Written by: Qārī Usāmah bin ʿAbd al-Salām
In the light of Qur’an and Hadith, Bidʿah (innovated practices in religion) has been strongly condemned. Severe warnings have been mentioned concerning those who:
وَمَن يَعْشُ عَن ذِكْرِ الرَّحْمَـٰنِ نُقَيِّضْ لَهُ شَيْطَانًا فَهُوَ لَهُ قَرِينٌ وَإِنَّهُمْ لَيَصُدُّونَهُمْ عَنِ ٱلسَّبِيلِ وَيَحْسَبُونَ أَنَّهُم مُّهْتَدُونَ
Translation: Whoever turns away from the remembrance of the Most Merciful, We appoint for him a devil, and he becomes his companion. They (the devils) hinder them from the right path, yet they think they are guided.
Innovators in religion follow the path of Shayṭān, while assuming they are rightly guided.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
«مَنْ أَحْدَثَ فِي أَمْرِنَا هَذَا مَا لَيْسَ مِنْهُ فَهُوَ رَدٌّ»
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 2697, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 1718)
Translation: Whoever introduces into our religion something that is not from it, it is rejected.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
«وَإِيَّاكُمْ وَمُحْدَثَاتِ الْأُمُورِ، فَإِنَّ كُلَّ مُحْدَثَةٍ بِدْعَةٌ، وَكُلَّ بِدْعَةٍ ضَلَالَةٌ، وَكُلَّ ضَلَالَةٍ فِي النَّارِ»
(Sunan al-Nasāʾī 1578, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim – similar narrations)
Translation: Beware of newly invented matters, for every innovation is Bidʿah, every Bidʿah is misguidance, and every misguidance leads to the Fire.
لا تُجَالِسُوا أهلَ الأهواءِ؛ فإن مُجالستَهم مَرضٌ، والكلامَ معهم داءٌ
(al-Ibānah by Ibn Baṭṭah 2/438)
Translation: Do not sit with the people of desires (innovators), for sitting with them is a sickness and speaking with them is a disease.
لا تجالس صاحب بدعة، فإنه يُمرض قلبك
(al-Bidaʿ wa-l-Nahy ʿanhā by Ibn Waḍḍāḥ, p. 54)
Translation: Do not sit with an innovator, for he will make your heart sick.
Translation: If you see someone sitting with an innovator, beware of him, for he is a follower of desires.
Translation: Whoever covers up for an innovator has helped in demolishing Islam.
Whoever invents a Bidʿah, defends it, supports its people, or honors them — is openly disobeying Allah and His Messenger ﷺ.
Such a person risks falling into misguidance, having a diseased heart, and being led towards the Fire (as per the ḥadīth).
The Salaf al-Ṣāliḥīn strongly emphasized avoiding innovators — to the extent of discouraging greeting them, praying behind them, or taking knowledge from them.
❖ Introduction
In the light of Qur’an and Hadith, Bidʿah (innovated practices in religion) has been strongly condemned. Severe warnings have been mentioned concerning those who:
- invent innovations in religion,
- follow or support innovators,
- love them, defend them, or sit in their company.
Warnings from the Qur’an
Sūrah al-Zukhruf (43:36–37)
وَمَن يَعْشُ عَن ذِكْرِ الرَّحْمَـٰنِ نُقَيِّضْ لَهُ شَيْطَانًا فَهُوَ لَهُ قَرِينٌ وَإِنَّهُمْ لَيَصُدُّونَهُمْ عَنِ ٱلسَّبِيلِ وَيَحْسَبُونَ أَنَّهُم مُّهْتَدُونَ
Translation: Whoever turns away from the remembrance of the Most Merciful, We appoint for him a devil, and he becomes his companion. They (the devils) hinder them from the right path, yet they think they are guided.
Innovators in religion follow the path of Shayṭān, while assuming they are rightly guided. Warnings from the Hadith
Every innovation is rejected
The Prophet ﷺ said:
«مَنْ أَحْدَثَ فِي أَمْرِنَا هَذَا مَا لَيْسَ مِنْهُ فَهُوَ رَدٌّ»
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 2697, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 1718)
Translation: Whoever introduces into our religion something that is not from it, it is rejected.
Every Bidʿah is misguidance
The Prophet ﷺ said:
«وَإِيَّاكُمْ وَمُحْدَثَاتِ الْأُمُورِ، فَإِنَّ كُلَّ مُحْدَثَةٍ بِدْعَةٌ، وَكُلَّ بِدْعَةٍ ضَلَالَةٌ، وَكُلَّ ضَلَالَةٍ فِي النَّارِ»
(Sunan al-Nasāʾī 1578, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim – similar narrations)
Translation: Beware of newly invented matters, for every innovation is Bidʿah, every Bidʿah is misguidance, and every misguidance leads to the Fire.
Sayings of the Salaf Regarding People of Bidʿah
ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿAbbās (RA):
لا تُجَالِسُوا أهلَ الأهواءِ؛ فإن مُجالستَهم مَرضٌ، والكلامَ معهم داءٌ
(al-Ibānah by Ibn Baṭṭah 2/438)
Translation: Do not sit with the people of desires (innovators), for sitting with them is a sickness and speaking with them is a disease.
Imām Ḥasan al-Baṣrī (رحمه الله):
لا تجالس صاحب بدعة، فإنه يُمرض قلبك
(al-Bidaʿ wa-l-Nahy ʿanhā by Ibn Waḍḍāḥ, p. 54)
Translation: Do not sit with an innovator, for he will make your heart sick.
Warning Against Loving or Defending Innovators
- Imām Ibn Sīrīn (رحمه الله):
إذا رأيت الرجل يُجالس صاحبَ بدعةٍ فاحذره؛ فإنه صاحب هوى
(al-Ibānah 2/454)
Translation: If you see someone sitting with an innovator, beware of him, for he is a follower of desires.
- Imām al-Awzāʿī (رحمه الله):
من ستر صاحب بدعة، فقد أعان على هدم الإسلام
(Sharḥ al-Sunnah by al-Barbahārī, no. 113)
Translation: Whoever covers up for an innovator has helped in demolishing Islam.
Conclusion
Whoever invents a Bidʿah, defends it, supports its people, or honors them — is openly disobeying Allah and His Messenger ﷺ. Such a person risks falling into misguidance, having a diseased heart, and being led towards the Fire (as per the ḥadīth). The Salaf al-Ṣāliḥīn strongly emphasized avoiding innovators — to the extent of discouraging greeting them, praying behind them, or taking knowledge from them.
