Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah

Hazrat Sha’bi narrates that Hazrat ‘Urwah (may Allah have mercy on him) inquired about this matter from Hazrat Shurayh (may Allah have mercy on him). He excused himself from giving an answer, but upon Hazrat ‘Urwah’s insistence, he said: Allah Almighty has prescribed the Shari’ah for acting upon the religion, but people have invented many new things in it. They have mixed innovations with the Sunnahs. When such a matter comes to you, separate the Sunnahs and decide according to them, and leave the innovations to the people of innovation. As for the matter of divorce, it is a well-known thing, whereas making it absolute is an innovation, the basis of which is a person’s intention—he may advance it if he wishes, or delay it if he wishes.