Miscellaneous by Al-Albani-072
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The questioner : In Sahih al-Bukhari, it is narrated from 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar that he denied the recommended status of the Dhuha prayer and called it an innovation, saying it was one of the best of their innovations. We know that the innovation 'Umar ibn al-Khattab spoke of had a basis in the Tarawih prayer, so how did he say here, "one of the best of their innovations," when it has no basis in the Shari'ah according to him?
The Shaykh : The truth is that I do not have an answer that satisfies me, let alone one that would satisfy others, although I recall that some scholars interpreted it to mean not the original Dhuha prayer itself, but its performance in the mosque. That is what they said, but this answer is not convincing to me because the difficulty remains. However, the issue was always focused on the original Dhuha prayer; with this interpretation, it shifts to the Dhuha prayer in the mosque. And the Dhuha prayer in the mosque also cannot be called an innovation, because it too has a basis. For this reason, I say that Allah knows best what Ibn 'Umar intended by this statement, but we say that on its surface, it contradicts the established report from him: "Every innovation is misguidance, even if people see it as good". His statement ... indicates that he condemns every innovation, even if people consider it good. But here, whether he intended the original Dhuha prayer or its performance in the mosque, as some scholars interpreted, the statement remains problematic and I have no answer to it. However, we say: we refer this specific report about the Dhuha prayer to that report we mentioned as a general principle, where he says: "Every innovation is misguidance, even if people see it as good". And I acknowledge, or at least I personally acknowledge, that I have no answer to reconcile his principle, which is one hundred percent sound, with his specific statement about the Dhuha prayer, knowing that if he meant the Dhuha prayer itself by that statement, it means he missed the majority of the hadiths regarding the legitimacy of the Dhuha prayer, whether from the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) or his actions. The difficulty remains only regarding the praise ... and in that case, there is no great severity in the matter because ... and Allah knows best what he intended. That is what I have.
The Shaykh : The truth is that I do not have an answer that satisfies me, let alone one that would satisfy others, although I recall that some scholars interpreted it to mean not the original Dhuha prayer itself, but its performance in the mosque. That is what they said, but this answer is not convincing to me because the difficulty remains. However, the issue was always focused on the original Dhuha prayer; with this interpretation, it shifts to the Dhuha prayer in the mosque. And the Dhuha prayer in the mosque also cannot be called an innovation, because it too has a basis. For this reason, I say that Allah knows best what Ibn 'Umar intended by this statement, but we say that on its surface, it contradicts the established report from him: "Every innovation is misguidance, even if people see it as good". His statement ... indicates that he condemns every innovation, even if people consider it good. But here, whether he intended the original Dhuha prayer or its performance in the mosque, as some scholars interpreted, the statement remains problematic and I have no answer to it. However, we say: we refer this specific report about the Dhuha prayer to that report we mentioned as a general principle, where he says: "Every innovation is misguidance, even if people see it as good". And I acknowledge, or at least I personally acknowledge, that I have no answer to reconcile his principle, which is one hundred percent sound, with his specific statement about the Dhuha prayer, knowing that if he meant the Dhuha prayer itself by that statement, it means he missed the majority of the hadiths regarding the legitimacy of the Dhuha prayer, whether from the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) or his actions. The difficulty remains only regarding the praise ... and in that case, there is no great severity in the matter because ... and Allah knows best what he intended. That is what I have.