❖ 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.
