UNdERST.

\NdiNG tilE Evil

r
-\ of

'AU
if
INTERNATIONAL ISLAMIC
PUBLlSHlNG HOUSE
THE DEEN OF ISLAAM IS COMPLETE AND
PERFECT
Allaah ta'ala has infonncd us that He has perfected the
Deen (religion: way of life) for us, and as such there is no
need for any additions or deletions to or from IsJaarn: "This
day have those who reject faith given up all hope of your
religion: yet do not Jeor them but fear Me. This Day have 1
perfected your Deen Jor you, completed My Favours upon
you and have chosen for you lslaam as your Deen" (soorah
AI-Maa'idah 5:4)
Understanding this aayah (verse) is vital to all combat
against irulovations and sticking to the revealed way. It is
failure to appreciate the import of this aayab that enables a
sincere person to succumb to innovating and innovations
and it is imperative that a Muslim who cares about saving
himself from the Fire does Jlot labour under any
misconceptions regarding it .
The famous tafseer (exegesis) of Ibn Katheer quite dearly
explains that in the completion and perfection of the Decn
lies the greatest blessing whieh Allaah ta'ala has bestowed
upon the Muslim Ummah (n<\tion). After this there no
longer remains any need for a new way, nor of a new
Prophet, but all that is Halaal (allowed by Allaah) has been
made Halaal and all that is Haraam (forbidden by Allaah)
has been made Haraam. The Deen (way of life) contains no
falsehood and all we are informed of is correct and true, its
orders and prohibitions are fair and accepting the Decn is
one's life makes Allaah be pleased with us and that He
loves the Deen (as it is preserved in the Qur'aan and the
Sunnah). Thus the above aayah was revealed so we may be
grateful 10 AJlaah and not deviate, having the full
satisfaction of possessing the complete manner and the
absolutely perfect way (0 worship Allaah.
This aayah was revealed on the Day of Arafah and no
Halaal and Haraam was revealed after it till our Messenger
(iI) passed away, which was according to the Tafsecr of
Ibn Jareer eighty-one days after it. When thi s aayah was
revealed, Umar wept, so the Messenger (ti) said to him,
"What makes you weep?" He said, "/ wept since we used to
be in receipt of increase in our Deen. however, if it is
completed. then that which is complete can only decrease
(thereafter}." So he (Ii) said, "You have spoken truthfully."
Umar understood that if the revelation has ceascd
concerning recommendation, command and prohibition
pertaining to worshipping Him, then the Messenger (iii)
was soon to leave this world, and how true he was in
observing that only decrease in guidance can take place is
borne out by the fulfilment of the Hadcclh where the
Messenger (Ii) infonncd us, "Verily Islaam hegan as a
stranger and will return as a stranger - therefore give glad
tidings to the strangers. "
Now it has become a struggle to practice the Sunnah since
it is looked upon by the vast majority to be an oddity at best
and on the other scale something to be covered up for the
sake of practice as established by a particular school of
thought. Reinforcing the Sunnah is taken as an affront to
civilisation and the culture of the Muslims, and the one
blindly following his mentor resents it as an attack upon
2
his "religion"! Innovations have lodged itself so strongly
that countcring them with the 5unnah is widely hated and
deplorable terms arc coined to label those who in their
humble ways try to revive the way of the Messenger (C) so
their efrons can be rendered ineffectivc, but the sublime
way of the Messcnger (tIS) cannot be dimmed by their
transparent lies.
The people and thei r favourit e condescending "scholars"
have simply not cared to do justice to this aayah. Even the
accursed Jews recognised the significance of this aayah and
thus approached VOlar and exclaimed, as occurs in
Bukhaaree, "You read a verse which if it had been
revealed to us we would have taken it as an 'F.id (a public
holiday for celebrations)." 50 Umar said, "I know when it
was revealed ami where it was revealed and where the
Messenger f*) was when it WO.f revealed: The pay of
Arafah - and by A lIooh I was at Arafah. M In a similar
narration in Musnad Ahmad, VOlar funher stales that it
was in the cvenjng of Arafah being the Day of Jumu'ah.
AJee said, "This aayah was revealed to the Messenger (* )
while he WO.f standing in the evening (between Asr and
Maghrib) of Arafah." (reported by Ibn Mardawaih)
Don't you see? The Companions knew the exact time and
place of the revelation of the aayah which favoured them
with the assurance and approval of Allaah of having the
completc and perfect DeeR, a favour from the Lord of the
worlds which is enviable to the cxtrcme for a nation, a fact
to give ri se to justified hope and exuberant joy in the hearts
and minds of people of that nation, yet. for all that it
constituted and all the above and marc so that evcn the
J
\\Tctched Jews recognised and envied it. the Companions
did not innovate and do anything special to commemorate
thi s great honour. Doing so would have made thcm violate
the very truth of this aayah and would have been an act so
perverse as to make them do something lantamount to
denying the verse and givc precedence to thei r own desires,
something which the noble Companions were very far fr om
cver doing at any time unlike so many of us today.
lslaam covers evcry aspect of life and the Dccn has not left
us in the dark in any of our affairs. That it also teaches us
how to fulfil every department of life is acknowledged by
e\'ery Muslim except he who is absolutely uneducated and
wi shes to have it his own way. The person who docs not
want to follow his vain desires but seeks to be ennobled by
the SUlUlah which nunures and brings out the very best of
being human does not but crave to practice the Sunnah,
and this Sunnah teaches us even the way to relieve
ourselves from the call of naturc, the way to go to sleep and
awake. the way to balhe and dress, the way to procreate, in
fact everything, Alhal11dulillaah. Every matter has been left
with clear instructions as to what is permiUed or prohibited
in them and again. the malevolent Jews recognised thi s
too. and taunted the believers with their sneering
statements and Questions about what they thought were
belittling aspects of the Deen of I s l ~ a m Abdur-Rahmaan
ibn layd related that the Jews said to Salm3an al-Faarscc:
"Your Prophet teaches you everything , even how to
rt!lieve yourselves." Salrnaan said: "Cerlainlyl He forbade
us from faci n$!, the qibla whilst doing so ... " (Saheeh
narrated by Muslim, Aboo Daawood. and at-Tirmidhec)
4
Nowadays. if such an cncounter were to take place it is
doubtful if the general Muslim would respond with such
clear cut conviction and pride. rather one would find he
would be more likely to struggle for finding an acceptable
answer to what he would thick were embarrassing aspects
of his religion that thi s infidel 'cleverly' spotted and
mocked at. fumbling for apologetics and thus confimling
himself to be even a greater fool than the jeerer. It is thi s
inferiori ty compl ex which erodes into our defences against
evil by not giving the Sunnah its rightful place and
consequently leavi ng the heart open for accomnuxlation of
innovations and consequently straying from the Allaah
given way.
There is nothing left for us to do except follow what has
I been shown to us by the practices of the Messenger (*)
and hi s Companions. The Messenger (til) has fulfill ed his
mission faithfully and told us all we need to know fo r
keeping to the Straight Path leading to Paradise and
obtaining the pleasure of Allaah. and it is not possible lhat
a Muslim can think that he can improve upon the
knowledge that All aah gave Muhammad (tIC). Abdullah
ibn Amr reported that the Messenger (iii) said: "It was the
duty o/every Prophet Allaah sent to guide his nation to the
best o/what he knew and to warn them o/the evils o/what
he knew." (Saheeh - narrated by Imaam Muslim) The
Messenger (* ) also said: "I have not left anything which
AJJaah ordered YO" except that 1 have ordered you with it,
nor anything that Allaah forbade you except that I/orbade
you/rom it. " (Sahceh narrated by al Baihaqee (7:76
5
Thus thi s aayah is perhaps the greatest proof against the
innovators and it is imperative that a Muslim understands
the full impon of the above aayah and challenges the
innovators and those who fall into it with the
understanding of it. In doing so he will do both himself
and the others a favour and help in building the real imaan
(faith) because real imaan cannot be established on fal se
and evil premises and pmctices.
6
OBEDIENCE TO THE REVEALED WAY
It is obvious that the greater the information concerning
the right conduct of worshipping AlIaah the more we are
liable to maintain our practice of the Dccn given to us by
Allaah. lmaan and action go hand in hand and suppon
each other to become stronger. Hence if we are to foster
greater imaan we have to take recourse to doing only what
is laid down in the Qur'aan and the Sunnah. This will
always ensure fulfilment of our purpose of being created
and stop us from getting deflected from the Straight Path.
Thus Allaah subhaanahu \Va ta'ala enjoins on us the
obedience to His Messenger (fi) and that we accept aU that
he shows us of cbaadah (worship) and Deco. As AlIaah
ta'ala SclYS: "And take what the gives you and
refrain from what he forbids you." (soorah al-Hashr 59: 7)
This aayah is a proof of the obligation to accept the
authentic Sunnah in all tbe affairs and this fact is lucidly
attested to by the following narration. Marocq said. "A
woman came to Ibn A1a.\"ood and said, 'I have heard that
you f orbid tattooing lind the use of f alse hair - is that
something y ou have found in the Book of Allaah 10'010 or
from the Messenger (. p' !-Ie said, 'Rather if is something
which I have f ound in the Book of Allah and from the
Messenger rti).' .she said, 'By AI/aah I have read Ihe
mushaf from cover 10 cover and I have not found in it what
you say. ' He said, 'Did you nol find in ii, ''And take what
the Messenger gives you and ref rain from what he forbid,'
you?" ,')'he said, 'Yes', He said. 'Cerlainly I have heard the
MessenKer (ti) f orbid Ihe use of f alse hair, tattooing and
plucking out f aCial hair, ' She said, 'Perhaps it is present in
some of your family?' He said, 'Then enter and look.' So
7
she entered and looked - then Ie fl. She said, '/ did not see
anything (objectionable). ' So he said to her, 'Haw: yuu not
memorised the testament of the righteous servant "/ do not
wish to do in opposition to you concerning what / Jorbid
you to do. " , .. (reported by Ibn Abi Haatim and quoted by
Ibn Katheer in his tafseer) This true story is narrated in
Bukhaarcc, Muslim and in Ihe Musnad of Ahmad too.
In making it obligatory for us to follow the Messenger (fai)
He has made it forbidden for us to innovate in the mailers
of the Deen. Muslims are expected to strive in attaching
oneself finnly as possible to the way of the Messenger (fai)
and thus keep away from the way of those who are
deprived of guidance and establish their own modes of
worship. In both Saheeh Bukhaarec and Sahcch Muslim it
has come to us from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger (-iii:)
said, "When 1 order you with something, then do as much
oJ it as you can, and when / Jorbid you Jrom something.
then avoid it. "
Raafi ibn Khadeej reported that "The Prophet oJ AI/aoh
(*) came to Madeenah and Jound the people Jertilising the
date-palm trees. He said: 'What are you doing?' They said:
'We are fertilising Ihe trees. ' Whereupon he said: 'Maybe it
would he better for you if you were nor to do that. ' So they
abandoned the practice and their harvest decreased. They
made mention of that / 0 (the Prophet) whereupon he said:
'1 am a human being, so if/command you about something
which pertains to your Deen, accept it and if 1 command
you about something Jrom my own raay (then bear in
mind) / am a human being. , " (Sahech - narrated by
Muslim)
8
The point is Muslims have decided who it is they are goi ng
to admire the most and believe to be the best example to
follow. If they arc looking for someone who can be the besl
in worshipping Allaah with the greatest and highest
knowledge then can it be anyone other than our very
Messenger (jI) himsel f? In reality Allaah Himself tclls us
that if we need 10 Lake someone as an example to imitate. a
paragon whose qualities and behaviour is 10 be desired and
adhercd 10, then it is Muhammad (tIS:) "You have indeed in
the J\.fessenf.:er of Allaah a beautiful pattern f or anyone
whm.e hope is in AI/aoh and the I,asl Day." (soorah
AI-Ahzaab 33 : 21) Who can be a greater fool and further
astray than one who fail s to accept he whom Allaah
Himself recommends to be obeyed and copied'! A Muslim
who hopes for success in the Hereafter cannot go awcty
from the mores and means of the Messenger (iii::) and allow
himself 10 participate in innovations let alone cook up a
novelty in worship. By positively directing us to the true
model to aspire after. Allaah ta'ala helps us against
surrendering to the deceptions of Shaitaan by effecti vely
shulLing off the doors 10 innovations.
Innovating is definitely sinful and he who doubts it is
nothing but piteoll sly ignorant. As we shall sec in the
sUIIlInal)' . those who indul ge in it tread a very dangerous
path si nce he more or less shuts himself away from having
his other sins forgiven. No man or group can deserve so
much from you that you can choose to go to Hell for them.
There Cl re many things in Islaam which we have been
forbidden to do which if committed can wipe out lUally or
all of Ollr good deeds. and one of them is doing act s in
disobedicnce to Allaah and Hi s Messenger (*). We live to
9
store up as much goodness on our side as we can by His
h'Tace. so that the scale of ri ghteousness will be heavy in
Ollr favour 0 11 the Day of Judgement. Whi ch indi vidual in
the sanity of his mind will throw away what he has been
acquiring by doing such deeds (IS cancels hi s good acti ons?
Docs he think he has enough time left on this earth to
make up for hi s losses? AlI aah informs: ItO you who
believel Obey Allaah and obey the Alessenger and do not
make your deeds bantU (null and void)." (soorah
Muhammad 47: 33)
Thc Companions in the begi nning undcrstood that aftcr
sayi ng "Laa ilaaha illallaah" then so sin would be of hClrm
and Ibn Umar said: "We the Companions of the Messenger
(* ) used to think that all good dettds will be accepted until
this aayah was revealed. so we said. 'What is that which
nullifies fhe deed,)' II (Ibn Kalhccr) So il is clear thaI if wc
are confronted with practices to be carri ed out in the name
of gelling rcward from Allaah as part of our worshipping
Him. then il is rather import:mt thClt we do not :let unt il we
havc vcrifi ed that the act is sanctioned by the Sunnah or
can be seen to have been done by the Companions upon
their understanding a specifi cd tcxt in the Qur'aan or
Hadccth. Time is very precious and each one of us are
relentlessly going forward 10 the end of our period on the
earth. thus it lIluSI be our concern thai our actions are
going to be accepted by Allaah and not wasted, not to
speak of actually destroying the good deeds! Imaam Sufyan
said. "No word is accepted wi thout action and
no word and action are correct without intention, and no
word, action and intention are correct unless the.)I in
accordance with the SUr/ nah. M So what do YOli now thi nk of
10
these innovators and those who follow them? Ayyoob
as-Sakhtiyaanec used to say, "No innovator works harder
(in worship etc.) except that he increases in distance away
from Allaah."
Innovations by definition do nol have any link wilh either
the Messenger (Wi) or hi s lime, and clC<lrly beckons 10
mi sguidance and the Firc. Thi s was Ihe understanding of
the illustrious scholars of the past. fro example we have
Imaam Zuhree approving of the attitude of Imaam Maalik
and saying. "Clinging to the Sunnah is to be saved as
Maalik said, 'Like the Ark 0/ Noah', he who embarked was
saved and he who did 1I0t was destroyed. " The onl y
guaranteed way 10 remai n guided is to uncompromisi ngly
stick to the Qur'aan and the Sunnah. even though the
majority lIIay be averse 10 it. The Messcnger (ji) said: '"
am leOlJillg you two things and you will never KO astray as
long as you holel fast to them. The Book of Allaah alld my
Sunnah." (Saheeh - narrated by al-Haakim and also by
Maalik in mursal form)
II
ALL INNOVATIONS IN THE DEEN STRICTLY
FORBIDDEN
The for1>iddance of innovation. can clearly be found in the
following aayah where Allaah has ordered the MUJlim. to
follow and accept as Decn only that which has been
revealed to the Prophet (*) in the Quraan and the Sunnah
and where all form. of worship nceded and approved of
have been sanctioned. and any other procedure or nonn
has been outlawed. "Follow Ihol which ha,f been revealed
to you from your Lord and do not follow as awlJyaa other
Ihan Him," (soorah AI-A'raaf 7: 3) This aayah i,
categorical in forbidding taking into comideration anyone
who originat.. new matters in the field of worshipping
Allaah because the right and the privilege to inform how to
wOlship Allaah belongs to no one but Himself. Someone
who comes along and institutes a new matter in the Deen
lUSUIlICS for himself the prCfogative that belongs solely to
AIlaah and claims by hi. behaviour as if Allaah includes
that act in His revelation. The innovators thus attribute Ii ..
to Allaah and illllcad of facilitating the Decn for the
people. on the contrary tum them away from Allaahl
Aa'isha reponed that the M .... ng.r (.) said: "Whoever
Introduces Into this ajJalr of aUrI something thai we have
not commanded Ills 10 be rejecled. (Saheeh - narrated by
al-Buhkaarec and Muslim) Rejected by whom. one may
ask. Quite obviously, r.jected by Allaah. Hi. Mcsscngey
(*) and the Muslim when he becomes aware that it cannot
be backed up by the Quraan or the Sunnah. It i. ve.,.
strange and the price we arc paying for it i. very high in
terms of conAlsion. contention and obscuring of the clear
Il
,
way, lhal one become. knowledacable of lhe corrCel
practice bul 11111 In.11l on earryln, on In lhe unju.lIned
way flOP and A.k Ihem, .Inee when did Ihey Ihlnk lhey
could play prClenderpropllClf ror lhe poople? The
Innovalon nol only Iquander away lhelr own lime and
relOurce. In lhelr rullle .Inrul InnOllalion. bul draa oIhert
InlO dolni Ihe I8me and richly doNNe our conlUre and
conlempl. Ir we had raUh In lhe AlmlahlY and lrolled whal
we have been alked 10 do, we could have nover lolerated
lhe preICncc or InnOll.tionl In lhe IOClety. Thare I. no way
lhat an Innovation will IUddenly IInclined And
admlulble 10 Alluh. The MUICn .. r (.) I8ld: ' Who,v"
dOli an IIcllon Ihal w. hav, not . 0mmanrJ. d, II will b,
"J,.IId' (Saheeh narralOd by lmum Mu.llm) Inwm
Nawawee, A. mcnlloncd by IIhShaukaance In
NII)'I-uI.AWWlr, e.hon. Ihil Ihl. Hadacth be mc.mcrlJed
and uJed In counleractlna the 01111. (munkaral) and makin,
lhem butll (obIoIClC).
Jaablr reponed lhal Ihe Meuen .. r C.) IIld: 'To pro.,.d
wllh: Th. bMII lIad .. lh (' pllch) Il lh. Book 0/ Allaah and
Ih' b .. I,uldanc, and ,xampl, i. lhal II/ Muhamma". And
Ih, w. '" 0/ all Ihlnll a" Ihl n, wly Inv. nlld Ihlnll, /0'
.. lfY Innovallon i. " ' 0' an" ml.,Iuldan ... ' (S.heeh
narmed by Mu.Jlm), and In anolher nlrrAllon .. . ' , vlfY
" , wly Inv.nl." malilf II bld'ah and ,v''Y bld'ah i.
dalaalah (goln, al lMY) and , v' 'Y dalaalah i. in Ih, FI" .'
(Saheeh narraled by .t. Tlrmldhee) So the proof I. nlbl
lhere under our very notCf thallher. I. no IUCh thlna II .
JDOd bld'ah, lhe popularly known bld'.h Haaanah. BId'.h
In IIIClr I. an error which lead. 10 the Fire and I. de/lncd
by lhe Me.ICnJOr (.) 10 be lhe worlllhinj lhal one "n
IJ
do. how can that be good in any fOrln or place? Unless
these vile innovators want to seduce the people by making
the ridi culous distinction between a good way and a bad
way of entering Hell . as if there were any such mat1er as a
good error in thc practice of the Deen in reality.
The Companions and the great schola rs of the past from
among our pious predecessors never come near to
innovation with knowledge and have unequivocally
advised against taking this destructive loathsome roulc.
Hudhayfah ibn alYamaan said: "Every act of worship that
the Companions oj Me .... \enger r*) did not do, do not do
them. " (Saheeh narrated by Aboo Daawood) [bn Mas'ood
said: "lHake 'iIIihaa (imitate and follow) and do not do
hid'ah for what YOII have been commanded is enollgh Jor
you. to (Saheeh narrated by ad-Daarimee) This was the
attitude of the Companions but now look lit the Muslims of
today. N,lIurally wc have less knowledge than thc first
generations and none of liS can ever compete with any onc
of them in pi ety and devotional works. In this situation is it
not reasonable to say that if they chose to be so careful in
sticking to what thcy had been taught by the Messenger
(tk) we should be evcn more so? After all. if with their
knowledge thcy did not feel secure in innovating, by virtue
of what special knowledge do the Muslims of today so
freely pander to novelties in the Decn? If the faith of the
early generation could not permit innovations isn't that the
sort of faith we need 10 cultiv:'lIe'l But there will always be
the few who would think they are wiser than the
Companions and they are the meanest of lhe dregs of
mankind.
14
,
Ibn al-Jawzcc quotes in his book Talbces Iblees the Imaam
al-Aw:t..aa'ce who said, "PaUenlly restrict yourself to the
Sunnah and do not go beyond the positions held hy the
Sahaabah (the Companions); hold their position and avoid
what they avoided. Take the palh oJlhe ,"ialafus-Saaliheen
(the Companions and the pious predecessors in the way of
the LOII/panions). Jor verily what was sufficient Jor them ~
sufficient for you." Lct no onc step into the shoes of
Muhammad (fi) as it were and changc the Decn that was
established through him by Allaah. The innovators
dismantle the Deen piece by piece until the hearts and
minds of the peoplc are left corrupted and polluted so they
are no longer able 10 recognise the Truth apart from
falsehood. They are like a cancer which slowly eats up Ihe
body from within.
We know this froll) the statement of the famous taabi'ee
(successor) Hassan Ibn Atiyyah who said that "/I/o people
introduced an innovation into their religion except that all
equivalent Sunnah is taken away from them. H (reported by
ad-Daarimee with Saheeh isnaad) the innovators and those
who encourage Ihcm by participating in thcir foul deeds
Me guilty of attempting 10 annihilate the DeeD because
they arc the demolishers of the religion. They are the
demolishers because they seek to pervert the Deen by
making it a way of misguidance. Ibn Ulllar said. "Every
innovation is mi,\"guidance even if the people regard it to
he ,,,omething good." (reponed by ad-Daarimee with
Saheeh isnaad) You have to be sick to say Islaam is
self-destructive, rather Islaam does not permit anything
which is not conducive to it. How can we respect these
people who steep themselves in innovatory practices in the
IS

name .f 1.laam And loudly profCII 10 be Ihe
IllIndard-bcareri of Ihe Faith? Would you lOCk 10 dellroy
1.laanl wllh your own lonsue. and hand. If you were a
Mu.llm and feared Alllllh Ind Ih. Day of Judlemenl?
Would you nol nahl aplnll IhOIO who lOCk 10 dIllon Ihe
eloar CIIldenee and hamper Ihe practice. of Muhammad
(II) and Ihe vlrtuou. CompanIon.? All Innovation. no
mailer whal lochnleal lerm. Ire applied 10 Ihem Bre
forbIdden In 1.lum Rnd mUll be uprooled In.hah Allaah.
Imum MRRllk lAid: "Whol.v., WOJ nol D .. n ot th.llm. 0/
Ih. Proph. , (1Ii) <.nnot b. <nn.,d.,..d 10 b part o/Ih.
D"n loda,y.' All lhal hal proceded In Ihl. IOCtlon 1011lly
tefUlea Ihe Idea of bld'ah HUAnnh And may Ihe Mu.llml
nol .eek e"eulO' on behalf of Shaltun In fftvour of .hlrk
(moclatlna anythlna with AllaRh). ameen.
16
SEVERE WARNING AGAINST INNOVATION
There may be knowledge present with the people and they
may be vcry intelligent too. yet it is not difficult to find
even among such persons the tendency sometimes to make
lillie of the commands and prohibitions of Allaah and His
Messenger (_). not to speak of those of us who are
ignorant and have learnt very little to control their own
desires. The problem is actually to do with the lack of
proper understanding. where faith has not yet entered the
hean and taken deep root. These people are still trying to
assert their own individuality over and above the dictates
in the revelation since they make too much of themselves
and arc puffed up with false hopes rising from a crooked
appreci.tion of Allaah's Decn. It becomes so easy for them
to neglect the Sunnah Bnd accommodate invented ways
that instead of trying to guide the straying individuals back
to the clear uncompromising way they would rather
accommodate the wretched inventions and shelter the
innovators in the name of peace, wisdom and hannony!
They have failed their own intelligence and knowledge and
richly deserve all censure and punishment from Allaah.
Thus Allaah subhaanahu wa talala says: "Lel those beware
who withstand the Rasool's orders, unless some jitnah
befalls them or a grievous penally be inflicted on Ihem."
(soorah An-Noor 24: 63)
The fitnah (trial) mentioned in the above aayah i,
explained to be kufr (disbelief). nifaq (hypocrisy) or bid'ah
in their hearts. while the grievous penalty is understood to
mean all forms of suffering in this world. (Ibn Kathecr)
Cenainly when we are steeped in innovations we cannot
17
expect the blessings of Allaah in our actions much less
Paradise in exchange as we shall shortly sec. because
certainly whenever we innovate we seck to <liter the
pcrspic.:lcious coutSC of action of the Messenger (*). II is
as ifby innovating we are trying to hide or obscure the one
and only path leading to Paradise for the others which as
can be appreciated is a monstrous thing to do. It is doing
the job of Shailaan in the guise of piety. a most effective
technique 10 cheat the senses of the well-meaning ignorant
people of the fraud invol ved.
Is il perhaps they have some special dispensation from
Allaah whereby they are absolved from listeni ng to certain
of His commands? Otherwi se how do their heans permit
them to remain calm over matters undeniably cooked-up
ilnd incorporated into the Deen as substitutes for the
cst<lbli shed way of the 5uonah? Either as a Muslim one
should be pl eased to know and follow the way of the
Messenger (III) or one should l.Ipportion to himself the
unwammted privilege to invem his own methods and
manners of worshipping Allaah. Evidently the latter way is
that of Ihe pagans. yet such a multitude continues to resist
giving up old or new unjustified habits, unjustifi ed that is
from the Qur'aan and the Sunnah. that one cannot help but
question the sanity or stability of their minds. What
manner of Muslims arc these who af1er knowing the truth
would still prefer their own ways" Allaah SlIys: "If anyone
contends with the Rasool even after guidance has heen
plainly conveyed 10 him and foll ows a palh olher than thai
of the believers, We shall lemle him in the path he has
chosen and land him in Hell. what an evil refuge/" (Soorah
An-NiSiI 4: 115)
18
Thus maillt'lilling own preferences and choices in the face
of guidance ill the Qur'aan and the Sunnah by adhering to
innovations certainly invites the wrath of Allaah whereby
He makes their deeds seem good to them in their hearts
and alluring to them in their minds thus bringing them
closer to destruction by degrees until they have Hell as
their final abode. This is the understanding we get when
we read the tilfseer of Ibn Kathcer pen3ining to thi s Clayah.
It is exaclly CIS the Messenger (*) explained, "A'ly likeness
mlwnKst you i ~ that of a man who lit a fire and when it
lights up what is around it, moths allli these creatures
which fall into the fire begin {o fall into it, and he trie,\' 10
prevent them but they get the better a/him alld plunge inlo
the fire: .\'0 that is my likene.\s amongst YOIl . I am taking
hold of you by your waists to (pull you away from) fhe Fire
(saying) 'Come away frQm the Fire', but you are
overcomitrg me and falling into it.!" (Saheeh mmated b)'
Im<tam Bukhaaree and [maam Muslim from Abdur
Rau .aak)
It is no good giving confusion as an excuse because of the
great differences that .ue to lx:: found ill the Ummah. The
truth is one and the truth comes from the guidance of
Allaah which in this case is revelation. The Messenger (Iii)
said. "AI/aah will only unite my Ummah on Kliidance."
(Sahcch - narrated by atTirmidhee) So if there is di sunity
on an affair then one should seck (he tnlth from the
evidence. The Messenger (Aie) has ' 11so said. """y Ummah
will never agree upon dalaalah (error). " (Saheeh
narrated by atTirmidhee and alHaakim) Maybe Ihe truth
is only with a single person? Who has the evidence? If
evidence does not matter then how do you decide whose
19
opinion 10 accepl? II "108m buill on opinions? Should you
""""pI opinion. wilhoul any t.xt for it in Ihe Qu(08n and
Ih.Sunnah?
Eilh.r Ih. act of worship i. sanctioned by AIlO8h or il i.
not. If il is 10 be acceptabl. to AIlO8h it will be found .ith.r
in Ih. Qu(aan or the Sunnah. oth.rwl .. II i rroneous and
nothin, will make II rl,ht. ev.r. ThaI diff.rence will ari ..
was for.told by our M .... n'.r C.) and the .. nllbl. person
in Ihal .lIualion will seek 10 do nOlhln, bUI follow Ih.
exampl. of Ihose worthy to be followed. Who .1 .. can they
be olh.r lhan Ih. M .... n'.r C.) him .. lf and whom h.
him .. lf horted for u.? H. C.) said: "/exhortyou tofta,
A lIaah and to hta, and obey tvtn If (Ihe ant In command)
" an slave. and he amongst you that would
8urvlv. afler mt would .... groal differtnc ... So hold fast
10 my Sunnah and to tht su"nan 0/ tht Khuiafaa'i
Ran . hl,I... al-Mnhdlyttn (th. fou, "ghlly guld.d
caliphs), ndh". til It and cling to It tightly and bewart of
InnovntlomrJbr every InnOVation 1.\' hld'ah and ,very bId/an
I. dnlnalah." CSahech - narraled by Aboo Dawood.
.t-Tirmldhec and Ibn Maajah)
Ibn Ma.'ood narrated: "Th. M .... ng" of Allaah r-) drtw
allne/ur U$ and then :rald: 'This Is Afloah's St,.alght Path.'
Th.n ht drew line. to It. "ght and lefl. then h. sold:
Th art (oth,,; paths, upan 'Vtry on. ofth.m th.rt Is a
dtvtl calling towards It. ' h. nclt.d (from . oo,ah
An'aam aayah IJJ)." CSahech - narraled by Ahmad.
an-N.saa'ce. al-Haakim and ad-Daarimec) "V"lIy thl. I.
My Straight Path, '''' follow It and follow not (other) path
th.y wlll"'pa,ale you away from His Path. Thl. H. has
10
ardaln.d for you Ihal you may b.com. piau . ' (1OO1Ih
al-An'aam 6: 153) It Illhu. manireilihal all palbl do nol
lcad 10 Allaah or Paradloc. a much adored bul woefully
nlillakcn nollon. and Ihe way 10 '\leee,. in belh Ihe world.
I. only one. Choo.lng allY olher way i. 10 be deceived by
Ihe devil and we Ihould counler Ih. hardened Innovalo" a.
nOlhlllg bul Blonll or Ihe Shaltann. A.h-Shaallbee whil.
comlllonllni on Ihl. Royah IDyl: "Th. Stralghl P.th I. th.
P.th of AII h which H. call.d to anti It I., th. Sunnah.
and th. paths (th. oth" path.) art th. ways of tho," In
dl.ag".III.nt who hind., from A lIaah '. way - and th.y art
peopl. of Innovallon. What I. not m.ant art Ih. way. of
lin, _'fIne, SII1S al'II ntlvIf token by anyone Q." a way 10
follow always In oppa . ltlon to Ih. Sho,..'oh, rath.r thl.
tI ... crlpllon I. parllcular(y to the n.wly Inv.nt.tI
Innovation", II
Only OliO aroup rrom amon, Ih. lCVenly edd aroupl will
10 10 Pnradloc and Iho Olho" will not do 10 preci .. ly
beeaulC they cho .. to InllovDt. new way. ror IhemlClvo .
They eRit Id. Ih. Sunnah and conlidored It bellor to
rormulalo alld orialnale novel way. or wo"hlppln, AllIl8h.
a. Ir Ihey know beller Ihan Ihe vory peoplo who ""rounded
Ih. MellOnler O. Abdullah Ibn Amr repo"od thai. "Th.
MII nll.r (II) said: 'Iho 'I'll. which b'f.1I tho lIan
/"00' 1 .holl b'f.IlI11Y Umm.h, .0 lIIuch IJ th.t 1/ thor,
wn" 011' amtJngst IhBm that openly commllttld !orn/cat/nn
with lib moth" h ~ , . ~ would be ont! among my Umman who
would do that 100. Anti th. Ban .. /., ' .. 1 .pllt Into
vonty-two ."t., and my Ulllntoh shall .pllt Into
seventy-Ihre ... ct . All of th.1II will b. In th. Fire, .xcopt
on. group. ' 1'h.,Y (th. Sohaobah) .old: 'Which on. I. that
21
a Messenger?' Whereupon he said: '/t is the one to which I
and my Companions belong. ' " (Sahcch - narrated by
at-Tinlljdhcc) In another narration N seventy-two will
be in the Fire and one in Paradise, and that is the
Jama'ah." (Saheeh - narrated by Aboo Daawood and
others)
This is the severe warning against innovation. It is nothing
other than burning and boiling in Hell . SO who among us
who is taking the advice to save oneself from the Fire
"even it he with half a piece of dale" will be indulgent in
innovations? Innovation when viewed from the context or
the Qur'aan and the Sunnah find no scope to be
lIccommodatcd in the least except among the crass fools.
22
CURBING THE TENDENCIES FOR INNOVATING
Perhaps the mai n reason why innovations occur, keeping
to one side the innovations thai take place due 10 the
malicious nature of some of the perpetrators from among
Ihe enemies of AlIaah and Hi s Messenger (*). is the desire
to please Allaah .md gain rewards from Him, applied
ignorantly and erroneously. Such people do nol even aim at
insulting the Messenger 0 or to put down the Sharcc'ah.
rather they wish to make lip for their defi ciencies in their
worship by such acts and see them as convenient ways 10
acquire goodness. However. such people soon lend to fall
into the di sgusting behaviour where they would preferably
carry on in the negative acts of innovation and keep on
neglccting what is essential for them to do in the Dccn as a
result of not basi ng their faith and practice on the cl ear
knowledge of the Qur'aan and the Sunnah. Innovations
become the escape hatch for thcm to rid themselves oflhci r
guilty consciencc. Thus you will find so many so-called
Muslims who arc so care free regarding thcir fi ve daily
prayers but very parti cular about going to the graves of
known holy people to seck thei r blcssings! You may have a
man who prays five timcs <Ill ri ght but kecps on missing
Jumu' ah week after week and vcry strict about mai ntaining
innovatory rel igious gatherings which they call meelaad.
Actually a lot of thi s is due to the COffilpt and misguided
people to whom the olhers turn to for knowledge in the
matters of the Deen, people who sec in Islaam a way to
gai n fame and influence and power, people who see Islaam
as a business i.e., people whose purpose is to make money
oul of performing acts of worship. people who thrive on
23
MOIariani.m and .hirk, and th.r. are 10 many o( theml
Small wonder InnO\lation. nnd an cal)' time in the lOCiety
and th. general ma nnd It 10 difficult to .ome out or
them.
Th. M .... nflOr (III) laid to three men who after IlIqulrln,
into the worship or th. Prophet IBid: "Wh." do w Iand
In ""lIIparl.,on 10 Ih. Nab .. (Prophel) (ill) Jar Allaah ha.
forgiven hi. pa.1 and pr ... nl 61",.' One IBid: 'I will
ob .. ",. pray" all nlghl .v.ry nlghl." The other laid: "I
will IIh.,.",. Ja61 .v.ry day.' The third IBid: 'I will k .. p
away from women and nevI' marry. II However, Alluh'
M .... n.or (III) IBid to them. "1.1/ you who .ald 6uch and
such a Ihlng? By Allnahl I Jear Allaah Ih. 1110.1 from
alllangsl you, bUll In.1 and I eal, I pray and 1,1 .. p and I
al,. lIIarry. Who.vcr lurn. away from my Sunnoh I. nol oj
lIIe." (Saheeh narrated by alBukhaaree and Mu.lim) ,
Thl. Hadeeth .Iearly .how. thai the three people ccnccrned
did not wi.h to do anythin. bad but rather wanted to be
.Io.er to Allaah and have their .in. (orsiven, but the
(atality of their dccl.lona lay In th. fact that they wanted to
do that which i. not .hown by the Sonnah. They were
motivated by the bctt or Intention. yet their action. were to
be 10 deplorable Ihat the Me ... nser (III) had to .xplaln to
them that Ir what they wanted 10 do were prompted by their
(car of Allaah then they .hould know that he (III) fe.red
Allaah the l11OI! and they .hould do nothlna clIO but follow
the Sonnah which I. the only way and the bell way to
worship Aliaah whom we rcar. A lOVere warning was then
given .howlng that when we keep aloof (rom the S.nnah
24
and adopt our own mcthodJ we in effect detach our .. lve.
from being pan of hi. Ummah.
Now look at how we have become 10 depraved I We ICC 10
many example. quoted regarding our piou. wo"hlppc",
.torie. undoubtedly concocted or exaggerated beea ... our
knowledgeable pioua wo"hippc" could not have nouted
the Sunnah on purpoae, and 10 many of our brothe" and
.ille" become full of admiration for th. feat. mentioned in
thole .tori .. , that it i. of very lillie .urpri .. that the val ...
of people at large become coloured by them and dlllOned,
with the reoult that the Sunnah IOIC. it. appeal agahut
theIC farfetched fabricationa. For .xample we have lOme
people trying to inculcatc faith in the religion talking about
luch and such a devOled .. tvant of Allaah pcrhapl praying
twO tho_nd r k ~ every night and then garni.h It with
other wk. of ardour like doing 10 with a .ingl. wudhoo
(ablution) from r.ha till Flijr and never .Ieeplng a wink at
night whil. performing ""'h ploit. for fony y .. ,,1 The
lim .. " gasp with IOUnda of amazement and CIlccm while
the .peaker then makeI the moll of it by "prelling hi.
delight and ve .. ration for IUCh accompli,hment. and then
making evcryone fccl guilty for not even trying to be like
IIICh 'heroes' I Doca anyone Mop to aok if ""'h wu the
practicc of the Ma .. nger (.), If he (.) ever taught u. to
appreciate 1.loam and it. people in IIICh away, whether the
Companiona were of IIICh performing merittl All thi.
nonaenae workl prcci .. ly bccau .. we remain Ignorant of
and unmoved by the teachln" of the rev.ration by the
M .... nger (*) and hi. noble Companion .
Aa'isha reported that the Messenger (tit) performed an act
and gave permission for it to be done, bUI some people kept
themselves aloof from it. This news reached the Messenger
(*) and he delivered a khutbah (sermon) praisi ng Allaah
and then said: "What is the matter with the people thai
they avoid doing a thing whic;/r I do. By Allaah I have Ihe
hest knowledge of AlIaah amon/:stthem and I fear Ilim the
most." (Sahcch narrated by al -Bukhaaree and Muslim)
Thus to limit the spread of innovations and contai n them
from becoming too profoundly embedded in the hearts and
minds. and inevitably remove them. it is imperative that
one turns for guid.lIlee only to the two pure sources of the
Qur'aan and the authentic Hadecth of the Messenger (iii) .
The person should always establi sh as far as he is capable
whet her any act of devotion or prayer is evidenced in the
Book il nd the Sunnah or not, whether il is the very act
itself or the manner in which it is done, and take every
detail of it into acconnt. He needs to understand that the
Messenger's (*) way is thc best way and havc unshakeable
confidence in the practices of the Companions from the
SUllnah. Therefore one h'ls to acquire knowledge of the
Deen .lIld know that Allaah has indeed said so or the
Messenger (*) has indeed said SO or done so in any affair
of \\,orshi p.
One needs to understand Ihal the Companions of the
Messenger (*) were the best of the generat ions and we
cmlllot have a beller understanding of the Faith or its
praclice! Imllam Ma' llik said. f ~ who illll(wates an
innovalion ill Is/aam regarding it as sOllwthing good has
claimed thnt l\lllhallJlllod (* ) has helnl.v(:d hi.\' fruSllO
26
de/iwr Ihe Message as AI/aah says: 'Today have I
completed your Deen. ' And whatever was nof pari of the
Deen then, is nol part of the Deen IUday." (AI -['tisaam of
Ash-Shaati bce) This was the fi nn stance of onc of the
greatcst of the scholars and we would do well to lcmn from
such people.
Islaam came and removed all traces of Jaahili yyah
(ignorance) both from the manners of worship and from
Ollr minds. i.e., in our outlook and thought s,
alhamdulillaah. If we are to follow our own concepl of
what is :lcceptable and what is not pertaining 10 how to
worship Allaah. thcn we are no bellcr than the pagans who
chose 10 glorify and beseech Him according to their whims.
)S)33111 repulsed Jaahiliyyah sa complete)y from the Deen
that evcn the aspect of food and drcss were no len.
untouched.
Allaah subhaanahu \Va ta'ala says: "Who has forhidden the
beautiful (gifls) of A IInnh which lie hns produced for His
Servanls, m,d the things that are layyibaat for
sustenance?" (5OOmh AI-A' raaf 7:32)
It is relilled in the tafsccr of Ibn Katheer from Abul Qmlsi m
at-Tabraancc who ultimately takes it from Ibn Abb.13S thai
the Quraish uscd 10 make tawaaf (cireumbui ation) of the
Ka'bah naked, whi stling and clapping. so AUaah revealed
the abovc aayah and ordered them to wear clothes. Ibn
Kat hccr also explai ns Ih .. 11 this aayah is <l Isa a reply to
those who forbid anyt hing rcg .. uding food, drink or
c10lhing on their own initiati ve without any prescription
from All aah. As can be scen in so many of the innovations
27
found among the people today. one is 110( allowed to cat or
conversely recommended 10 eal a certain type of sweet dish
on certain days or nights for getting special bl essings etc.
connected to rituals which are conducted in the name of
Islaam for the purpose of commemorating thi s or that
event or to honour such and such a holy man who passed
away 10llg ago. This is as a result of 1I0t fl ll1y appreciati ng
the completeness of the Decn and it being the only
permitted way to seck rewards from Him in worship.
Ibn Abbaas said: "We would come with him (Abdlil/ah ibn
Alas'ood) to the masjid. One day Aboo Moosa al-Asharee
came. looking worried and asked whether Ahoo
Ahdur-Rahmaan (ihn Mas 'ood) had come O/lt. We said:
'No'S"o he also sar waitillg When Ihn A-Ias 'ood came out he
(Aboo J\Ioo.m) said: 'Just now I saw ( m innovatioll bllt it
looks good ill seeing.' Ibn J\ !as'ood said: 'What did you
see?' Aboo Moosa said: 'I saw a group sitting in a circle
waiting for liS. "hey /tad pebbles in 'heir hands. In every
circle there wa.\ a man who said, 'say rakbeer one-hundred
times'so they said takbeer (;II/aallll-akhar) oll e-hundred
times. Then he said, 'say taltlee/ one-hundred timcs' so
they said laltleel (allwmdulil/(1(1h) limes, and
likewise [hey said tasheeh (suhhan4l1aah) fl ll e-hundred
times. Ihn Mas'ood said: 7 J,m what did yOIi say?' Aboo
A/oo.sa said: 'I did not say anylhing and I waited for you. '
II hilst talking hoth reached rhe masjid alld ohserved the
recitalioll in the manlier described by lI huo Aloos(/.
Addressillg the peuple of one circle Ihn J\4as'ood asked:
'What is !!. oinR on?' 'I hey 7hese are pehbles and 0 11
Ihem we are takheer, taltleel and tasheeh of
AI/aall. ' Ibn Alas'uod said: 'fllstead of this vou betler COlillt
28
your sins. I stand in surety that AlIaah will not allow your
virtues to go to waste. Alas 0 Ummah of Muhammad (tii) .
how soon you are spoiled. What a number ofSahaabah are
still amongst you. The clothes of the Prophet 0 are still not
worn out. The utensils he used are still intact. And so you
think that you are following a way which is beller than the
Prophet's and gives better guidance? Are you not opening
a door of deviation through this bid'oh?' The people
replied apologetically: 'By AI/aoh our neeyoh (intention)
was Kood. ' Ibn Mos'ood said: 'What 0 number of men there
are that intend good but never reach ihat good. ' "
(narrated by ad-Daarimee in as-Sunan)
The above aathaar is very clear in proving the point that
when a certain permitted way of glorifying Alhmh either
through words or action is performed by utili sing a new
style or in the setting of a new method or in the scheme of
a new way of getting rewards from Allaah. then thac
practice is an innovation which can only bring evi l Jel.
alone good. This is readily apparent from the statement of
Ibn Abbaas when he said. "Instead a/thiS you betler count
your sins." Contrast the attitude of Ibn Abbaas with those
with those of today where he says, "And so you think that
you are follOWing a way which is better than the Prophet's
and gives better gUidance?" Also note how Ibn Abbaas did
not accept their having good intentions as justification for
the bid'ah.
This is the core of the matter which we need to gmsp and
the essence of correct thinking which we need to develop.
that an innovati on is done only at the expense of tbe
Sunnah arrogating it to a bettcr w<ly than the
29
Messenger's (*) and that nothing ever from anyone no
mailer how learned or pious he may be can be better in any
way from that of the Messenger's (iii) way. This son of
comprehension and outlook is what is going to build up a
society where its people like the Companions and those
who followed them in their way will not tolerate the
slight est addjtion or alteration to what has come from
Allitah and His Messenger (ji) and the check against evil
and falsehood is ensured to be dynamic and immediate.
Now we can sec why the ways of the Salaf were neither
strict nor harsh but of wisdom which reflected the genuine
concern for the well-being of the Deen in the lives of the
people. Thus when once a man sneezed in the presence of
Ibn UmM and said he toAl/aah and peace be lipan
the H.asool," Ibn UmHr chastised the man and said: "The
Prophet ha., only taught us to say Alhllmdulillaah."
(narrated by at-Tirmidhee)
Innovations are the way through which the shayatccn from
among the jinn and the me n cause the worshipper to stray
frolll the right path and become closer to evil and more
sllsceptible to it. It is shirk in that one takes some others to
be also deifying for him something in the Deel1 . Ibn
Kathecr e);plains the foll owing aayah 10 mean, is:
they do nol follow the straight religion which Allaah has
prescribed for you, ralher they follow thai which their
devils from the jinns and h"mans stipulate for them."
"Whll1! Hm' f! they partners (with Allaah) who have
established for them something in the Dee" for which
Allnoh has J.!iven 110 permission for?" (soomh Ash-Shoorah
42:21)
30
A Muslim must decide and do so finn! y and clearly
whether he wants to worship Allaah by submitting to Hi s
Will by uncompromi si ngly sticking to the revelati on or by
becoming paganistic and deviated whereby he prefers
opinions and maxims of those around him with regards to
his Deen. The instruction of the Messenger (IS) is crystal
clear regarding the innovators. Ibn Mas'ood reponed that
the Messenger (_) said: "1here was never a nabee that
AI/aah raised amongst his Ummah before me except that
he had in his {Immah some hawaaryyoon (Helpers) and
Sahaabah (( 'ompanions) who held fast to hi.f sunnah and
followed his commands. They were then succeeded by 0
people who professed what they did nol aci upon and did
that which rhey were no commanded to do. S'o he who
makes jihaad in the way of Allaah) against them
with his hand is a heliever and rhe one who makes
against Ihem with his longue is a believer and one who
makes jihaad against them with his heart is a believer, buy
heyond Ihal there is not even a mustard seed of imaan."
(Sahceh - narrated by Muslim)
Ibn Taimiyyah says in
As-Siyaasat-ush-Shar'ecyah, "Ami some of the companions
ofa.'ih-Shaafl'ee and Ahmad and others have declared it 10
he permissible to kill the one who calls to innovations
which RO against the Book and tlu: 5iunnah - and likewise
many of the companions of AI/aalik. And they say:
Maalik and others allowed the killinf.: of the Qadir(vyah
because of Ihe corruption they spread in the land nut
because oflheir tllrning back from Ihe religion. '"
31
INNOVATIONS ARE THE WAY OFTHE
ACCURSED JEW
AND THE STRAYING CHRISTIANS
Both the Qur'aan and the Ahadceth make it abundantly
plain that innovating in the matters of the Deen is the way
of the People of the Book who split into so lUany sects ,and
subsccls as a result of selfish contumacy and mutual ri valry
even though they had the clear truth. They continually
backslidcd and harboured di ssatisfact ion with what Allaah
revealed for them and invented new ways to worship Him
as well as incorporated pagan traditions and customs illlo
thei r respective creed and practices. All thi s can be readi ly
gleaned from the myriads of hi stor)' and thcologiC<11 books
found on the development and philosophy of Judaism and
Chri stiani ty. Regrettably the situation with Ihe Muslims is
almost no beller than that of the People of the Book.
Unfortunately so much from Jaahiliyyah and polytheistic
cultures have seeped into the popular appli cation and
beliefs of Ishlam that one would indeed be very hard
pressed to find a community where the Sunnah shorn of all
innovations is adhered to as a custom. Not only docs
Allaah obligate the Muslims to differ from the unbelievers.
but at the same time He has mercifully showed us what is
wrong with the People of the Book and the pagans so we
may avoid being like them and escape the pitfalls they fell
into. but whal can we say of the Muslims who would rat her
they fell in those traps and became close to the rejecters of
AlIaah and Islaam? AlIaah azzawajill admonishes Ihe jews
on account of not being sati sfied \\ith that which was
revealed to them. bUI rather Ihey wished to substitute their
own forms of worship and pi ety. And the case is similar for
32
lhe Christians: "Ask the Children of Isma'eel how many
clear si1!ns We have sent them. But if anyone, after
Allaah's Favour has come to him, .tubstilutes (somethi ng
else) then Allaah is strict in punishment." (soorah
AI-B,iqarah 2:211)
Allaah also says: ''.''Jay: 0 People 0/ the Book exceed fl ot
the hounds in your religion, beyond the Truth.
Nor follow the vain desires of people who went astray ;n
limcs gone by. who mislead many and strayed from the
even way. ('/lrses were pronounced on thosc among thl!
rhildren of /:;raa'ee/ who were kaafirs, by the longue of
David and of Jesus son oj Mary: because they disobeyed
and per:;is fed in excesses." (soorah - AI-Maa'id<lh 5:
77-7R)
Thill innovations arc c:'\:cesses in the religion goes without
saying. They corne frol11 the vain desires of the people to
do more or bener than thc Messenger (. ) and his
Companions and since they are not from the knowledge or
prescription of the Qur'aan and the SUHnah innovations arc
justified only by tresp<lssing beyond Ihe trulh. As thc above
aayah establi shes. di sobedience to the rc\'clatioll and
persisting in excesses is an accursed thing 10 do and a
Muslim would do well to reflect on Ihe above aayah before
becoming defensive aboul any innovation no matter how
small.
33
THE PERSISTENCE OF INNOVATIONS
One of the major reasons for the unshakeable continuance
of bid'<lh is the strong inclination of the people to blindly
following the ways of the forefathers, which Allaah has
c1emly indicated in the Qur'aan: .. When it is :)oid to them,
'Follnw whal Allaah has revealed', they say, 'No.' We shall
f ollow the way of our fathers. ' What! Even thouK" their
fathers were void of wisdom and gUidance?" (soorah
AI-Baqarah 2: 170) So long as the tendency remains
among the Muslims in taking pride in one's ancestry or
tribal heritage. pride in one's culture and nationali sm. the
fi ght against innovati ons and ignorant ways is going to be
a long-drawn connic!. The call to AlIaah and to His
Messenger (II:) will go pretty much unheeded in preference
to slicking 10 what has been inherited from tradition and
cuslom in the family etc., no m.llter whal has been
acquired is based on knowledge lhat it is correct or not.
"When it is said 10 Ihem. 'Come to what Allaah ha!i
revealed, come 10 the Ales!icnger', Ihey say, 'Enough for us
are the ways we found Qur fathers following. ' Whal! Even
though their fathers were void of knowledge and
gUidance?" (soorah AI-Maa'idah 5: 107)
We have to tackle this unwarranted disposition of the
people towards maintaining rit es and structures in the
popular Islaam of the people if we are going to be dealing
with the problems of innovations in the Ummah. At the
same time we have to understand that innov.ltions are
going to be allowed to continue because they have a 101 to
lose by the people turning away from misguidance. The
end result for him who turns away from guidance and
34
adheres to whal has been adopted through history is
nothing other than the rejection of Isla<lm itself. Both of
these two facts have been alluded to in the Qur'aan. "JUSI
in the same way, whenever We sent 1I warner before you 10
any people, Ihe weallhy ones among them said. 'We found
our f athers [ollowing a cerlain religion and we will
certainly Jollow in their footsteps. ' He said. 'What! Even if
I brought you better guidance 'lion that which YOII fotlnd
your Jalhers following?' They said, 'I-or us, we deny Ihal
you (Prophel.'ij are sent (on a mission at all).' " (soomh
AI-Zukhroof 43: 23) and other <layat in the Qur'aan of
similar meanings.
Innov(ltions arc not from tile Qur'ilan or the Sunnah and it
will be a cause of great regret on the Day of Judgement.
Allaah says: "The Day that Iheir Jaces will be IUrned
upside down by the Fire. they will sa.y, 'Woe 10 liS! Would
that we had obeyed Allaah and obeyed His }'fessel/ger. ' "
(soorah AI-Ahzaab 33: 36)
35
ADVICE AND CONCLUSIONS
Innovations are a challenge 10 the Oeen as given by Allaah
to His Messenger <tit> in the Qur'aan and the Sunnah. It is
a Illost subtle way to corrupt the religion from within
whereby the perpetrators are made to feci justified in their
innovatory <lclions. II is the perfect tool of the Shaitaan
which cats into the very essencc of imaan (faith).
Ash-Shaatibee has defined bid'ah as "0 n w ~ v invented way
in the religion in imitalion of/corresponding to the
S'haree'ah, by which nearness 10 AI/aoh is sought, not
being supported by any authentic proof, neither the action
itself nor the way it ;s performed." Hence the more
innovations are found among the adherents of Islaam. the
morc they become people of a Decn other than that of
Muhammad <*).
Although innovations arc rampant and the vast majority of
the so-called religious experts and thc ' maulanas' and
'maulavis' accommodatc them cithcr for the sake of
keeping the people happy or because they themselves :lTe
active supporters of them, being misguided and ignorant.
the Muslim whose heart throbs with the faith in Allaah and
fears His punishmcnl, brings a level of conviction in the
adcquacy of the Faith as contained in the two blessed
sources which does not allow him to seck any means other
than what has been shown by His Messenger (Ill) . Such a
Muslim has full satisfaction in the Sunnah because that is
what brings a man out of the depths of darkness into
enlightenmcnt and such a man has full confidence in the
correctness and desirability of thc Sunnah as opposed to
the evil innovations. All aah says about most of the people
36
on earth: 'Iff you were to follow ",Volt of them on the earth
they will lead you away from the way of AJlaah. They
follow nothing hut conjecture. they do nothing but lie!"
(5OOrah AI-An'aam 6: 116) Thus one must not allow
oneself to be swayed by the sheer magnitudc of the number
of people who makc little of innovations and who dabble in
them thinking they arc doing a grcat job in Islaam.
A Muslim must recognise thc great favour that Allaah has
donc to humani ty by sending us thc best of manki nd
Muhammad (iii) as Hi s last mcssenger. and not seck any
crookedness in revelation. Innovations arc ,I way of
showing di spleasure and discontcntment at what has been
bestowed llpon mankind in Ihe Qur' ilan and the way of the
Messenger (*) and one must understand that all
innovations in the Decn. no mauer how they arc justified
and how they arc implemented arc evil. This we have seen
before in the Ahadccth reported in the Sahech of Muslim
and by <II-Tirmidhee quoted in the chapter "Alllnilovation
in the Deen Strictly Forbidden". Allaah says: "But few of
my Servants are thmtkful." (soorah As-Sabaa 34: 13) Thus
one must remember that to show true gratitude and
thankfulness to AlIaah one must do so in the way of the
Messenger (iii) only and not become influenced by the
majority since they arc ungrateful and the proof of that is
in their disbelicf, disobedience and innovations. Imaam
Mmtlik said: "Nothing will benefit the Ummah (0 come
except lhat which benefiled the e l r ~ y Ummah. " (Ibn
Taymiyyah in Qaa'idah lalcelah wa Tawwasul
walWaseelah)
37
The problem is not that people at large do nol believe in
the e.xistencc of Allaah or that He is the supreme deity. but
in that the people do not worship Allaah except by
associating partners with Him. Thi s is cleM from many
aayat in the Qur'aan and a Muslim would do well to
remember what Alla"h says of the l11<1jority who do believc
in Him: "And most of them do not believe in Allaah except
that they are IIII1;)hriks." (soor<lh AI Yoosuf 12: 106) Thus
shirk is found among the Muslims and one is on vcI)'
qucstionable grounds when he Jc<l\'CS the safe and
prescribed way of the SunRah and delve into innovating
and innovations.
When knowledge is the privilcge of the few lind ignorance
is widcspread and temptations abound amidst a cruel
competing world. innovations find fertile ground to
fl ourish. both as a source of worldly benefit for the evi l
1I1I1I<'Itors and llcconllnodators but also for the
wcll-mC<lIling unknowing devotee who seeks to be blessed
by Allaah and honour Islaam's great servants. but who are
used by the first sci of people to rob them of thei r time and
wealth. The Islaam portrayed by the Messenger (*) and
his sincerc pious followers the Companions. becomes a
strange way. and Ihe one who calls to the Sunnah is
c.lsli gated and frowned lIpon as at best a troublemaker and
at worst outside the fold of Islaam altogether. Sueh is the
topsy-turvy state of affairs now-a-days. but we take comfort
from the words of our bel oved Messenger (*) who said:
"lxlaam began a ... a ,\'tranger and shall return as a
strallf:!er. ,\'0 give glad fi dinJ:s to the strangers." (Saheeh -
narrated by Muslim) and in another narralion: "SQ give
3M
K/nd tidinw; to the strangers. those who plll right what the
people have corrupted of my Sunnah." (Sahcch - narrated
by itl-Tirmidhee)
In a world of desires and passions where Ihe clear tmth
becomes clouded by the whims and fancies of men, one
needs to develop and maintain faith in the revealed way so
that one cannot be deceived into believing that everyone
and everything is O.K. simply because they all parade in
front of our eyes raising 'Islamic' slogans and hold aloft the
banner of the call to Unity. Abdullaah Ibn Mas'ood said:
"The Jamaa'ah is what is the Truth. Even if it i s only one
person." One must know what is the way of the final
Messenger C*) and seck unity, brotherhood. and pc<lce 011
thai basis and nevcr give in to the popular demands of
narrow-mindedness whose focus of attention hardly ever
wavers beyond this life. If it ever happens that there is only
one man in the whole of the Ummah who is on lhe path of
the Messenger (*) and his Companions, then he is the one
wilh whom unity is to be sought imd he is the Jam<la'ah.
The man with the truth must not fear the straying ignomnt
self-seekers. rather he ought to revive the Sunnah wherever
and whenever he can. AI-Fudayl ibn Ayyaad said: "Follow
the way.\' of gUidance and you will not be harmed by tire
small amounl 0/ people on that way (snnlikeen). And
beware of the way'" of misguidance (dalan/all) and do nnt
be deceived by the la'1?e number of those who go to
de.\'tructiof1 . ..
The Salaf of the past would not even want to hear the talk
of the innovators Jet alone sit with them 10 learn anything
oflhe Decn from them. They took grc(lt caution not to be
39
affeCled by Iheir discourse and took pains nollO allow their
hearts to be impressed by anything coming from a grafting
on 10 the Deeo. AI-Hasan and Ibn Sccreen said, "Do not sit
with the people of innovation, do not debate with them and
do not listen to them. " (Sunan-lld-Daarimee : 11110) The
Salaf used to consider the words of the Jews and Christians
safer than the words of the innovators. because in the
fanner case their falsehood is evident and less likely 10
cause us 10 st ray. but in the laller case it is more difficult to
sill the tmth from falsehood and more prone to attract us to
vanity and thaI which pemicious. Ibn al-Mub<larak said.
"Indeed we re/ale the words of the .Jews and the Christians
bllt we are not able to relate the words of the Jahmiyaah."
(Siyar A'laalll an-Nubalaa of adh-Dhahabce 8: 355) The
Jahmiyaah were a group of people who denied the
attributes of Allaah using logic and argumentation because
Ihey thought that would make Allaah similar 10 Inan!
Asmaa ibn Ubaid said. "'Two men of the people of vain
desires (in/lovator.,) entered upon Ibn Seereen and said, '
a Aboo Bakr, may we speak to YOII J' lie said, 'No!' They
said, 'A'/ay we recite to you an aayah from the Book of
Allaah?' lie said, "No! Indeed you will either get up and
leave me or I will get lip and leave. ' So they went out and
some of the people said, '0 Ahoo Bakr! What harm wOllld
it have done for you for them to read an aayah from the
Book vf Allaah?' He said, '/ feared that they would read an
aayah to me and change it and that would remain in my
hearl. ' " (Sunan-ud-Da.arimee : 1/109) The advice is as
AI-Hasan said. "Do not sit along wilh an innovator so Ihat
he throw.\ into your heart something that you might go
along with and thus he destr(}yed, or you disagree with him
and your hearl becomes ill." Indeed it is to our own
O ~
advantage that we tread the path of the Salaf which is the
path that 1e.1ds to Paradise.
In fact not only is it our concern that we do not allow the
innovator or their innovations have any hold in society but
as the Salaf used to say, it is for the Muslims to expose
them and uproot their roots from the society so that their
rotting touch may not reach the hearts of the people. Ibn
usSalah said. "II is permissible to talk about the innovator
behind his back - rather to mention cor,dition at any
time, whether he is absent or present so long as the
intention is to warn the people 0/ his condilion. The pious
forefathers (S'alaf-us-Saaliheenj were upon this - or those
o/them who did thaI. IJ is permissible to speak a/that even
ifnot asked a question or for another case, and the case is
the same for the reporter 0/ and the writer - that
which would make him unreliable - such as etc. (is to
be made known), since some 0/ the :icholars used to make
Tawaa/ around the Ka'bah while saying, 'So and so is
unreliable', 'so and so is a liar', and they usecl to regard
that as a means of nearness to AI/aah, and likewise
speakinK of the Faasiq is permissible in order 10
warn those who are ignorant of his condition whether he is
one openly or secretly." (Fataawa Ibn usSalah 21497)
41
SUMMARY
(a) The Ahl ul-Bid'ah have been warned by Fire: "";very
bid'ah is dolaalah and every dolaalah is in the Fire."
(Saheeh - narrated by al-Tinnidhec)
(b) Their actions will be rejected by and Hi s
Messenger (tIC) : "Whoever does an action that we have nut
commanded (hen that action shall he rejected. II (Saheeh -
narrated by Muslim)
(e) Tawb(lh (repentance) shall not be accepted from them:
Allaah does not accept the tawbah oj the Saahih
ul-Bid'ah (one who commits innovalions), unlit he stops the
bid'ah." (Sahceh - narrated by at-Tabaraanee and
al-Maqdcscc in al-Mukhtaarah)
(d) Shifaa (intercession by the Messenger (iii) on the Day
of Judgement) will not accepted of the onc who commits
bid'ah: "Verily 1 shall proceed you /0 the Founlain (oj
AI-Kawthar). Whoso will pas.\' hy me shall drink and whoso
will drink will never get thirsty. People whom I will know
and who will know me will certainly come 10 me for drink
hut there will be a barrier between them anc! me. Then I
shall say: 'Verily they are of me. ' It will be ,mid: 'You
certainly do nol know what bic!'ah Ihey made after you. '
Then I shall say: 'Be off those who made hid'ah aJh:r me.'"
(saheeh - narrated by alBukhaarcc and Muslim)
(e) They will not be considered a part of the Ummaah:
"Whosoever /Urn,,!; away from my Sunnah is nor of me."
(S<lheeh narrated by a]Bukhaaree and Muslim)
42
AI-Hasan al-Basri said. "The people claimed that Ihey
loved A/Jaah Ihe Glorious and Exalled, so they tested them
with this aayah. "Say: If you do love A/Jaah. follow me:
AI/aah will love you and forgive you your sins: for AI/aah
is Ofl-Forgiving, Most Merciful." (Soorah Aaljlmraan 3:
31) The (mth of one's claim 10 Islaam lies in the adherence
to the Sunnah and its opposite is proved by the practice of
innovations.
43
"...II-oUI .... ; 6 II a".Jl..Il

.,-'-'r .I.t...,aJIJ .,.uu
\\ 'T'( .. ". ,,,,:, .
t '",1M ..,..su _ t "VTlT _ t,.,\ I A ";'1,.
f _ "" IAT \ ,..", T _ 'AV'I"'t'OT 0Mr I \ _ "t",.tv ..,MJI : .:.J:< II
INTEIINA nONAL ISLAMIC PUBLISHING HOUSE
1.1. P. H.
"'i n 7 .....,.05" . .... *,IoaUAnlnIlPMIfI1'OLM. ,
HEAOOf'FlCE: P.O.ao. 561ts - Rl',,,,,,S34 . s.udlAt.tM
Tit: ( .... 1) 0&8&01' ..... 1213 Fa.: 4133
IK>OtC: SHOPS: Rt,edh U .. ,2 .... , 31521Kt1ob..-!' 5121
0052002121