The Transformation of Custom into Worship and the Chapter on Innovation
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Question:
Honorable Shaykh, may Allah grant you success, does the statement that a custom may become an act of worship if the intention is good not open the door to religious innovation (bid'ah) in the religion?
Answer:
No, my brother. If you sleep at the beginning of the night, is that an innovation? The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) used to sleep at the beginning of the night. He disliked talking after the 'Isha' prayer and would sleep. He disliked talking after it and would sleep. Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, says:[Al-Muzzammil 73:6] This means standing up after sleeping, standing in night prayer after sleeping. This is the rising of the night. So, sleeping is an act of worship if you intend it to help you in the obedience of Allah, Mighty and Majestic. Yes.
Honorable Shaykh, may Allah grant you success, does the statement that a custom may become an act of worship if the intention is good not open the door to religious innovation (bid'ah) in the religion?
Answer:
No, my brother. If you sleep at the beginning of the night, is that an innovation? The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) used to sleep at the beginning of the night. He disliked talking after the 'Isha' prayer and would sleep. He disliked talking after it and would sleep. Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, says:
Indeed, the hours of the night are more effective for concurrence [of heart and tongue] and more suitable for words.
إِنَّ نَاشِئَةَ اللَّيْلِ هِيَ أَشَدُّ وَطْئًا وَأَقْوَمُ قِيلًا
Source
إغاثة اللهفان من مصائد الشيطان 01-05-1435هـ — af.org.sa (1:01:17)
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.