106: Whoever follows innovation has rejected the Sunnah of Allah’s Messenger (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam)

Know that the ancient religion is how it was from the death of the Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) until the death of ‘Uthmaan ibn ‘Affaan (radiallaahu anhu). His murder was the beginning of sectarian dissension and the start of disagreements. So the Ummah fought amongst itself, split, followed greed and desires and inclined towards this world. There is no permit for anyone to do anything which has been introduced, which the Companions of Allah’s Messenger (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) were not upon, nor for any man to call to anything innovated before him by people of innovation; he would then be just like the one who innovated it. So anyone who claims that, or speaks according to it, has rejected the Sunnah, opposed the truth and the Jamaa’ah and has made innovation lawful. He is more harmful to the Ummah than Iblees [1].

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NOTES

[1] Al-Laalikaa’ee reports in as-Sunnah (no.238) that Sufyaan ath-Thawree said, “Innovation is more beloved to Iblees than sin. A sin may be repented from, but innovation is not repented from.”

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