Is it permissible to greet an innovator?
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The Shaykh : Yes
The questioner : Do we greet the innovator?
The Shaykh : If the innovator is calling people to his religious innovation and there is a benefit in boycotting him, do not greet him. But if there is no benefit in boycotting him, then greet him. This is because if you boycott the person who holds to a religious innovation, he will consider you an enemy and stir up the people against you, and there is no benefit in boycotting him. However, if there is a benefit in boycotting him, such as if the man is prominent in his community and holds a high status, and if this innovator is boycotted by this man, people will take notice of it, then there is no harm. This is a general rule: anyone who is committing a sin that does not amount to disbelief, it is not permissible to boycott him unless there is a benefit in doing so. Yes.
The questioner : Do we greet the innovator?
The Shaykh : If the innovator is calling people to his religious innovation and there is a benefit in boycotting him, do not greet him. But if there is no benefit in boycotting him, then greet him. This is because if you boycott the person who holds to a religious innovation, he will consider you an enemy and stir up the people against you, and there is no benefit in boycotting him. However, if there is a benefit in boycotting him, such as if the man is prominent in his community and holds a high status, and if this innovator is boycotted by this man, people will take notice of it, then there is no harm. This is a general rule: anyone who is committing a sin that does not amount to disbelief, it is not permissible to boycott him unless there is a benefit in doing so. Yes.