The Danger of Innovation

Question:
What is the danger of innovation? Is there any guidance from your eminence? And into how many categories is this innovation divided?

Answer:
Answer: Innovation is introducing something into the religion that is not part of it. This is what innovation is. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "Whoever does a deed for which there is no command from us, it is rejected." In another narration, "Whoever introduces into our affair something that is not part of it, it is rejected." He (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "Hold fast to my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the Rightly Guided Caliphs after me. Cling to them and grip them with your molars. And beware of newly invented matters, for every newly invented matter is an innovation, and every innovation is misguidance." In another narration, "and every misguidance is in the Fire." So innovations are things introduced into the religion that are not part of it, for which there is no evidence from the Book of Allah or the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). Such deeds are rejected. Therefore, the innovator’s deed is rejected, no matter what effort he exerts, and he is sinful in it, not rewarded. It is obligatory to avoid innovations and newly invented matters, and to learn the Sunnah and act upon it. In it is sufficiency, and in it is good, if Allah wills.