On Innovation in Religion

The questioner : Honorable Shaykh, he says: Shaykh Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) was asked: If the pure, lawful path is not available? If the pure, lawful path is not available except with a type of innovation, what is to be done? He answered by saying: It may become difficult or impossible for the traveler to follow the pure, lawful path except with a type of innovation, due to the absence of one who upholds the lawful path in knowledge and action. If the pure light is not obtained, because only light that is not pure is found, and otherwise the person remains in darkness, then it is not befitting to criticize a man and forbid him from a light that contains darkness, unless a light without darkness is obtained. Otherwise, how many people have deviated from that and exited the light entirely? We hope you will explain this to us, O Shaykh. May Allah reward you with good. Is this regarding the scholar or the ignorant person?

The Shaykh : The reality is that this is not a text from the Book, nor a chapter from the Sunnah, for me to explain. Rather, the one who formulated this phrase should explain it. The man says that it is now difficult for us to follow a path based on the pure Book and Sunnah, and that it is not possible to follow a path except with bid'ah (religious innovation). And if it is not possible for us to follow a path except with bid'ah, let us innovate so that we may follow the correct path. What this brother, the questioner, did not know is that being stained with impurity does not increase the status except in impurity. Ritual impurity and innovations in religion do not bring a person closer to Allah; rather, they do not increase him in anything from Allah except innovation, misguidance, and distance from the truth. For the most truthful of creation and the most knowledgeable of creation, Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), says and declares that every innovation is misguidance, and in some narrations, every misguidance is in the Fire.
As for the questioner's statement that the path containing light does not exist, we say: Yes, the bright light blinds the eyes of the blind, so they do not see. The path, praise be to Allah, the path that is on complete light, exists. The Book of Allah is in our hands, and the authentic Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) is in our hands. If we follow them, and we ask Allah to grant us all success in following them, we will walk on a clear, bright light without darkness. So we say that walking on the pure, bright light is possible and exists. And Allah the Exalted says in the Qur'an: And it is not difficult for the successful person who seeks the truth. So whoever follows the Qur'an seeking guidance from it, the path of truth becomes clear to him. But most people turn away from the Qur'an. And even if they are not turning away from its recitation in terms of words, they are turning away from its recitation in terms of meaning, or from its recitation in terms of action. For this reason, abandoning the Qur'an—abandoning the Qur'an is not just abandoning its words. One may abandon the Qur'an either by its words, or by its meaning, or by following it. This does not mean that they abandoned it in terms of words, but they may abandon it in terms of words, or abandon it in terms of meaning, or abandon it in terms of following it. And how many are those who abandon the Noble Qur'an in terms of following it. So we ask Allah for guidance and success for everyone, and we say to the brother questioner: Return to the Book and the Sunnah, and you will find the clear, bright, apparent light. And Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, Allah the Exalted said: And Allah the Exalted said: .