The Harms of Innovation:
Innovation and introducing new practices cause loss and damage. In fact, it is a complete loss as no benefit can come from it. The following lines explain the harms of innovation.
(1) Repentance is not accepted from an innovator:
An innovator considers innovation as a good deed, therefore neither does he repent considering it a sin, nor is his repentance accepted. Accordingly, Imam Sufyan Thawri, may Allah have mercy on him, said:
“The accursed Satan loves innovation more than sins because one repents from sins, but not from innovation.”
And it is narrated from Sayyiduna Anas, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, said:
إن الله حجب التوبة عن صاحب كل بدعة
“Allah Almighty has prevented every innovator from repentance.”
Sheikh al-Islam Imam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah have mercy on him, said:
“However, repentance is possible and occurs in such a way that Allah guides him and directs him until the truth becomes clear to him, just as Allah has guided many disbelievers, hypocrites, and people of innovation and misguidance.”
(2) Innovation leads to sin:
Sayyiduna Kathir bin Abdullah bin Amr bin Awf Mazni narrates that my father (from my grandfather) narrated to me that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:
“Whoever revives one of my Sunnahs and people act upon it, then the one who revived the Sunnah will receive the same reward as all the people who acted upon it, without any decrease in their rewards. And whoever innovates a bid’ah and then people act upon it, then the one who innovated the bid’ah will bear the sin of all those people who act upon that bid’ah, while those who act upon the bid’ah will not have any reduction in their own sin (i.e., they will receive full punishment).”
Al-Muhaddith Al-Albani has declared it authentic.
Furthermore, the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:
من سن فى الإسلام سنة سيئة فعمل بها بعده كتب عليه مثل وزر من عمل بها ولا ينقص من أوزارهم شي
“Whoever introduces a bad practice in Islam, then the sin will be upon himself, and thereafter the sin of all those people who act upon it will also be upon him, without any decrease in their sins.”
(3) Innovation causes curse:
The Holy Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said:
من أحدث فيها حدثا أو أوى فيها محدثا، فعليه لعنة الله والملئكة، والناس أجمعين ، لا يقبل منه صرف ولا عدل
“Whoever introduces an innovation in Medina or gives refuge to an innovator, upon him is the curse of Allah, the angels, and all people. Allah will not accept any obligatory or voluntary worship from him.”
(4) With the coming of innovation, the Sunnah is removed:
Hassan bin Atiyah Muharibi (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
ما ابتدع قوم بدعة فى دينهم إلا نزع من سنتهم مثلها، ثم لا يعيدهاإليهم إلى يوم القيامة
“When a people introduce an innovation in their religion, Allah removes one Sunnah like it from them and does not return it to them until the Day of Judgment.”
(5) Severance of connection with the Holy Prophet ﷺ:
The people of innovation lose their connection with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, which is a great loss. The Prophet ﷺ said:
من رغب عن سنتي فليس منى
“Whoever turns away from my Sunnah is not from me.”
(6)The innovative basin of Kawthar will be removed away:
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Sahl bin Sa’d رضي الله عنه that he narrated from the Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم that he said:
أنا فرطكم على الحوض، من ورد شرب ومن شرب لم يظمأ أبدا ، على أقرام أعرفهم ويعرفونني ثم يحال بيني وبينهم
“I will advance to the Pool of Kawthar, whoever comes will drink, and whoever drinks will never thirst again, and some people will come to me whom I recognize and who recognize me, then a barrier will be placed between me and them.”
And in another narration, I will say: إنهم مني “These are my followers,” then it will be said: إنك لا تدرى ما أحدثوا بعدك “You do not know what innovations these people introduced after you,” then I will say: سحقا سحقا لمن غير بعدي “Remove from me those who changed my religion after me.”
And from Sayyiduna Shaqiq, narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar رضي الله عنهما, that the Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said:
يا رب أصحابي أصحابي، فيقال: إنك لا تدري ما أحدثوا بعدك
“(That I will say) O my Lord! These are my companions, these are my companions,” then it will be said: You do not know what innovations these people introduced after you.”
Also narrated from Sayyida Asma bint Abu Bakr Siddiq رضي الله عنهما that the Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said:
إني على الحوض حتى أنظر من ترد على منكم، وسيؤخذ ناس من دوني فأقول: يا رب منى ومن أمتي فيقال: هل شعرت ما عملوا بعدك، والله ما برحوا يرجعون على أعقابهم، فكان ابن أبى مليكة يقول: اللهم إنا نعوذ بك أن نرجع على أعقابنا وأن تفتن فى ديننا
“I will be at the Pool of Kawthar so that I may see those among you who come to me, and whatever people are removed from me, I will say: O my Lord! These are from me and my nation, then it will be said: You do not know what they did after you? By Allah! They turned back on their heels, so Hazrat Ibn Abu Malika رحمه الله used to say: O Allah! We seek refuge in You from turning back on our heels or from trials in our religion.”
The Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said:
ألا ليذا دن رجال عن حوضى كما يذاد البعير الضال أناديهم ألا هلم فيقال إنهم قد بدلوا بعدك فأقول سحقا سحقا
“Listen! Some people will be driven away from my Pool just as a stray camel is driven away. I will call them: Listen, come here, but it will be said: They changed after you, so I will say: Distance, distance (drive away, remove).”
