Is there a designation called a good innovation and a bad innovation, or not?
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The questioner : He has a final question, asking whether there is a designation called a good innovation and a bad innovation, or not?
The Shaykh : It is not possible to say of an innovation in the religion of Allah that it is a good innovation, ever, given the statement of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family). This phrase, namely that every innovation is misguidance, came from the most eloquent of creation, Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him and his family), the most sincere of creation, the most knowledgeable of creation regarding the legislation of Allah, and the most knowledgeable of creation regarding the meaning of His speech. He said this general phrase . So how can a person come after that and say that some innovations are bad and some are good? Is this anything other than departing from the apparent meaning of the statement of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him and his family)? All innovation is bad innovation, and all innovation is misguidance. However, a person may consider something good, thinking it is an innovation, when it is not an innovation. And a person may consider something good that is actually an innovation, thinking it is good, when it is not good. As for it being both an innovation and good, this is never possible. For example, someone might say that building schools is an innovation because it was not known in the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family), but it is a good innovation.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : So we say that there is no doubt that building schools is good, but it is not the innovation intended by the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him and his family). This is because building schools is a means to organize study and prepare lessons for students, and it is not intended as an end in itself. In other words, we do not worship Allah the Exalted by building schools as if the building itself is worship. Rather, we worship Allah the Exalted by building schools as a means to preserve knowledge, organize knowledge, and the means to the intended goal is itself intended.
Therefore, it is among the established principles among the scholars that means have the rulings of their ends. Perhaps an objector would argue for the claim that some innovations are good by citing what is authentic from the Commander of the Faithful (may Allah be pleased with him), 'Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him), when he gathered the people for the night prayer in Ramadan behind a single imam. Before that, they used to pray individually, or in pairs, or in groups of three. 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) gathered them behind a single imam. One night he came out while they were praying and said "What a good innovation this is". This innovation that 'Umar called an innovation is not a new innovation, but a relative innovation. It was a recommended practice that was abandoned and then renewed in the time of 'Umar. This is because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) prayed with his Companions in congregation for three nights in Ramadan, then he left it and saidSahih al-Bukhari 924. So the people left praying in congregation behind a single imam and began to pray individually and in groups until the time of 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him). On this basis, 'Umar restored what existed in the time of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) and renewed it, without establishing the congregation for the Ramadan night prayer as something entirely new.
On this basis, this innovation is an innovation relative to the previous abandonment of it, not relative to the establishment of its permissibility. For 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) was more knowledgeable, more scrupulous, and further from legislating in the religion of Allah what Allah and His Messenger had not legislated.
In summary, it is not possible for a religious innovation to be divided into two categories, good and bad, given the statement of the Messenger (may the prayer and peace of Allah be upon him). And what some people think is an innovation and is good, their thinking that it is an innovation is a mistake. And what a person thinks is good but is actually an innovation, his thinking that it is good is a mistake. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah bless you, O honorable Shaykh.
The Shaykh : It is not possible to say of an innovation in the religion of Allah that it is a good innovation, ever, given the statement of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family)
Every innovation is misguidance.
كل بدعة ضلالةEvery innovation is misguidance.
كل بدعة ضلالةThe questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : So we say that there is no doubt that building schools is good, but it is not the innovation intended by the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him and his family). This is because building schools is a means to organize study and prepare lessons for students, and it is not intended as an end in itself. In other words, we do not worship Allah the Exalted by building schools as if the building itself is worship. Rather, we worship Allah the Exalted by building schools as a means to preserve knowledge, organize knowledge, and the means to the intended goal is itself intended.
Therefore, it is among the established principles among the scholars that means have the rulings of their ends. Perhaps an objector would argue for the claim that some innovations are good by citing what is authentic from the Commander of the Faithful (may Allah be pleased with him), 'Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him), when he gathered the people for the night prayer in Ramadan behind a single imam. Before that, they used to pray individually, or in pairs, or in groups of three. 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) gathered them behind a single imam. One night he came out while they were praying and said "What a good innovation this is". This innovation that 'Umar called an innovation is not a new innovation, but a relative innovation. It was a recommended practice that was abandoned and then renewed in the time of 'Umar. This is because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) prayed with his Companions in congregation for three nights in Ramadan, then he left it and said
I was afraid that this prayer (Prayer of Tahajjud) might be made compulsory
خشيت أن تُفرض عليكمOn this basis, this innovation is an innovation relative to the previous abandonment of it, not relative to the establishment of its permissibility. For 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) was more knowledgeable, more scrupulous, and further from legislating in the religion of Allah what Allah and His Messenger had not legislated.
In summary, it is not possible for a religious innovation to be divided into two categories, good and bad, given the statement of the Messenger (may the prayer and peace of Allah be upon him)
Every innovation is misguidance.
كل بدعة ضلالةThe questioner : May Allah bless you, O honorable Shaykh.