This excerpt is taken from Sheikh al-Islam Imam Ibn Taymiyyah's book Al-Jawab al-Bahir fi Zuwar al-Maqabir, translated by Sheikh Ataullah Saqib.
Purpose of the Da'wah Letter
The great Sultan demanded the explanation and clarification of a few questions; the purpose and aim of our answer is only this:
➊ To obey Allah Almighty and His honored Messenger, peace be upon him.
➋ To worship only this Generous Allah.
➌ Not to associate anyone with Him. Because worship of Allah is not possible without the guidance of the pure Shariah.
For example: the five daily prayers, fasting in the blessed month of Ramadan, and the pilgrimage to the House of Allah. Or the matters that one is invited to perform, such as standing in night prayer, traveling to the Prophet’s Mosque and Al-Aqsa Mosque to offer prayer there, reciting the Holy Quran, remembrance and supplications, and performing I'tikaf and other righteous deeds. Besides these acts, sending blessings and peace upon the Noble Prophet, peace be upon him, when entering and leaving the mosque and during prayer, performing acts inside the mosques in a manner that follows the example of the Noble Prophet, peace be upon him. Also, the duty of visiting graves according to the Sunnah.
Sunnah, not Innovation
The reality is that practicing deeds according to the Sunnah is the essence of the religion of Islam. It is obligatory upon us not to exceed the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, in all acts of worship. For example, visiting the Quba Mosque and offering prayers there, visiting the martyrs of Uhud and Jannat al-Baqi. Acts that Allah Almighty and the Noble Prophet, peace be upon him, disliked cannot be called acts of worship, nor can such acts bring one closer to Allah. Like the worship of polytheists, People of the Book, and innovators. These people perform acts that neither Allah Almighty commanded nor was any messenger sent to propagate them, such as:
➊ Worshipping creations.
➋ Worshipping stars, angels, and prophets.
➌ Worshipping images of prophets and saints as the Christians do in their churches.
They say that they seek intercession through them. In this regard, the saying of the Noble Prophet, peace be upon him, should always be kept in mind, which he used to repeat in his sermons:
خير الكلام كلام الله وخير الهدي هدي محمد وشر الأمور محدثاتها وكل بدعة ضلالة
“The best speech is the speech of Allah, and the best guidance is the guidance of Muhammad, peace be upon him, and the worst matters are newly invented matters (bid’ah), and every bid’ah is misguidance.”
Reference: Sahih Muslim - Book of Friday Prayer: Chapter on Lightening the Prayer and Sermon (Hadith: 827). Sunan an-Nasa’i Book of Forgetfulness: Chapter on Another Type of Remembrance after Tashahhud (Hadith: 1312)
Bid’ah is called that act which is new in the Shariah. Sometimes an act is proven from the Sunnah, but when it is performed after the time of the Prophet, peace be upon him (in a different form), it is called bid’ah, such as the statement of Sayyiduna Umar ibn al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, who gathered people behind one reciter during Ramadan and said:
نعمت البدعة هذه والتي ينامون عنها أفضل
“This is a good bid’ah, and it is better than the prayer during which people fall asleep (the last part of the night).”
Reference: Sahih Bukhari Book of Taraweeh Prayer - Chapter on the Virtue of Standing in Ramadan (Hadith: 2010)
Whereas the Noble Prophet, peace be upon him, declared the standing in Ramadan as Sunnah and said:
إن الله قد فرض عليكم صيام رمضان وسننت لكم قيامه
“Allah has made fasting in Ramadan obligatory upon you, and I have made its standing (Qiyam) a Sunnah for you.”
Reference: Sunan an-Nasa’i - Book of Fasting: Chapter on the Mention of the Difference of Yahya ibn Abi Kathir (Hadith: 2212) and its chain is weak; Al-Nadr ibn Shayban is a weak narrator.
During the blessed time of the Prophet, peace be upon him, people used to gather in small groups of two or four to perform the standing in Ramadan, and the Prophet, peace be upon him, also led the congregation and said:
إن الرجل إذا صلى مع الإمام حتى ينصرف كتب له قيام ليلة
“When a person prays in congregation with the Imam until he finishes, it is recorded for him as if he stood the whole night.”
Reference: Sunan Abi Dawood Book of the Month of Ramadan: Chapter on Standing in Ramadan (Hadith: 1375). Sunan at-Tirmidhi Book of Fasting: Chapter on What Has Been Related About Standing in Ramadan (Hadith: 806). Sunan an-Nasa’i Book of Night Prayer: Chapter on Standing in Ramadan (Hadith: 1204). Sunan Ibn Majah Book of Establishing Prayer: Chapter on What Has Been Related About Standing in Ramadan (Hadith: 1327)
However, the Noble Prophet, peace be upon him, did not consistently lead the congregation for the standing in Ramadan like the five obligatory prayers so that the standing in Ramadan would not be considered obligatory. And when the Prophet, peace be upon him, passed away and the fear of adding to the obligatory acts was no longer present, Sayyiduna Umar ibn al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, committed to performing the congregational Taraweeh prayer behind Ubayy ibn Ka’b, may Allah be pleased with him.
Reference: Sahih Bukhari Book of Taraweeh Prayer - Chapter on the Virtue of Standing in Ramadan (Hadith: 2010)
