The Danger of Religious Innovation

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Q161: The questioner asks: What is the danger of religious innovation? And into how many categories is this innovation divided?
A161: Innovation is: introducing something into the religion that is not part of it. This is what innovation is. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

He who did any act for which there is no sanction from our behalf, that is to be rejected.

من عمل عملاً ليس عليه أمرنا فهو رد

Sahih Muslim 1718b

In another narration:

'A'isha reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: He who innovates things in our affairs for which there is no valid (reason) (commits sin) and these are to be rejected.

من أحدث في أمرنا هذا ما ليس منه فهو رد

Sahih Muslim 1718a

, and he (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

You must then follow my sunnah and that of the rightly-guided caliphs. Hold to it and stick fast to it. Avoid novelties, for every novelty is an innovation, and every innovation is an error.

عليكم بسنتي وسنة الخلفاء الراشدين المهديين من بعدي، تمسكوا بها وعضوا عليها بالنواجذ، وإيَّاكم ومحدثات الأمور، فإن كل محدثة بدعة وكل بدعة ضلالة

Sunan Abi Dawud 4607Sahih (Al-Albani)

In another narration:

and every going astray is in the Fire

وكل ضلالة في النار

Sunan an-Nasa'i 1578Sahih (Darussalam)

. So innovations are what is introduced into the religion that is not part of it, and for which there is no evidence from the Book of Allah or the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). Therefore, the innovator’s deed is rejected, no matter how much effort he exerts, and he is sinful in it, not rewarded. It is obligatory to avoid innovations and newly introduced matters, and to learn the Sunnah and act upon it, for in it is sufficiency, and in it is good, if Allah wills.

Source www.alifta.gov.sa

The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.

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