Speaking about religious innovation and its examples
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The Shaykh : We give many examples of bid'ah (religious innovation). For instance, if someone were to invent a specific dhikr (remembrance of Allah) with a specific number, that would not be accepted from him, because it has no basis in the texts.
If someone were to say, "I will set for myself a routine of remembering Allah a thousand times a day, specifying it and committing to it," we would say: this is one of the innovations. But if he were to remember Allah constantly and always, we would say: this is not an innovation, because Allah says:[Al-Ahzab 33:41-42] However, the innovation is to specify a number that the Shari'ah has not specified. Another example: if a person were to send blessings upon the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) every time he sees something he likes, this is not from the Sunnah. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not tell people, "Every time you see something you like, send blessings upon me." Rather, when he (peace and blessings be upon him) saw something he liked from this world, he would say: Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah 9:3196 Listen: when he saw something he liked from this world, he would say Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah 9:3196 We see luxurious cars, we see grand palaces, and we see many things from this world that please us. Our hearts may become attached to what we see. What is the cure for that? The cure is what the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) guided us to, which is to say: what? Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah 9:3196 Why do I say "At your service"? Because this thing from this world that pleases me may distract me from Allah, so I say "At your service," meaning: in response to You. And because this thing in this world may please me and I may think that it is the true enjoyment, so I say to myself: the true life is the life of the Hereafter. For the life of this world, however it may be, is transient; either the enjoyment will vanish, or the one who enjoys it will vanish, inevitably. As Allah the Exalted said: [Ar-Rahman 55:26-27]
O my brothers, every act of worship requires two conditions. What are they?
The student: Sincerity and following the Prophet.
The Shaykh : Yes, sincerity and following.
Sincerity means intending for the worship the face of Allah and the Hereafter.
Following means following the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) in what he legislated.
If someone were to say, "I will set for myself a routine of remembering Allah a thousand times a day, specifying it and committing to it," we would say: this is one of the innovations. But if he were to remember Allah constantly and always, we would say: this is not an innovation, because Allah says:
(41) O you who have believed, remember Allah with much remembrance (42) And exalt Him morning and afternoon.
يا أيها الذين آمنوا اذكروا الله ذكرا كثيرا وسبّحوه بكرة وأصيلاAt your service, for the true life is the life of the Hereafter.
لبيك إن العيش عيش الآخرةAt your service, for the true life is the life of the Hereafter.
لبيك إن العيش عيش الآخرةAt your service, for the true life is the life of the Hereafter.
لبيك إن العيش عيش الآخرة(26) Everyone upon the earth will perish, (27) And there will remain the Face of your Lord, Owner of Majesty and Honor.
كل من عليها فان ويبقى وجه ربك ذو الجلال والإكرامO my brothers, every act of worship requires two conditions. What are they?
The student: Sincerity and following the Prophet.
The Shaykh : Yes, sincerity and following.
Sincerity means intending for the worship the face of Allah and the Hereafter.
Following means following the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) in what he legislated.