Assessment of Sunan and innovated matters

[ابوالوليد المسلم]

Assessment of Sunan and innovated matters

Khalid ibn Muhammad Ash-Shihry


Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds [i.e., people], the Most Gracious the Most Merciful, the Master of the Day of Judgment. Peace be upon the chosen Prophet.

Allah made seasons for obeying Him and fields to compete in His Satisfaction. So, the believers benefit from these seasons and fields by competing therein in confirmation to the promise of their Lord, and out of certainty of reward.

However, Satan and its friends refused to leave these seasons, so they fabricated innovation to distract the people from the seasons of good deeds and confuse the servants of Allah.

Hence, it was fitting for those who desire safety for themselves to keep away from heresies and its people because they aim to accuse Allah (may He be Glorified and Exalted) of not completing the religion which He satisfied for us.

Allah (Glory be to Him) says: "This day, those who disbelieved have given up all hope of your religion, so fear them not, but fear Me. This day, I have perfected your religion for you, completed My Favor upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion." [Surat Al Ma'idah: 3].

The religion which our Prophet (peace be upon him) came with has been completed, so there is no field for more instructions because it meets all needs, so there is nothing missing in it.

It was authentically reported from the Prophet (peace be upon him) that he said: "He who innovates an action against our Shari`ah, it will be rejected."

In another narration: "He who does any act against our Shari`ah, it will be rejected." [Reported by Al Bukhari and Muslim]. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "For every novelty is an innovation, and every innovation is an error."
Ibn Mas`ud (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "Follow and do not innovate because your teachings are enough."
Ibn `Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "Every year people commit Bid`ah (innovation in religion) and kill a Sunnah until heresies revive and Sunan die."

So, every act a person innovates without tracing back to a fundamental of religion, it shall be rejected. Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah bestow mercy on his soul) said: Innovations in religion are matters of which neither Allah nor His Messenger commanded." [Al Fatawa (4/107)].
As-Suyuty (may Allah bestow mercy on his soul) said in His Book "The command of following (the instructions of the book and the Sunnah) and forbiddance of innovation": "Innovation is an action that contradicts the Shari`ah either by mere contradiction or claiming increase or decrease in the Shari`ah."

This assessment for Sunan and innovated matters is intended to be like an agenda for a Muslim so as to remember the seasons of goodness through which he passes. Hence, a Muslim competes in them and watches out the seasons of evil. Perhaps the most people, who will benefit of this agenda, are Muslim rulers, imams of masjids, teachers, and others among those whose words are followed and their advices are listened carefully.

Moreover, I hope to remark the following:
1- Sunan are written in green to be distinguished from innovated matters that were written in red.

2- This assessment is limited to seasonal Sunan that are fixed by certain days and months.

3- There are innovated matters that are not connected with the Hijri calendar (Christmas - Valentine) which their times shall be changed during the coming years.

4- I mentioned the months along with Sunan and innovated matters in short without mentioning the proofs, and whoever wants to know the proofs may resort to specialized books, and of the most important is the book of "Seasonal heresies" of `Abdullah At-Tiwijry.

The Month
Reported Sunnah
Innovated Matters
Muharram

1- All types of pious actions.
2- Fasting the Day of `Ashura' (10th of Muharram) and a day before or a day after.
1- Expanding expenditure for children on the Day of `Ashura' (10th of Muharram).
2- Applying Kuhl and performing a ritual purification bath on the Day of `Ashura'.
3- Wailing and crying for Ahl-ul-Bayt (members of the Prophet's extended Muslim family).
4- Celebrating the new Hijri Year.
Safar



Pessimism about Safar— and another heresy was innovated to refute this heresy which is naming it "Good Rajab."
Rabi` I

1- Celebrating the Prophet's birth.
Rabi` II


Jumada I


Jumada II


Rajab

Singling out Rajab with a special fasting or Salah.
2- Performing `Umrah in Rajab.
3- Celebrating Isra' (Night Journey) and Mi`raj (ascension to Heaven).
Sha`ban
1- Spreading pardon and tolerance among people to obtain the forgiveness of Allah on the night before the 15th of Sha`ban where the sins of Muslims shall be forgiven except for the quarreling people.

1- Reviving the night before the 15th of Sha`ban by performing Salah that is known as As-Salah Al Alfiyyah.
2- Fasting daytime.
Ramadan
1- Performing `Umrah (the lesser pilgrimage) in Ramadan.
2- Performing I`tikaaf in masjids, particularly during the last ten days.
1- Having the pre-dawn meal early and starting fasting prior to Fajr.
2- Practicing sorcery and its worst kind is practicing sorcery with drums and music.
3- The heresy of celebrating the Battle of Badr.
4- Celebrating Halloween.
Shawwal
1- Saying Takbir "Allah Akbar" [Allah is the Greatest] on the `Eid Night.
2- Fasting six days of Shawwal.
1- The heresy of pessimism about marriage in that month.
2- The heresy of celebrating Saints Festival.

Dhul-Qa`dah




Dhul-Hijjah
1- Pious actions in the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah.
2- Fasting the Day of `Arafah (9th of Dhul-Hijjah) for other than a pilgrim.
3- Saying Takbir and Tahlil (La Ilaha Illa Allah) [No god but Allah]. (from the sunset of the Day of `Arafah (9th of Dhul-Hijjah) until the end of the Days of Tashriq (11th, 12th, and 13th of Dhul-Hijjah)).
4- Eating, drinking, and mentioning Allah in the Days of Tashriq (11th, 12th, and 13th of Dhul-Hijjah).
1- At-Ta`rif for other than a pilgrim (which means to gather in masjids for supplications on the Day of `Arafah (9th of Dhul-Hijjah) as pilgrims do)



The following celebrations are not included in the Hijri Calendar:

1- Celebrating non-Muslims' festivals, especially celebrations of the Christians (Christmas) [A recent heresy].

2- Celebrating Valentine [A recent heresy].