Innovation in religion is one of the serious matters which goes against the Book of Allah and the Sunnah. The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) did not die until after the religion had been perfected…
Part transcript of the Khutbah below, or click on the play button on each of the videos below to hear the full Khutbah (alternatively, click on the image at the bottom of the page, or visit: http://bit.ly/11mwMIH)
Allah says in Surat Al-Ma’idah, Chapter 5, Verse 3 (interpretation of the meaning):
“This day, I have perfected your religion for you, completed My favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion…”
It was reported that ‘Aa’isha (may Allah be pleased with her) said: the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever innovates something in this matter of ours which is not a part of it, will have it rejected.” (agreed upon).
Warnings against bid’ah (innovation) have been narrated from the companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and from the righteous Salaf after them, because this is no more than adding things to the religion and instituting a religion that Allah has not ordained. It also implies that there is something lacking in Islam, and that it is not complete, and it is well known that this leads to great mischief and evil.
Some people have innovated a number of practices in the religion. From the worst type of innovations in the religion is violent extremism.
The recent Woolwich attack (Wednesday 22nd May 2013) is an example of violent extremism, a result of a misguided and deviant ideology that permits killing, stealing, selling drugs and the like in non-Muslim countries while at the same time enjoying the benefits of living in safety, accepting state benefits and so on.
Is this Islam? Is this the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)?
Allah says in Surat Al-Ma’idah, Chapter 5, Verse 8 (interpretation of the meaning):
“O you who have believed, be persistently standing firm for Allah, witnesses in justice, and do not let the hatred of a people prevent you from being just. Be just; that is nearer to righteousness. And fear Allah; indeed, Allah is Acquainted with what you do“.
When the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) migrated to Madinah, he ordered Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) to return the belongings that he had in his possession to the Quraysh people, to whom they belonged.
Prior to this, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) remained in Mecca for 13 years, with the Muslims. He did not permit them to steal the wealth of the non-Muslims, nor to attack them, nor to shed their blood.
He (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) then emigrated to Madinah whilst some Muslims who could not migrate stayed behind. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) did not order them to steal and rob, nor to attack and murder, nor to loot and plunder!!!
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) kept his agreements with the disbelievers. Mughirah ibn Shubah migrated to the Prophet to convert to Islam, and he had with him wealth that he took from a non-Muslim. The Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) accepted his Islam, and refused the wealth.
This proves that the wealth of a non-Muslim is protected by Islam, and it must be returned to him.
It is not allowed in Islam for a person who lives in non-Muslim lands, or converts to Islam there, to terrorize and instil fear or cause corruption and jeopardize the safety of others, Muslims and non-Muslims alike, by attacking and murdering, stealing and robbing, committing fraud and deception. All of that is forbidden in Islam, and there is consensus from the four Madhahib.
It is a result of a deep ignorance of Islam, misguidance and deviation from following the Qur’an and Sunnah on the understanding of the Sahabah, for anybody to permit or to be pleased with the violent attack that happened in Woolwich.
The negative results to Muslims living here has already been seen, from attacks on Mosques and ordinary Muslims. The local Muslim community now live in fear of backlash and reprisals as a direct result of the Woolwich attack, from those other extremists who want any excuse to increase the anti-Islamic feelings in the UK, for example the EDL and their like, as has already happened.
Finally, we have a collective responsibility: to clarify the truth, to remind the media and others of their responsibility not to spread Islamaphobic views, and personally to not contribute to negative stereotypes that are being portrayed of Islam by some ignorant Muslims who speak about Islam without knowledge, whether they are the liberal secular Muslims who want to change Islam to suit them or the extremist Muslims who want to cause corruption and fasad in the land.
Allah says in Surat Al-Baqarah, Chapter 2, Verses 204 to 206 (interpretation of the meaning):
“And of the people is he whose speech pleases you in worldly life, and he calls Allah to witness as to what is in his heart, yet he is the fiercest of opponents. And when he goes away, he strives throughout the land to cause corruption therein and destroy crops and animals. And Allah does not like corruption. And when it is said to him, “Fear Allah”, pride is the sin that takes hold of him. Sufficient for him is Hellfire, and how wretched is the resting place.”
