What is the meaning of the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): “Whoever introduces a good practice in Islam…”?

The questioner : What is the meaning of the word “sanna” (introduced)?

The Shaykh : It can be explained linguistically and legally, but that requires some detail. It can also be explained by a synonym for the intended legal meaning, and it is said: meaning: whoever revives, whoever introduces a good practice; that is, whoever revives a good practice. This is the meaning in brief and concise. As for the first meaning, which is both linguistic and legal at the same time, it is as follows: ; that is, whoever opens a path. This path that he opens either leads to a good practice or leads to a bad practice. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used the singular word because it does not mean anything other than opening a path. Then he described the path that is to be opened as being either good or bad. Here, it is necessary to remind you of another fact, which is: how or what is the way to know the good practice and the bad practice? There is no doubt that the scholars, all of them except for very few individuals in every era, there is no doubt that the scholars’ answer to this question is that the good practice and the bad practice are known by the Shari'ah. What the Lawgiver has made good is good, and what the Lawgiver has made ugly is ugly. Therefore: ; meaning a prescribed practice. And at that time, it becomes clear with complete clarity that the meaning is what I mentioned in brief: ; that is, whoever revives a prescribed practice, and whoever introduces a bad, non-prescribed practice, then this one has his reward and that one has his burden. This is the meaning of the hadith. As for the interpretation of the hadith as we hear it from some people, unfortunately, This is one of the most corrupt interpretations used to explain a noble Prophetic word. What further clarifies the invalidity of this interpretation, besides what I mentioned earlier, is that the good practice and the bad practice are not known by intellect but by the Shari'ah. What further clarifies this is that we remember the reason for the coming of the hadith. The reason for the coming of the hadith is very important in the jurisprudence of hadith and the jurisprudence of the hadith’s indication. The scholars of exegesis have a saying that they say: “When the reason for the revelation of a verse is known, half of its meaning is known, and the rest is from the language.” Quoting from this foundational rule of exegesis, I say likewise: “When the reason for the coming of the hadith is known, half of the meaning is revealed, and the rest is from the language.” The word “coming,” if we link this occasion with his saying (peace be upon him): , with this occasion, the innovative interpretation falls into the deep abyss: , that is, whoever innovates in Islam a good innovation. What is the reason? The reason for the coming of the hadith, as it came in “Sahih Muslim” from the narration of Jarir.
The student : I am asking for permission.

The Shaykh : Please, with Allah’s safety.
The student: Peace be upon you.

The Shaykh : And upon you be peace and the mercy of Allah and His blessings. He (peace be upon him) said: , as it came in “Sahih Muslim” from the narration of Jarir ibn Abdullah al-Bajali (may Allah be pleased with him). He said: We were sitting with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) when Bedouins came to him, wearing leather cloaks, wearing swords, most of them from Mudar, in fact, all of them from Mudar. When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) saw them, his face changed color, then he said (peace and blessings be upon him), mentioning the verse: يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا O you who have believed[Al-Baqarah 2:104] أَنْفِقُوا مِنْ مَا رَزَقْنَاكُمْ مِنْ قَبْلِ أَنْ يَأْتِيَ أَحَدَكُمُ الْمَوْتُ فَيَقُولَ رَبِّ لَوْلَا أَخَّرْتَنِي إِلَى أَجَلٍ قَرِيبٍ فَأَصَّدَّقَ وَأَكُنْ مِنَ الصَّالِحِينَ And spend [in the way of Allah] from what We have provided you before death approaches one of you and he says, "My Lord, if only You would delay me for a brief term so I would give charity and be among the righteous."[Al-Munafiqun 63:10], then he said (peace be upon him): تصدَّقَ رجلٌ بدرهمه ، بديناره ، بصاع برِّه ، بصاع شعيره A man gave charity with his dirham, his dinar, his sa’ of wheat, his sa’ of barley. So a man from those present slipped away to return from his home carrying in the end of his garment whatever charity he could manage, and he placed it in front of the Messenger (peace be upon him). It was as if the others were asleep, and he woke them up with his action. Each one of them went to the house and came with whatever charity he could manage. Jarir said.
The student: Peace be upon you.

The Shaykh: And upon you peace.
“So there gathered in front of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) from the charities like mountains. Then he said: مَن سَنَّ في الإسلام سنة حسنة He who sets a good precedent in IslamSahih Muslim 1017a.” Where is the innovation here? There is no innovation. It is necessary that the words of the Messenger have a correspondence and harmony with such an occasion. Whoever innovates, it must be that there is an innovation, and there is no innovation. It is nothing but charity. But there is a linguistic innovation, which is opening the path. The man went to his home; this is opening a path, opening a way. This path is not described as good or ugly, but by its effect. What was the effect? That the people followed him in this charity, so his reward was recorded for it, and the reward of those who did it from those people was recorded for him. So the hadith encourages reviving practices, not legislating practices. Please, legislating innovations, but rather reviving practices and killing innovations. This hadith is, in reality, a very great hadith, but with its interpretation deviating from its explicit indication, it became the argument of the innovators. They say to you, my brother, this is a good innovation, and the Messenger said: مَن سَنَّ في الإسلام سنَّةً حسنةً He who sets a good precedent in IslamSahih Muslim 1017a. Allah is the Greatest! We seek help from Allah. I think with this the answer is complete, if Allah wills.

The questioner : May Allah reward you.

The Shaykh : And you.