Scholarly Commentary on Hadeeth Regarding Innovation is Rejected
According to a report narrated by Muslim
(1718), he said: “Whoever does any action that is not in accordance with this
matter of ours (Islam) will have it rejected.”
Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali (may Allaah have
mercy on him) said: “This hadeeth represents one of the most important basic
principles of Islam. It is like a yardstick for measuring the outward
appearance of actions, just as the hadeeth ‘Actions are but by intentions’ is a
yardstick for measuring the inward nature of actions. Just as actions which are
not done for the sake of Allaah bring no reward to the one who does them, so
too actions which are not done in accordance with the command of Allaah and His
Messenger are rejected and thrown back at the one who does them. Everyone who
innovates something in the religion for which Allaah and His Messenger have not
granted permission, that action has nothing to do with the religion.”(Jaami’
al-‘Uloom wa’l-Hukam, 1/180)
Al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him)
said: “This hadeeth is one of the most important basic principles of Islam and
is one of the most comprehensive sayings of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم). It is a clear
rejection of bid’ah and innovations. The second report adds a further idea,
which is that some people may persist in doing some innovated action (bid’ah)
for which there is a precedent, and when the first report – ‘Whoever innovates
anything…’ – is quoted as proof, such a person may say, ‘But I did not innovate
anything. Then the second report – ‘Whoever does any action…’ – may be quoted,
which clearly states that all innovated actions are rejected, whether the one
who does them invented them or they were previously invented. This hadeeth is
one of those which should be memorized and used in denouncing evil actions, and
it should be propagated widely.”(Sharh Muslim, 12/16)
