What is the interpretation of the hadith of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him): “Whoever introduces a good practice in Islam…”?
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The questioner : From Yemen, Kh, 'A, D, Shabwah. He has a set of questions. He says: O honorable Shaykh, what is the interpretation of the hadith of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) He did not complete the hadith. He says: I hope for your benefit, may you be rewarded?
The Shaykh :Sahih Muslim 1017a This is the wording of the hadith.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : And its cause is that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) one day encouraged charity, so a man from the Ansar came with a purse that weighed down his hand, and he placed it before the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family), and he said:Sahih Muslim 1017a This practice is a practice of action and implementation, not a practice of legislation. For the practice of legislation belongs to Allah and His Messenger alone, and it is not permissible for anyone to legislate in the religion of Allah what is not part of it, or to introduce in the religion of Allah what is not part of it, for that is a religious innovation. And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) warned against innovations and said: But whoever was the first to do an action that no one had done before him, or who revived a practice that had been abandoned, has introduced a good practice in Islam. So he gets its reward and the reward of everyone who acts upon it until the Day of Resurrection.
Likewise, whoever introduces a practice that serves as a means to a prescribed matter, and no one preceded him to it, then he falls under the hadith that he has introduced a good practice. So he gets its reward and the reward of everyone who acts upon it until the Day of Resurrection. For example, if he invents a method that makes it easier to obtain the verses or makes it easier to obtain the hadiths, or something similar, then in this case he has introduced a good practice, so he gets its reward and the reward of everyone who acts upon it until the Day of Resurrection.
So the practice in Islam is divided into three categories: the practice of legislation, the practice of action, or the practice of being first to an action, and the practice of means. As for the practice of legislation, it is not permissible for anyone to legislate what Allah and His Messenger have not legislated. This practice is considered a religious innovation and misguidance, and it is rejected, due to the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family): Sahih Muslim 1718b These words came in multiple hadiths.
As for the practice of being first, it is like the hadith we mentioned earlier, where someone encourages an act of good, and a person steps forward to be the first to initiate it, and the people follow him in that, so he has introduced a good practice.
And as for the practice of means, it is like what we mentioned earlier, where a person invents something that leads to a prescribed matter, and no one preceded him in this invention, so he has introduced a good practice in Islam. So he gets its reward and the reward of everyone who acts upon it until the Day of Resurrection. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.
Whoever introduces a practice in the religion
من سنّ سنة في الدينThe Shaykh :
He who sets a good precedent in Islam, there is a reward for him for this (act of goodness) and reward of that also who acted according to it subsequently
من سنّ في الإسلام سنّة حسنة فله أجرها وأجر من عمل بها إلى يوم القيامةThe questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : And its cause is that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) one day encouraged charity, so a man from the Ansar came with a purse that weighed down his hand, and he placed it before the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family), and he said:
He who sets a good precedent in Islam, there is a reward for him for this (act of goodness) and reward of that also who acted according to it subsequently
من سن في الإسلام سنّة حسنة فله أجرها وأجر من عمِل بها إلى يوم القيامةEvery innovation is misguidance.
كل بدعة ضلالةLikewise, whoever introduces a practice that serves as a means to a prescribed matter, and no one preceded him to it, then he falls under the hadith that he has introduced a good practice. So he gets its reward and the reward of everyone who acts upon it until the Day of Resurrection. For example, if he invents a method that makes it easier to obtain the verses or makes it easier to obtain the hadiths, or something similar, then in this case he has introduced a good practice, so he gets its reward and the reward of everyone who acts upon it until the Day of Resurrection.
So the practice in Islam is divided into three categories: the practice of legislation, the practice of action, or the practice of being first to an action, and the practice of means. As for the practice of legislation, it is not permissible for anyone to legislate what Allah and His Messenger have not legislated. This practice is considered a religious innovation and misguidance, and it is rejected, due to the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family):
Hold fast to my practice
عليكم بسنتيAnd beware of newly invented matters
وإياكم ومحدثات الأمورHe who did any act for which there is no sanction from our behalf, that is to be rejected.
ومن عمل عملا ليس عليه أمرنا فهو ردAs for the practice of being first, it is like the hadith we mentioned earlier, where someone encourages an act of good, and a person steps forward to be the first to initiate it, and the people follow him in that, so he has introduced a good practice.
And as for the practice of means, it is like what we mentioned earlier, where a person invents something that leads to a prescribed matter, and no one preceded him in this invention, so he has introduced a good practice in Islam. So he gets its reward and the reward of everyone who acts upon it until the Day of Resurrection. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.