The Salaf’s Attitude towards Bid`ah and its People:
`Abdullaah ibn `Umar (radiyallaahu `anhumaa) said: “Every bid`ah is dalaalah, even if the people consider it good (hasanah).”
Authenticated by Al-Albaanee (Ahkaam-ul-Janaa’iz, 258; As-Saheehah, 2735), Al-Hilaalee (Al-Bid`ah, p.42) and others.
`Abdullaah ibn Mas`ood (radiyallaahu `anhu) said: “Follow and do not innovate, for you have been given that which is sufficient, and every bid`ah is dalaalah.”
Authenticated by Al-Albaanee (Al-`Ilm li-Abi Khaithamah, 54; Islaah-ul-Masaajid, 12) and others.
Naafi` narrated that a man sneezed beside Ibn `Umar (radiyallaahu `anhumaa) and said:
“Praise be to Allaah, and peace be upon the Messenger of Allaah (Al-Hamdulillaah was-Salaamu `alaa Rasoolillaah).” Ibn `Umar said:
“I do say that praise be to Allaah and peace be upon the Messenger of Allaah, but this is not how the Messenger of Allaah taught us! He taught us to say after sneezing:
“Praise be to Allaah in all situations (Al-Hamdulillaahi `alaa kulli haal).”
Authenticated by Al-Haakim 4/265-266), Ibn Muflih (Al-Aadaab-ush-Shar`iyyah, 2/324), Al-Albaanee (Al-Irwaa', 3/245; Al-Mishkaah, 4744; As-Saheehah, 1/681-682; Ad-Da`eefah, 2/294), Al-Hilaalee (Al-Bid`ah, p.56-57; Takhreej-ul-Adhkaar, 763; `Ujaalat-ur-Raaghib, 1/312), Al-Halabee (`Ilm Usool-il-Bida`, p.71), Faisal Al-`Uqayyil (Zawaa'id-ut-Tirmidhee, 217), Hamdee `Abdul-Majeed (Musnad-ush-Shaamiyyeen, 323) and others.
`Abdul-Qaadir Al-Arnaa'oot and Shu`aib Al-Arna'oot said: “Its narrators are reliable.” (Zaad-ul-Ma`aad, 2/439).
`Amr ibn Salamah said: “We used to sit in front of `Abdullaah Ibn Mas`ood’s house (radiyallaahu `anhu) before the Fajr Salaah, so that when he came out we would go with him to the Mosque.
Once, Abu Moosaa Al-Ash`aaree (radiyallaahu `anhu) came and asked us:
“Did Aboo `Abdur-Rahmaan (Ibn Mas`ood) leave yet?”
We answered: “No.”
So Abu Moosaa Al-Ash`aaree (radiyallaahu `anhu) sat with us waiting for him. When he came out, we all stood up.
Abu Moosaa said:
“O Aboo Abdir-Rahmaan! I saw something in the mosque which I deemed to be evil, but all praise is for Allaah, I did not see anything except good.”
Ibn Mas'ood (radiyallaahu `anhu) said:
“What was it?”
Abu Moosaa (radiyallaahu `anhu) said:
“You will see it if you live. In the mosque, I saw a group of people sitting in circles waiting for the Salaah. Each circle was led by a person. And every person in these circles carried small stones (pebbles). The leader of a circle would say: “Say ‘Allaahu Akbar’ a hundred times,” so they would repeat Allaahu Akbar a hundred times. Then he would say: “Say ‘Laa ilaaha illallaah’ a hundred times,” so they would say Laa ilaaha illallaah a hundred times. Then he would say: “Say ‘Subhaanallaah’ a hundred times,” so they would say Subhaanallaah a hundred times.”
Then Ibn Mas`ood (radiyallaahu `anhu) said:
“What did you tell them?” He replied:
“I didn not say anything. I waited to hear your opinion or your order.”
`Abdullaah Ibn Mas`ood (radiyallaahu `anhu) said:
“Could you not have told them to count their evil deeds, and assured them that they would lose none of their good deeds?!” Then `Abdullaah Ibn Mas`ood (radiyallaahu `anhu) went ahead and we accompanied him. As he approached one of the circles, he said:
“What is this that I see you doing?” They replied:
“O Aboo `Abdir-Rahmaan, these are pebbles to count the number of times we say Allaahu Akbar, Laa ilaaha illallah, and Subhaanallaah.” He said:
“Count your evil deeds, and I assure you that you are not going to lose anything of your good deeds! Woe unto you, Ummah of Muhammad (sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam)! How quickly you go to destruction! These are the Companions of your Prophet (sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam) available, these are his clothes not worn out yet, and his pots are not broken yet. I swear by Him in Whose Hand is my soul! You are either upon a religion better than the religion of Muhammad (sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam) or you are opening a door to dalaalah.” They said:
“By Allaah! O Aboo `Abdir-Rahmaan! We intended nothing but good.” He replied:
“How many are the seekers of good but will never attain it?! The Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam) has told us:
“There will be a people who will recite the Qur’aan but it will not pass their throats (into the heart).” By Allaah, I do not know but I fear that most of them are from you!” Then he turned away from them. `Amr Ibn Salamah said:
“We saw most of the people of those circles fighting alongside the Khawaarij against us in the battle of An-Nahrawaan!”
Authenticated by Al-Haithamee (Al-Majma`, 1/181, 189), Al-Haitamee (Az-Zawaajir, Al-Kabeerah #51, ), Al-Albaanee (As-Saheehah, 2005; Ar-Radd `alal-Habashee, p.45-47), `Abdul-Muhsin Al-`Abbaad (Al-Hathth `alat-tibaa`-is-Sunnah, p.49), Bakr Aboo Zaid (Tas-heeh-ud-Du`aa’, p.149, 153, 154), Husayn Asad (Musnad-ud-Daarimee, 210), `Amr Saleem (Al-Bida` libn Waddaah, 27), Al-Hilaalee (Al-Bid`ah, p.44-47), Al-Halabee (Ihkaam-ul-Mabaanee, p.55-58), Al-Huwainee (Al-Bid`ah wa Aathaaruhaa (1), 03:45), Mashhoor Salmaan (Al-Amr bil-Ittibaa, p.83-84), Zakariyyaa Al-Baakistaanee (Taudeeh-ul-Usool, p. ) and others.
Al-Ma`roor ibn Suwaid said: “We went out with `Umar ibn Al-Khattaab (radiyallaahu `anhu) and we came upon a place and the people rushed to pray there. `Umar said:
“What is the matter with them?” They said:
“The Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam) prayed here.” `Umar said:
“Verily, those who came before you were destroyed because they followed such (practices) until they made them into places of worship. Whoever happens to be there at the time of prayer, let him pray there, and whoever is not there at the time of prayer, he should not pray there but continue his journey.””
Authenticated by Ibn Taymeeyah (Majmoo`-ul-Fataawaa, 1/281; At-Tawassul wal-Waseelah, 203), Ibn Katheer (Musnad-ul-Faarooq, 1/142), Ibn Hajar (Al-Fath, 1/569), Al-Albaanee (Tahdheer-us-Saajid, 124; Hajjat-un-Nabee, 110), `Abdul-Muhsin Al-`Abbaad (7/506), Mashhoor Salmaan (Sabeel-ur-Rashaad, 1/415), Shua`aib Al-Arna’oot (As-Siyar, 9/344) and `Amr Saleem (Al-Bida` libn Waddaah, 105, 106).
