What is the criterion for responding to the people of innovation?

Question:
May Allah reward you. This questioner asks: What is the criterion for responding to the people of innovation?

Answer:
Responding to the people of innovation and the people of deviation is obligatory, but the response must be based on knowledge; it must be based on knowledge and evidence. It must be religious evidence. This does not happen except after learning.
It is not the right of everyone to respond. One may respond in a way that is worse than the words being responded to, due to ignorance. So one must learn first. Do not engage in responses before learning. Leave the responses to the people of knowledge. You learn, and if you learn, then, if Allah wills, you will be able to master the knowledge, and you will know how to establish proofs and arguments and refute falsehood. This is a field that awaits you. But if a person enters into responses without being able to master the matter or without being qualified, this is not suitable, because he corrupts more than he fixes.
So be aware of this. Otherwise, the response is required. So direct them in the best manner. The response is required, but after learning and establishing the proofs against the one being responded to.
And recognizing the error, because some people believe something is an error when it is not an error; they go and respond to it when it is not an error, meaning due to their ignorance of it. So it is necessary to diagnose the error first, then respond to it with knowledge, with knowledge, not out of jealousy or haste. No, jealousy is required, but jealousy must be accompanied by knowledge and wisdom. Argue with them in the best manner, and one cannot argue in the best manner except with knowledge.