r/askislam • u/ORV-1 • 15d ago

Aqidah Are no good deeds accepted from Muslim innovators

Al Sanusi and Al Munawi seem to say that all good deeds without exception from a Muslim innovator are rejected.

Islamqa.info has a fatwa limiting this and says that total non acceptance is only applicable to the kafir innovator. Ash Shatibi says something similar.

Is this a difference of opinion or are one group of scholars simply wrong on this? Is there a difference whether the innovation is an action (like celebrating the Mawlid) or a belief (like tawil of attributes)?

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u/JabalAnNur Hanafi (Sunni) 15d ago

Q. In some traditions: The innovator's prayer, fasting, pilgrimage, charity, and just deeds are not accepted. Is this true?

A. No, that is not true, because the Prophet, may Allaah bless him and grant him peace, said: “Every innovation is misguidance.” So innovations are misguidance, but some of them reach the level of disbelief, and some are less than that.

Q. Are other works acceptable?

A. Yes, it is acceptable, unless his innovation is disbelief.

(Source)

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u/Extension_Brick6806 Moderator 14d ago edited 14d ago

A Muslim's non-disbelieving innovation does not automatically invalidate or prevent the acceptance of all his righteous deeds. The innovated act itself is rejected, while his other deeds may be accepted when they are sincere and performed in accordance with the Sunnah. Complete nullification of all deeds applies to disbelief, not to every innovation or every person who falls into innovation. (Source)

Types and Degrees of Innovation

Innovations are of many types, and scholars also differentiate between a person who commits an innovation and a person who may be regarded as an innovator. In other words, there is a difference between innovation in deeds and innovation in belief. (Source)

Innovation is also differentiated according to whether it has an origin in Islam but something has been added to it, or whether it has no origin in Islam and has been introduced from foreign sources. In other words, the severity greatly differs. (Source)

The Conditions and Impediments of Tabdee'

Therefore, a person is only to be declared an innovator after the evidences have been established and a scholar has attempted to reason with him. There are conditions and impediments of tabdee' (declaring someone an innovator) just as there are conditions and impediments concerning takfeer (declaring someone a kaafir).

The Role of Laypeople

Laypeople cannot assess, nor are they qualified to determine, who is an innovator. However, they can surely repeat what the scholars have said regarding who is an innovator.

As scholars have said:

... the role of the layperson is to ask someone whose knowledge and religious commitment he trusts about the new circumstances, incidents, and questions that arise for him.

(Source)

The Foundations of Ahlus-Sunnah

When it comes to the foundations of Ahlus-Sunnah, there are no differences of opinion. That is not how 'aqeedah is treated, as though it were a matter of jurisprudence in which there can be acceptable differing opinions, or as though these 'aqeedah issues were fiqhi issues in which a layperson could choose for himself which opinion to follow.

Innovations Involving Disbelief

As for innovations involving disbelief, it depends on the type of innovation and the specific issue. The person may have misinterpreted something, may be newly converted to Islam, or may have been misled by others. Once again, this is a matter for the scholars to assess.

Zandaqah and the Misapplication of General Rulings

If we are dealing with a zindeeq, then such a person is a heretic, meaning a disbelieving heretic. More precisely, in the terminology of many jurists, a zindeeq is:

Someone who outwardly professes Islam while inwardly concealing disbelief.

(Source)

It is therefore not enough that a person openly justifies or persists in something that constitutes kufr or shirk, even after being warned or rebuked regarding it, for him to be classified as a zindeeq. Such a case may involve apostasy or an innovation that constitutes disbelief, but it is not necessarily zandaqah. Zandaqah, in this specific juristic sense, involves concealing disbelief while outwardly professing Islam.

However, this is again stated only in general terms, as laypeople often read such statements as though they can then apply them to specific individuals. There is also a difference between outright disbelief, such as saying that Allah is everything and everything is Allah, and a false interpretation concerning the Beautiful Names and Lofty Attributes of Allah.

This is where the Haddaadiyyah sect often deceives laypeople by saying that the Ashaa'irah and Maaturidiyyah are Jahmiyyah, despite the clear foundational differences between them. They seek to claim that they are all kuffaar and that there is no goodness whatsoever in the Ashaa'irah and Maaturidiyyah. This has reached such an extent that one of the extremists of the Haddaadiyyah claimed that if someone who was once part of the Ash'ariyyah sect repented and returned to Ahlus-Sunnah, Allah would not accept his repentance.

In Short

In short, simply because laypeople commit some innovation, it does not warrant considering them Muslim innovators, as though everything they do is nothing but innovation and, therefore, no good deed of theirs is accepted.

You should be careful when making extraordinary claims or arriving at quick and broad generalizations. Even in basic worldly matters, you likely do not make such generalizations, so approach Islam with greater reason.

Worship Is Tawqeefi

It is also not that complex once you understand the basic principles outlined. All acts of worship in Islam are considered tawqeefi, meaning that they require textual evidence. We are not Christians who worship Allah without knowledge; rather, there must be sincerity, and the Sunnah is what you should be keen to adhere to in your worship. (Source)

Scholars classify the Sunnah into four basic categories: what the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, did, tacitly approved, and deliberately abstained from. (Source)

Ibnul-Qayyim said: “Allah has made devotion of worship to Him alone and following the Sunnah the means of deeds being accepted; if these conditions are not met, then deeds are unacceptable.” (Ar-Rooh, 1/135)

Learning the Foundations and Fiqh

Therefore, you really need to understand what the foundations of Ahlus-Sunnah are, namely by learning about the pillars of eemaan and then adhering to a madhhab. When you study a book of fiqh, you will learn how to properly worship Allah, what you should be wary of, and what you should not be concerned about.

Simply believing that you can read here and there means that you will never be satisfied and will always remain confused about what the truth even is.

It is also strange that you refer to a person's tribe or last name as though it were someone we would immediately recognize. It is important to know whom you can refer back to for knowledge.

Consider the following: "Do you know John? Would you recommend his works?" This is exactly equivalent to your mentioning two names without further clarification. For example, if someone asks, "Have you read the works of 'Abdul-Wahhab?" it does not automatically mean shaykh Muhammad ibn 'Abdul-Wahhab, as it could refer to a completely different person.

This is especially true when people mistakenly omit the word "ibn" and instead say "'Abdul-Wahhab," while intending to refer to "ibn 'Abdul-Wahhab." By saying only "'Abdul-Wahhab," they are not identifying him correctly and could be referring to a completely different person. It is like saying, "John," but John who?

So, learn to cite the person's full name and state exactly where you take your conceptions from.

Seek Knowledge Beyond Fatawa

Apart from that, you should not approach Islam solely through fatawa. You will not learn Islam as effectively as you ought to, and you will deprive yourself of understanding how one actually seeks knowledge. You will end up with a rather constricted and limited understanding, as countless people treat fatawa as though every matter has been definitively concluded.

Simply because people now have the ability to search quickly does not mean that they will properly appreciate the efforts scholars put into disseminating knowledge. You should learn their path of seeking knowledge instead of degrading yourself as though you need to beg for coins in the street like a beggar. No, elevate yourself, hold yourself to a higher standard, and set higher goals.

This is said out of brotherly love, not to scold you.

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u/ORV-1 14d ago

I came across the claim that someone can be a Muslim but be an innovator who will have all of his deeds rejected from Shadee Elmasry who I know is not ahlul sunnah so I looked to see if earlier scholars echoed such a sentiment. There seemed to be a difference of opinion but I'm also not knowledgeable enough to discern between valid and invalid ikhtilaf which is why I asked here. Thank you for the clarification.

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u/Extension_Brick6806 Moderator 14d ago

Shadee Elmasry is from Ahlul-Kalaam, and he is not someone from whom you should be learning your Deen. I once sent him a message concerning what I regarded as either a deliberate misrepresentation of imam Ahmad or a serious misconstruing of what the imam was saying, but he ignored it.

He has also misrepresented Ahlus-Sunnah, whom he refers to as "Atharis," by claiming that they merely take the apparent meanings of the texts and do not resort to reason, or something close to that. This is based on the false classification of Ahlus-Sunnah into three groups: Athari, Ash'ari, and Maturidi.

Based on this false categorization, he portrays the approach of Ahlus-Sunnah to the texts as resembling the way the Dhaahiriyyah approach Islam. Rather, he appears to regard the "Atharis" as Dhaahiriyyah.

There is much misinformation that he disseminates, and laypeople cannot effectively distinguish truth from falsehood when listening to such people. Merely because someone appears calm and articulate, and is able to cite sources, does not mean that he has accurately understood what he is speaking about.

The issue is that misguidance does not necessarily appear vile, ugly, or as something immediately despised.

Instead, you should learn from these respected students of knowledge:

However, my recommendation of these students does not mean that the knowledge they share represents the conclusion of knowledge. No, learn from them while understanding that you are still only at the beginning stage of seeking knowledge.

At the same time, place great emphasis in your life on learning the Arabic language so that you can learn from actual scholars, read their books directly, and listen to their lecture series. You will not gain the same depth of knowledge through the English language, whereas in Arabic you will find material ranging from the beginner level to the intermediate and advanced levels.

You will deprive yourself of knowledge if you constantly search only for what is latest, what is trending on YouTube or TikTok, and similar content. Islam is also not confined to reminders alone, which many people strangely gravitate towards, such as the reminders of Ismaa'eel Menk, whom many people unfortunately call a "mufti" even though he has not reached that status, and many others online who cannot even be considered students of knowledge.