How do we respond to those who abandon many of the Sunnahs, such as praying facing a sutrah and wearing the garment at the mid-calf, on the grounds that the interest of da'wah requires it?

The questioner : The honorable Shaykh—may Allah bless you and benefit everyone with your knowledge—says: How do we respond to those who abandon many of the Sunnahs, such as praying facing a sutrah and wearing the garment at the mid-calf, on the grounds that the interest of da'wah requires it, and that they do not want to drive people away or split the ranks? May Allah reward you with good?

The Shaykh : A question like this is among the most astonishing things I have heard on this journey of mine to you, because it falls under the category of: "And cure me with that which was the disease". These people, or some of them, believe that addressing the reality of Muslims and not splitting the ranks or dividing their word is achieved by contradicting the Sunnah of their Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), as if they had not heard the previous hadith, the hadith of the group, which he (peace and blessings be upon him) concluded by saying: . So, glory be to Allah! Who is it that holds fast to the guidance of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), even in his clothing and garments, and is thereby the one who separates from the ranks? And who is it that condemns that and contradicts the guidance of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and is thereby the one who unites the word and does not split the ranks? They have inverted the Shari'ah of Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He), and claimed that reform is achieved by contradicting the Sunnah. I mentioned earlier, in what I mentioned: . These people call people to abandon the Sunnah, whether it is something recommended, a Sunnah, or an obligation. Everything that the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) did in terms of guidance is his Sunnah (peace and blessings be upon him). And the more a believer holds fast to the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), the more he loves him (peace and blessings be upon him) than those who are lax in his Sunnah. They go further than their laxity by covering it up and throwing a veil of deception over it. They call abandoning the Sunnah reform, and holding fast to it corruption and splitting the word. Where are they from his saying (Blessed and Exalted is He): ? So the proof of sincere love for Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He) is following the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Whoever falls short in following him (peace and blessings be upon him) has fallen short in his love for him (Blessed and Exalted is He). And the consequence of that may be entering the Fire with those who enter it, either eternally if he considers permissible in his heart what Allah legislated through the tongue of His Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), or for a long time proportional to the belief that led him astray from the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). This is a stumbling block, and Satan has whispered it to some people in the last times to prevent them from the path of Allah by contradicting the way of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). You have just heard what the straight path is and what the paths are that take people out of this straight path. So I see that among these newly invented paths today is this call, which is the one that splits the word, namely: urging the abandonment of some of the Sunnahs.