Explaining an important rule in the Shari'ah: if the cause for an action existed during the time of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and he did not do it, then the Sunnah is to leave it.
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The Shaykh : Suppose a person says: "I want to lengthen the Fajr Sunnah, to lengthen the recitation in it, lengthen the bowing, lengthen the prostration, and lengthen the supplication." And another says: "No, I want to shorten the Fajr Sunnah so that one might ask: Did he even recite the Surah al-Fatihah?" Which of the two has the greater reward? The second or the first?
The second, even though the first increased in recitation, increased in bowing, increased in prostration, increased in glorification, and increased in supplication. But we say: conforming to the Shari'ah is better than adding, even if the addition is permissible.
For this reason, when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) sent two men on a mission and they did not find water, they performed dry ablution with clean earth and prayed. Then they found water. One of them performed ablution and repeated the prayer, while the other did not repeat the prayer.
Then he mentioned this to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), who said to the one who repeated the prayer:, and said to the second: . So in your view, which one is more deserving of having the reward twice? Or of hitting the Sunnah? O people, pay attention. This one received the reward twice, and this one received the reward once, but did he hit the Sunnah?
We say: Yes, the one who hit the Sunnah is better. The second one only got the reward twice because he performed an act of independent legal reasoning without knowing the Sunnah, so he is rewarded for that act of independent legal reasoning. But if you know the Sunnah and you repeat it after knowing the Sunnah, will you get the reward twice?
If someone knows that when a person performs dry ablution and prays, then finds water, the Sunnah is not to repeat the prayer, and then he repeats it? Will he get the reward twice? No, by Allah, he will not, because he is contrary to the Sunnah. But the scholar who thinks that this is what is obligatory for him, Allah (Exalted and Majestic is He) is generous and bountiful, and He gives him according to his intention.
Pay attention, may Allah bless you, to this important rule in the Shari'ah: if the cause for an action existed during the time of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and he did not do it, then the Sunnah is to leave it, and it is not from the Sunnah to do it, because doing it in that case would be a religious innovation.
And there is a serious matter in this, because we ask: Did the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) leave it out of ignorance that it was a Sunnah? If you say: Yes, then the matter is serious, because the Messenger of Allah is the most knowledgeable of people about the Shari'ah of Allah.
Did he leave it while knowing it was a Sunnah to keep it secret from the people? The answer is: No. So it is not prescribed, and if it is not prescribed, we do not have the right to worship Allah the Exalted with it.
The second, even though the first increased in recitation, increased in bowing, increased in prostration, increased in glorification, and increased in supplication. But we say: conforming to the Shari'ah is better than adding, even if the addition is permissible.
For this reason, when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) sent two men on a mission and they did not find water, they performed dry ablution with clean earth and prayed. Then they found water. One of them performed ablution and repeated the prayer, while the other did not repeat the prayer.
Then he mentioned this to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), who said to the one who repeated the prayer:
You have two rewards
لك الأجر مرتينYou hit the Sunnah
أصبت السنةWe say: Yes, the one who hit the Sunnah is better. The second one only got the reward twice because he performed an act of independent legal reasoning without knowing the Sunnah, so he is rewarded for that act of independent legal reasoning. But if you know the Sunnah and you repeat it after knowing the Sunnah, will you get the reward twice?
If someone knows that when a person performs dry ablution and prays, then finds water, the Sunnah is not to repeat the prayer, and then he repeats it? Will he get the reward twice? No, by Allah, he will not, because he is contrary to the Sunnah. But the scholar who thinks that this is what is obligatory for him, Allah (Exalted and Majestic is He) is generous and bountiful, and He gives him according to his intention.
Pay attention, may Allah bless you, to this important rule in the Shari'ah: if the cause for an action existed during the time of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and he did not do it, then the Sunnah is to leave it, and it is not from the Sunnah to do it, because doing it in that case would be a religious innovation.
And there is a serious matter in this, because we ask: Did the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) leave it out of ignorance that it was a Sunnah? If you say: Yes, then the matter is serious, because the Messenger of Allah is the most knowledgeable of people about the Shari'ah of Allah.
Did he leave it while knowing it was a Sunnah to keep it secret from the people? The answer is: No. So it is not prescribed, and if it is not prescribed, we do not have the right to worship Allah the Exalted with it.