The Meaning of Innovation in Religion and Its Effect on Creed
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Question:
This questioner asks, Shaykh: What is meant by innovation in religion? And does this innovation affect the correct creed of the Muslim?
Answer:
Innovation in religion is to introduce a form of worship for which there is no evidence from the Book or the Sunnah, whether one introduces it oneself or follows another who introduced it. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sahih Muslim 1718a and in another narration: Sahih Muslim 1718b.
He (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sunan Abi Dawud 4607Sahih (Al-Albani), and every misguidance is in the Fire. So how can a person tire himself out while traveling toward the Fire through innovations and newly invented matters?
The Muslim must fear Allah. The Sunnah contains goodness and is sufficient for one who desires good, and praise be to Allah. Innovations vary; some are shirk (associating partners with Allah), such as supplicating to other than Allah, circumambulating graves, slaughtering animals, and making vows. If an innovation is of the nature of shirk, it is shirk with Allah and contradicts tawhid (the oneness of Allah). An innovation may also be less than shirk, being forbidden and a form of misguidance. Thus, they differ according to their types. In general, it is obligatory for the Muslim to avoid innovations and beware of them. Yes.
This questioner asks, Shaykh: What is meant by innovation in religion? And does this innovation affect the correct creed of the Muslim?
Answer:
Innovation in religion is to introduce a form of worship for which there is no evidence from the Book or the Sunnah, whether one introduces it oneself or follows another who introduced it. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
'A'isha reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: He who innovates things in our affairs for which there is no valid (reason) (commits sin) and these are to be rejected.
من أحدث في أمرنا هذا ما ليس منه فهو ردHe who did any act for which there is no sanction from our behalf, that is to be rejected.
من عمل عملا ليس عليه أمرنا فهو ردHe (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 ضلالةThe Muslim must fear Allah. The Sunnah contains goodness and is sufficient for one who desires good, and praise be to Allah. Innovations vary; some are shirk (associating partners with Allah), such as supplicating to other than Allah, circumambulating graves, slaughtering animals, and making vows. If an innovation is of the nature of shirk, it is shirk with Allah and contradicts tawhid (the oneness of Allah). An innovation may also be less than shirk, being forbidden and a form of misguidance. Thus, they differ according to their types. In general, it is obligatory for the Muslim to avoid innovations and beware of them. Yes.
Source
قناة «مؤسسة الدعوة الخيرية»، فتاوى على الهواء 10-08-1434هـ مع معالي الشيخ صالح بن فوزان الفوزان — youtube.com (31:15)
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.