Refuting the doubt of those who cite the hadith (Whoever introduces a good practice in Islam) to justify religious innovations.

The Shaykh : I say that if one knows the reason for the hadith's occurrence, half of the meaning becomes clear, and the rest comes from the language. This hadith has a reason for its occurrence and a context. If we link this context with his saying (peace and blessings be upon him) , then with this context, the interpretation of innovations falls into a deep abyss. That is, 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 and blessings 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), who said: كنا جلوسا مع النبي صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم لما جاءه أعراب مجتابي النمار متقلدي سيوف عامتهم من مضر بل كلهم من مضر فلما رآهم رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم تمعّر وجهه ثم قال عليه الصلاة والسلام ذكر الآية يا أيها الذين آمنوا أنفقوا مما رزقناكم من قبل أن يأتي أحدكم الموت فيقول ربّ لولا أخّرتني إلى أجل قريب فأصّدّق وأكن من الصالحين ثم قال عليه السلام: تصدق رجل بدرهمه بديناره بصاع بره بصاع شعيره، فانسلّ رجل من الحاضرين ليعود من بيته يحمل في طرف ثوبه ما تيسر له من الصدقة ووضعها أمام الرسول عليه السلام We were sitting with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) when Bedouins came to him, wearing their leather cloaks and girdling 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, then he said (may the prayer and peace be upon him), mentioning the verse: "O you who have believed, spend from what We have provided for you before death comes to any of you and he says, 'My Lord, why did You not delay me until a near term so I could give charity and be among the righteous.'" Then he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "A man gave charity with his dirham, his dinar, his sa' of barley, his sa' of wheat." So a man from among those present slipped away to return from his house carrying in the corner of his garment what was easy for him of charity, and he placed it before the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). So it was as if the others were sleeping, and he awakened them with his action. Each of them went to his house and brought what was easy for him of charity. Jarir said: Where is the innovation here? There is no innovation. It is necessary that the words of the Messenger be in such a context with correspondence and harmony. If someone innovates, there must be an innovation, but the innovation is nothing but charity. However, there is a linguistic innovation, which is opening the path. A man went to his house, so he opened a path. This path is not described as good or bad, but by its effect. What was the effect? That the people followed him in this charity, so he was written the reward of it, the reward of those who acted upon it from among those people. So the hadith encourages reviving the sunnahs, not legislating the sunnahs—excuse me—legislating innovations, but rather reviving the sunnahs and killing the innovations. This hadith is actually a very great hadith, but with its interpretation deviating from its explicit indication, it became the argument of the innovators. They tell you, "This is a good innovation," and the Messenger said . Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Helper. I think with this the answer is complete, if Allah wills.

The questioner : May Allah bless you, O Shaykh.

The Shaykh : And may He bless you.
Please go ahead.