If a Muslim performs a good deed without knowing that his action is an innovation, does he receive reward for his deed?
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Question:
He says: Honorable Shaykh, may Allah reward you and preserve you. A Muslim performs his deed, but he falls into bid'ah (religious innovation), yet he does not know that this is bid'ah. Is his deed accepted? And does he receive reward for it?
Answer:
We told you that knowledge is a condition first; one does not act without knowledge. So if he acts without knowledge, he falls into bid'ah, like the actions of those who walk without knowing about the pits and wells. So knowledge is necessary. Yes, before the deed, one begins with knowledge, before speech and action.[Muhammad 47:19] Yes, knowledge is the evidence and the guide. Yes, and it is the light. Yes.
He says: Honorable Shaykh, may Allah reward you and preserve you. A Muslim performs his deed, but he falls into bid'ah (religious innovation), yet he does not know that this is bid'ah. Is his deed accepted? And does he receive reward for it?
Answer:
We told you that knowledge is a condition first; one does not act without knowledge. So if he acts without knowledge, he falls into bid'ah, like the actions of those who walk without knowing about the pits and wells. So knowledge is necessary. Yes, before the deed, one begins with knowledge, before speech and action.
So know, [O Muhammad], that there is no deity except Allah and ask forgiveness for your sin and for the believing men and believing women
فَاعْلَمْ أَنَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَاسْتَغْفِرْ لِذَنبِكَ وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتِ
Source
قناة «العلامة الدكتور صالح الفوزان»، [341 -521] إذا عمل المسلم عملا صالحا ولم يعلم أن فعله بدعة، فهل يؤجر على عمله؟ - الشيخ صالح الفوزان — youtube.com
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.