Rules of knowing innovations

Authored by Muhammad Hussein Al-Jizani In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful Introduction Praise be to Allah for Islam, Sunnah, and health; for the happiness of this world and the Hereafter and their bliss are based on these three pillars, and whenever they are combined in a servant with the attribute of perfection, then God's blessing upon him is complete, and otherwise, his share of God's blessing is according to his share of it (1). Peace and blessings be upon the one sent as mercy to the worlds, and upon his family, companions, and those who follow them with goodness until the Day of Judgment. To proceed, people are divided into two groups regarding the definition of innovation (bid’ah) and controlling its meaning: A group that exaggerates in condemning innovation and is lenient in judging any new matter or issue that they have not received evidence for, and these have made the door of innovation wide open, sometimes including some of the Shariah and Sunnah under the label of bid’ah. And a group that is lenient in adopting innovation and expands in committing it, and these have made the door of innovation narrow, only including actual innovations. The comprehensive principles regarding innovation • The first principle: Drawing closer to Allah with what He has not legislated. • The second principle: Deviating from the system of religion. • The third principle: The means leading to innovation. As for the subject of this book and its main pillar, which is: clarifying the rules by which innovations are recognized, I have divided it into three sections; based on the fact that these rules—numbering twenty-three—relate to three fundamental principles, as follows: The first principle: Drawing closer to Allah with what He has not legislated And beneath it are ten rules: 1. Worship based on a fabricated hadith. 2. Worship based on personal desire and pure opinion. 3. Worship that contradicts the authentic Sunnah. 4. Worship that opposes the actions of the Salaf. 5. Worship that contradicts the principles of Shariah. 6. Drawing closer to Allah through customs and permissible things. 7. Drawing closer to Allah through sins. 8. Unrestricted worship. 9. Restricted absolute worship. 10. Excessiveness in worship.