“And every newly invented matter is a bidʿah…”
‘Every’ (Arabic kull) is a word that signifies generality and comprehensiveness. Thus, all newly invented matters are bidʿah; there is no such thing as a good bidʿah, all bidʿah is misguidance:
“Every newly invented matter is a bidʿah, and every bidʿah is misguidance.”
Misguidance and its people are of different degrees, each commensurate with the severity of the misguidance.
So we must all – my beloved brothers – revere the guidance of Allāh’s Messenger – ṣallallāhu ʿalayhi wa sallam, his Sunnah, his statements and following him above anyone else’s statements and above following anyone else. And we must not take any notice of any statement of anyone that goes against his Sunnah – ṣallallāhu ʿalayhi wa sallam – whoever he is. If we follow this way, we will live a pleasant life, one in which there is bliss for us in this world, and in which we will have success and bliss in our hereafter in front of our Lord, in Paradise, for following this Prophet – upon him be the best peace and blessings.
So you must, o Muslim, man and woman, jinn and human, adhere to this way and not deviate from it, for in it lies success and bliss.
May Allāh’s peace and blessings be upon His most devout worshipper, and Messenger, our Prophet Muḥammad, and upon his Family, Companions and true followers, until the Day of Reckoning.
This concludes the Notes from a Commentary on Khuṭbah Al-Ḥājah
Commentary by Shaykh Dr. Muḥammad b. Hādī Al-Madkhalī
Transcribed and translated by Owais Al-Hāshimī
29/01/1436 AH (21/11/2014 CE)