Source: Fatāwā Amunpuri by Shaykh Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Amunpuri
Is insisting upon a mustahabb (recommended) or mubah (permissible) act considered an innovation?
Sayyiduna ʿAbdullāh ibn Masʿūd رضي الله عنه said:
“Do not give a share to Shayṭān in your prayer by making it incumbent upon yourself to always turn to the right side towards the congregation after finishing the prayer. Indeed, I have seen the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ many times turning to the left side as well.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 852; Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 707)
From this ḥadīth it is proven that persisting on a permissible or recommended act, and treating it as an obligation, makes it a deed of Shayṭān.
❀ ʿAllāmah Ṭībī رحمه الله (d. 743 AH) writes:
“This ḥadīth indicates that whoever persists on a mustaḥabb act, considering it binding (ʿazīmah), and abandons acting upon concession (rukhsah), then Shayṭān has misled him. If this is the state of one who insists upon a recommended deed, then what will be the case of the one who persists on an innovation or a reprehensible act?”
(Sharḥ al-Mishkāt: 3/1051)
✦ Question:
Is insisting upon a mustahabb (recommended) or mubah (permissible) act considered an innovation?
✦ Answer:
Sayyiduna ʿAbdullāh ibn Masʿūd رضي الله عنه said:
“Do not give a share to Shayṭān in your prayer by making it incumbent upon yourself to always turn to the right side towards the congregation after finishing the prayer. Indeed, I have seen the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ many times turning to the left side as well.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 852; Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 707)
From this ḥadīth it is proven that persisting on a permissible or recommended act, and treating it as an obligation, makes it a deed of Shayṭān.
❀ ʿAllāmah Ṭībī رحمه الله (d. 743 AH) writes:
“This ḥadīth indicates that whoever persists on a mustaḥabb act, considering it binding (ʿazīmah), and abandons acting upon concession (rukhsah), then Shayṭān has misled him. If this is the state of one who insists upon a recommended deed, then what will be the case of the one who persists on an innovation or a reprehensible act?”
(Sharḥ al-Mishkāt: 3/1051)
