Chapter 18: About Forbidding Innovation and Newly-Invented Matters in Religious Practices

Translation: Allah said:

Translation: " Forbidden to you (for food) are dead animals, blood, the flesh of swine, and that on which Allah's Name has not been mentioned while slaughtering, (i.e. that has been slaughtered as a sacrifice for other besides Allah, or that has been slaughtered for idols) and that which has been killed by strangling, or by a violent blow, or by a headlong fall, or by a goring of horns, and that which has been (partly) eaten by a wild animal, unless you are able to slaughter it (before its death) and that which is sacrificed (slaughtered) on An- Nosob (stone altars). (Forbidden) also is to use arrows for seeking luck or a decision; (all) that is disobedience to Allah and (major) sin). This day, those who disbelieved have given up all hope of your religion; fear them not, but fear Me. This day, I have perfected your religion for you, completed My Favor upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion. But as for him who is forced by severe hunger, with no inclination to sin (such can eat these above-mentioned meats), then surely, Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. ** (5: 3)

Translation: It is obvious that a perfectly composed or manufactured object is a perfect produce. A perfect produce is disfigured or destroyed by any interference to it component parts. Suppose an unskilled painter attempted to add or remove anything from a perfectly painted picture. What would be the result? The answer would be that the picture could be disfigured or destroyed.

Translation: The same applies to this religion. Innovation drives out Sunna (the foundation that that should be kept intact).

Based on this we should act only upon the pure commandments of Islam. We should not invent anything that spoils the purity of this religion. We have received this religion as pure as the water that descends from the sky, and any intervention with the aim of addition or omission destroys the religion. It is said that a disobedient one is forgiven because he will return to the truth when it is clarified to him. But an innovator in the religion, thinks that what he has innovated is ' good ', hence he is not liable to abandon it and thus, he would die while believing in it. In this way he loses his religion.

Now, let us proceed to what Imam Al-Nawawi compiled in this concern.

Allah said:

Translation: " Such is Allah, your Lord in truth. So after the truth, what else can there be, save error? How then are you turned away? * " (10: 32) And

Translation: " O you who believe! Obey Allah and obey the Messenger (Muhammad) and those of you (Muslims) who are in authority. (And) if you differ in anything amongst yourselves, refer it to Allah and His Messenger ﷺ if you believe in Allah and in the Last Day. That is better and more suitable for final determination. * " (4:59) And

Translation: " And verily, this (i.e. Allah's Commandments mentioned in the above two Verses 151 and 152) is my Straight Path, so follow it, and follow not (other) paths, for they will take you away from His Path. This He has ordained for you that you may become God-fearing people. 3/11 (6: 153) And

Translation: " Say (O Muhammad!) to mankind): " If you (really) love Allah then follow me (i.e. accept Islamic Monotheism, follow the Koran and Sunna), Allah will love you and forgive you your sins. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. * " (3:31)

Translation: 125 Narrated A'isha (may Allah be pleased with her): ' Allah's Messenger said: " If someone innovated something that is not present in our religion (of Islamic Monotheism) then that thing will be rejected. " (Bukhari)

Translation: 126 Narrated Anas: ' Allah's Messenger said: " I (have been sent) and the Hour (is at hand) as these two (fingers). " " (Bukhari)

Translation: 127 Narrated Jaber ibn Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with them): ' Whenever Allah's Messenger delivered a Khotbah (a religious talk), his eyes would become red, his voice rose, and his anger become violent, as if he was like one warning an army and saying: " The enemy has made a morning attack on you. The enemy has made an evening attack on you. " He (would also say: " Amma Ba'ad (To proceed), the best of speech is embodied in the Book of Allah, and the best of guidance is the guidance of Muhammad. And what renders affairs most evil are their innovations and all innovations are delusion. " (Muslim)

Translation: And in the version compiled by Imam Muslim: " It was the Prophet's Khotbah on Friday. He was to praise Allah and afterward tell it. Indeed his voice was raised. "

And in another version of Muslim: " Whom Allah guides, no one can get astray; and whom Allah leads astray, no one can guide, " and in the version of An-Nasa'i: " All error will lead to the Fire. "

Translation: 128 Narrated Al-Irbadh ibn Sariya: ' The Messenger of Allah ﷺ delivered an eloquent sermon that caused our eyes to shed tears and our hearts to be greatly moved. A man said: " This is a sermon of a man who will depart this life soon. What would you recommend us Messenger of Allah! " He said: " I recommend you fear Allah and hear and obey even if an Ethiopian slave is your ruler. For, he of you who will live long, will see great disputes. And keep away from the innovated practices, for they are misleading. He of you would contemporize this let him adhere to the Sunna of mine and that of the rightly guided caliphs. Bite on it with the molars. " (At-Termizi)