*
The term ‘innovations’ means any kind of change, amendment,
deviation, abrogation or addition, however small it may be. Any
change in the original teachings of Islam revealed by God, on the
basis of any kind of logic, argument or guesswork whatsoever is
strictly forbidden. The framework of Islam has been created by God
and is, therefore, perfect. No one, however qualified, is competent
to gauge the secrets of the Divine Commandments of God, the All-wise
and the Just.
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121. Prophet
Muhammad (p): Whenever innovations appear in my people, then the
religious scholars must rise to the occasion and make their true
knowledge manifest and may the curse of God fall on one who does
not do so.(B2, C19, T2)
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122. Prophet
Muhammad (p): One who glorifies an innovator is virtually demolishing
(the edifice of) Islam.(B2, C19, T3) |
123. When
Prophet Muhammad (p) refused to approve the repentance of a heretic.
He was asked: And why is it so, O Prophet of God?
The Prophet (p): Because, the infatuation with heresy has taken
root in their hearts.(B2, C19, T4)
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124. Prophet
Muhammad (p): Against every deviation from or innovation in the
authentic framework of Islam which spreads after my demise, intended
to weaken the faith (of the believers), a defender from my descendants
will rise to the occasion who will be (divinely) entrusted to defend
the original values of religion. He will speak on behalf of the
weak. Therefore, all of you who have eyes be careful and stick to
your reliance on God.(B2, C19, T2)
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125. Imam
Jafar as-Sadiq (p): People, who believe in speculation, search for
knowledge on the basis of speculations and surmises. These speculations
and surmises only take them further away from the truth. The Religion
of God has nothing to do with surmises.(B2, C19, T7)
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126. Imam
Musa al-Kazim (p) was asked: On what basis should I believe in the
Oneness of God?
The Imam (p): Do not enter into the folds of innovators. One who
acts on the basis of his guesswork perishes, and one who turns away
from the progeny of the Prophet Muhammad (p) goes astray, and one
who turns away from the Book of God and the sayings of Prophet Muhammad
(p) becomes an infidel.(B2, C19, T10)
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127.
12. Prophet Muhammad (p): Every innovation is a misguidance and
every misguidance leads to hell-fire. |
128.
15. Imam Jafar as-Sadiq (p): Sunnah cannot be guessed. Do you not
see that women have to compensate for their fasts (missed during
the period of their menstruation) after the month of Ramadan, but
they do not have to compensate for their daily prayers (missed during
the period) after the period is over? If Sunnah is based on guesswork,
religion will perish.
Translator’s note: This saying of the Imam (p) requires an
explanation. As regards the relative importance of the daily prayers
and fasting, the importance of daily prayers is more pivotal than
that of fasting because the essentiality of daily prayers is mentioned
in about fifty verses of the Noble Quran. On the basis of guesswork
it can easily be deduced that a woman must compensate for the prayers
missed daily during her period of menstruation because they are
much more important and essential than the prescribed fasts. But
according to religious tenets, she has to compensate for the fasts
which have been missed and not for the missed prayers. The deduction
on the basis of guesswork will, therefore, be contrary to the religious
tenets. Guesswork should, therefore, never be resorted to in religious
matters.
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129.
16. Imam Musa al-Kazim (p) was asked about speculations (drawing
conclusions on the basis superficial appearances and analogies).
The Imam (p): Why should speculate? God cannot be questioned as
to why He has permitted certain things and prohibited others.
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130.
17. Imam Ali (p): One who bases his mind on conjectures will always
remain in ambiguity and one who bases the religion of God on his
guesswork will always remain in doubt. Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (p)
also said that one, who announces his verdicts before people on
the basis of his own opinion, innovates in the religion of God.
And one who innovates in the religion of God, contradicts God and
what God has declared permissible and pronounced forbidden.
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131.
18. Imam Jafar as-Sadiq (p): Satan assessed the rank of Adam on
the basis of his own creation and said: … (O God!) You have
created me from fire and created Adam from clay (Q, 7:12). If he
had assessed the spirit with which God created Adam, (p) he would
have understood that Adam excelled Satan greatly in brilliance and
radiance.
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132.
19. Imam Jafar as-Sadiq (p): Whatever Prophet Muhammad (p) has declared
as permissible; will remain permissible till the Day of Judgment
and whatever Prophet Muhammad (p) has declared forbidden; will remain
forbidden till the Day of Judgment. This will neither change nor
will anyone bring any change in it. Imam Ali (p) also said that
no one introduces an innovation without forsaking the way of the
Prophet Muhammad (p).
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133.
20. Abu Hanifa (an Islamic jurist of the Sunni sect) came to see
Imam Jafar as-Sadiq (p). Imam Jafar as-Sadiq (p): Abu Hanifa, I
gather that you deduce (religious matters) on the basis of analogies.
Abu Hanifa: Yes.
The Imam (p) advised him: Never do that. The first one who did that
was Satan, when he said: O God! You have created me from fire and
Adam from clay (Q, 7:12). He compared fire with clay on the basis
of guesswork. If he had compared the elegance and quintessence of
Adam with the elegance and quintessence of fire, he would have realized
which one was superior.
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134.
21. A person put a question to Imam Jafar as-Sadiq (p): Had this
matter been such and such what would your answer have been?
The Imam (p): Wait! Whatever answer I give is of and from the Prophet
Muhammad (p) himself. We never say anything on our own.
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135.
22. Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (p): Do not trust anyone except God;
otherwise you will no longer remain a believer. All bonds due to
any reason, merits of inheritance, kinship, confidences, innovations
and ambiguities will fade out save those established by the Noble
Quran.
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