The Difference Between Following and Innovating
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Question:
The listener Ahmad Husayn 'Ali from Abu 'Aris in Jazan sent a message containing a collection of questions, one of which says: What is the difference between following and innovating?
Answer:
Following: It is following the Shari'ah, following what the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) brought of commands and prohibitions. It is called following because Allah said: [Al-A'raf: 3], and He the Exalted and Majestic said: [Al-A'raf: 158].
So we are commanded to follow the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and to follow the Qur'an. Holding fast to the Qur'an by what Allah said, and holding fast to what the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said or did, this is following. Proceeding on the methodology of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and his path in commands and prohibitions, this is called following. It is obligatory in the obligatory matters and recommended in the recommended matters.
As for innovation, it is introducing something in the religion that Allah has not authorized, meaning: introducing a form of worship that Allah has not prescribed. This is called innovation because of the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):Sahih Muslim 1718a, and his saying (peace and blessings be upon him): Sahih Muslim 867a.
If a person prays a prayer in addition to the five, saying: We will pray six, we will make it six, we will turn to good and make it six. If the time comes, four or five in the day after the sun rises before the midday prayer, he prays a sixth. This is an innovation and invalid, and it is not permissible for him to do it or to call people to it with the intention that it is an obligation, meaning: he calls people to it. But with the intention that it is the Duha prayer, praying Duha, there is no harm, it is recommended. But if he makes it a sixth, calls the adhan for it, establishes the iqamah for it, and calls people to it, this is a reprehensible innovation. Or if he says: The two prostrations are not enough, we will add a third prostration in the rak'ah... we will add a third prostration. This is an innovation, and if he intends it, it invalidates the prayer. Or if he says: We will add a second bowing in every rak'ah, so each rak'ah has two bowings. This is an innovation, except in the eclipse prayer, which has two bowings, the eclipse prayer. And so on, if he says: We will make one of the nights a place of worship, we will pray ten rak'ahs or twenty rak'ahs in it, the night of Friday or the night of Thursday of every week. This is an innovation. One does not single out a night from the nights with something that Allah has not prescribed. Or the nights of the Mawlid... the Mawlid of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), or the Mawlid of Fatimah, or al-Husayn, or al-Badawi, or al-Siddiq, or 'Umar. We make it a celebration, we pray in it, we speak in it, and we mention it in it. This is an innovation because Allah and His Messenger have not prescribed it.
So innovation is introducing a form of worship, verbal or practical, that Allah has not prescribed. It is called an innovation because Allah has not prescribed it . Among this is what people do in building on graves and making mosques on them and domes, claiming that it is a means of nearness and religion. This is an innovation. The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) prohibited building on graves, so building on them is an innovation and one of the means of shirk (associating partners with Allah). Likewise, plastering them is an innovation. If you plaster them, you seek nearness to Allah by that, this is an innovation because the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) prohibited plastering them; because it is a means to shirk.
So likewise, seeking nearness to Allah through the people of the graves, saying: I ask you by the people of the graves, or I ask you by the status of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), or by the right of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), is an innovation. Or I ask you by the status of the righteous, is an innovation. But if he says: I ask you by my love for You, or by my faith in You, or by my faith in Your Messenger, or by Your beautiful names, this is good... this is a lawful means.
So innovations are what people have introduced in the religion, which Allah and His Messenger have not prescribed. This is called an innovation. And following is proceeding on the methodology that Allah has prescribed for His servants, and which His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) brought. This is called following. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.
The listener Ahmad Husayn 'Ali from Abu 'Aris in Jazan sent a message containing a collection of questions, one of which says: What is the difference between following and innovating?
Answer:
Following: It is following the Shari'ah, following what the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) brought of commands and prohibitions. It is called following because Allah said:
Follow, [O mankind], what has been revealed to you from your Lord and do not follow other than Him any allies
اتَّبِعُوا مَا أُنْزِلَ إِلَيْكُمْ مِنْ رَبِّكُمْ وَلا تَتَّبِعُوا مِنْ دُونِهِ أَوْلِيَاءَSay, [O Muhammad], "O mankind, indeed I am the Messenger of Allah to you all, [from Him] to whom belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth. There is no deity except Him; He gives life and causes death." So believe in Allah and His Messenger, the unlettered prophet, who believes in Allah and His words, and follow him that you may be guided.
قُلْ يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنِّي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ إِلَيْكُمْ جَمِيعًا الَّذِي لَهُ مُلْكُ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ لا إِلَهَ إِلَّا هُوَ يُحْيِي وَيُمِيتُ فَآمِنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ النَّبِيِّ الأُمِّيِّ الَّذِي يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَكَلِمَاتِهِ وَاتَّبِعُوهُ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَهْتَدُونَSo we are commanded to follow the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and to follow the Qur'an. Holding fast to the Qur'an by what Allah said, and holding fast to what the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said or did, this is following. Proceeding on the methodology of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and his path in commands and prohibitions, this is called following. It is obligatory in the obligatory matters and recommended in the recommended matters.
As for innovation, it is introducing something in the religion that Allah has not authorized, meaning: introducing a form of worship that Allah has not prescribed. This is called innovation because of the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):
'A'isha reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: He who innovates things in our affairs for which there is no valid (reason) (commits sin) and these are to be rejected.
من أحدث في أمرنا هذا ما ليس منه فهو ردAnd the most evil affairs are their innovations; and every innovation is error.
شر الأمور محدثاتها وكل بدعة ضلالةIf a person prays a prayer in addition to the five, saying: We will pray six, we will make it six, we will turn to good and make it six. If the time comes, four or five in the day after the sun rises before the midday prayer, he prays a sixth. This is an innovation and invalid, and it is not permissible for him to do it or to call people to it with the intention that it is an obligation, meaning: he calls people to it. But with the intention that it is the Duha prayer, praying Duha, there is no harm, it is recommended. But if he makes it a sixth, calls the adhan for it, establishes the iqamah for it, and calls people to it, this is a reprehensible innovation. Or if he says: The two prostrations are not enough, we will add a third prostration in the rak'ah... we will add a third prostration. This is an innovation, and if he intends it, it invalidates the prayer. Or if he says: We will add a second bowing in every rak'ah, so each rak'ah has two bowings. This is an innovation, except in the eclipse prayer, which has two bowings, the eclipse prayer. And so on, if he says: We will make one of the nights a place of worship, we will pray ten rak'ahs or twenty rak'ahs in it, the night of Friday or the night of Thursday of every week. This is an innovation. One does not single out a night from the nights with something that Allah has not prescribed. Or the nights of the Mawlid... the Mawlid of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), or the Mawlid of Fatimah, or al-Husayn, or al-Badawi, or al-Siddiq, or 'Umar. We make it a celebration, we pray in it, we speak in it, and we mention it in it. This is an innovation because Allah and His Messenger have not prescribed it.
So innovation is introducing a form of worship, verbal or practical, that Allah has not prescribed. It is called an innovation because Allah has not prescribed it . Among this is what people do in building on graves and making mosques on them and domes, claiming that it is a means of nearness and religion. This is an innovation. The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) prohibited building on graves, so building on them is an innovation and one of the means of shirk (associating partners with Allah). Likewise, plastering them is an innovation. If you plaster them, you seek nearness to Allah by that, this is an innovation because the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) prohibited plastering them; because it is a means to shirk.
So likewise, seeking nearness to Allah through the people of the graves, saying: I ask you by the people of the graves, or I ask you by the status of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), or by the right of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), is an innovation. Or I ask you by the status of the righteous, is an innovation. But if he says: I ask you by my love for You, or by my faith in You, or by my faith in Your Messenger, or by Your beautiful names, this is good... this is a lawful means.
So innovations are what people have introduced in the religion, which Allah and His Messenger have not prescribed. This is called an innovation. And following is proceeding on the methodology that Allah has prescribed for His servants, and which His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) brought. This is called following. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.