Completion of Religion:
Allah the Generous has announced the glad tidings of the completion of the religion in the Holy Quran; the religion has been completed and Islam has been sent as a perfect Shariah. All the rulings of the Shariah have been clearly stated and explained in the Quran and Hadith.
❀ The command of Allah Almighty is:
﴿الْيَوْمَ أَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِينَكُمْ وَأَتْمَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعْمَتِي وَرَضِيتُ لَكُمُ الْإِسْلَامَ دِينًا﴾
“Today I have perfected your religion for you, completed My favor upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion.”
❀ Hafiz Ibn Kathir (may Allah have mercy on him)
says:
هذه أكبر نعم الله عز وجل على هذه الأمة؛ حيث أكمل تعالى لهم دينهم، فلا يحتاجون إلى دين غيره، ولا إلى نبي غير نبيهم، صلى الله عليه وسلم، ولهذا جعله الله خاتم الأنبياء، وبعثه إلى الإنس والجن، فلا حلال إلا ما أحله، ولا حرام إلا ما حرمه، ولا دين إلا ما شرعه.
“This is a great blessing of Allah upon this Ummah that Allah has completed the religion for them. They have no need for any other religion, nor any prophet besides their Prophet. Allah has made the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) the Seal of the Prophets and sent him to both jinn and mankind. Therefore, that which he (peace be upon him) has declared lawful is lawful, that which he has declared unlawful is unlawful, and the religion is that which he has legislated.”
❀ Imam Malik bin Anas (may Allah have mercy on him)
says:
من أحدث فى هذه الأمة اليوم شيئا لم يكن عليه سلفها، فقد زعم أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم خان الرسالة، لأن الله تعالى يقول: ﴿الْيَوْمَ أَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِينَكُمْ وَأَتْمَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعْمَتِي وَرَضِيتُ لَكُمُ الْإِسْلَامَ دِينًا﴾
فما لم يكن يومئذ دينا، لا يكون اليوم دينا.
“If today someone initiates a new practice in the Ummah, a practice which the predecessors of the Ummah were not upon, then he is implying that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) was negligent in conveying the message of Prophethood (may Allah forbid!). Allah Almighty said: ﴿الْيَوْمَ أَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِينَكُمْ وَأَتْمَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعْمَتِي وَرَضِيتُ لَكُمُ الْإِسْلَامَ دِينًا﴾ ‘Today I have perfected your religion for you, completed My favor upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion.’ That which was not part of the religion in the time of the predecessors is not part of the religion today.”
In light of this statement of Imam Malik (may Allah have mercy on him), understand that if I initiate an innovation (bid’ah), it is as if I am implying that the religion was incomplete, which I have completed; this is a deed of reward which the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) did not mention but I am mentioning it. Thus, I am attempting to surpass the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him). Every innovation is a step ahead of Allah and His Messenger (peace be upon him). Allah has forbidden this, and the people of faith tremble at the very thought of innovation.
❀ Sayyiduna Arabadh bin Sariyah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
قد تركتكم على البيضاء، ليلها كنهارها، لا يزيغ عنها بعدي إلا هالك.
“Indeed, I am leaving among you the clear path, whose night is as bright as its day. Whoever turns away from it after me will surely be doomed.”
❀ Hafiz Mundhiri (may Allah have mercy on him) has graded this hadith’s chain as “Hasan.”
Remember! Our religion is complete; there is no room for addition or subtraction in it. Innovation is an addition to the religion, and addition to the religion is imitation of the Jews and Christians. The Jews and Christians made so many additions to their religion that today their original religion has disappeared.
Condemnation of Innovation (Bid’ah):
Every innovation is darkness and misguidance, following the self, and the destruction of Islam, and every innovation is an evil and ugly act. Whatever has no origin in the Quran and Hadith cannot be good.
❀ Allama Shatibi, may Allah have mercy on him
, says:
اعلموا أن البدعة لا يقبل معها عبادة من صلاة ولا صيام ولا صدقة ولا غيرها من القربات، ومجالس صاحبها تنزع منه العصمة، ويوكل إلى نفسه، والماشي إليه وموقره معين على هدم الإسلام، فما الظن بصاحبها؟ وهو ملعون على لسان الشريعة، ويزداد من الله بعبادته بعدا، وهى مظنة إلقاء العداوة والبغضاء، ومانعة من الشفاعة المحمدية، ورافعة للسنن التى تقابلها، وعلى مبتدعها إثم من عمل بها، وليس له من توبة، وتلقى عليه الذلة والغضب من الله، ويبعد عن حوض رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، ويخاف عليه أن يكون معدودا فى الكفار الخارجين عن الملة، وسوء الخاتمة عند الخروج من الدنيا، ويسود وجهه فى الآخرة، ويعذب بنار جهنم، وقد تبرأ منه رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم وتبرأ منه المسلمون، ويخاف عليه الفتنة فى الدنيا زيادة إلى عذاب الآخرة.
“Know that in the presence of innovation, prayer, fasting, charity, etc., no worship is accepted. The chastity is taken away from the gatherings of the innovator, and he is surrendered to his own self. Whoever goes to the innovator and honors him becomes an accomplice in the destruction of Islam. His worship distances him from Allah Almighty. Innovation causes hatred and enmity, deprives one of the intercession of the Prophet, and erases the Sunnahs. The one who initiates innovation will bear the sins of all those who act upon it. There will be no forgiveness for him. He will face humiliation, disgrace, and the wrath of Allah Almighty. He will be kept away from the Prophet’s pool, and it is feared that he will be counted among the disbelievers and will suffer a bad end in the Hereafter. On the Day of Judgment, he will be disgraced and subjected to the torment of Hell. The Noble Prophet, peace be upon him, has declared disassociation from him, and Muslims are free from him. There is a strong fear that along with the punishment of the Hereafter, a great tribulation will also befall him in this world.”
❀ Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas’ud, may Allah be pleased with him, says:
إن أحسن الحديث كتاب الله، وأحسن الهدي هدي محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم، وشر الأمور محدثاتها، وإن الشقي من شقي فى بطن أمه، وإن السعيد من وعظ بغيره، فاتبعوا ولا تبتدعوا.
“The best speech is the Book of Allah, the best guidance is the guidance of Muhammad, peace be upon him, and the worst deeds are innovations. The unfortunate one is the one who was written as unfortunate in the womb, and the fortunate one is the one who takes advice from others. Therefore, follow and do not initiate innovations.”
❀ Allama Ibn Qayyim, may Allah have mercy on him
, says:
إن السنة بالذات تمحق البدعة، ولا تقوم لها، وإذا طلعت شمسها فى قلب العبد قطعت من قلبه ضباب كل بدعة، وأزالت ظلمة كل ضلالة، إذ لا سلطان للظلمة مع سلطان الشمس، ولا يرى العبد الفرق بين السنة والبدعة، ويعينه على الخروج من ظلمتها إلى نور السنة، إلا المتابعة، والهجرة بقلبه كل وقت إلى الله، بالاستعانة والإخلاص، وصدق اللجأ إلى الله، والهجرة إلى رسوله، بالحرص على الوصول إلى أقواله وأعماله وهديه وسنته، فمن كانت هجرته إلى الله ورسوله، فهجرته إلى الله ورسوله، ومن هاجر إلى غير ذلك، فهو حظه ونصيبه فى الدنيا والآخرة، والله المستعان.
“The Sunnah uproots innovation. It does not allow it to come near. When the sun of Sunnah rises in a heart, it completely destroys the darkness of innovations and removes its darkness, because the power of darkness has no status in front of the sun. An ordinary person cannot distinguish between Sunnah and innovation; to come out of the darkness of innovation, he must live under the shade of the lights of Sunnah. He must keep his heart always in the help of Allah Almighty, sincerity, and true yearning, and leave everything to seek the sayings, actions, Sunnah, and methodology of the Messenger, peace be upon him. Whoever migrates for the sake of Allah Almighty and His Messenger, his migration will be accepted, and whoever migrates towards something else, his share will be in this world and the Hereafter.”
❀ Allah Almighty says:
﴿وَلَا تَقْفُ مَا لَيْسَ لَكَ بِهِ عِلْمٌ﴾
“Do not pursue that of which you have no knowledge.”
❀ He further says:
﴿إِنْ يَتَّبِعُونَ إِلَّا الظَّنَّ وَمَا تَهْوَى الْأَنْفُسُ وَلَقَدْ جَاءَهُمْ مِنْ رَبِّهِمُ الْهُدَى﴾
“These people follow only conjecture and desires of the self, whereas guidance has already come to them from Allah.”
❀ The command of Allah Almighty is:
﴿قُلْ يَا أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ لَا تَغْلُوا فِي دِينِكُمْ غَيْرَ الْحَقِّ وَلَا تَتَّبِعُوا أَهْوَاءَ قَوْمٍ قَدْ ضَلُّوا مِنْ قَبْلُ وَأَضَلُّوا كَثِيرًا وَضَلُّوا عَنْ سَوَاءِ السَّبِيلِ﴾
(
“O Prophet! Say to the People of the Book, do not exceed the limits in your religion, and do not follow the desires of those who have gone astray themselves and lead many others astray from the path of truth; these people are far from goodness.”
❀ Also He said:
﴿وَإِنَّ كَثِيرًا لَيُضِلُّونَ بِأَهْوَائِهِمْ بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ﴾
“Many people spread misguidance through their desires out of ignorance.”
These verses condemn the innovator because he spreads misguidance, abandons the Quran and Sunnah, and considers the desires of the self as the fundamental principle of life.
❀ The command of Allah Almighty is:
﴿لِيَحْمِلُوا أَوْزَارَهُمْ كَامِلَةً يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ وَمِنْ أَوْزَارِ الَّذِينَ يُضِلُّونَهُمْ بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ أَلَا سَاءَ مَا يَزِرُونَ﴾
“So that on the Day of Resurrection they will bear their own burdens and the burdens of those whom they misled without knowledge. Beware! The burden of sins is a terrible one.”
❀ Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah have mercy on him
, says:
معلوم أن كل ما لم يسنه ولا استحبه رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ولا أحد من هؤلاء الذين يقتدي بهم المسلمون فى دينهم؛ فإنه يكون من البدع المنكرات، ولا يقول أحد فى مثل هذا: إنه بدعة حسنة، إذا البدعة الحسنة عند من يقسم البدع إلى حسنة وسيئة؛ لا بد أن يستحبها أحد من أهل العلم الذين يقتدى بهم، ويقوم دليل شرعي على استحبابها، وكذلك من يقول: البدعة الشرعية، كلها ممنومة لقوله صلى الله عليه وسلم فى الحديث الصحيح: كل بدعة ضلالة، ويقول: قول عمر فى التراويح: نعمت البدعة هذه، إنما أسماها بدعة باعتبار وضع اللغة، فالبدعة فى الشرع عند هؤلاء ما لم يقم دليل شرعي على استحبابها، ومآل القولين واحد؛ إذ هم متفقون على أن ما لم يستحب أو يجب من الشرع؛ فليس بواجب ولا مستحب، فمن اتخذ عملا من الأعمال عبادة ودينا، وليس ذلك فى الشريعة واجبا ولا مستحبا، فهو ضال باتفاق المسلمين.
“It is clear that the way which the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, neither established nor liked, nor did the predecessors like it, is a disliked innovation. Muslims follow the actions of the predecessors. Those who divide innovations into good and bad also say that a good innovation is that which the Imams of guidance have deemed recommended and for which there is a Shariah proof, and these are the Imams of guidance who are followed. Some people divide innovation into linguistic and Shariah categories, saying that any innovation to which the Shariah division applies is blameworthy. The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said, ‘Every innovation is misguidance.’ The example of linguistic innovation is given by Sayyiduna Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, regarding Taraweeh prayer, saying that this renewal is good. They say that a Shariah innovation is that for which there is no proof. Both meanings are the same, i.e., both groups agree that what the Shariah has not made recommended or obligatory is neither recommended nor obligatory. Similarly, both groups say that a person who performs an act considering it as religion or worship, which the Shariah has not made recommended or obligatory, is unanimously a disbeliever.”
It is understood that religion is the command of Allah and His Messenger, peace be upon him. The fundamental condition for acceptance of deeds is following the Quran and Sunnah.
❀ Nafi’, may Allah have mercy on him, narrates:
عطس رجل إلى جنب ابن عمر، فقال: الحمد لله والسلام على رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، فقال ابن عمر: وأنا أقول: الحمد لله والسلام على رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، ولكن ليس هكذا أمرنا رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم أن نقول إذا عطسنا، أمرنا أن نقول: الحمد لله على كل حال.
A man sitting beside Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar, may Allah be pleased with them both, sneezed and said:
الحمد لله والسلام على رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم.
“All praise is for Allah, and may the peace of the Messenger of Allah be upon you.” Upon this, Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar, may Allah be pleased with them both, said: I also praise Allah and send peace upon the Messenger of Allah, but the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, did not teach us to say this on this occasion; rather, he taught us this supplication at the time of sneezing: الحمد لله على كل حال. “All praise is due to Allah at all times.”
Imam Hakim, may Allah have mercy on him, called it “authentic chain,” and Hafiz Dhahabi, may Allah have mercy on him, called it “authentic.”
In Al-Mustadrak al-Hakim, Hadrami bin Laheq is hidden, which is a mistake. Imam Tabrani, may Allah have mercy on him, in his
has a supporting narrator with a good chain.
❀ Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik, may Allah be pleased with him, narrates:
جاء ثلاثة رهط إلى بيوت أزواج النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم، يسألون عن عبادة النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم، فلما أخبروا كأنهم تقالوها، فقالوا: وأين نحن من النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم؟ قد غفر له ما تقدم من ذنبه وما تأخر، قال أحدهم: أما أنا؛ فإني أصلي الليل أبدا، وقال آخر: أنا أصوم الدهر ولا أفطر، وقال آخر: أنا أعتزل النساء، فلا أتزوج أبدا، فجاء رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم إليهم، فقال: أنتم الذين قلتم كذا وكذا؟ أما والله، إني لأخشاكم لله وأتقاكم له، لكني أصوم وأفطر، وأصلي وأرقد، وأتزوج النساء، فمن رغب عن سنتي؛ فليس مني.
“Three men came to the purified wives of the Prophet, peace be upon him, and inquired about his worship. When it was told to them, their reaction seemed as if they considered that worship insufficient. So they said: We are not like the Noble Prophet, peace be upon him. Allah has forgiven all your past and future mistakes. One said: I will always make it a habit to pray all night. Another said: I will always fast and never break it. The third said: I will stay away from women and never marry. When the Noble Prophet, peace be upon him, came, he asked them: Did you say such and such? By Allah! I fear Allah the most and am the most pious, but I fast and break the fast, pray at night and sleep, and I have married. So whoever turns away from my Sunnah is not of me.”
This hadith is also narrated from Sayyida Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, in Sahih Bukhari
and Sahih Muslim
.
From these hadiths, it is understood that following the Sunnah is necessary; any addition or subtraction is wrong, otherwise good deeds become innovations.
❀ Imam Sufyan ath-Thawri, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
لا يستقيم قول إلا بعمل، ولا يستقيم قول وعمل إلا بنية، ولا يستقيم قول وعمل ونية، إلا بموافقة السنة.
“A verbal claim without action has no value, and words and actions without intention are not correct, and no word, action, or intention is valid unless it conforms to the Sunnah.”
❀ Imam Zahri, may Allah have mercy on him, says: Our early scholars used to say:
الاعتصام بالسنة نجاة.
“Holding firmly to the Sunnah is the cause of salvation.”
❀ Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar, may Allah be pleased with them both, narrates that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:
من رغب عن سنتي فليس مني.
“Whoever turns away from my Sunnah is not of me.”
Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik, may Allah be pleased with him, narrates that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:
إن الله حجب التوبة عن صاحب كل بدعة.
“Allah Almighty has closed the door of repentance for every innovator.”
Hafiz Mundhiri, may Allah have mercy on him, said its chain is “Hasan.”
❀ Hafiz Haithami, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
رجاله رجال الصحيح، غير هارون بن موسى الفروي، وهو ثقة.
“All its narrators are from Sahih Bukhari except Harun bin Musa al-Farwi, and he is also trustworthy.”
❀ Imam Sufyan ath-Thawri, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
البدعة أحب إلى إبليس من المعصية، المعصية يتاب منها، والبدعة لا يتاب منها.
“Innovation is more beloved to Satan than disobedience to Allah; one repents from sin, but does not repent from innovation.”
❀ Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah have mercy on him
, says:
معنى قولهم: إن البدعة لا يتاب منها أن المبتدع الذى يتخذ دينا لم يشرعه الله ولا رسوله، قد زين له سوء عمله فرآه حسنا، فهو لا يتوب ما دام يراه حسنا، لأن أول التوبة العلم بأن فعله سيء ليتوب منه، أو بأنه ترك حسنا مأمورا به أمر إيجاب أو استحباب ليتوب ويفعله، فما دام يرى فعله حسنا وهو سيء فى نفس الأمر، فإنه لا يتوب، ولكن التوبة منه ممكنة وواقعة بأن يهديه الله ويرشده، حتى يتبين له الحق، كما هدى سبحانه وتعالى من هدى من الكفار والمنافقين وطوائف من أهل البدع والضلال.
“The scholars say that ‘there is no repentance from innovation.’ This means that the innovator follows a religion other than the Shariah of Muhammad, peace be upon him. For him, a bad deed is beautified and he continues to consider it good. Therefore, he cannot repent from this deed because repentance requires considering one’s deed bad or realizing that an obligatory or recommended act has been abandoned. So as long as he considers a bad deed good, he will not repent. However, it is possible that Allah clarifies the truth to him and grants him guidance and growth, as Allah has guided disbelievers, hypocrites, many innovators, and misguided people.”
❀ Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas’ud, may Allah be pleased with him, narrates:
خط لنا رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم خطا، ثم قال: هذا سبيل الله، ثم خط خطوطا عن يمينه وعن شماله، ثم قال: هذه سبل متفرقة على كل سبيل منها شيطان يدعو إليه، ثم قرأ: وَأَنَّ هَذَا صِرَاطِي مُسْتَقِيمًا فَاتَّبِعُوهُ وَلَا تَتَّبِعُوا السُّبُلَ فَتَفَرَّقَ بِكُمْ عَنْ سَبِيلِهِ
Once the Noble Prophet, peace be upon him, drew a line and said: This is the path of Allah. Then he drew more lines on its right and left and said: These are other paths, and on all of them is the dwelling of Satan, and he calls to them. Then the Noble Prophet, peace be upon him, recited this verse: وَأَنَّ هَذَا صِرَاطِي مُسْتَقِيمًا فَاتَّبِعُوهُ وَلَا تَتَّبِعُوا السُّبُلَ فَتَفَرَّقَ بِكُمْ عَنْ سَبِيلِهِ “This is my straight path, so follow it and do not follow other paths, lest you stray from the way of Allah.”
Imam Ibn Hibban, may Allah have mercy on him, called it “authentic,” Imam Hakim, may Allah have mercy on him
, called it “authentic chain,” and Hafiz Dhahabi, may Allah have mercy on him, called it “authentic.”
❀ Allama Taybi
says in the explanation of a hadith: قوله: الزائد فى كتاب الله، يجوز أن يراد به من يدخل فى كتاب الله ما ليس منه، أو أن يأول بما يأبى عنه اللفظ ويخالف المحكم، كما فعلت اليهود بالتوراة من التبديل والتحريف، والزيادة فى كتاب الله كفر، وتأويله بما يخالف الكتاب والسنة بدعة.
“Excess in the Book of Allah means adding things that were not in the Book of Allah, or it means a distortion and alteration like that of Jews and Christians, based on an interpretation contrary to the apparent text and the clear. Excess in the Book of Allah is disbelief, and interpreting it contrary to the Quran and Sunnah is innovation.”
❀ Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar, may Allah be pleased with them both, narrates that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:
لكل عمل شرة ولكل شرة فترة فمن كانت فترته إلى سنتي فقد اهتدى ومن كانت فترته إلى غير ذلك فقد هلك.
“Every deed has intensity, then laziness comes. Whoever remains a follower of the Sunnah even in times of laziness remains guided, and whoever deviates during times of laziness is destroyed.”
Imam Ibn Hibban, may Allah have mercy on him
, called it “authentic.”
❀ Khalid bin Sa’d, the freed slave of Abu Mas’ud Ansari, may Allah be pleased with him, narrates:
دخل أبو مسعود على حذيفة، فقال: اعهد إلي، فقال له: ألم يأتك اليقين، فقال: بلى وعزة ربي، قال: فاعلم أن الضلالة حق الضلالة أن تعرف ما كنت تنكر وأن تنكر ما كنت تعرف، وإياك والتلون، فإن دين الله تعالى واحد.
“Abu Mas’ud Ansari, may Allah be pleased with him, asked Hudhayfah, may Allah be pleased with him, for advice. Hudhayfah said: Has the certain news (revelation) not reached you? He said: Yes, by the honor of my Lord! He said: Know that true misguidance is to consider good as evil and evil as good. Leave duplicity and become single-colored, for the religion of Allah is single-colored.”
