Nasai

1081. Commentary: This Companion was not aware of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam and the Rightly Guided Caliphs performing qunoot, therefore he declared it an innovation (bid‘ah). Or, his intent may have been that to perform qunoot continuously is an innovation, because the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam would recite the qunoot nazilah at times of necessity. (See also, Hadith: 1077)

1:
That is:
What is meant here is reciting it regularly, not that reciting it in an absolute sense is intended as an innovation (bid‘ah), because reciting the Qunut Nazilah at times of necessity is established, as has been mentioned previously.

Benefits and Issues:
➊ On special occasions, reciting Qunoot in the Fajr prayer, and in other prayers as well, is Sunnah. This is called Qunoot Nazilah. Those people who deceitfully invited the Qurra’ among the noble Companions (radi Allahu anhum ajma‘een) and martyred them— the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) recited Qunoot Nazilah against them for a whole month. As is mentioned in Hadith: 1243. (Sahih al-Bukhari, al-Jihad wal-Siyar, Chapter: Whoever is wounded or stabbed in the cause of Allah, Hadith: 2801)

➋ Hazrat Tariq (radi Allahu ta‘ala anhu) did not call Qunoot itself an innovation (bid‘ah) in an absolute sense, but rather considered the constant recitation of Qunoot in the Fajr prayer to be an innovation. From this, it is understood that an act may originally be Sunnah, but due to performing it in an incorrect manner, or by increasing or decreasing it from its original status, it becomes an innovation (bid‘ah). That is, a particular manner of the act becomes an innovation, even if the act itself is not an innovation.

Lexical Explanation:
«أَيْ بُنَيَّ» «أَيْ» is a vocative particle, and in «بُنَيَّ», the "ba" has a dammah, the "ya" has a fathah and shaddah. It is the diminutive form of "ibn" and is annexed to the first person singular pronoun (my). Its meaning is: O my son!

«مُحْدَثٌ» is the passive participle derived from ihdath, meaning something newly invented, self-made (innovation) which did not exist during the time of the Messenger. Thus, the summary of this discussion is that reciting Qunut Nazilah occasionally is established, but its continuity and perpetuity are not established.

Benefits and Issues:
➊ Based on this hadith, it is not correct to argue that reciting Qunut in prayer is an innovation (bid‘ah).
➋ Sayyiduna Tariq did not call Qunut itself an innovation in an absolute sense, but rather considered the perpetual recitation of Qunut in the Fajr prayer to be an innovation.
➌ From this, it is understood that sometimes an act is originally a Sunnah, but due to performing it in an incorrect manner or by increasing or decreasing it from its original status, it becomes an innovation; that is, that particular quality of the act becomes an innovation, even if the act itself is not an innovation.

Narrators of the Hadith:
(Sayyiduna Sa‘d rahimahullah)
His full name is Sa‘d bin Tariq bin Ashyam (on the pattern of Ahmar) bin Mas‘ud Ashja‘i Kufi. His kunyah was Abu Malik. He is counted among the trustworthy Tabi‘in. He passed away at the end of 140 Hijri.

(Sayyiduna Tariq Ashja‘i radi Allahu anhu)
Tariq bin Ushaym bin Mas‘ad Ashja‘i Kufi. He is a well-known Companion. He narrated few hadiths. Only fourteen hadiths have been transmitted from him. And apart from his son Sa‘d, no one else has narrated from him. He is counted among the Kufans.