The Response to Those Who Claim the Virtue of Matters Not Commanded by the Shari'ah

Your Eminence! If you permit me: Some deeds appear to have virtue, and some people may object if I say that this deed is not prescribed, is not permissible, and is a religious innovation. How do we guide people in this situation, if you allow?
Answer: It is established in the principles of jurisprudence that the Shari'ah is what Allah and His Messenger legislated, and that the religion is what the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) brought from his Lord (Mighty and Majestic). So whoever makes a statement or claims something, he must provide proof; he must provide evidence. If one says, "This is a religious innovation" or "This is prescribed," he must provide the evidence that indicates the legitimacy of this or the innovated nature of this. The piety of people is not a proof if it is not based on a text from the Book of Allah or from the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) or from the scholarly consensus of the people of knowledge. So if I say—or someone else says—"This is a religious innovation," I must provide the evidence. And if someone else says—or I say—"This is prescribed," I must provide the evidence. If we say that the adhan at graves, the iqamah at graves, recitation at graves, or prayer at them is a religious innovation, our proof is that the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said: and he said: And because he (peace and blessings be upon him) did not do that, and Allah says: [Al-Ahzab: 21]. So he did not recite at a grave, neither did he nor his Companions. He did not call the adhan at a grave, and he did not establish the iqamah at a grave, neither did he nor his Companions. And we are commanded to follow. Allah says: [An-Nisa: 59]. And He says, (Glorified and Exalted is He): [Al-Ahzab: 21]. And He says, (peace and blessings be upon him) : [At-Tawbah: 100]. So the one who follows with excellence is the one who proceeds on their path, and does not add to it or subtract from it, but rather follows them and proceeds on their path and way. So upon whoever claims that he calls the adhan at a grave, or establishes the iqamah, or recites at a grave, or instructs the deceased, he must provide the evidence. And we have clarified that he has no evidence, but rather the evidence is with his opponent. And it is not established that the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) instructed the deceased or ordered the instruction of the deceased. And the deceased's deeds are cut off after death. The deceased no longer benefits from speech; his deeds are cut off. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "When the son of Adam dies, his deeds are cut off except for three: a continuous charity, or knowledge that benefits, or a righteous child who prays for him." So the grave is not a place of work; it is a place of questioning and a place of recompense. So this is the proof of the one who says about these matters that they are a religious innovation.
And if we say that it is prescribed for the believer to pray over the deceased, to follow the funeral, and to make du'a for the deceased, and when he buries him, to pray for him for forgiveness and steadfastness; because the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) did that and ordered it, and he (peace and blessings be upon him) used to stand over the grave when he finished burying the deceased and say: (peace and blessings be upon him).
So if we say that one stands over it and seeks forgiveness for him and prays for him for steadfastness, this is the truth; because the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) did that and ordered it.
So it is with the rest of matters: whoever claims that something is prescribed, it is said to him: "Bring the proof." For Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) says: [al-Baqarah:111]. And whoever claims that this is a religious innovation, it is said to him: "Bring the proof." This is the standard: [al-Shura:10].. [al-Nisa:59]. And were it not for this, everyone would say whatever he pleased. For this reason, we know that building domes over graves and making mosques on them is a religious innovation. Why? Because the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) refuted this, and he said: And Jabir ibn 'Abd Allah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: It was narrated by Muslim in the Sahih. Therefore, we say that building over graves, making mosques on them, and building domes are reprehensible religious innovations; because the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) cursed whoever did that, and he prohibited plastering graves, and he prohibited building over them. So it is obligatory for us to comply, and it is obligatory for us to act in accordance with what he directed us to, (peace and blessings be upon him). Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good. So deeds, even if their appearance is virtuous, must be supported by evidence from the Islamic Shari'ah in order to be a recommended practice that people follow and perform?
The Shaykh: Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you.