. V૤I< (cont.)

See al-Albaani's footnotes to ibn Abu al-Izz, p. 525. Hadith #28: "I advise you to have taqwa . . ." "And every heresy is a going astray ( dhalaalah )." Many times when the Prophet (peace be upon him) would deliver a sermon, during the introductory portion he would say, "The worst actions are the invented ones. And every innovation is misguidance (dhalaala)." In other narrations he would say, "And every misguidance is in the hell fire." The word dhaall (ಃ) means, "Erring, straying, or going astray; deviating from the right way or course, or from that which is right; missing or losing the right way."1 The term dhalaalah, derived from dhaal, has a strong connotation in the Quran and sunnah. Perhaps the severity of this description is not appreciated by most Muslims. Al-Shaatibi wrote, An innovation is a going astray. And the innovator is straying and leading others astray. Dhalaala is mentioned in many of the reported texts. It is alluded to in the Quranic verses about splitting into sects and breaking up the community and following the errant paths but this is not how other sins are described. The term dhalaala is usually not used except for innovations or things similar to innovations. The intentional sins that are made by someone in the shareeah-- and these are to be forgiven-- are not called dhalaala .. . In fact, this term is not even used for those who intentionally commit any of the other sins... There are many examples of this nature. All of them point to the fact that dhalaala is usually used for the case where a person follows some doubtful proof or he blindly follows a person who is following such. They follow that in place of the shareeah and the1 take it as their religion although the way of truth is very clear. The one who commits sins is different from the innovator as the sinner still accepts the shareeah as the supreme law and decision maker while the innovator takes his own desires or whims as the supreme decision maker. As noted above, this hadith of the Prophet (peace be upon him) stresses that every innovation is a going astray. There is no such thing, from the shareeah point of view, as a good innovation. Al-Shaatibi is a adamant on this point saying, "You should knowmay Allah have mercy on youthat what we have presented as evidence is proof through many means that all innovations are blameworthy." His points are: (1) All of the prophetic texts use the word bidah in an unrestricted sense without any qualifier or in general terms without any particularization. (2) It is a fundamental principle that any absolute predicate or absolute legal evidence that is repeated in many places and that has much supporting evidence, with nothing that confines it or makes 1 Lane, vol. 2, p. 1798. 2 Al-Shaatibi, ltisaam, vol. 1, p. 133 and then p. 139. Commentary on the Forty Hadith of al-Nawawi it specific, is evidence that it applies in general without any re-striction.1 (3) There is a consensus among the Companions and the Followers that every innovation is misguidance. (4) The innovator has invented his act himself (or he is following someone who has invented an act) in opposition to what the shareeah has decreed. Therefore, it is not logically possible to say that some such innovations are good while others are bad. This is an insult to the shareeah. Therefore, all innovations are bad. 2 It is important that this point be clear to all Muslims. There is no room to add or delete anything from the perfect religion of Islam. When people talk about "good bidahs" and "bad bidahs" it simply adds to the confusion. Al-Ali wrote, Concerning what the first group says, 3 that innovations may be forbidden or may be legal, that is a usage of the term that implies some kind something of insignificance for the forbidden innovations; it makes the warnings about them seem exaggerated; and it makes some of the people accept them as something customary or excusable. This is true because the innovation may be forbidden or it may be legal, therefore they reduce the emphasis on rejecting the act.4 In conclusion, anyone who claims to be worshipping Allah by any belief, act or practice that is not founded upon the Quran and sunnah is simply following an innovation and heresy. That innovation is not pleasing to Allah and does not take the person any closer to Allah. Indeed, it takes him further away from Allah and, as the narration in al-Nasaai implies, it may take him to the Hell-fire. Therefore, everyone must make sure that he is worshipping Allah in accordance with the Quran and sunnah. If his act of worship is not in accord with the Quran and sunnah, it will be rejected by Allah. "I left you all on a clear matter, whose night is like its day [with respect to clarity].