In the name of Allah the Most Gracious the Most Merciful
Reasons for the appearance of innovations in the religion
By Shaykh Muhammad ibn Abdil-Wahhab al-Wasaabee may Allah preserve him
The shaykh says in his book “Sharh jadeed ala qawl mufeed” (pg.348) under the chapter: Definition of Bid’ah:
From the reasons of innovations appearing in the religion are:
1. Being ignorant of the religion.
– Allah said about the nation of Musa in Suratul ‘Araaf: 138
اجعل لنا إلهاً كما لهم ءالهة، قال انكم قوم تجهلون
“They said, ‘O Moses, make for us a god just as they have gods.’ He said, ‘Indeed, you are a people behaving ignorantly.'”
2. Following desires.
– Allah said in Suratul Qasas: 50
فان لم يستجيبوا لك فاعلم انما يتبعون أهواءهم
“But if they answer you not (i.e. do not believe in your doctrine of Islamic Monotheism, nor follow you), then know that they only follow their own lusts. And who is more astray than one who follows his own lusts, without guidance from Allah?”
3. Remaining silent on innovations and sins (done openly).
– Allah states after cursing ahlul kitaab in Suratul Maa’idah: 79
كانوا لا يتناهون عن منكر فعلوه لبئس ما كانوا يفعلون
“They used not to forbid one another from the Munkar (wrong, evildoing, sins, polytheism, disbelief, etc.) which they committed. How wretched was that which they were doing”
4. The practice of resembling the leaders of innovation.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said in a hadeeth narrated by Thawbaan and collected by Abu Dawud.
أخوف ما أخاف على أمتي الأئمة المضلين
” Indeed, what I fear for my Ummah are misguided leaders”
5. Submission to other than the sharee’ah.
-Allah says in Suratul Baqarah: 170
و اذا قيل لهم اتبعوا ما انزل الله قالوا بل نتبع ما ألفينا عليه ءاباءنا
“And when it is said to them, ‘Follow what Allah has revealed,’ they say, ‘Rather, we will follow that which we found our fathers doing.’ Even though their fathers understood nothing, nor were they guided?”
6. Exceeding limits in the religion.
– Allah says in Suratul Maa’idah: 77
قل يا اهل الكتاب لا تغلوا في دينكم غير الحق
“Say (O Muhammad): ‘O people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians)! Exceed not the limits in your religion (by believing in something) other than the truth, and do not follow the vain desires of people who went astray in times gone by, and who misled many, and strayed (themselves) from the Right Path.”
Translated by: Michael AbdusSalaam Deonarain
الفقير الى الله
Trying to Follow the Salaf 