Reading from the author's words, with commentary and collation of manuscripts: "We said
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The reader: "We said, there is no doubt that whoever performs it"
The Shaykh : We said, there is no doubt that
The reader: "We said, there is no doubt that whoever performs it as a person who interprets, exercises independent legal reasoning, or follows a scholar, will receive reward for his good intention and for his work, insofar as it contains what is prescribed. And whatever in it is religious innovation will be forgiven for him, if he is among those who are excused in his independent legal reasoning or his following of a scholar. Likewise, all the benefits mentioned in it are realized because of what it contains of the prescribed in its general category: such as fasting, dhikr, recitation, bowing, prostration, and good intention in worshipping Allah, obeying Him, and supplicating to Him. And whatever it contains of what is disliked, its cause is negated"
The Shaykh : its cause
The reader: "its cause by Allah's forgiveness of it, due to the independent legal reasoning of its practitioner or his following of a scholar. And this meaning is established"
The Shaykh : This answer mentioned by the Shaykh (may Allah have mercy on him) does not satisfy many people, especially those who have zeal for the religion. They say, "These are innovators; how can we say that they are excused when they are innovators?" The Shaykh (may Allah have mercy on him) says that he is excused if it is established, because among the scholars and the righteous friends of Allah, some are excused, either for independent legal reasoning or for following a scholar who exercises independent legal reasoning. Either for independent legal reasoning, if he was among the people of independent legal reasoning, like a scholar who saw that there is no harm in it and analogized it to general texts and the like. Or for following, because the common person who has a good opinion of a scholar will follow him and not accept anyone else. This is something observed among us now. If a person comes from the greatest scholars but is not known to the common people, they do not accept him. And if a person comes who is known to the common people, even if he is far less than them, they accept him. So the important point is that he says: "There is no doubt that whoever performs it as a person who interprets, exercises independent legal reasoning, or follows a scholar, will receive reward for his good intention and for his work, insofar as it contains what is prescribed". He has reward, and he is an innovator. Why? Because he is one who interprets and exercises independent legal reasoning. And dhikr, in its origin, or fasting, in its origin, or tahajjud, in its origin, is prescribed. But its being at this time, or in this place, or in this manner is not prescribed. So if a person exercises independent legal reasoning and errs in the manner, or the place, or the time, he has the reward of independent legal reasoning. But if the guidance becomes clear to him, he has followed the path of those who do not believe. And Allah the Exalted said:[An-Nisa 4:115] The important thing is that this, my brothers, is a useful principle, until
The Shaykh : We said, there is no doubt that
The reader: "We said, there is no doubt that whoever performs it as a person who interprets, exercises independent legal reasoning, or follows a scholar, will receive reward for his good intention and for his work, insofar as it contains what is prescribed. And whatever in it is religious innovation will be forgiven for him, if he is among those who are excused in his independent legal reasoning or his following of a scholar. Likewise, all the benefits mentioned in it are realized because of what it contains of the prescribed in its general category: such as fasting, dhikr, recitation, bowing, prostration, and good intention in worshipping Allah, obeying Him, and supplicating to Him. And whatever it contains of what is disliked, its cause is negated"
The Shaykh : its cause
The reader: "its cause by Allah's forgiveness of it, due to the independent legal reasoning of its practitioner or his following of a scholar. And this meaning is established"
The Shaykh : This answer mentioned by the Shaykh (may Allah have mercy on him) does not satisfy many people, especially those who have zeal for the religion. They say, "These are innovators; how can we say that they are excused when they are innovators?" The Shaykh (may Allah have mercy on him) says that he is excused if it is established, because among the scholars and the righteous friends of Allah, some are excused, either for independent legal reasoning or for following a scholar who exercises independent legal reasoning. Either for independent legal reasoning, if he was among the people of independent legal reasoning, like a scholar who saw that there is no harm in it and analogized it to general texts and the like. Or for following, because the common person who has a good opinion of a scholar will follow him and not accept anyone else. This is something observed among us now. If a person comes from the greatest scholars but is not known to the common people, they do not accept him. And if a person comes who is known to the common people, even if he is far less than them, they accept him. So the important point is that he says: "There is no doubt that whoever performs it as a person who interprets, exercises independent legal reasoning, or follows a scholar, will receive reward for his good intention and for his work, insofar as it contains what is prescribed". He has reward, and he is an innovator. Why? Because he is one who interprets and exercises independent legal reasoning. And dhikr, in its origin, or fasting, in its origin, or tahajjud, in its origin, is prescribed. But its being at this time, or in this place, or in this manner is not prescribed. So if a person exercises independent legal reasoning and errs in the manner, or the place, or the time, he has the reward of independent legal reasoning. But if the guidance becomes clear to him, he has followed the path of those who do not believe. And Allah the Exalted said: