The Evils of Religious Innovations
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We are now speaking about religious innovations in their own right,And among them: the celebration of the Prophet's birthday.
Any person who introduces a religious innovation, we say to him: You have fallen into disobedience to the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), and into what he warned against in his saying (peace and blessings be upon him): "Beware of newly invented matters, for every newly invented matter is a religious innovation, and every religious innovation is misguidance" This is a great evil.
-And among the evils of religious innovations: It is a type of associating partners with Allah, as Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He) said, [Surat al-Shura: 21] .
It is not hidden that associating partners with Allah is not forgiven,As Allah the Exalted said: [Surat al-Nisa: 48] ,And the apparent meaning of the noble verse is: that associating partners with Allah is not forgiven, even if it is minor.
-And among the evils of religious innovations: It involves turning away from the path of Allah; because a person becomes occupied with it to the neglect of the worship that is established in truth. No people ever introduced a religious innovation without neglecting from the Sunnah what is equal to it, or greater than it.
-And among the evils of religious innovations: It entails faulting the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), and that he did not convey what he was sent with, or that he was ignorant of it,And the reason for this is: If we search in the Qur'an and the Sunnah, we do not find this religious innovation. Either the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) was not aware of it, which is a fault in him (peace and blessings be upon him), or he was aware of it but did not convey it to the people, which is also a fault in him, in that he did not convey what he was sent with.
-And among the evils of religious innovations: It contradicts the saying of Allah the Exalted: [Surat al-Ma'idah: 3] ;Because the implication of the innovator is: That the religion is not complete; because we do not find this religious innovation in the religion of Allah. And if it is from the religion of Allah, as this innovator claims, and it is not found in it, then the religion, according to his claim, is not complete. This is a great contradiction;because of the saying of Allah the Exalted: [Surat al-Ma'idah: 3] .
-And among the evils of religious innovations: That its innovator has placed himself in the position of the Messenger; because no one legislates for the creation what brings them closer to Allah the Exalted except one whom Allah (Mighty and Majestic) has sent, and there is no prophet after Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him and his family).
So this one who introduced an innovation is as if, by his state, he is saying: He legislates for the people what brings them closer to Allah, and this means that he is a partner to the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) in the message.
-And among the evils of religious innovations: It is speaking about Allah without knowledge, and this is forbidden by the consensus of the Muslims,Allah, Blessed and Exalted, said: [Surat al-A'raf: 33] .
It has other evils that, if a person were to reflect on them, he would find them to be far more than this; but we limit ourselves to that.
Any person who introduces a religious innovation, we say to him: You have fallen into disobedience to the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), and into what he warned against in his saying (peace and blessings be upon him): "Beware of newly invented matters, for every newly invented matter is a religious innovation, and every religious innovation is misguidance" This is a great evil.
-And among the evils of religious innovations: It is a type of associating partners with Allah, as Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He) said,
Or have they other deities who have ordained for them a religion to which Allah has not consented?
أَمْ لَهُمْ شُرَكَاءُ شَرَعُوا لَهُمْ مِنَ الدِّينِ مَا لَمْ يَأْذَنْ بِهِ اللَّهُIt is not hidden that associating partners with Allah is not forgiven,As Allah the Exalted said:
Indeed, Allah does not forgive association with Him, but He forgives what is less than that for whom He wills
إِنَّ اللَّهَ لا يَغْفِرُ أَنْ يُشْرَكَ بِهِ وَيَغْفِرُ مَا دُونَ ذَلِكَ لِمَنْ يَشَاءُ-And among the evils of religious innovations: It involves turning away from the path of Allah; because a person becomes occupied with it to the neglect of the worship that is established in truth. No people ever introduced a religious innovation without neglecting from the Sunnah what is equal to it, or greater than it.
-And among the evils of religious innovations: It entails faulting the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), and that he did not convey what he was sent with, or that he was ignorant of it,And the reason for this is: If we search in the Qur'an and the Sunnah, we do not find this religious innovation. Either the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) was not aware of it, which is a fault in him (peace and blessings be upon him), or he was aware of it but did not convey it to the people, which is also a fault in him, in that he did not convey what he was sent with.
-And among the evils of religious innovations: It contradicts the saying of Allah the Exalted:
This day I have perfected for you your religion and completed My favor upon you and have approved for you Islam as religion.
الْيَوْمَ أَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِينَكُمْ وَأَتْمَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعْمَتِي وَرَضِيتُ لَكُمُ الإِسْلامَ دِيناًThis day I have perfected for you your religion
الْيَوْمَ أَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِينَكُمْ-And among the evils of religious innovations: That its innovator has placed himself in the position of the Messenger; because no one legislates for the creation what brings them closer to Allah the Exalted except one whom Allah (Mighty and Majestic) has sent, and there is no prophet after Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him and his family).
So this one who introduced an innovation is as if, by his state, he is saying: He legislates for the people what brings them closer to Allah, and this means that he is a partner to the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) in the message.
-And among the evils of religious innovations: It is speaking about Allah without knowledge, and this is forbidden by the consensus of the Muslims,Allah, Blessed and Exalted, said:
Say, "My Lord has only forbidden immoralities - what is apparent of them and what is concealed - and sin, and oppression without right, and that you associate with Allah that for which He has not sent down authority, and that you say about Allah that which you do not know."
قُلْ إِنَّمَا حَرَّمَ رَبِّيَ الْفَوَاحِشَ مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا وَمَا بَطَنَ وَالإِثْمَ وَالْبَغْيَ بِغَيْرِ الْحَقِّ وَأَنْ تُشْرِكُوا بِاللَّهِ مَا لَمْ يُنَزِّلْ بِهِ سُلْطَاناً وَأَنْ تَقُولُوا عَلَى اللَّهِ مَا لا تَعْلَمُونَIt has other evils that, if a person were to reflect on them, he would find them to be far more than this; but we limit ourselves to that.