The Shaykh's commentary on the statement of Malik (Whoever innovates in Islam a religious innovation...)

The Shaykh : And among those who came before us is one of the Imams of the Muslims, the famous ones who are followed, namely Imam Malik ibn Anas, the Imam of the City of Migration. May Allah be pleased with him. He used to say a word that, as it is said, should be written in gold ink, and it is: "Whoever innovates a religious innovation that he considers good has claimed that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) betrayed the message. Read the statement of Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He: " Then he followed it with some words that are explanations of the contents of this noble Qur'anic text, saying: "So whatever was not a religion at that time will not be a religion today." The bottom line is that there is nothing new. "So whatever was not a religion at that time will not be a religion today, and the last of this Ummah will not be reformed except by what reformed its first part." Who is the last of this Ummah? We are undoubtedly among them. We want reform, and we want improvement. Many, many of those who claim reform and want to establish the Muslim state on earth do not revolve around this civil Maliki word: "The last of this Ummah will not be reformed except by what reformed its first part." By what was its first part reformed? By innovation or by following? There is no doubt that the answer for everyone, even those who speak of good innovation, is that they cannot say anything other than our statement: that the affairs of this Ummah, in its beginning, were only reformed by their following of their Prophet (may Allah's prayers and peace be upon him). So let them be with us in calling and in conduct.