This excerpt is taken from Sheikh Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Amanpuri's book Aamad Mustafa ﷺ.
Examination of Doubts Regarding the Classification of Bid'ah
Some individuals have drawn attention to new aspects in this regard. These people divide innovations (bid'ah) into bad (sayyi'ah) and good (hasanah) and have also provided 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 this renewal!"
Reference: (Sahih al-Bukhari: 2010)
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 of Taraweeh, then abandoned it due to fear. When Sayyiduna Umar رضي الله عنه saw in his time that Taraweeh prayer was again being performed in congregation, he praised it, because its origin was present in the Prophetic era. Therefore, it does not mean a true innovation (bid'ah), but rather a linguistic innovation.
◈ Imam Bayhaqi رحمه الله (d. 458 AH) says:
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, therefore it was not a misguided innovation, but rather a revival of goodness whose origin was present in the Sunnah of the Messenger صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم."
Reference: (Al-Sunan al-Saghir: 817)
◈ Allama Ibn Rajab رحمه الله (d. 795 AH) writes:
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 similar to the Prophetic statement: Whoever introduces into our religion something that is not originally part of it (from the Book, Sunnah, and consensus), it is falsehood. Thus, if an act is attributed to religion but its basis is not on any principle of religion, then that act 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, some innovations have been praised; this praise is for linguistic innovations, not for Shariah innovations. An example of calling something an innovation linguistically is the statement of Sayyiduna Umar ibn al-Khattab رضي الله عنه, who gathered people in the mosque during Ramadan and appointed an imam for them. One day he came and saw the companions praying behind one imam, so he said: This renewal is good!"
Reference: (Jami' al-'Ulum wal-Hikam: 128/2)
Doubt Number 2
Abu Malik Saad bin Tariq bin Ashim says, I asked my father: Father! You lived during the time of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, 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 the qunoot in the Fajr prayer? He replied:
أى بني ، محدث
"Son! This (continuity) is new."
Reference: (Musnad Imam Ahmad: 472/3, Sunan An-Nasa'i: 1081, Sunan At-Tirmidhi: 402-403, Sunan Ibn Majah: 1241 and its chain is authentic)
Imam Tirmidhi (may Allah have mercy on him) said it is "Hasan Sahih."
This is exactly the same statement that Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) made regarding Taraweeh; here too, the linguistic innovation is meant, not the legal one. This means that the original practice is established, but the continuity with which it is now done has begun recently, just as reciting qunoot in Fajr prayer during heavenly and earthly calamities and distress is established. See
Reference: Sahih Bukhari: 1002
,
Reference: Sahih Muslim: 677
. Similarly, after the passing of the Prophet ﷺ, reciting qunoot in Fajr prayer is established from Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him)
Reference: Sharh Ma'ani Al-Athar: 250/1 and its chain is authentic
, and from Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) and Abu Musa Ash'ari (may Allah be pleased with him)
Reference: Sharh Ma'ani Al-Athar: 251/1 and its chain is authentic
, and from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them)
Reference: Sharh Ma'ani Al-Athar: 252/1 and its chain is authentic
. It should also be remembered that neither Sayyiduna Tariq bin Ashim (may Allah be pleased with him) is denying the qunoot nazilah in Fajr, nor is Abu Malik Ashja'i's question intended as an absolute denial. Rather, both of them had in mind the continuity and regularity which they observed, and regarding that, they raised the question whether this continuity was ever observed 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 initiates a good deed in Islam and people begin to act upon it, he will receive the reward equal to those who act upon it; their reward will not decrease in any way. And whoever initiates a bad deed in Islam and people adopt it, he will receive a share of the sin equal to those who commit it; their sins will not decrease in any way."
Reference: Sahih Muslim: 341/2 Hadith: 1017
It is absolutely incorrect to use this as evidence for the division of innovations (bid’ah). The cause of the narration negates this.
Some villagers came to the service of the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم; these villagers were dressed in woolen clothes. Seeing their poverty and need, the Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم instructed to give charity to them. People gave some, and after a while, signs of distress appeared on the blessed face of the Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم. At that moment, an Ansari brought a bag of dirhams, and seeing this, another also brought one, and thus the chain continued until the blessed face of the Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم began to show signs of happiness. Then the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said this statement.
This hadith completely closes the back door to innovations, because giving charity is legislated and permissible in the Quran and Hadith, but people were reluctant. When a companion رضي الله عنه took the initiative in giving charity, he became the best example for others in this good deed. Their initiative increased the eagerness of other companions رضي الله عنهم, and then the Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said this statement. It is understood that here the good Sunnah (Sunnah Hasanah) refers to Shariah rulings and matters, a Shariah ruling which people are unaware of or which has been abandoned, reviving it is commendable.
◈ This narration from Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه is reported in 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 calls to guidance will have a reward like that of those who follow him, without any decrease in their reward. And whoever calls to misguidance will bear a sin like that of those who follow him, without any decrease in their sins."
Reference: Sahih Muslim: 2674
Here, guidance means that good deed which is established from 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 (d. 792 AH) writes:
ما يستدل به من قوله عليه الصلاة والسلام : من سن سنة خير على أن البدع منها حسن، ومنها قبيح، وذلك قال عمر رضى الله عنه صلاة التراويح: نعم البدعة هذه، فغير مسلم، بل عموم قوله عليه الصلاة والسلام : كل بدعة ضلالة، لا يخص منها شيء، لان المراد المبدعة الشرعية لا اللغوية، أى كل بدعة لم تشرع فى الدين فهي ضلالة وصلاة التراويح ليست ببدعة شرعية، وإن كانت بدعة لغوية لكونها حدثت بعد الرسول عليه الصلاة والسلام؛ 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 initiates a good Sunnah, it is argued that some innovations are good and some are bad. The statement of Sayyiduna Umar رضي الله عنه: نعم البدعة هذه "This renewal is good!" is also taken as evidence for this, although this reasoning 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 excludes nothing, meaning every innovation in religion is misguidance. This Prophetic statement condemns Shariah innovations, not linguistic ones. Taraweeh prayer is not a Shariah innovation; it is a linguistic innovation because its regular performance in congregation started after the Prophetic era. The Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم explained the reason for abandoning the regular congregational Taraweeh 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.
Reference: (At-Tanbih ‘ala Mashakil al-Hidayah: 549/1–551)
Doubt Number 4
◈ Mufti Ahmad Yar Khan Naeemi Sahib has written:
Reference: Bukhari: 4986
states that Hazrat Siddiq ordered Hazrat Zaid bin Thabit (may Allah be pleased with him) 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 what the Prophet (peace be upon him) did not do? Siddiq replied that this act is good. Hazrat Zaid bin Thabit presented this same argument to Siddiq’s presence, saying that compiling the Quran is an innovation; why are you introducing an innovation? Hazrat Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) said that it is indeed an innovation, but a good one, meaning it is beneficial, which indicates that the actions of the Companions are good innovations."
Reference: (Ja al-Haqq: 1/227)
In this hadith, there is no mention, not even an indication, of innovations being good or bad. Secondly, compiling the Quran is the Sunnah of the Rightly Guided Caliphs and is not an innovation at all. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:
فعليكم بسنتي وسنة الخلفاء الراشدين المهديين .
“Hold firmly to my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the Rightly Guided Caliphs.”
Reference: Musnad Imam Ahmad: 126/4-127, Sunan Abi Dawood: 4607, Sunan al-Tirmidhi: 2676 with authentic chain
Imam Tirmidhi (may Allah have mercy on him) classified this hadith as "Hasan Sahih," Imam Ibn Hibban (may Allah have mercy on him)
Reference: (5)
, Hafiz Diya al-Maqdisi (may Allah have mercy on him)
Reference: (Itba’ al-Sunnah wa Ijtinab al-Bid’ah: 2)
called it "Sahih," Hafiz Bazzar (may Allah have mercy on him)
Reference: (Jami’ Bayan al-‘Ilm wa Fadlih li Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr: 2306)
said "Thabit Sahih," and Hafiz Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr (may Allah have mercy on him)
Reference: (Jami’ Bayan al-‘Ilm wa Fadlih: 2306)
said "Thabit."Imam Hakim (may Allah have mercy on him)
Reference: (1/95)
states:صحيح، ليس له علة .
“This hadith is authentic and has no defect.”
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 people of Sham.”
Reference: (Al-Musnad al-Mustakhraj ‘ala Sahih al-Imam Muslim: 36/1)
Hafiz Baghawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said it is (Hasan).
Reference: (Sharh al-Sunnah: 102)
◈ Hafiz Ibn Kathir (may Allah have mercy on him) writes:
صححه أيضا الحافظ أبو نعيم الأصفهاني والدغولي، وقال شيخ الإسلام الأنصاري: هو أجود حديث فى أهل الشام وأحسنه .
“Abu Nu’aym Asfahani and Hafiz Dughuli (may Allah have mercy on them) also declared it authentic. Sheikh al-Islam Ansari (may Allah have mercy on him) says: Among the narrations of the people of Sham, this hadith is good and excellent.”
Reference: Tuhfat al-Talib bi Ma’rifat Ahadith Mukhtasar Ibn al-Hajib: 36
Compiling the Quran is not an innovation also because its origin existed during the Prophetic era and there is consensus among the Companions on it, which is a legal proof.
The unanimous action of the Companions, which is also proven by legal evidence, is a very strong defense against innovations.
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. Rather, it is openly acknowledged that certain practices began in the fourth century Hijri, yet full effort is still made to label them as good innovations.
Doubt Number 5
◈ Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Masood (may Allah be pleased with him) said:
ما رأى المسلمون حسنا فهو عند الله حسن وما رآه المسلمون سيئا فهو عند الله سيء
"He who is considered good by the Muslims is also good in the sight of Allah, and he who is considered bad by the Muslims is also bad in the sight of Allah."
Reference: Musnad al-Imam Ahmad: 379/1, Al-Mustadrak al-Hakim: 78/3, Hadith: 4465 with a Hasan chain
Imam Hakim (may Allah have mercy on him) called it "Sahih al-Isnad" and Hafiz Zahabi (may Allah have mercy on him) called it "Sahih."
Hafiz Sakhawi (may Allah have mercy on him)
Reference: Al-Maqasid al-Hasanah: 959
and Allama Muhammad Tahir Patni
Reference: Tazkirat al-Mawdu'at p. 91
called it "Hasan."Hafiz Ibn Kathir (may Allah have mercy on him)
Reference: Tuhfat al-Talib: 334
called its chain "Jayyid" and Hafiz Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him)
Reference: Al-Darayah: 187/2
called its chain "Hasan."◈ Hafiz Haithami (may Allah have mercy on him) writes:
رجاله موثقون .
"All its narrators have been authenticated."
Reference: Majma' al-Zawa'id wa Manba' al-Fawa'id: 178/1
Here, Abdullah bin Masood (may Allah be pleased with him) means the consensus of the Muslims, and consensus in itself is a proof, therefore it does not permit innovation.
◈ Allama Ibn Abi al-Izz Hanafi (may Allah have mercy on him) (d. 792 AH) writes:
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 .
"Originally, this is the statement of Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Masood (may Allah be pleased with him). It is not evidence that an act which some Muslims consider good is also good in the sight of Allah. What is meant is that an act which all Muslims unanimously consider good is also good in the sight of Allah. The definite article 'Al' is for generality, which includes all Muslims, and this is consensus. There is no room for discussion about this."
Reference: Al-Tanbih 'ala Mushkilat al-Hidayah: 499/1
To understand the true meaning of Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Masood’s statement, consider this incident:
◈ Umar ibn Sulaymah al-Hamdani, a Tabi'i (may Allah have mercy on him), narrates:
كنا نجلس على باب عبد الله بن مسعود رضي الله عنه، قبل صلاة الغداة، فإذا خرج، مشينا معه إلى المسجد، فجاء نا أبو موسى الأشعري رضي 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 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 يقرؤون 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 morning prayer when he came out of the house and we went with him to the mosque. Sayyiduna Abu Musa al-Ash'ari (may Allah be pleased with him) came to us and asked: Abu Abdur-Rahman, has Abdullah bin Masood (may Allah be pleased with him) come out of the house? We said: Not yet. He also sat with us waiting for Abdullah bin Masood (may Allah be pleased with him). When he came out, we ran towards him. Sayyiduna Abu Musa (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Abu Abdur-Rahman! I saw a very strange thing in the mosque just now, Alhamdulillah! It seems to be a good deed. I asked: What is it? He said: If life permits, you will see it too. 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' one hundred times. The people had pebbles in their hands and said 'Allahu Akbar' one hundred times. Then he said: Say 'La ilaha illallah' one hundred times, and the people said it one hundred times. Then he said: Say 'Subhanallah' one hundred times, and they did so. Abdullah bin Masood (may Allah be pleased with him) asked: What did you say to them? I said: I said nothing, I was waiting for your opinion and decision. Abdullah bin Masood (may Allah be pleased with him) said: You should have told them to count their sins (not the tasbihs), and I guarantee that their good deeds will not be lost. Then he went out with us and reached one circle, stopped there and said: What am I seeing? They 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. He further said: Alas, 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 many in number, your clothes are not yet worn out, your utensils are not yet broken. By the One in Whose hand is my life! 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 were 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 are among you." Then he returned. Umar ibn Sulaymah (may Allah have mercy on him) said: We saw that many of them were shooting arrows at us alongside the Kharijites on the day of the Battle of Nahrawan.
Reference: Sunan al-Darimi: 608-611, Ithaf al-Mihrah li Ibn Hajar: 399/10-400 with a Hasan chain
All its narrators are trustworthy.
➊ Hukm bin Mubarak has been declared trustworthy by Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal (may Allah have mercy on him)
Reference: (Al-Ansab al-Sam'ani: 17/5)
, Imam Ibn Manda (may Allah have mercy on him)
Reference: (Tahdhib al-Tahdhib Ibn Hajar: 438/2)
, Imam Ibn Hibban (may Allah have mercy on him)
Reference: (Al-Thiqat: 195/8)
, and Hafiz Zahabi (may Allah have mercy on him)
Reference: (Al-Kashif: 183/1)
.The criticism by Imam Ibn 'Adi (may Allah have mercy on him) is based on error.
Reference: (Al-Kamil fi Dhu'afa' al-Rijal: 185/8 biography of Ahmad bin Abdur-Rahman al-Wahbi)
➋ 'Amr bin Yahya is trustworthy.
Reference: (Taqrib al-Tahdhib Ibn Hajar: 513/7)
➌ Yahya bin Umar ibn Sulaymah has been declared trustworthy by Imam 'Ajli (may Allah have mercy on him)
Reference: (1819)
. Imam Ya'qub bin Sufyan Fasawi (may Allah have mercy on him)
Reference: (Al-Ma'rifah wa al-Tarikh: 104/3)
said لا بأس به. Imam Shu'bah (may Allah have mercy on him), who probably narrates from trustworthy narrators, narrated from him.
Reference: Al-Jarh wa al-Ta'dil Ibn Abi Hatim: 179/9
➍ Umar ibn Sulaymah al-Hamdani is also trustworthy.
Reference: Taqrib al-Tahdhib Ibn Hajar: 5041
◈ Abu Abdur-Rahman Salmi (may Allah have mercy on him) says:
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 .
"'Umar ibn Utbah ibn Farqad Salmi and Mu'azzad built a mosque. They used to sit with people between Maghrib and Isha prayers, reciting 'Allahu Akbar' and 'Alhamdulillah.' When Abdullah bin Masood (may Allah be pleased with him) heard about it, he told the informer to notify him when they sit again. When informed, he went there. At that time, he was wearing a cap on his head, which he took off and said: I am the son of Um Abd. By Allah! You people have started a black innovation or have surpassed the companions of Muhammad (peace be upon him) in knowledge and virtue. Then Mu'azzad, the outspoken one, said: By Allah! We are neither guilty of innovation nor more knowledgeable than the companions of Muhammad (peace be upon him). Abdullah bin Masood (may Allah be pleased with him) also said: If you continue to follow the predecessors, they were on clear guidance, but if you start deviating, then open misguidance is your destiny."
Reference: (Al-Mu'jam al-Kabir al-Tabarani: 126/9 Hadith: 8633 with a Hasan chain)
◈ Musayb bin Najbah (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 علقمه 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 so much 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. After hearing their mention, he said: Either you are committing misguidance and sin or you are more guided than the companions of Muhammad (peace be upon him)."
Reference: (Al-Mu'jam al-Kabir al-Tabarani: 125/9 Hadith: 8628 Hasan)
◈ After a similar incident, he 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."
Reference: (Al-Mu'jam al-Kabir al-Tabarani: 128/9 Hadith: 8639 with a Sahih chain)
◈ Allama Ibn Daqiq al-'Id (may Allah have mercy on him) (d. 702 AH) writes:
هذا ابن مسعود أنكر هذا الفعل، مع إمكان إدراجه تحت عموم فضيلة الذكر .
"Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Masood (may Allah be pleased with him) specifically and in a particular manner rejected this act, although it could have been included under the general evidences for dhikr."
Reference: (Ihkam al-Ahkam Sharh 'Umdat al-Ahkam: 202/1)
When Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Masood (may Allah be pleased with him) not only declared an act of dhikr as an innovation due to its form, method, and style not being established from the Prophet (peace be upon him), but also called it a cause of destruction and ruin for the Ummah, then how can the innovations that arose centuries later be supported by his statement?
Fair-minded people should decide for themselves whether Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Masood’s fatwa does not strongly reject today’s innovations.
Doubt Number 6
◈ Ahmad Yar Khan Naeemi writes:
"Those gentlemen who consider every innovation, that is, every new act, to be forbidden, what will they make of this general rule: الأصل فى الأشياء الإباحة The original ruling for all things is that they are permissible. That is, everything is permissible and lawful, but if something is prohibited by Shariah, then it is forbidden or prohibited, meaning prohibition is established by the prohibition itself, not by the newness of the act."
Reference: (Jaa al-Haqq : 229/1)
Every new act in religion is an innovation; the evidences in which the condemnation of innovation has been mentioned are general, therefore every innovation is forbidden and prohibited. As far as this general rule is concerned, it relates to worldly matters of life regarding permissibility and prohibition, not to Shariah rulings, acts, and worship.
◈ Allama Ibn Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) (d. 751 AH) writes:
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 .
"Allah’s worship 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 that right is only what He has liked and prescribed. However, conditions and transactions are permissible until Allah declares them forbidden."
Reference: (I'lam al-Muwaqqi'in : 344/1)
If the principle of original permissibility is accepted in every matter of religion, then even the innovators will call many matters innovations, such as:
➊ 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?
➋ 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?
➌ If someone starts offering sacrifice on the day of Eid al-Fitr calling it a good innovation, will this act also be included in religion by calling it a good innovation?
