What is the explanation of the hadith: “Whoever introduces a good practice in Islam will have the reward of it and the reward of everyone who acts upon it until the Day of Resurrection, and whoever introduces a bad practice in Islam will have the burden of it and the burden of everyone who acts upon it…”
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The Shaykh : I hope you will explain the hadith of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him): Sahih Muslim 1017a
The Shaykh : And upon him, upon him.
The questioner :As-Sunan al-Kubra lil-Nasa'i 12:118 And is it in the two Sahihs?
The Shaykh : Yes, this is a sound hadith in the two Sahihs or in one of them.
The questioner : If you would explain the hadith.
The Shaykh : Explanation of the hadith:Sahih Muslim 1017a The reason for this is that a group of people came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in Madinah, and they were poor. So the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) encouraged charity. Then a man came with a bundle that weighed down his hand, and he placed it in the lap of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and said: Sahih Muslim 1017a So the meaning of the hadith is: whoever initiates an act of a recommended practice. Let us give an example for this in our time: suppose that a man from among the scholars reminds people of something they did not know, and it is a recommended practice established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Then one of them stands up and acts upon it, and he becomes the first to do so. We say: this man introduced a good recommended practice. The meaning is: he acted upon a recommended practice of which he was the first to act upon it, so he introduced a good recommended practice by being the first to act upon it. Did you understand? This is one.
The second meaning:Sahih Muslim 1017a means that the recommended practice was lost and people forgot it, so a man stood up and acted upon it, and he introduced it to the people. This is also introducing a good recommended practice. The evidence for this is that when 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) ordered the people to gather for the night prayer in Ramadan behind a single imam, he said: “What a good innovation this is”. He called it an innovation, and it is a recommended practice, because the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) did it. But it is a recommended practice in the sense that it was left and abandoned, and then 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) initiated it.
As for introducing something in worship that is not prescribed and saying: this is a good recommended practice, as is found in some groups, the people of innovation, no, it is never possible for this to be good. For this reason, some of the people of innovation who introduced worships for which Allah has not sent down any authority claimed that this is a good recommended practice. It is said: it is not possible for it to be good while it is an innovation, always. Every innovation is misguidance. Did you understand?
So the meaning of:Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah 6:216 means it became?
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : This is one, or the first to act upon it after the call to it.
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, without any deduction from their rewards; and he who sets in Islam an evil precedent, there is upon him the burden of that,
من سن في الإسلام سنة حسنة فله أجرها وأجر من عمل بها، ومن سن في الإسلام سنة سيئة فله وزرهاThe Shaykh : And upon him, upon him.
The questioner :
So he bears its burden and the burden of whoever works by it
فعليه وزرها ووزر من عمل بهاThe Shaykh : Yes, this is a sound hadith in the two Sahihs or in one of them.
The questioner : If you would explain the hadith.
The Shaykh : Explanation of the hadith:
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 سنة حسنة فله أجرها وأجر من عمل بها إلى يوم القيامةHe 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 سنة حسنة فله أجرها وأجر من عمل بها إلى يوم القيامةThe second meaning:
He who sets a good precedent in Islam
من سن في الإسلام سنة حسنةAs for introducing something in worship that is not prescribed and saying: this is a good recommended practice, as is found in some groups, the people of innovation, no, it is never possible for this to be good. For this reason, some of the people of innovation who introduced worships for which Allah has not sent down any authority claimed that this is a good recommended practice. It is said: it is not possible for it to be good while it is an innovation, always. Every innovation is misguidance. Did you understand?
So the meaning of:
Whoever introduces a good practice
من سن سنة حسنةThe questioner : ...
The Shaykh : This is one, or the first to act upon it after the call to it.