Islamic Creed — Innovations
Section 4: Discussions on Some Modern-Day Innovations
English translation of the Arabic original. The Arabic text remains authoritative.
- Celebrating the birthday of the Prophet
- Seeking blessings with some locations, with vestiges (of pious persons), the dead and so on.
- Innovations in the realm of worship and seeking closeness to Allah. Modem day innovations are numerous due to the remoteness of this age from the Prophetic era, the scarcity of knowledge, the abundance of callers to innovation and contradictions (of the Sunnah), and the pervasive tendency to imitate the cultures and religious customs of the disbelievers in confirmation of the statement of the Prophet: ‘You shall certainly follow the practices of those before you.,n (1) Celebrating the birthday of the Prophet: This is an imitation of the Christians in an act known as Christmas [celebration of the birth of Prophet'Is a (Jesus)]. So, ignorant Muslims or misguided scholars organize a celebration every year, in the month of Rabi ‘ul Awwal or other months, to mark the birth of the Messenger Muhammad Some amongst them hold this celebration in the Mosque, some in homes, or some prepared location. Large groups of common people attend these celebrations in imitation of the Christians in their innovation of celebrating the birth ofls a (Jesus &). In addition to the fact that this celebration is an innovation and an imitation of the Christians, most times, it is never devoid of polytheism and despicable things such as recitation of eulogies which go to the extremes regarding the rights of the Messenger, such extremes that reach the level of invoking him besides Allah and seeking victory by him. The Prophet had prohibited going to extremes at praising him. He said: 32 Reported by at-Tirmidhi and he authenticated it. ‘Do not extol me as the Christians extolled the son of Maryam, I am but a slave of Allah. So say (call me): The slave of Allah and His Messenger,’33 These celebrations could also be accompanied by intermingling between males and females, corruption of manners and preponderance of intoxicants and so on. Sometimes, they believe that the Messenger attends their celebrations. Amongst the detestable things, which accompany these celebrations is the collective chanting of melodious eulogies, beating of drums and other things such as innovated words of remembrance of the Sufis. There could also be intermingling between men and women, which leads to temptations and leads to indecency (fornication). Even if these celebrations were devoid of these evils, and were limited to gathering, eating and manifesting joy as they say, they are still innovations, and every novelty (in religion) is a Bid'ah (innovation) and every Bid'ah is misguidance. Also, it will serve as a means, which shall develop, and the evils, which occur in other celebrations, shall eventually occur therein. We have said it is an innovation because it has no basis in the Qur’an, Sunnah, and the actions of the Salaf (pious predecessors) and the noble generations. It was innovated much later after the fourth century after Hijra. The Fatimiyyah sub-sect of the Shiite group invented it. Imam Abu Hafs Tajuddln al-Fakihanl said: ‘As for what follows: A question has come repeatedly from a group of blessed ones about the gathering which some people do in the month of Rabi'ul Awwal and call it Mawlud [birthday (of the Prophet)]. Does it have a basis in the religion? They desired a response to this in order to clarify and a beneficial explanation on the issue. So, I say: 'Guidance is from Allah: I do not know of a basis for the Mawlud in the Qur 'an or the Sunnah, nor of any report that it was performed by any of the scholars of this Ummah, who are the role-models of this religion, those who hold tenaciously to the practices of the predecessors. Rather, it is an innovation invented by the jobless and a lust of the soul, with which the gluttons are 33 Reported by al-Bukhan and Muslim 14 Risalatu al-Mawridfi 'Amalil Mawlud. Shaykh al Islam Ibn Taymiyyah said: 'So also, what some people have innovated, either in imitation of the Christians ’ celebration of the birthday of 'Isa 3 or out of love for the Prophet and exaltation of him... taking the birthday of the Prophet as a festival, despite the disagreement of people as to the date of his birth. This has not been practiced by any of the Salaf (pious predecessors). Had it been a good thing clearly or predominantly, the Salaf would have been more rightful to it than us. They loved the Prophet vehemently and regarded him more than we do, and they were more eager to do good deeds than we are. Rather, their love and regard for the Prophet manifested in following and obeying him, following his orders, reviving his Sunnah internally and externally, spreading what he had been raised with, and waging Jihad thereupon with the heart, hand and tongue. This is the path of the foremost predecessors amongst the Muhajirun (Emigrants) and the Ansar (Helpers) and those who followed them in good.,3S Several books and notes have been written in the past and of recent, on the disapproval of Bid'ah. Added to the fact that it is an innovation and an imitation of the disbelievers, it also leads to the establishment of other birthday celebrations, such as the birthdays of Saints, Shaykhs and notable persons, and thus, it opens the door to several evils. (2) Seeking blessings with some locations, and with the vestiges (of pious persons), living or dead. Amongst the innovated matters is the act of seeking blessings with created beings. It is a shade of idolatry and a snare by which the hanger-on preys upon the wealth of the gullible. Seeking blessings implies requiring the bringing of good and desiring an increase therein. Seeking the establishment of good and its increase should only be from one who has the capability to do so, and that is Allah, the Glorified. He is the One, Who descends blessing and establishes it. As for created beings, they do not have the capability to confer or bring about blessing, nor to preserve it and establish it. Therefore, seeking blessings with locations and the vestiges of people, whether living or dead, is not permissible. This is because it is 35 Iqtida’ us Sirdl-al Muslaqim, v. 2, pg. 615 (with the verification of Dr. NasTr Al-'Uqla) shirk when it is believed that such a thing confers blessing, or a means to shirk, when it is believed that visiting it, touching it and wiping over it are factors, which enable one to receive blessings from Allah. As regards what the companions used to do, seeking blessings with the hair of the Prophet t, his saliva and whatever got detached from his body, this is restricted to him as has been previously mentioned. This is restricted to the Prophet alone. The companions never sought blessings with his room or grave after his demise, nor did they go to the places where he had observed prayers or sat, in order to seek blessings therewith. So, the stations of the Awliyd’ (friends of Allah - i.e. pious people) are more deserving of prohibition. They (the companions) never used to seek blessings with the personalities of pious people, such as Aba Bakr, 'Umar and others amongst the notable companions; not in their lifetime nor after their demise. Also, they never used to go to the cave Hira,36 to observe prayers therein or make invocations, nor did they used to go to the mount Tur, upon which Allah spoke to Musa in order to observe prayers thereupon or make invocations, or to any other locations in the mountains, which are reported as the stations of Prophets and others, nor to the shrine built upon the vestiges of anyone amongst the Prophets. Also, the locations at which the Prophet (it observed prayers in Al-Madinah still exists, but none of the Salaf (pious predecessors) used to touch or kiss them, nor did they do so for the locations where he observed prayers in Makkah or elsewhere. So, if it is not legislated for his Ummah to wipe over or kiss the locations where he placed his two noble feet and observed prayers, then what about locations where it is said that other than the Prophet (ft, observed prayer upon or slept? The scholars have known necessarily that wiping or kissing any of such things is not part of his Shari'ah (it.31 (3) Innovations in the realm of worship and seeking closeness to Allah The innovations, which have been invented in the sphere of worship in this present time, are numerous. However, the basis in worship is restraint. Nothing is legislated therein except with evidence. Whatever is not indicated by evidence is innovation. This is based upon to the statement of the Prophet Of. 36 The cave where the Prophet (it used to contemplate before he was made a Prophet. It was therein that angel Jibril appeared to him for the first time. (TN) 37 Iqtida us Sirat-ul Mustaqim, v. 2, pg. 795 - 802 (with the verification of Dr. Nasir Al-Uqla) ‘Whoever performs a deed, which we have not given approval, it is Acts of worship which are frequently practiced today, but for which there are no evidences are very numerous, amongst them are: (i) Audibly announcing intention: Such as saying: ‘7 intend to observe such-and-such prayer for Allah.' This is an innovation because it is not part of the Sunnah of the Prophet and because Allah the Most High said: “Say: ‘Will you inform Allah about your religion? While Allah knows all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth, and Allah is All-Aware of everything. (Qur’an 49:16) The place of the intention is the heart, it is an action of the heart not that of the tongue. (ii) Amongst these innovations is congregational Dhikr (chanting of words of remembrance) after prayers. This is because what is legislated is that every individual chants the established Dhikr (iii) Amongst these innovations is requesting the recitation of Surah al-Fatihah (Qur’an chapter one) at occasions, after invocation and for the dead. (iv) Amongst these innovations is organizing funeral ceremonies for the dead, preparing food and hiring reciters (of Qur’an), believing that 38 Reported by Muslim this is part of mourning the dead and that it benefits the dead. These are all innovations, which have no basis in the religion. They are only burdens and fetters (which people have placed upon themselves) for which Allah has revealed no authority. (v) Amongst these innovations is celebrating religious events such as the Isra wal Mraj (The Night Journey and Ascension into the heavens by the Prophet ) and celebrating the Hijrah (Emigration of the Prophet JS). Celebrations to commemorate these events have no basis in the Shari'ah. (vi) Also, amongst these innovations is what is done in the month of Rajab and the acts of worship, which are performed therein specifically, such as voluntary prayers and fast, which are regarded as peculiar to this month alone. There is no distinction for it (Rajab) over other month, not in fasting, nor prayer, nor slaughtering for sacrifice, nor in other acts of worship. (vii) Also, amongst these innovations are the different types of Adhkar (words of remembrance) of the Sufis. They are innovations and inventions because they contravene the legislated Adhkar in wordings, manners and times for their observance. (viii) Also, amongst these innovations is the choosing of the night of the middle of the month of Sha 'ban for standing in prayer and its day for fasting. There is nothing authentic from the Prophet regarding (ix) Also, amongst these innovations is constructing buildings upon graves, taking them as Mosques, visiting them in order to seek blessings therewith, seeking intercession with the dead and other polytheistic intents, and women visiting them, despite the fact that the Prophet cursed women who visit graves and those who build Mosques and place lamps upon them (graves). Finally, we say that Bid'ah (innovation) is the courier of disbelief. It is an excess in the religion which neither Allah nor His Messenger have legislated. Bid'ah is worse than Major sins, and the Shaytan rejoices more at it than he does at Major sins. This is because the sinner commits sins while knowing he sins, so he repents from it, but the person of Bid'ah engages in Bid'ah, believing it is worship and an act of seeking closeness to Allah; so he does not repent therefrom. Bid'ah extinguishes the Sunnah and makes detestable to its adherents, the Sunnah and the people of Sunnah. Bid'ah distances one from Allah, it brings about His wrath and punishment and causes a deviation of the heart and its corruption. How to deal with the people of Bid'ah It is unlawful to visit or sit with the person of Bid'ah except in order to admonish him and to rebuke him for his innovation, because interacting with him influences the one who interacts with him with evil, and spreads his transgression to others. Therefore, it is obligatory to caution against him and his evil if he is not restrained and prevented (by the authorities) from his pursuits. It is obligatory upon the Muslim scholars and those in authority, to prohibit Bid 'ah and restrain the people of innovation, and to inhibit them from their evil. This is because their hazard to Islam is severe. It is also obligatory to know that disbelieving states embolden the people of innovation to disseminate their innovation and aid them thereupon in several ways, because it extinguishes Islam and mutilates its image. We beseech Allah 2k to aid His Religion, to Exalt His Statement and Humiliate His May Allah send His blessings and peace upon our Prophet, Muhammad, his household and his Companions.
- Source pages
- 10
- Source work
- Aqidat al-Tawhid? Shaykh Salih ibn Fawzan ibn Abdullah al-Fawzan
- Source
- Aqidat al-Tawhid — Arabic book supplied to the site
- Arabic original
- Read the Arabic section
English text aligned with the corresponding Arabic sections extracted from the user-provided Word source. The Arabic original remains authoritative.