Every Innovation is Misguidance
EVEN IF THE PEOPLE THINK IT IS GOOD
By the Shaykh Saleem
al-Hilaalee [1]
The people of knowledge, from the Companions, the taabi'een (their followers) and the Imaams of the Muslim who followed in their footsteps; whose excellence has been testified to, are all agreed upon the blameworthiness of bid'ah (innovations) and their evil, and that one should be free from innovations and those connected to it. There was no doubt about this from any of them, nor any withholding from that.
So here are some authentic sayings reported from
them, as examples of their living and clear actions. So if we take some
examples from the level of the Companions, we find that which brings delight to
the heart of one who seeks to follow his Messenger sallallaahu 'alayhi wa
sallam, whilst also refuting the opinion of the innovators:
'Abdullaah
ibn Mas'ood radiallaahu 'anhu said:
"Follow and do not innovate, for you have been given that which is
sufficient [and every innovation is misguidance]." [2]
'Abdullaah
ibn 'Umar radiallaahu 'anhu said:
"Every innovation is misguidance, even if the people consider it to be
something good." [3]
And if
we look at their actions we will see that they were in total agreement with
their sayings:
So 'Amr ibn Salamah narrated: We used to sit
at the door of 'Abdullaah ibn Mas'ood before the morning Prayer, so that when
he would come out we would walk with him to the mosque. One day Abu Moosaa
al-Ash'aree came to us and said: Has Abu 'Abdur-Rahmaan (i.e. Ibn Mas'ood) come
out yet? We replied: No! So he sat down with us until he came out. When he came
out we all stood along with him, so Abu Moosaa said to him: O Abu
'Abdur-Rahmaan! I have just seen something in the mosque which I deemed to be
evil, but - and all praise is for Allaah - I did not see anything except good.
Ibn Mas'ood inquired: "What did you see?" Abu Moosaa replied: If you
live, you too will see it. In the mosque I saw people sitting in circles
awaiting the Prayer. In each circle they had pebbles in their hands and a man
would say: repeat Allanhu Akhar a hundred times. So they would repeat it a
hundred times. Then he would say: repeat Laa ilaaha illallaah a hundred times.
So they would repeat it a hundred times. Then he would say: repeat
Subhaanallaah a hundred times. So they would say it a hundred times. Ibn
Mas'ood then asked: "What did you say to them?" Abu Moosaa said: I
did not say anything to them. Instead I waited to hear your view, or what you
declared. Then we went along with him, until he came to one of these circles
and stood up and said: "What is this I see you doing?" They replied:
O Abu 'Abdur-Rahmaan! These are pebbles upon which we are counting takbeer,
tahleel and tasbeeh. He said to them: "Rather, count up your evil deeds. For
I assure you that none of your good deeds will be lost. Woe be to you O Ummah
of Muhammad sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam! How quickly you head into
destruction! These are the Companions of your Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa
sallam and who are widespread. There are his clothes which have not yet
decayed, and his bowl which is unbroken. By Him in whose Hand is my soul!
Either you are upon a religion better guided than the Religion of Muhammad
sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, or you are opening the doors of misguidance."
They said: O Abu 'Abdur-Rahmaan! By Allaah! We only intend good. He said to
them: "How many there are who intend good, but do not achieve it. Indeed
Allaah's Messenger sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam said to us: "A people
will recite the Qur'aan, but it will not pass beyond their throats." By
Allaah I do not know, but perhaps most of them are from you." Then he
left. Amr ibn Salamah said: We saw most of those people fighting against us on
the day of Nahrawaan, alongside the Khawaarij. [4]
So this excellent narration encompasses many
great principles, which are not known except to those who follow the Messenger sallallaahu
'alayhi wa sallam, those who do not put anything before Allaah and His
Messenger, but rather say: We hear and we obey.
So
from the principles are:
Firstly: That the One who prescribed the ends,
did not Forget to prescribe the means. So when Allaah prescribed For His
servants the dhikr (rememberance of Allaah), He did not forget to
prescribe the means and the way to do this. So Allaah's Messenger sallallaahu
'alayhi wa sallam used to count the tasbeeh (glorifications of
Allaah) upon his right hand [5]
and he said that they (i.e., the fingers) will he questioned and would speak. [6]
Secondly: That al-bid'ah al-idbaafiyyah is
misguidance. And al-bid'ah al-idbaafiyyah is: that type of innovation
which is based upon a proof with regards to its foundation, but it has no proof
with regards to the manner or the form. That is why it is called idbaafiyyah
(something added on). And this type of innovation is, from one angle,
directly against correct guidance, and from another angle, it is in agreement
with it. So these people did not say something which is kufr
(disbelief), nor did they do something which was in itself evil, rather they
were remembering Allaah - and this is something which is prescribed by
Revelation. However, the manner in which they performed this action went
against the guidance laid down by Muhammad sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam,
and so the Companions opposed them and told them to count this amongst their
evil actions instead.
Thirdly: Allaah - the Most Perfect, the Most
High - is not to be worshipped, except by what He prescribes. So He is not to
be worshipped according to desires, customs or innovations.
Fourthly: That innovations kill off the Sunnah.
So this group of people innovated a new way of performing dhikr
(remembering Allaah), which was not reported from Allaah's Messenger sallallaahu
'alayhi wa sallam. So in doing this, they killed off the guidance of
Muhammad sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam. And this is a principle which
the Salafus-Saalih (Pious Predecessors) well understood, and they knew
for certain that innovations and the Sunnah cannot unite together:
Hassaan ibn 'Atiyyah (d.120H)- rahimahullaah
- said: "No people introduce an innovation into their religion, except
that its like from the Sunnah is ripped away from them." [7]
Fifthly: That innovations are the cause for
destruction, since it leads to abandoning the Sunnah, and this causes
tremendous misguidance. The noble Companion 'Abdullaah ibn Mas'ood radiallaahu
'anhu said: "If you were to abandon the Sunnah of your Prophet then
you would go astray." [8]
So if the Ummah goes astray then it is destroyed. Therefore 'Abdullaah ibn
Mas'ood said to that group: "O Ummah of Muhammad sallallaahu 'alayhi wa
sallam! How quickly you head into destruction."
So the particular relevance of Ibn Mas'ood's
understanding is reflected in the context of the above narration. So Abu Moosaa
al-Ash'aree radiallaahu 'anhu did not criticise them, rather he waited for the
view or the order of 'Abdullaah ibn Mas'ood radiallaahu 'anhu. And this stance
was not merely taken out of love or out of displaying false affection to Ibn
Umm 'Abd (i.e. to Ibn Mas'ood). Rather Abu Moosaa was pleased for himself with what
Allaah's Messenger sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam was pleased with for
his Ummah, since he sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam said: "l am
pleased for my Ummah with what Ibn Umm 'Abd is pleased with for it." [9]
Also in the narration is a proof that all of the
Companions were agreed in opposing this action, since 'Abdullaah ibn Mas'ood radiallaahu
'anhu used as a proof the fact that the Companions radiallaahu 'anhum
were wide spread (and therefore could easily be asked).
Sixthly: Innovations quickly lead to kufr
(disbelief). This is because the innovator has set himself up as one who is
able to legislate and prescribe things; and thus set himself up as a partner to
Allaah, adding things to the rulings laid down by Allaah, thinking that he is
on a religion of better guidance than the Religion of Muhammad sallallaahu
'alayhi wa sallam.
Seventhly: That innovations open the doors widely
for disagreements to occur, and this is a door to misguidance. So whosoever
lays down an evil way in Islaam, then he bears the sin of it and the sin of
those who act upon it, until the Day of Judgement, without their sin being
reduced by anything. And this is because the one who guides to an evil action
is like the one who does it.
Eighthly: Not giving importance to the matter of
shunning innovations, leads to evil and sins. Do you not see that these people
came to be amongst the ranks of the deviated group called the Khawaarij
on the day of Nahrawaan, fighting against the Companions radiallaahu 'anhum,
who were led by the Leader of the Believers 'Alee radiallaahu 'anhu, who
cut-off this deviated group, on that memorable day.
Imaam al-Barbahaaree (d.329H)- rahimahullaah
- said: "Beware of small innovations, because they grow and become large.
This was the case with every innovation introduced into this Ummah. It started
as something small, bearing a resemblance to the truth, which is why those who
entered into it were misled, and then were unable to leave it. So it grew and
it became the religion which they followed, so they deviated from the Straight
Path and thus left Islaam. May Allaah have mercy upon you! Examine carefully
the speech of everyone you hear from, in your time particularly. So do not act
in haste, nor enter into anything from it, until you ask and see: Did any of
the Companions of the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam speak abou t it, or
any of the (early) Scholars? So if you find a narration from them about it,
cling to it and do not go beyond it for anything, nor give precedence to
anything over it and thus fall into the Fire." [10]
Ninthly: Righteous actions are only according to
righteous intentions, and a good intention does not make something which is
futile correct. This is because intentions alone cannot make an action correct,
but rather complying with the Sharee'ah (Prescribed Laws) must be added
to that. [11]
Finally: Adding to something good is not good,
because addition in good is evil, and this is something that is witnessed in
everything. Thus, a matter, when it goes beyond its limits, changes to its
opposite. So bravery, when it is added to, turns into rashness, and if it is
decreased from, then it becomes cowardice. And generosity, if its limits are
exceeded, then it becomes wastefulness, and if it is fallen short of, then it
becomes miserliness. So the best of the affairs are the justly balanced ones.
And 'Abdullaah ibn Mas'ood radiallaahu 'anhu
was not alone amongst the Companions in condemning innovations. So here we find
'Abdullaah ibn 'Umar radiallaahu 'anhu, who was one of severest from the
Companions in condemning innovations and abandoning the innovators. So once he
heard a man sneezing and saying: Praise be to Allaah and may the salaah
and salaam (the praises of Allaah and blessings of peace) be upon Allaah's
Messenger. So he said to him: What is this? This is not what Allaah's Messenger
sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam taught us, rather he said: "When
one of you sneezes then let him praise Allaah. " And he did not say:
And also send salaah (blessings of peace) upon Allaah's Messenger. [12]
Likewise
was the practice of the taabi'een (those who met the Companions and
clung to their way). So in this regard there is what is reported from Sa'eed
ibn al-Musayyib (d.90H) rahimahullaah, that he saw a man praying after
the appearance of dawn, more than two rak'ahs, making many rukoos
(bowings) and sajdahs (prostrations), so he forbade him from this. So
the man said: O Abu Muhammad (i.e. Ibn al-Musayyib)! Will Allaah punish me for
my Prayer? So he said: "No! But He will punish you for opposing the
Sunnah (Prophetic guidance)." [13]
And
these narrations contain many good points of benefit, so from them:
[i] The Companions rebutting everyone who went
against the au thentic Sunnah, sometimes being very severe in their
rebuttal, even if it was against their own fathers and sons.
[ii] That bid'ah at-tarkiyyah is
misguidance: And this type of bid'ah (innovation) is one for which there
is a proof to establish the action, except that the people deliberately leave
the action, thinking that it is a part of the Religion, or something similar to
it. For example, some of the Soofees who abandon marriage in order to
emasculate themselves. The proof for this being misguidance is from Allaah -
the Most High's - saying:
"O you who
Believe! Do not make haraam (unlawful) the good things that Allaah has
made halaal (lawful) to you, and do not transgress. Indeed Allaah does
not love the transgressors. And eat of the things that Allaah has provided for
you, lawful and good, and have taqwaa (fear and obedience) of Allaah in
Whom you believe." [Soorah al-Maa'idah 5:87-88].
So this aayah
(verse) is concerned with a single meaning, which is: making forbidden that
which Allaah has allowed from the good and pure things, and doing so as a matter
of religion. And Allaah has forbidden this, and considered it as going beyond
the limits, since it is transgressing upon Allaah's right, in that He alone has
the right to prescribe and legislate. And Allaah does not love those who
transgress the limits. Then Allaah affirmed the allowance of these things with
an even greater emphasis by His saying:
"And eat
of the things that Allaah has provided for you, lawful and good, and have taqwaa
(fear and obedience) of Allaah in Whom you believe." [Soorah al-Maa'idah
5:87-88].
Then he ordered
them to have taqwaa (piety and obedience to Him). So this shows that the
forbiddance of what Allaah has made lawful, in any form, is outside the bounds
of taqwaa. Therefore, the Messenger sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam
said to those three men who came to the houses of the Prophet sallallaahu
'alayhi wa sallam, asking about his worship and then on being informed
about it, considered their own worship to be very little, so they said: What a
great difference there is between us and the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa
sallam, whose previous and latter sins have been forgiven by Allaah. So one
of them said: I will always Pray during the night. The other one said: I will
always fast during the day and not break my fast. And the third of them said: I
will keep away from women and never get married. Then Allaah's Messenger came
to them and said: "Are you the people who said such and such? By
Allaah! I am the one who is the most knowledgeable about Allaah amongst you,
and the one who has the most taqwaa of Him. Yet I fast and break my fast, I
pray and I sleep, and I marry women. So whosoever turns away from my Sunnah
(guidance) is not from me." [14]
So if the
Companions radiallaahu 'anhum left for us words of deep insight and
which clearly enlighten the hearts, then men after them, who likewise attained
the truth from this light, have also left for us words which are almost like
the words of the Companions. And this is because they were those who very
closely followed in the footsteps of the Companions - and the likes of their
sayings have already preceded. However we add here a final example of their
stance of truth:
Thus, a man
came to Imaam Maalik (d.179H)- rahimahullaah - and said: O Abu
'Abdullaah! Where shall I enter the state of ihraam (the dress for one
intending to do Pilgrimage)? So Imaam Maalik replied: "From
Dhul-Hulayfah, where Allaah's Messenger sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam entered
the state of ihraam." The man then said: But I wish to enter the state
of ihraam at the mosque by his grave. So Imaam Maalik said: "Do
not do that, for I fear for you the fitnah (trial)." So the man said:
What fitnah are you referring to, since it is only a few extra miles: So Imaam
Maalik said: "And what fitnah can be greater than for you to think that
you have attained some virtue, which Allaah's Messenger sallallaahu 'alayhi wa
sallam fell short of. Have you not heard the saying of Allaah:
"Let those beware who oppose the command of the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, lest they are afflicted with fitnah (trial), or lest they are afflicted with a painful punishment." [Soorah an-Noor 24:63]." [15]
[1] Al-Bid'ah wa Atharuhus-Sayyi fil-Ummah (pp.22-36).
[2] Related by Wakee' on az-Zuhd (no.315) and Abu Khaythamah in Kitaabul-'Ilm (no.54), where al-Albaanee authenticated it. The addition is related by at-Tabaraanee in al-Kabeer (9/154) and it is authentic.
[3] Related by al-Bayhaqee in al-Madkhal ilas-Sunan (no.191) and also Ibn Nasr in as-Sunnah (p.24). Its isnaad (chain of narration) is as authentic as the sun!
[4] Related by ad-Daarimee in his Sunan (1/79), at-Tabaraanee in al-Kabeer (9/126) and Abu Nu'aym in Hilyatul-Awliyaa (4/381). It was authenticated by al-Haythamee in Majma'uz-Zawaa'id (1/181).
[5] Saheeh: Related by Abu Daawood in his Sunan (no.1502), from 'Abdullaah ibn 'Amr radiallaahu 'anhu. It was authenticated by al-Albaanee in Saheeh Sunan Abee Daawood (1/280).
[6] Hasan: Related by Abu Daawood in his Sunan (no.1501), from Yusairah radiallaahu 'anhaa. It was authenticated in Saheeh Sunan Abee Daawood (1/280).
[7] Related by ad-Daarimee (1/45) and it is authentic.
[8] Related by Muslim (5/156).
[9] Saheeh: Related by al-Haakim (3/317-318) and Ibn 'Asaakir in al-Majlis (no.350). It was authenticated by al-Albaanee in as-Saheehah (no.1225).
[10] Sharhus-Sunnah (no.8).
[11] Refer to Madaarijus-Saalikeen (1/85) of Ibn al-Qayyim.
[12] Related by at-Tirmidhee (no.2738) and al-Mizzee in Tahdheebul-Kamaal (no.552-553). The isnaad is good.
[13] Related by al-Bayhaqee is as-Sunanul-Kubraa (2/466) and the isnaad is authentic.
[14] Related by al-Bukhaaree (9/104) and Muslim (9/175).
[15] Related by Imaam ash-Shaatibee in al-I'tisaam (1/132).