Section 3: The Position of Islam Regarding Innovators and the Methodology of Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah in Refuting Them

A. The position of Ahl-us-Sunnah wal Jama 'ah on the people of Bid'ah: The Ahl-us-Sunnah wal Jama‘ah have never ceased to refute the people of Bid'ah. They rebuke them for their innovations and hinder them from their practices. The following are some examples: (i) It is reported from Ummu ad-Darda’ that she said: 'Abu ad-Darda’ entered upon me infuriated and I said to him: "What is the matter with you? " He said: “(I swear) by Allah, I do not know about them of anything of the affairs of Muhammad, except that they observe prayers in congregation.'19 (ii) It is reported from 'Umar bin Yahya that he said: 7 heard my father narrating from his father saying: "We used to sit at the door of AbuAbdur -Rahman 'Abdull ah bin Mas 'ud before the morning prayers. When he comes out, we would walk along with him to the Mosque. One day, Abu Musa al-Ash ‘ari came to us and said: "Has Abu 'Abdur-Rahman come out to you?” We said: "No. " So, he sat with us until he (Ibn Mas ‘ud) came out. When he had come out, we all stood up to him. He (Abu Musa) th said: “O Abu 'Abdur- Rahman! I saw something in the Mosque recently, which I despised, and praise be to Allah, I saw nothing but good. " He said: "What was " He (Abu Musa) replied: "If you tarry long enough you shall also see it. I saw people gathered in circles in the Mosque, awaiting the prayers. Within each circle, there was a man, and in their hands were pebbles. They say: ‘Say Allah Akbar (Allah is Great) a hundred times and they would do so. They would say: "Say La ilaha illallah (none is worthy of worship but Allah) ” a hundred times and they would do so. They would also say: “Say Subhanallah (Glorified be Allah) a 29 Reported by al-Bukhan hundred times" and they would say so. So he (Ibn Mas'ud) said: “So what did you say to them?" He (Abu Musa) said: “I did not say anything to them, I was awaiting your opinion or he said: I was awaiting your order. ” He said: “Should you not have told them to enumerate their sins and assured them that their good deeds will not go to waste? ” He went on till he reached one of these circles. He stopped upon them and said: “What is this I see you doing? ” They said: “O Abu 'Abdur Rahman, pebbles with which we count Takbir (Allah Akbar), Tahlil (La ilaha illallah), Tasbih (Subhanallah) and Tahmid (al- Hamdulillahi). ” He said: “Rather, count your sins; I assure you that none of your good deeds shall go to waste. Woe unto you O followers of Muhammad, how quickly you go to destruction. Here are his companions, still numerous around you, here are his cloths, yet to wear out, and here are his utensils, yet to get broken. (I swear) by the One in Whose Hand is my soul, you must be upon a path, which is more guided than that of Muhammad, or you have opened up a door " They said: "O Abu 'Abdur Rahman! We intended nothing but good. ” He said: “How many are those who intend good but do not achieve it! Verily, the Messenger o f Allah 2s told us about a people who shall recite the Qur ’ an, but it shall not go beyond their throats, by Allah I do not know, perchance most of them are amongst you. ” Then he turned away from them'Amr bin Salmah said: "We saw most of them fighting us on the Day of Nahrawan along with the (iii) A man came to Imam Malik bin Anas and said:‘From where should I put on the Ihram (pilgrim's dress)? He (Malik) said: ‘From the places where the Messenger of Allah designated and from where he himself assumed the Ihram.' He said: ‘What if I assume the Ihram from a farther place?’ He said: 7 do not think you should do that.’ The man said: ’What do you dislike about that?’ He said: 7 dislike Fitnah (trial) for you.’ He said: ‘What Fitnah is there in increase in good acts?’ So, Imam Malik said: ’Allah - the Most High - said: 30 Reported by ad-Darimi “...And let those who oppose the Messenger’s [Muhammad commandments (i.e. his Sunnah - legal ways, orders, acts of worship, statements, etc.) (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. ” (Qur’an 24: 63) What Fitnah could be greater than you being distinguished with a virtue, which the Messenger of Allah J -M has not being distinguished These are some examples. Scholars have not ceased to rebuke the people of Bid'ah in every century; and Praise is to Allah. B. The methodology of the Ahl as-Sunnah wal Jama’ah at refuting the people of Bid'ah. Their methodology at refuting the people of Bid'ah is based upon the Qur’an and Sunnah; they mention the confusions of the people of Bid'ah and refute them. They present the Qur’an and Sunnah as evidence for the obligation of sticking to the Sunnan (practices of the Prophet M) and the prohibition of innovations and novelties. They have authored several books on this and also refuted the innovated utterances regarding the fundamentals of Faith and doctrine of the Khawarij, the Jahmiyyah, the M u’tazilah, and the Asha'irah, in books of 'Aqidah (Faith). They also authored books specifically on innovations, such as that authored by Imam Ahmad refuting the Jahmiyyah and those authored by other scholars such as ‘!d ad-Darimi. Also in the books of Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah and his student Ibn Qayyim, Shaykh Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhob and others, refuting these sects, the grave worshippers and the Sufis. As for books authored 31 Mentioned by Abu Shammah in the book: ‘al-Ba ith 'ala Inkar al-Bida 7 wal Hawadith' narrating from Abu Bakr al-Khallal, pg. 14 specifically to refute the people of Bid'ah, they are numerous. By way of example we shall mention amongst old books: ‘Itisam ’ by Imam Ash-ShatibT. ‘Iqtida 'us Sirat il-Mustaqim ’ by Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah. A large part of it was devoted to refuting the people of Bid'ah ‘Inkdrul al-hawadith wal Bida 7 ’ by Ibn Waddah. 4. 'Al-hawadith wal Bida 7 ’ by Tartushi. ‘Al-Ba ‘ith ‘Ala Inkar al-Bida ‘i wal Hawadith ’ by Abu Shammah. And amongst recent books: ‘u fi Madaril Ibtida ’ by Shaykh Ali Mahfuz. ‘As-Sunnan wal Mubiada'at al-Muta‘allaqu bil Adhkar was Salawat’ by Shaykh Muhammad bin Ahmad ash-ShuqaitT al-hawamidl. ‘At-TahdhTr minal Bida 7 ’ by Shaykh 'Abdul 'Aziz bin Baz. Muslim scholars have not ceased to - and Praise be to Allah -reject innovations and refute the people of Bid'ah through newspapers, magazines, radio and television programs, seminars, lectures and so on, which has had a profound effect at alerting the Muslims, terminating innovations and subduing the people of