The Shaykh's Explanation of the Meaning of the Sunnah
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The Shaykh : The Sunnah has two meanings. The first is a linguistic and legal meaning, referring to what the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was upon, and to those who follow his path, custom, and practice. The second meaning is what has become the custom of the jurists in dividing acts of worship into obligatory (fard) and recommended (sunnah). You know the definition of the obligatory, and you know the definition of the recommended. In their definition, the recommended is that for which its doer is rewarded and its leaver is not punished. As for the one who leaves the Sunnah of the Messenger in the first meaning, that is, his way and his methodology, he is in misguidance. His misguidance will be much or little, as we mentioned earlier, in proportion to his distance from emulating his Sunnah (peace be upon him) and his closeness to it.
For this reason, it is obligatory for us to learn the Sunnah first, and then to act upon it to the best of our ability second. When we do this, we will find that we are in no need to add to it or to innovate a "good" innovation in Islam, claiming that there is nothing wrong with this innovation. Because, as we said, we will find ourselves deficient and incapable of emulating the noble Prophet in everything that has come to us regarding acts of worship, whether it relates to supplications, remembrances, or prayers. It is sufficient for us to emulate him (may Allah's prayers and blessings be upon him) to the extent of our ability.
For this reason, it is obligatory for us to learn the Sunnah first, and then to act upon it to the best of our ability second. When we do this, we will find that we are in no need to add to it or to innovate a "good" innovation in Islam, claiming that there is nothing wrong with this innovation. Because, as we said, we will find ourselves deficient and incapable of emulating the noble Prophet in everything that has come to us regarding acts of worship, whether it relates to supplications, remembrances, or prayers. It is sufficient for us to emulate him (may Allah's prayers and blessings be upon him) to the extent of our ability.