Some individuals have drawn attention to new aspects in this regard. These people divide innovations into bad (evil) and good, and they have also presented arguments for this. The following lines discuss those very arguments; please observe:
Doubt Number 1:
❀ Sayyiduna Umar ibn Al-Khattab رضي الله عنه said:
نعم البدعة هذه
“(In our time) how good is its renewal!”
This cannot be used as evidence for the division of innovation (bid’ah) because the Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم himself led the congregation in Taraweeh prayer, then abandoned it due to fear of fitnah. When Sayyiduna Umar رضي الله عنه saw Taraweeh prayer being performed again in congregation during his time, he praised it because its origin was present in the Prophetic era. Therefore, it does not mean a religious innovation (shar’i bid’ah) but rather a linguistic innovation (lughawi bid’ah).
Imam Bayhaqi رحمه الله
states:
لم يكن فيما صنع خلاف ما مضى من كتاب أو سنة أو إجماع فلم يكن بدعة ضلالة بل كان إحداث خير له أصل فى السنة
“Sayyiduna Umar رضي الله عنه’s action was not against the Book, Sunnah, and consensus, so it was not a misguided innovation but rather a revival of a good practice whose origin was present in the Sunnah of the Messenger صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم.”
❀ Allama Ibn Rajab رحمه الله
says:
كل بدعة ضلالة من جوامع الكلم لا يخرج عنه شيء وهو أصل عظيم من أصول الدين وهو شبيه بقوله من أحدث فى أمرنا ما ليس منه فهو رد فكل من أحدث شيئا ونسبه إلى الدين ولم يكن له أصل من الدين يرجع إليه فهو ضلالة والدين بريء منه وسواء فى ذلك مسائل الاعتقادات أو الأعمال أو الأقوال الظاهرة والباطنة وأما ما وقع فى كلام السلف من استحسان بعض البدع فإنما ذلك فى البدع اللغوية لا الشرعية فمن ذلك قول عمر رضى الله عنه لما جمع الناس فى قيام رمضان على إمام واحد فى المسجد وخرج ورآهم يصلون كذلك فقال نعمت البدعة هذه
“The Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said, ‘Every innovation is misguidance.’ This statement is among the comprehensive words; no action is exempt from its ruling. This hadith is a great principle of religion and is similar to the Prophetic statement, ‘Whoever introduces into our religion something that is not part of it (in the Book, Sunnah, and consensus) it is rejected.’ Therefore, whoever attributes an action to religion without its basis in any principle of religion, that action will be called misguidance, and religion is free from it, whether it relates to matters of belief or outward and inward sayings and actions. In the speech of some of the Salaf, praise for some innovations has been mentioned; this praise is for linguistic innovations, not religious innovations. Linguistically, an example of calling something an innovation is the saying of Sayyiduna Umar رضي الله عنه: He gathered people inside the mosque during Ramadan and appointed an imam for them. Then one day the Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم came and saw the companions praying behind one imam and said, ‘How good is this renewal!'”
Doubt Number 2 :
❀ Abu Malik Saad bin Tariq bin Ashim, may Allah have mercy on him, says that I asked my father, “Father! You lived during the time of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, Abu Bakr, Umar, and Uthman, may Allah be pleased with them, and you also saw Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, in Kufa for five years. Did he recite Qunoot in the Fajr prayer?” He replied:
أى بني محدث “Son! This (continuity) is new.”
Imam Tirmidhi, may Allah have mercy on him, called it “Hasan Sahih.”
This is the same statement that Sayyiduna Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, made regarding Taraweeh. Here too, the linguistic innovation is meant, not the Shariah ruling. The meaning is that its origin is established, but its continuity has now begun, just as reciting Qunoot in Fajr prayer during heavenly and earthly calamities and distress is established. See Sahih Bukhari
Sahih Muslim
. Similarly, after the passing of the Prophet, peace be upon him, reciting Qunoot in Fajr prayer is established from Sayyiduna Umar, may Allah be pleased with him
, Sayyiduna Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, Abu Musa Ash’ari, may Allah be pleased with him
, and Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them both
. It should also be remembered that neither Sayyiduna Tariq bin Ashim, may Allah be pleased with him, is denying Qunoot Nazilah in Fajr, nor is Abu Malik’s question meant for absolute denial. Rather, what they had in mind was the continuity and persistence which they observed, and regarding this, they questioned whether it was ever recited with such continuity during the Prophetic era.
Doubt Number 3 :
❀ Sayyiduna Jarir bin Abdullah رضي الله عنه narrates that the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said:
من سن فى الإسلام سنة حسنة فله أجرها وأجر من عمل بها بعده من غير أن ينقص من أجورهم شيء ومن سن فى الإسلام سنة سيئة كان عليه وزرها ووزر من عمل بها من بعده من غير أن ينقص من أوزارهم شيء
“Whoever introduces a good practice in Islam and people see it and begin to act upon it, he will receive the same reward as those who act upon it, without any reduction in their reward. And whoever introduces a bad practice in Islam and people adopt it, he will bear the sin equal to those who follow it, without any reduction in their sin.”
It is not correct to use this hadith as evidence for the classification of innovation (bid’ah) because the context of the hadith negates that.
Some villagers came to the service of the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم who were dressed in woolen clothes. Seeing their poverty and need, the Prophet ordered the people to give charity to them. People delayed, which showed displeasure on the face of the Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم. Meanwhile, an Ansari came carrying a bag of dirhams, then another came, and thus the giving of charity began. This brought evident happiness to the face of the Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم, then he said this statement.
This hadith does not justify innovation because giving charity is prescribed and permissible by the Quran and Hadith. People were reluctant, and when a companion took the initiative to give charity, he became a model for others in this good deed, which increased the eagerness among other companions. The Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم then said this statement. It is understood that here the good Sunnah refers to the Shariah rulings which people have abandoned or are unaware of, and reviving them is commendable.
❀ Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه narrates these words:
من دعا إلى هدى كان له من الأجر مثل أجور من تبعه لا ينقص ذلك من أجورهم شيئا ومن دعا إلى ضلالة كان عليه من الإثم مثل آثام من تبعه لا ينقص ذلك من آثامهم شيئا
“Whoever invites to guidance will have a reward like that of those who follow him, without any reduction in their reward. And whoever invites to misguidance and error will bear a sin like that of those who follow him, without any reduction in their sin.”
Here, guidance means the good deeds established by the Quran and Hadith because in the Quran and Hadith guidance refers to the Quran and Sunnah. Also, this hadith proves the condemnation of innovation, not its permissibility.
❀ Allama Ibn Abi al-Izz Hanafi رحمه الله
states:
ما يستدل به من قوله صلى الله عليه وسلم من سن سنة حسنة على أن البدع منها حسن ومنها قبيح غير مسلم بل عموم قوله صلى الله عليه وسلم كل بدعة ضلالة لا يخص منها شيئا لأن المراد البدعة الشرعية لا اللغوية أى كل بدعة لم تشرع فى الدين فهي ضلالة وصلاة التراويح ليست بدعة شرعية وإن كانت بدعة لغوية لكونها حدثت بعد الرسول صلى الله عليه وسلم فإن النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم بين العذر فى ترك المواظبة عليها وهو خشية أن تكتب علينا وهذا بعده مأمون مع أنه لو لم يبين العذر فى ترك المواظبة لكان مما سنه الخلفاء الراشدون وقد أمرنا باتباعهم فيما سنوه لنا
“The Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said, ‘Whoever introduces a good Sunnah…’ From this, it is inferred that some innovations are good and some are bad. Sayyiduna Umar رضي الله عنه’s statement نعم البدعة هذه ‘This renewal is good!’ is also used as evidence for this. However, this inference is not correct. The Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said كل بدعة ضلالة ‘Every innovation is misguidance.’ This statement of the Prophet is general and admits no exception. It means every innovation in religion is misguidance. This prophetic statement condemns Shariah innovations, not linguistic ones. The Tarawih prayer is not a Shariah innovation; it is a linguistic innovation because it began to be regularly performed in congregation after the Prophetic era. The Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم explained the reason for abandoning the regular congregational Tarawih prayer: that if it had continued, it might have become obligatory. Later, this concern was removed. Even if the Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم had not explained the reason, it would have become the Sunnah of the Rightly Guided Caliphs, and we are commanded to follow them.”
Doubt Number 4 :
❀ Mufti Ahmad Yar Khan Naeemi Sahib has written:
“It is in Bukhari
that Hazrat Siddiq ordered Hazrat Zaid bin Thabit (may Allah be pleased with them both) to compile the Holy Quran, to which he replied, كيف تفعلون شيئا لم يصنعه رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال هو خير ‘Why do you do something that the Prophet (peace be upon him) did not do?’ Siddiq replied that this act is good.” Hazrat Zaid bin Thabit said in the presence of Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with them both) that compiling the Quran is an innovation; why are you introducing an innovation? Siddiq replied that it is indeed an innovation but a good one (bid’ah hasanah). This indicates that the actions of the Companions are good innovations.”
In this hadith, there is no mention or even indication of the words “good” or “bad” innovation. Secondly, compiling the Quran is the Sunnah of the Rightly Guided Caliphs and therefore not an innovation at all.
❀ The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:
عليكم بسنتي وسنة الخلفاء الراشدين المهديين
“Hold firmly to my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the Rightly Guided Caliphs.”
Imam Tirmidhi (may Allah have mercy on him) graded this hadith as “Hasan Sahih,” Imam Ibn Hibban (may Allah have mercy on him)
, Hafiz Zia al-Maqdisi (may Allah have mercy on him)
graded it as “Sahih,” Hafiz Bazzar (may Allah have mercy on him)
graded it as “Thabit Sahih,” and Hafiz Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr (may Allah have mercy on him)
graded it as “Thabit.”
❀ Imam Hakim (may Allah have mercy on him)
says:
صحيح ليس له علة
“This hadith is authentic and there is no defect in it.”
Hafiz Dhahabi (may Allah have mercy on him) agreed with him.
❀ Hafiz Abu Nu’aym Asbahani (may Allah have mercy on him) says:
هذا حديث جيد من صحيح حديث الشاميين
“This is a good hadith among the authentic narrations of the Shamiyyeen.”
❀ Hafiz Baghawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said it is “Hasan.”
❀ Hafiz Ibn Kathir (may Allah have mercy on him) says:
صححه أيضا الحافظ أبو نعيم الأصفهاني والدغولي وقال شيخ الإسلام الأنصاري هو أجود حديث فى أهل الشام وأحسنه
“Hafiz Abu Nu’aym Asbahani and Hafiz Dughuli (may Allah have mercy on them) also declared it authentic. Shaykh al-Islam Ansari (may Allah have mercy on him) says this hadith is good and excellent among the narrations of the Shamiyyeen.”
Compiling the Quran is not an innovation because its origin existed during the Prophetic era and there is consensus among the Companions on it, which is a legal proof.
Presenting the unanimous action of the Companions, which is also proven by legal evidence, in defense of innovations is a great audacity.
Can it be proven that the acts today called “good innovations” existed during the time of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), the Rightly Guided Caliphs, and the Companions? Absolutely not. In fact, it is openly admitted that certain acts began in the fourth century Hijri, yet full effort is made to label them as good innovations.
Doubt Number 5 :
❀ It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Masood (may Allah be pleased with him):
ما رأى المسلمون حسنا فهو عند الله حسن وما رأى المسلمون سيئا فهو عند الله سيئ
“The one whom the Muslims consider good, he is also good in the sight of Allah, and the one whom the Muslims consider bad, he is also bad in the sight of Allah.”
Imam Hakim (may Allah have mercy on him) declared it “Sahih Al-Isnad” and Hafiz Zahabi (may Allah have mercy on him) called it “Sahih.”
Hafiz Sakhawi (may Allah have mercy on him)
and Allama Muhammad Tahir Gujrati (may Allah have mercy on him)
called it “Hasan.”
Hafiz Ibn Kathir (may Allah have mercy on him)
called its chain “Jayyid” and Hafiz Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him)
called its chain “Hasan.”
❀ Hafiz Haithami (may Allah have mercy on him) says:
رجاله موثقون
“All its narrators have been authenticated.”
Here, Abdullah bin Masood’s (may Allah be pleased with him) meaning is the consensus of the Muslims, and consensus itself is a proof; therefore, it does not permit innovation.
❀ Allama Ibn Abi Al-Izz Hanafi (may Allah have mercy on him)
says:
الصحيح أنه من كلام عبد الله بن مسعود ولا يدل على أنه ما رآه بعض المسلمين حسنا فهو عند الله حسن وإنما يدل على أن ما رآه المسلمون كلهم حسنا؛ لأن الألف واللام للعموم بمنزلة كل وهذا يكون إجماعا ولا كلام فيه
“In fact, this is the statement of Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Masood (may Allah be pleased with him). It is not proof that an action which some Muslims consider good is also good in the sight of Allah. The meaning is that an action which all Muslims unanimously consider good is also good in the sight of Allah. The definite article ‘Al’ here is for generality, which includes all Muslims, and this is consensus. There is no room for discussion about this.”
To understand the correct meaning of Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Masood’s (may Allah be pleased with him) statement, consider the following incident.
❀ Amr bin Salmah Hamdani, a Tabi’i (may Allah have mercy on him), narrates:
كنا نجلس على باب عبد الله بن مسعود رضى الله عنه قبل صلاة الغداة فإذا خرج مشينا معه إلى المسجد فجاءنا أبو موسى الأشعري رضى الله عنه فقال أخرج إليكم أبو عبد الرحمن قلنا لا بعد فجلس معنا حتى خرج فلما خرج؛ قمنا إليه جميعا فقال له أبو موسى يا أبا عبد الرحمن إني رأيت فى المسجد آنفا أمرا أنكرته ولم أر والحمد لله إلا خيرا قال فما هو فقال إن عشت فستراه قال رأيت فى المسجد قوما حلقا جلوسا ينتظرون الصلاة فى كل حلقة رجل وفي أيديهم حصا فيقول كبروا مائة فيكبرون مائة فيقول هللوا مائة فيهللون مائة ويقول سبحوا مائة فيسبحون مائة قال فماذا قلت لهم قال ما قلت لهم شيئا انتظار رأيك أو انتظار أمرك قال أفلا أمرتهم أن يعدوا سيئاتهم وضمنت لهم أن لا يضيع من حسناتهم ثم مضى ومضينا معه حتى أتى حلقة من تلك الحلق فوقف عليهم فقال ما هذا الذى أراكم تصنعون قالوا يا أبا عبد الرحمن حصا نعد به التكبير والتهليل والتسبيح قال فعدوا سيئاتكم فأنا ضامن أن لا يضيع من حسناتكم شيء ويحكم يا أمة محمد ما أسرع هلكتكم هؤلاء صحابة نبيكم صلى الله عليه وسلم متوافرون وهذه ثيابه لم تبل وآنيته لم تكسر والذي نفسي بيده إنكم لعلى ملة هي أهدى من ملة محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم أو مفتتحو باب ضلالة قالوا والله يا أبا عبد الرحمن ما أردنا إلا الخير قال وكم من مريد للخير لن يصيبه إن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم حدثنا أن قوما يقرءون القرآن لا يجاوز تراقيهم وأيم الله ما أدري لعل أكثرهم منكم ثم تولى عنهم فقال عمرو بن سلمة رأينا عامة أولئك الحلق يطاعنونا يوم النهروان مع الخوارج
“We were sitting at the door of Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Masood (may Allah be pleased with him) before the Fajr prayer when he came out of the house and we went with him to the mosque. Sayyiduna Abu Musa Ash’ari (may Allah be pleased with him) came to us and asked, ‘Has Abu Abdur Rahman Abdullah bin Masood (may Allah be pleased with him) come out of the house?’ We said, ‘Not yet.’ He sat with us waiting for Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Masood (may Allah be pleased with him). When he came out, we ran towards him. Sayyiduna Abu Musa Ash’ari (may Allah be pleased with him) said, ‘Abu Abdur Rahman! I just saw a strange thing in the mosque, Alhamdulillah! It seems to be a good deed.’ We asked, ‘What deed is that?’ He said, ‘If life permits, you will also see it. I saw several circles of people in the mosque sitting waiting for prayer. In each circle, there was a man who said, “Say Allahu Akbar 100 times.” The people had pebbles in their hands and they said Allahu Akbar 100 times. Then he said, “Say La ilaha illallah 100 times,” and the people said it 100 times. Then he said, “Say Subhanallah 100 times,” and they did so.’ Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Masood (may Allah be pleased with him) said, ‘What did you say to them?’ We said, ‘I said nothing; I was waiting for your opinion and decision.’ Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Masood (may Allah be pleased with him) said, ‘Tell them to count their sins (not these tasbihs), and I guarantee that their good deeds will not be lost.’ Then he came out with us and reached one of the circles. He stopped and said, ‘What am I seeing?’ He said, ‘Abu Abdur Rahman! We are counting Allahu Akbar, La ilaha illallah, and Subhanallah with pebbles.’ He said, ‘Count your sins! I guarantee that none of your good deeds will be lost.’ Then he said, ‘Ah, O Ummah of Muhammad (peace be upon him)! How quickly destruction has come upon you! The companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him) are still present in large numbers. Your clothes are not yet worn out, your utensils are not yet broken. By the One in Whose hand is my soul! Either you follow the way of Muhammad (peace be upon him) or you are opening the doors of misguidance.’ They said, ‘Abu Abdur Rahman! By Allah, we are doing this with the intention of good.’ He said, ‘Many seek good but do not attain it. The Noble Messenger (peace be upon him) told us that some people will recite the Qur’an but it will not go beyond their throats. By Allah! It seems that most of them will be from among you.’ Saying this, he returned. Amr bin Salmah (may Allah have mercy on him) says, ‘We saw that many of them fought against us alongside the Kharijites on the day of the Battle of Nahrawan, shooting arrows at us.’”
All narrators of this hadith are trustworthy.
① Hukm bin Mubarak is declared “Thiqah” by Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal
, Imam Ibn Manda
, Imam Ibn Hibban
, and Hafiz Zahabi (may Allah have mercy on him)
.
The criticism by Imam Ibn ‘Adi (may Allah have mercy on him) is based on error.
② Amr bin Yahya is “Thiqah.”
③ Yahya bin Amr bin Salmah is declared “Thiqah” by Imam ‘Ajli (may Allah have mercy on him)
. Imam Ya’qub bin Sufyan Fasawi (may Allah have mercy on him)
said لا بأس به that Imam Shu’bah (may Allah have mercy on him), who probably narrates from Thiqah narrators, narrated from him.
④ Amr bin Salmah Hamdani is “Thiqah.”
❀ Abu Abdur Rahman Salmi (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates:
كان عمرو بن عتبة بن فرقد السلمي ومعضد فى أناس من أصحابهما اتخذوا مسجدا يسبحون فيه بين المغرب والعشاء كذا ويهللون كذا ويحمدون كذا فأخبر بذلك عبد الله بن مسعود فقال للذي أخبره إذا جلسوا فآذني فلما جلسوا آذنه فجاء عبد الله عليه برنس حتى دخل عليهم فكشف البرنس عن رأسه ثم قال أنا ابن أم عبد والله لقد جئتم ببدعة ظلماء أو قد فضلتم أصحاب محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم علما فقال معضد وكان رجلا مفوها والله ما جئنا ببدعة ظلماء ولا فضلنا أصحاب محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم فقال عبد الله لئن اتبعتم القوم لقد سبقوكم سبقا مبينا ولئن جرتم يمينا وشمالا لقد ضللتم ضلالا بعيدا
“Amr bin Utbah bin Farqad Salmi and Mu’azzad built a mosque. They used to sit with people between Maghrib and Isha prayers reciting Allahu Akbar, La ilaha illallah, and Alhamdulillah. When Abdullah bin Masood (may Allah be pleased with him) heard about this, he asked the informant to notify him when they sit again. When the informant notified him, he went there. At that time, he was wearing a cap on his head. He took off the cap and said, ‘I am the son of Umm Abd! By Allah! You people have started a black innovation, or have you surpassed the companions of Muhammad (peace be upon him) in knowledge and virtue?’ Mu’azzad, who was outspoken, said, ‘By Allah! We are neither committing innovation nor are we more knowledgeable than the companions of Muhammad (peace be upon him).’ Abdullah bin Masood (may Allah be pleased with him) said, ‘If you continue to follow the predecessors, they were on clear guidance, but if you start going left and right, then open misguidance will be your fate.’”
❀ Maytham bin Najabah (may Allah have mercy on him) came to Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Masood (may Allah be pleased with him) and said:
إني تركت قوما بالمسجد يقولون من سبح كذا وكذا فله كذا وكذا قال قم يا علقمة فلما رآهم قال يا علقمة اشغل عني أبصار القوم فلما سمعهم وما يقولون قال إنكم لمتمسكون بذنب ضلالة أو إنكم لأهدى من أصحاب محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم
“I saw a circle of people in the mosque saying that whoever says Subhanallah so many times will get such and such reward.” Abdullah bin Masood (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “Alqamah, get up and come with me.” When he saw their circle, he told Alqamah to divert their attention elsewhere. When he heard about their mention, he said, “Either you are committing misguidance and sin or you consider yourselves more guided than the companions of Muhammad (peace be upon him).”
❀ After a similar incident, Ibn Masood (may Allah be pleased with him) said:
إنكم لأهدى من محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم وأصحابه إنكم لمتمسكون بطرف ضلالة
“Either you people are more guided than Muhammad (peace be upon him) and his companions, or you have chosen the path of misguidance.”
❀ Allama Ibn Daqiq Al-Eid (may Allah have mercy on him)
says:
هذا ابن مسعود أنكر هذا الفعل مع إمكان إدراجه تحت عموم فضيلة الذكر
“Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Masood (may Allah be pleased with him) specifically rejected this act with a particular form and manner, although it could have been included under the general evidences for dhikr.”
When Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Masood (may Allah be pleased with him) not only declared an act of dhikr, which is a prescribed act, as an innovation due to the absence of its manner and method being proven from the Prophet (peace be upon him), but also declared it a cause of destruction and ruin for the Ummah, then how can the innovations born centuries later be supported by his statement?
Fair-minded people should decide for themselves whether Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Masood’s (may Allah be pleased with him) fatwa does not strongly reject today’s innovations.
Doubt Number 6 :
❀ Mufti Ahmad Yar Khan Naeemi Sahib writes:
Those who consider every innovation, that is, every new act, to be forbidden, how will they interpret this general principle that الأصل فى الأشياء الإباحة “The original ruling of all things is that they are permissible,” meaning everything is permissible and lawful. Yes, if something is prohibited by Shariah, then it is forbidden or prohibited, meaning prohibition is established by prohibition itself, not by being new.”
Every new act in religion is an innovation. The evidences condemning innovation are general; therefore, every innovation is forbidden and prohibited. As far as this general principle is concerned, it relates to worldly matters and the permissibility or prohibition of life’s affairs, not to Shariah rulings, acts, and worship.
❀ Allama Ibn Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him)
says:
إن الله سبحانه لا يعبد إلا بما شرعه على ألسنة رسله فإن العبادة حقه على عباده وحقه الذى أحقه هو ورضي به وشرعه وأما العقود والشروط والمعاملات فهي عفو حتى يحرمها
“The worship of Allah Almighty will only be valid in the manner which He has explained through His Prophets (peace be upon them), because worship is a right of Allah upon His servants, and the way to fulfill this right is only what He Himself has approved and prescribed. However, conditions and worldly matters are permissible until Allah declares them forbidden.”
If the general principle of permissibility is accepted in every matter of religion, then even the innovators will call many matters innovations, such as:
① If someone makes six or seven obligatory prayers instead of five and calls it a good innovation, will it be permitted because it is a good deed?
② If someone starts the call to prayer (adhan) before the funeral prayer and the two Eid prayers and calls it a good innovation, will this act be rewarded?
③ If someone, calling it a good innovation, starts sacrificing on the day of Eid al-Fitr, will this act also be accepted as a good innovation and included in religion?
