The Danger Of Innovation In Light Of The Perfection Of The Sunnah

Al-‘Allamah Muhammad b. Salih al-‘Uthaymeen | Abu ‘Iyaad Amjad Rafiq

This is a very brief but concise treatise by Shaykh Muhammad bin Salih al-‘Uthaymin (Allah have mercy on him) on the subject of innovation. It is an excellent introduction to this topic and its argument is precise, clear and strong.

The Shaykh said in his introduction: “Allah sent him with the guidance and the true religion and he conveyed the message, fulfilled the trust, advised the ummah and strove for Allah’s sake as He ought to be strived for until there came to him the certainty. He left his ummah on a pure and clear path, whose night is like its day and none deviates from it except one who is destroyed. He explained (in this clear path) everything which the ummah is in need of in all of its affairs (to such an extent) that Abu Dharr (Allah be pleased with him) said: ‘The Messenger (Peace and blessings be on him) did not even leave a bird flapping its wings in the sky except that he mentioned to us knowledge regarding it.’.”

After presenting evidences for the completion and perfection of the Shari’ah, the Shaykh (Allah have mercy on him) then spoke about innovation, and its dangers, and proceeds to refute the main arguments used to justify innovations in religion.