The Ruling on Boycotting the Innovator and Its Criterion

Question:
May Allah reward you. This questioner is one of our brothers from Britain. Is it permissible for a Muslim to boycott an innovator? And if it is permissible, what is its criterion? In Britain, some of the young people boycott one another, and they consider these people to be innovators. However, their innovation is not in terms of creed, but rather in terms of political parties, groups, or the like.

Answer:
Yes, the innovator is boycotted if it is established that he is an innovator. If it is established that he is an innovator, but who is it that knows the difference between innovation and the Sunnah?
Only the scholars know it. Only the scholars know the difference between innovation and the Sunnah. As for students, beginners, and those who think they know, they do not know the difference between innovation and the Sunnah. Rather, they consider everyone who disagrees with them and does not agree with them to be an innovator, even if the one who disagrees is upon the truth and this one is upon falsehood. So the criterion is not disagreements, political parties, or groups. The criterion is following the Book and the Sunnah. So whoever is upon the Book and the Sunnah, it is obligatory to follow him, emulate him, and join him. As for whoever contradicts the Book and the Sunnah and acts according to other than them, it is obligatory to stay away from him. But who clarifies this other than the people of knowledge? If everyone says to the other, "You are an innovator," for no reason other than that he did not agree with your words or with this, that is not correct. If we differ on something, we refer to the people of knowledge who refer to the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger, and they clarify to us who is the innovator and who is the follower of the Sunnah. Then we will be upon clarity. Yes.