The Stance of Shari'ah regarding Religious Innovations

One should know that the second Testimony of Faith, 'Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah', requires the person to obey him, and believe in what he has informed us about and to stay away from that which he has forbidden. It also requires that a person worship Allah in the allowed and sanctioned manner, not in a way he desires or wishes .

It is a must upon the person to reject every religious innovation. Allah says :

 “Let those who oppose the Messenger's (Muhammad) commandment (among the sects) beware, lest some Fitnah (disbelief, trials, afflictions,   earthquakes, killing, overpowered by a tyrant, etc.) befall them or a painful torment be inflicted on them.”   (Surah An-Nur, 24:63)

The Prophet (Peace be upon him) said:

'He who innovates a thing in our Deen, it shall be rejected.' (Reported by Bukhari #2550)

Hudhaifah b. al-Yamaan, with whom Allah is pleased, said:

'People were asking the Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) about goodness and good things, and I was asking him about evil, for the fear that I would witness such things. I said: 'O Messenger of Allah, we in the past were living in ignorance, and Allah guided us with this goodness, so will there be evil after this goodness?' He said: 'yes', I said: 'Is there goodness after that evil?' He said: 'yes, with some trials and tribulations.' I said: 'What sort of trials and tribulations?' He said: 'People who follow other than my Sunnah, and guidance, you will be familiar with some of the practices which they practice, and you will be unfamiliar with some others.' I asked him, 'Is there any evil after that goodness?' He said: 'yes, callers to the gates of Hell-Fire, whoever answers them would be thrown in.' I said, 'O Messenger of Allah, what should I do, if I witness this?' He said: 'Stick to the general assembly of Muslims and their Imam.' I said: 'What should I do if there is no general assembly of Muslims, nor is there any Imam?' He said: 'Forsake all the parties and groups, even if you hang on to a branch of a tree until death overcomes you.' (Reported by Bukhari #3411)

Abdullah b. Masood, with whom Allah is pleased, said that the Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) said:

'I will be the first near the Hawd , and people will be brought forth and they will be prevented from drinking, and I would say: 'My Rubb, my Companions!' It would be said: 'You do not know what they did after you.' (Reported by Bukhari #6205)

Abdullah b. Abbas, with whom Allah is pleased, said that the Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) said:

'Allah will not accept the deeds of a man of Bid'ah until he abandons the Bid'ah he practices.'   (Reported by Ibn Majah #50)

The Prophet (Peace be upon him) has informed us that there would be great Fitan (trials and tribulations) that would occur after him. The way a person would safeguard himself from these Fitan is by adhering to the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (Peace be upon him). A person would not safeguard himself by innovating matters in the Deen!

Ali, with whom Allah is pleased, said that the Prophet (Peace be upon him) said:

'There will be Fitnah.' I said: 'How can one safeguard himself from it?' He said: 'The Book of Allah contains the stories of those before you, and news of future happenings, and how people should judge among themselves, and it is the criterion; any ruler that casts it aside, Allah would humble him and break his pride. Whoever seeks guidance from other than it, Allah would lead him astray, and it is the firm 'rope' of Allah, and it is the decisive reminder, and the Straight Path. One would not be lead astray by his whims when following it, nor would its recitation bring up any doubts, its wonders cease not to exist, the scholars do not have enough of it; it caused the Jinn to ponder and ask: (Indeed we have heard an amazing Qur'an, which calls to the guidance.) Whoever speaks it would have spoken the truth, and whoever acts upon it, would receive a reward, and whoever rules by it, would have observed justice, and whoever calls to it, would be guided to the Straight Path.'   (Reported by Tirmidhi #2906)