He wrote in one of the newspapers something to the effect that there is a difference between bid'ah (religious innovation) and the innovator, and that the innovator is not to be condemned!

Question:
He says: Honorable Shaykh, may Allah grant you success. A person who writes in the newspapers has appeared in these days, saying that the people of the Sunnah are strict with the innovators, and that this is a wrong matter, and that there is a difference between bid'ah (religious innovation) and the innovator. He says that bid'ah is what is condemned, whereas the innovator is our brother who has the same legal rights that we have. Is this statement correct?

Answer:
This is not correct. The innovator is to be boycotted. The innovator is boycotted by the people of the Sunnah until he repents to Allah the Exalted. He is not to be sat with or kept as a companion until he repents to Allah the Exalted. And if someone comes and mocks this, he is not to be paid attention to. There is no leniency regarding bid'ah (religious innovations), nor is there leniency regarding the innovators. And our brothers said: We boycott them. If the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) boycotted the Companions who lagged behind or were left behind in the expedition to Tabuk until they repented to Allah, how can the innovator not be boycotted? Yes.