The Meaning of the Prophet's (peace and blessings be upon him) Saying: "Whoever introduces a good practice in Islam"

The Shaykh : It can be interpreted linguistically and legally, but this requires some detail. It can also be interpreted by using a word synonymous with the intended legal meaning, saying meaning "whoever revives" that is, whoever revives a good sunnah. This is the meaning in brief and concise terms. As for the first meaning, which is both linguistic and legal at the same time, it is as follows: meaning "whoever opens a path." This path that he opens either leads to a good sunnah or leads to a bad sunnah. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) expressed it with a single word that does not mean anything other than opening a path, then described the path that is intended 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 sunnah and the bad sunnah? Without a doubt, the scholars, all of them except for a very few individuals in every era, without a doubt, their answer to this question is that the good sunnah and the bad sunnah are known by the Shari'ah. What the Lawgiver has made good is good, and what the Lawgiver has made ugly is ugly. Thus, whoever innovates in Islam a good sunnah, meaning a prescribed sunnah, and at that time it becomes clear with complete clarity that the meaning is what I mentioned in brief: meaning "whoever revives a prescribed sunnah." And whoever innovates a bad, non-prescribed sunnah, this one has his reward and that one has his burden. This is the meaning of the hadith. As for interpreting the hadith as we hear from some people, unfortunately, meaning "whoever innovates in Islam a good sunnah," this is one of the most corrupt interpretations used to interpret a noble Prophetic word. What further clarifies the invalidity of this interpretation, besides what I mentioned earlier, is that the good sunnah and the bad sunnah are not known by intellect but by the Shari'ah. What further clarifies this is that we remember the reason for the hadith's occurrence. The reason for a hadith's occurrence is very important in the jurisprudence of hadith and the jurisprudence of hadith indication. The scholars of exegesis have a saying: "If you know the reason for the revelation of a verse, you know half of its meaning, and the rest is from the language." Quoting from this foundational exegetical rule, I say likewise: if you know the reason for a hadith's occurrence, half of the meaning becomes clear, and the rest is from the language. This hadith has a reason for occurrence and a context for occurrence. If we link this context with his saying (peace be upon him) with this context, the interpretation of innovations falls into a deep abyss: meaning "whoever innovates in Islam a good innovation." What is the reason? The reason for the hadith's occurrence, as it came in a hadith of Muslim from the narration of Jarir.

The questioner : I am asking permission from our Shaykh.

The Shaykh : In the safety of Allah.

The questioner : Peace be upon you.

The Shaykh : Peace be upon you, 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 a group of Bedouins came, wearing their spears and carrying their swords, most of them from Muzir, or rather all of them from Muzir. When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) saw them, his face changed, and then he said (may the prayer and peace be upon him):