What is the meaning of the hadith: "Whoever introduces a good practice in Islam"?

The questioner : The questioner says: Some people like certain things in the religion and make them seem attractive, even though they are not prohibited. They derive from the hadith "Whoever introduces a good practice" up to the end of the hadith. Is this correct?

The Shaykh : This is not correct; it is a defective interpretation. These people who legislate in the religion of Allah what is not part of it, and who cite as evidence for what they have legislated the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) until the Day of Judgment, have in reality cited what is not evidence for them. First, if they had reflected on the hadith, they would have found that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said , and in it is the preposition "in," which means that this practice must be within the scope of Islam and not outside of it. All innovations are not within the scope of Islam, due to the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) regarding the one who innovates in Islam, and the saying of the one who sent the religion, who said . This issue, that every innovation is misguidance, is a general, decisive ruling from which nothing has been excluded. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), in the hadith that the followers clung to, said . Everyone has a taste for the Arabic language, so they understand the meaning of this restriction that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) restricted it with, where He said . Therefore, this practice must be within the scope of Islam, and whatever is innovated in the religion of Allah is not of Islam in any way, so there is no evidence for it in this hadith. Furthermore, this hadith also came about for a known reason: a group of Arabs who were very poor came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and the face of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) changed color. Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) called his companions to spend in charity. A man from the Ansar came with a bag of silver or gold, which was heavy in his hand, and he placed it in the lap of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said at that time until the Day of Judgment. Thus, the meaning of this hadith is that whoever was the first to implement a practice established in Islam has the reward of it and the reward of those who followed him in it until the Day of Judgment, because charity was legislated by the limit set by the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). When this man was the first to do so, it was as if he had established the practice in this path that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) encouraged, so he had the reward of his own deed and the reward of those who acted upon this practice.
O my Muslim brothers, this is an important issue. It is obligatory for the scholars of the Muslims to agree on the truth in this matter, and to look at the innovations of the common Muslims in 'Aqiqah and in the deeds by which they seek nearness to Allah (Mighty and Majestic). They must correct the belief of the Muslims and correct the deeds of the Muslims in accordance with what came in the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him).
And I am standing in this place, in front of the House of Allah (Mighty and Majestic), on this night which is the first of the last ten nights of Ramadan, and I say: Whoever innovates an innovation in the religion of Allah and cites as evidence for it something from the words of Allah or from the words of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), we say to him a concise word. We say to him: O my brother, the evidence you cited, either its implications necessitate its meanings and obligate them, or they do not necessitate the meanings. If they do not necessitate their meanings and do not obligate them, then they are not evidence, because evidence, as is known, necessitates the meaning. If these evidences do not necessitate their meaning, then they are not evidence for you, and you have no share or portion in them. As for if these evidences you mentioned for what you innovated in the religion of Allah (Mighty and Majestic), if these evidences necessitate their meanings and obligate them, then we say to you: O my brother, wait a moment. Where was the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)? Where were the Companions? Where were the Salaf of the Ummah from these evidences that necessitate the meaning you mentioned? Where were they from it? Were they ignorant of it? Then they were deficient at that time. Were they knowledgeable of it? But they did not act upon it?
If so, they are deficient. So if you innovate something in the religion of Allah and then cite evidence for it, this citation is not free from three harms, or rather from one of three harms. Either the citation is defective and there is no evidence for you in it for what you cited, because it does not necessitate the meaning. Or the citation is correct, and the evidence necessitates the meaning, and in that case, one of two harms follows, and it is necessary that either the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), his Companions, and the Salaf of the Ummah were deficient in understanding these evidences, so they did not know them until you came and knew them and introduced what they indicate of the Shari'ah of Allah. Or the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), his Rightly Guided Caliphs, and the Salaf of the Ummah were knowledgeable of them, but they were deficient in acting upon them; they did not fulfill what Allah obligated upon them of acting upon them in worship of Allah and manifesting the Shari'ah of Allah. These two are also great prohibitions. Whoever believes them regarding the Messenger of Allah, or his Caliphs, or the Salaf of the Ummah, is not of the Messenger of Allah, nor of the Salaf of the Ummah, nor of its imams in any way. He must correct his religion, he must return to his Lord, and he must repent for what he has fallen into.
O my Muslim brothers, and the most honored scholars and students of knowledge, we have a great obligation toward our Ummah. We must guide them to the religion of Allah, for we are responsible for that. so that you may make clear .
Indeed, some scholars of the Muslims know the truth, but they cast it behind their backs and bought with it a small price. They bought with it nearness to the dignitaries, or to the notables, or to the common people. They bought with it the preservation of their defective status, which will not be of benefit with Allah (Mighty and Majestic). They bought with it the preservation of ignorance among the common Muslims. How easy it is for one who wants to have status among ignorant people. The person who wants the truth, and who wants profit in this world and the Hereafter, is the one who strives in a path that gives him status with Allah (Mighty and Majestic), for status with Allah is what benefits, and that is by seeking nearness to Allah (Mighty and Majestic) with what is obligated upon us, and especially for the scholars among us with what is obligated upon them of clarifying the truth by word, calling to it, and by deed as well. Many of the scholars, I say that, and I am in the utmost of annoyance and sadness, many of the scholars say what they do not do. They say the saying of the best of creation, but they do not do the deed of the best of creation. You find them saying a word while they are contrary to it. We ask Allah for guidance and success for us and for them. I hope that in this word I have said, which is binding and which is embarrassing for every innovator, I hope that there is an awakening for one who knows Allah, His awakening and His making clear. And Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He) guides whom He wills to a straight path.