The Criterion for Religious Innovation and Warning Against the Innovator

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Question:
This questioner says: Honorable Shaykh, what is the criterion for bid'ah (religious innovation)? And if a person knows that someone is an innovator, is it permissible for him to convey that and warn his brothers about it?

Answer:
The criterion for bid'ah is what is newly introduced into the religion that is not part of it. It was reported that he (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

God’s messenger as saying, “If anyone introduces into this affair of ours anything which does not belong to it

صلى الله عليه وسلم من أحدث في أمرنا هذا ما ليس منه

Mishkat al-Masabih 140Muttafaqun 'alayh (Zubair `Aliza'i)

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

Avoid novelties, for every novelty is an innovation, and every innovation is an error

وإياكم ومحدثات الأمور، فإن كل محدثة بدعة، وكل بدعة ضلالة، كل ضلالة في النار،

Sunan Abi Dawud 4607Sahih (Al-Albani)

A Muslim must act in accordance with the established sunnah (recommended practice) of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and abandon the bid'ah for which there is no evidence from the Book or the Sunnah. In all types of worship, he should not do anything except what is established by evidence from the Book and the Sunnah. He should not imitate the innovators or act like them. As for what is with him, he must advise him and warn him against persisting in the bid'ah, so that perhaps he will repent from it and abandon it. If you see that he persists and does not abandon it, then you should warn against sitting with him and going to him, lest he influence his companions and associates. Yes.

The presenter:
May Allah reward you.

Source نور على الدرب - الفوزان - 03/040 — archive.org (3:22)

The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.

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