Is it permissible to perform the regular sunnahs with the intention of imitating the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The student : The Shaykh: Sunan Abi Dawud 4031Hasan Sahih (Al-Albani). And the hadith of Mu'awiyah when it reached him that he (peace and blessings be upon him) ... .
The Shaykh : I understood your question, but I did not understand the connection between the two hadiths.
The student : I want to imitate the Messenger (may Allah's prayer and peace be upon him) so that I may be among his people.
The Shaykh : Ah, imitating the Messenger. You cannot imitate the Messenger unless you do what he did with the same intention as his. For example, when you want to let your hair grow until it reaches the earlobes or the tops of the shoulders; did the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) do that with the intention of custom or with the intention of worship? If we assume that he did it with the intention of custom and you do it with the intention of worship, have you followed him? I tell you, you have followed him in appearance but you have not followed him in intention. Therefore, it is not permissible for you to intend with an act something other than what the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) intended in it, otherwise you will be in this state—may Allah forbid it—having legislated in the religion of Allah what Allah has not sent down authority for. This is my understanding of the matter. Please, go ahead.
He who copies any people is one of them.
من تشبه بقوم فهو منهمThe Shaykh : I understood your question, but I did not understand the connection between the two hadiths.
The student : I want to imitate the Messenger (may Allah's prayer and peace be upon him) so that I may be among his people.
The Shaykh : Ah, imitating the Messenger. You cannot imitate the Messenger unless you do what he did with the same intention as his. For example, when you want to let your hair grow until it reaches the earlobes or the tops of the shoulders; did the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) do that with the intention of custom or with the intention of worship? If we assume that he did it with the intention of custom and you do it with the intention of worship, have you followed him? I tell you, you have followed him in appearance but you have not followed him in intention. Therefore, it is not permissible for you to intend with an act something other than what the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) intended in it, otherwise you will be in this state—may Allah forbid it—having legislated in the religion of Allah what Allah has not sent down authority for. This is my understanding of the matter. Please, go ahead.
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.