What is the standard for actions regarding religious innovation and the Sunnah?

The questioner : The questioner says: May the Shaykh tell us, what is the standard for actions regarding religious innovation and the Sunnah?

The Shaykh : The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) mentioned that with a just standard. When he said: this is the Sunnah, then whoever follows the path of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and adheres to his Sunnah in belief, speech, and action, that is the one who is upon the Sunnah. And whoever deviates is not upon the Sunnah. However, it is not permissible for us to deny that he is upon the Sunnah in a general sense; rather, we say: he deviates from the Sunnah in this specific matter. This is because we must know the difference between generality and what? Restriction. It is not our right, when we see any person of innovation, to say: this is one of the people of innovation. Rather, we must restrict it: he is one of the people of innovation in such-and-such. Because a person may innovate in one thing but be committed to the Sunnah in many things. It is not appropriate to describe him generally as an innovator; rather, we restrict it. And this is the just standard.