Are there praiseworthy innovations and blameworthy innovations?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : He asks: Are there praiseworthy innovations or blameworthy innovations?
The Shaykh : The answer is no, it is not possible to say that, and how can it be said that there is a praiseworthy innovation when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "Every innovation is misguidance," every innovation? And who said it? The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), the most eloquent of creation and the most knowledgeable of creation regarding the meanings of speech, and the most sincere of creation toward creation. So how can he state this general maxim, "Every innovation is misguidance," and then we say that some innovations are good and some are bad? It is not possible.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good, O Shaykh. The difference between ijtihad (independent legal reasoning) that is incorrect and bid'ah (religious innovation).
The Shaykh : All right, if someone says: What do you say about the statement of 'Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) when he saw the people gathering behind one imam in the night prayer of Ramadan, and he said, "What a good innovation this is," and he praised it? The answer is that this is a relative innovation, in the sense that it was interrupted for a period and then resumed. Otherwise, it existed in the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him); 'Umar did not originate it. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) prayed with his Companions in congregation for three nights in Ramadan, then he feared it would become obligatory upon them, so he left it. So his saying, "What a good innovation this is," is what? It is a relative innovation, in the sense that it was interrupted for a period. And the claim of those who say it is a linguistic innovation is questionable. The correct view is that it is a relative innovation.
The questioner : Meaning, 'Abdullah.
The Shaykh : This is a matter of consideration. It may be said that what is in his heart of love for Allah and His Messenger and love for good, he is rewarded for that, but he sins regarding the bid'ah (religious innovation). So two things meet in his case: reward for the intention, and sin for the bid'ah. And there is no objection to a single act having two aspects.
The Shaykh : The answer is no, it is not possible to say that, and how can it be said that there is a praiseworthy innovation when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "Every innovation is misguidance," every innovation? And who said it? The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), the most eloquent of creation and the most knowledgeable of creation regarding the meanings of speech, and the most sincere of creation toward creation. So how can he state this general maxim, "Every innovation is misguidance," and then we say that some innovations are good and some are bad? It is not possible.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good, O Shaykh. The difference between ijtihad (independent legal reasoning) that is incorrect and bid'ah (religious innovation).
The Shaykh : All right, if someone says: What do you say about the statement of 'Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) when he saw the people gathering behind one imam in the night prayer of Ramadan, and he said, "What a good innovation this is," and he praised it? The answer is that this is a relative innovation, in the sense that it was interrupted for a period and then resumed. Otherwise, it existed in the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him); 'Umar did not originate it. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) prayed with his Companions in congregation for three nights in Ramadan, then he feared it would become obligatory upon them, so he left it. So his saying, "What a good innovation this is," is what? It is a relative innovation, in the sense that it was interrupted for a period. And the claim of those who say it is a linguistic innovation is questionable. The correct view is that it is a relative innovation.
The questioner : Meaning, 'Abdullah.
The Shaykh : This is a matter of consideration. It may be said that what is in his heart of love for Allah and His Messenger and love for good, he is rewarded for that, but he sins regarding the bid'ah (religious innovation). So two things meet in his case: reward for the intention, and sin for the bid'ah. And there is no objection to a single act having two aspects.
Source
قناة «فضيلة الشيخ محمد بن صالح العثيمين»، 245 - 336 هل هناك بدع محمودة وبدع مذمومة؟ - الشيخ ابن عثيمين — youtube.com
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.