaf, from amongst the followers of the Book and the Sunnah, those who call to them both, and to acting upon them, as a result of which they are from Ahl us-Sunnah wal-Jamaa'ah.