The Reality of Doctrinal Innovation and Practical Innovation

One of the listening brothers asks your Eminence and says: What is doctrinal innovation, and what is practical innovation?
Answer: Everything that contradicts the Shari'ah is a bid'ah (religious innovation). If it is in belief, it is called a bid'ah, such as supplicating to the dead, seeking aid from the dead, seeking aid from the jinn, or from the angels. One thinks it is religion, believing it to be religion, considering it permissible. This is a bid'ah of shirk (associating partners with Allah) and major kufr (disbelief). It is called a bid'ah because its practitioner thinks it is religion.
Likewise, building on graves and making them into mosques is a bid'ah, but it is less than kufr; it is a means to kufr. If one builds a mosque on a grave thinking it is religion, or builds a dome on a grave thinking it is permissible, this is a reprehensible bid'ah and one of the means of shirk, due to the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): .
As for supplicating to the dead, seeking aid from the dead, and making vows to them, this is a bid'ah of shirk. Its practitioner becomes a disbeliever with major kufr, even if he claims to be ignorant, because this is a matter known from the religion by necessity, known among the Muslims. He is a disbeliever by that, so he must repent to Allah from it. He should be called to repent; if he repents, well and good, otherwise the one in authority (the legal ruler) kills him.
There are many bid'ahs, such as the bid'ah of the Mawlid, celebrating the birth of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) or the birth of others. Also, the bid'ah of the night of the Isra and Mi'raj, the twenty-seventh of Rajab, celebrating it. This is also a practical bid'ah, and it is reprehensible and not permissible, but it is not major shirk, unless there is shirk in it. If there is supplication to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) or seeking aid from him in the Mawlid or in the celebration of the night of the Isra and Mi'raj, it becomes major shirk.
But if it is merely a celebration involving eating, drinking, coffee, and tea, with no supplication to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and no seeking aid from him, this is a reprehensible bid'ah. It is prohibited by the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): , meaning: it is rejected. And his saying (peace and blessings be upon him): , and his saying (peace and blessings be upon him): . A bid'ah is a newly invented matter in the religion, which people invent to draw near to Allah, which the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) did not legislate. What Allah and His Messenger did not legislate is called a bid'ah. For example, celebrating the birth of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), or celebrating the birth of al-Siddiq, or 'Umar, or 'Uthman, or 'Ali, or al-Husayn, or others, or celebrating the birth of Abu Hanifah, or al-Shafi'i, or Malik, or the Shaykh: 'Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani, or al-Sitt Nafisa, or al-Sitt Zaynab, or the like. All of these are reprehensible bid'ahs that are not permissible, and they are means of shirk, we seek refuge in Allah. Some people in the Mawlid associate partners with Allah. In the Mawlid of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), they supplicate to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and seek aid from him. This is major shirk. And some of them in the Mawlid of 'Ali seek aid from 'Ali... they seek aid from him and make vows to him, and supplicate to him besides Allah. This is major shirk.
And so it is in the other Mawlid celebrations; they supplicate to the person of the Mawlid and seek aid from him. This is major shirk, we seek refuge in Allah. Our Lord says, Exalted is He: [al-Jinn:18]. And He says, Exalted is He: (meaning: besides Allah) [Fatir:13]. The qatmīr, the husk on the date pit, (meaning: the dead, the idols, and the like: [Fatir:14]. They have no power to give you what you asked for: [Fatir:14].
And so it is sitting at the graves for supplication. One thinks that supplication is better at the graves. Supplicating at the graves is a bid'ah. Likewise, some people say: "I intend to pray for Allah four rak'ahs or three rak'ahs." This is the bid'ah of vocalizing the intention. When one stands for prayer, he intends with his heart, and that is sufficient. He intends with his heart that he stood for Zuhr, for 'Asr, for Maghrib, for 'Isha', and so on for all the prayers, including the voluntary ones. He intends with his heart, and that is sufficient. But if he says after standing: "I intend to pray for Allah four rak'ahs," meaning Zuhr or 'Asr, or three rak'ahs, meaning Maghrib, or two rak'ahs, meaning Fajr or Jumu'ah, this is a bid'ah. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not do it, nor did the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them and grant them satisfaction). But you stand humbly, intending the prayer with your heart, and the praise... and that is sufficient. So there is no need to say: "I intend to pray such and such," or "I intend to perform tawaf," or "I intend to perform sa'y." Rather, you come with the intention of tawaf and start with the Black Stone, intending the tawaf. And in sa'y, likewise, you start with al-Safa, intending the sa'y, and that is sufficient. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good, and may He do you good.