[Reprehensible/shar'aee] Innovations Are Automatically Part Of Deen

[MuhammedAli]

[Reprehensible/Shar'aee] Innovations Are Automatically Part Of Deen.

 

Introduction:

 

Subject of innovation in deen of RasoolAllah (sallalahu alayhi was'sallam) is very important. The rules, principles surrounding this subject prevent excess in censoring of innovations, and restricts creation of praiseworthy innovations due to rules and regulations surrounding them. Without which the deen of RasoolAllah (sallalahu alayhi was'sallam) will morph into either a totally new religion or transform into a rigid system that will become impractical. Keeping this in mind a essential principle about reprehensible innovations has to be explained so that people understand its threat and abstain from practices which are in contradiction with Qur’an and Sunnah.

 

Innovation Of Murdering By Son Of Adam (alayhis salam):

 

Beloved Prophet Muhammed (sallalahu alayhi was'salam) also told about son of Hadhrat Adam (alayhis salam):

 

Sahih Bukhari, Book 55, Hadith 552: Narrated Abdullah: Allah's Apostle said, "Whenever a person is murdered unjustly, there is a share from the burden of the crime on the first son of Adam for he was the first to start the tradition of murdering."

 

Hadhrat Adam's (alayhis salam) son having to bear burden of other murderers should be understood in light of RasoolAllah's (sallalahu alayhi was'salam) statement:“And he who introduced some evil practice in Islam which had been followed subsequently (by others), he would be required to bear the burden."[1] Clearly the blameworthy action of son of Hadhrat Adam (alayhis salam) was understood to be reprehensible innovation in Islam, this was the reason for Prophet's (sallalahu alayhi was'salam) revealing: "Whenever a person is murdered unjustly, there is a share from the burden of the crime on the first son of Adam ...”Note that words of Prophet (sallalahu alayhi was'salam) clearly suggest that Hadhrat Adam's (alayhis salam) son was guilty of innovation in linguistic sense but the addition to his burden proves that it was considered part of Islam.

 

Innovation Of Releasing Animals In Name Of Idols:

 

Allah (subhana wa ta'ala) stated in the Qur’an:

 

Surah Al Maidah (5) Verse 103: “It was not Allah who instituted bahira, or saibah, or waseela, or ham: It is disbelievers who invent a lie against Allah, but most of them lack wisdom.”

 

Reprehensible innovations of al bahira, and as-saiba were not sanctioned by Allah (subhana wa ta'ala), but it was the Mushirkeen who invented these, and Allah (subhana wa ta'ala) says these innovations are lies of Mushrikeen against Allah (subhana wa ta'ala). Bahira, Saibah, Waseelah and Ham have been explained by Hadhrat Said bin Al Musaiyab (radiallah ta'ala anh):

 

Sahih Bukhari, Book 60, Hadith 147: Narrated Said bin Al-Musaiyab: bahira is a she-camel whose milk is kept for the idols and nobody is allowed to milk it; Sa'iba was the she-camel which they used to set free for their gods and nothing was allowed to be carried on it. Abu Huraira said: Allah's Apostle said, "I saw 'Amr bin 'Amir Al-Khuzai (in a dream) dragging his intestines in the Fire, and he was the first person to establish the tradition of setting free the animals (for the sake of their deities)," Wasila is the she-camel which gives birth to a she-camel as its first delivery, and then gives birth to another she-camel as its second delivery. People (in the Pre-lslamic periods of ignorance) used to let that she camel loose for their idols if it gave birth to two she-camels successively without giving birth to a male camel in between. 'Ham' was the male camel which was used for copulation. When it had finished the number of copulations assigned for it, they would let it loose for their idols and excuse it from burdens so that nothing would be carried on it, and they called it the 'Hami.' Abu Huraira said, "I heard the Prophet saying so."

 

Sahih Muslim, Book 40, Hadith 6839: “Sa'id b. Musayyib explained" al-bahira" as that animal which is not milked but for the idols. and none amongst the people milks them, and" as-sa'iba" as that animal which is let loose for the deities. Nothing is loaded over it, and Ibn Musayyib narrated that Abu Huraira stated that Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: I saw 'amr b. 'Amir al-Khuzili dragging his intestines in fire and he was the first who devoted animals to deity.”

 

Amr bin Luhai started the practice of releasing animals in the names of idols in pre-Islamic era:

 

Sahih Bukhari, Book 22, Hadith 303: “… at the time when you saw me stepping forward. No doubt, I saw Hell with its different parts destroying each other when you saw me retreating and in it I saw 'Amr bin Luhai who started the tradition of freeing animals (set them free) in the name of idols."

 

Sahih Bukhari, Book 56, Hadith 723: Narrated Said bin Al-Musaiyab: Al-Bahira was an animal whose milk was spared for the idols and other deities, and so nobody was allowed to milk it. As-Saiba was an animal which they (i.e infidels) used to set free in the names of their gods so that it would not be used for carrying anything. Abu Huraira said, "The Prophet said, 'I saw Amr bin 'Amir bin Luhai Al-Khuzai dragging his intestines in the (Hell) Fire, for he was the first man who started the custom of releasing animals (for the sake idols).'"

 

Even though these innovations were not considered part of Islam by Mushrikeen of Arabia the fact remains that Amr bin Luhai was guilty of a reprehensible innovation in primordial Islam. And his innovation was which distanced the people from monotheistic religion of Ibrahim (alayhis salam) and corrupted his religion of Islam. Therefore Amr bin Luhai will be carrying the burden of sin of those people who have fallowed his reprehensible innovation after him, because our Messenger of Allah (sallalahu alayhi was'salam) stated: “And he who introduced some evil practice in Islam[2] which had been followed subsequently (by others), he would be required to bear the burden like that of one who followed this (evil practice) without theirs being diminished in any respect.”[3]

 

Conclusion:

 

Just as the religion of all the previous Prophets was same – Islam; so were their guiding principles on subject of innovations same. One such guiding principle was given by beloved Messenger (sallalahu alayhi was'sallam) to his Ummah: “And he who introduced some evil practice in Islam which had been followed subsequently (by others), he would be required to bear the burden...." Its has been demonstrated that this guiding principle was also applied to the son of Prophet Adam's (alayhis salam).[4] This leads to the conclusion that any reprehensible action/belief acted/held by a believer or even a disbeliever and others imitate him in this practice using him/her as example, even though the person did not intend to make it part of Islam, it will be judged as part of Islam.[5] And a broader understanding is that polytheism of Makkans, Indian, Chinese, and the religion of Jews, Christians, Sabian, Zorastranism are in fact pervesion of religion of Islam in one way or another. The reprehensible innovations altered the pure religion of Islam into monstracities known to us today. What ever they invented in past or invent in present or in future will be judged as perversion of Islam which was sent to them originally. Therefore those who introduced reprehensible innovations which altered the relgions of Prophets and those who fallowed them for there will be equal sin.

 

On the basis of this discussion and its conclusions it is absolute that any act which is against the Sharia of RasoolAllah (sallalahu alayhi was'sallam) if one practices it and it becomes a custom/practice then it will be considered as a reprehensible innovation introduced in Islam even if it was not intended to be taken as part of Islam.[6]

 

Wama alayna ilal balaghul mubeen

Muhammed Ali Razavi

 

Footnotes:

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- [1] Prophet (sallalahu alayhi was'sallam) stated:“And he who introduced some evil practice in Islam which had been followed subsequently (by others), he would be required to bear the burden." This proves that a sinner/innovator does not have to verbally express or intend to make the reprehensible innovative action/belief part of Islam for that sinful innovative action/belief to be considered innovation into Islam. Just acting/believing contrary to teaching of Islam is enough to deem that reprehensible act/belief as innovation and that reprehensible act/belief to be considered part of Islam.

 

- [2]Religion of all Prophets is Islam so application of rule of Prophet (sallalahu alayhi was'salam) to son of Adam (alayhis salam) is valid.

 

- [3] Sahih Muslim, Book 34, Hadith 6466

 

- [4] And the rules of praiseworthy innovations were also granted to Ummatis of previous Prophets. It is stated about the followers of Isa (alayhis salam) that they innovated the practice of Monasticism: “Then, in their wake, We followed them up with (others of) Our apostles: We sent after them Jesus the son of Mary, and bestowed on him the Gospel; and We ordained in the hearts of those who followed him Compassion and Mercy. But the Monasticism which they invented for themselves, We did not prescribe for them: (We commanded) only the seeking for the Good Pleasure of Allah. but that they did not foster as they should have done. Yet We bestowed, on those among them who believed, their (due) reward, but many of them are rebellious transgressors.” [Ref: Surah 57:27] And Allah (subhana wa ta'ala) says those who practiced it for them there was reward.

 

- [5] This point is substantiated with the evidence of Hadhrat Adam's (alayhis salam) son murdering his brother because he did not consider it part of Islam Yet addition to his sins the sins of those who murder unjustly indicates Allah (subhana wa ta'ala) will judge it to be part of Islam regardless of the intention. Also Allah (subhana wa ta'ala) states that killing of children by Mushrikeen was altering of religion of Islam: “Even so, in the eyes of most of the pagans, their "partners" made alluring the slaughter of their children, in order to lead them to their own destruction, and cause confusion in their religion. If Allah had willed, they would not have done so: But leave alone them and their inventions.” [Ref: Surah 6:137] this proves that any reprehensible action (i.e. against Sharia) becomes innovation even if it isnt intented.

 

- [6] Naturally implications of this are that if a praiseworthy innovation is not intended to be part of Islam as Sunnah, or Fard it will be considered part of Islam due to its Ijtihadi evidence