Verily, all praise belongs to Allaah alone, we praise Him, seek His aid and His forgiveness. We repent to Him and seek refuge in Him from the evils of our souls and the evils of our actions. Whomsoever Allaah guides there is none to misguide and whomsoever He misguides there is none to guide. I bear witness that there is no diety worthy of worship except Allaah alone and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and messenger. Allaah sent him with the guidance and the true religion and he conveyed the message, fulfilled the trust, advised the ummah and strove for Allaah as He ought to be strived for until there came to him the certainty. He left his ummah on a pure and clear path, whose night is like its day and none deviates from it except one who is destroyed. He explained (in this clear path) everything which the ummah is in need of in all of its affairs (to such an extent) that Abu Dharr (ra) said: "The Messenger () did not even leave a bird flapping its wings in the sky except that he mentioned to us knowledge regarding it." Also a man from among the mushrikoon (pagans) said to Salmaan al-Farsee (ra): "Your Messenger teaches you (so much), even toilet manners." So Salmaan replied: "Yes! He has also forbidden us to face the qiblah while passing water or excrement or that we clean ourselves with less than three stones, or that we clean ourselves with the right hand or that we clean ourselves with dung or bones."

You will see that Allaah the Exalted has explained in this Great Qur'aan the fundamentals of the religion and its branches. He has explained Tawheed with all its types, the etiquette of meeting in gatherings, and seeking permission to enter peoples houses. The Exalted said: O you who believe! When you are told to make room in the gatherings then make room (spread out). Allaah will (in turn) make ample room for you.

And He also said: O you who believe! Do not enter houses other than your own until you have sought permission and saluted its inhabitants. That is better for you, in order that you may remember. And if you find none in the house then do not enter until permission has been given to you. If you are asked to go back then go back. That is more pure for you and Allaah has full knowledge of all that you do.

He has also explained the manners of dress. He the Exalted said: The elderly women who do not desire marriage, there is no blame upon them if they put aside there outer garments without making a display and show of beauty . O Prophet. Say to your wives, your daughters and the women of the believers that they should put their outer garments over themselves (their bodies). That will be better in order that they may be known as such (free and respectable women) and not be harmed or abused. And that they should not strike their feet so that what they hide from their beauty becomes known. And it is not righteousness that you enter the houses from the rear but righteousness is the (quality of the) one who fears (Allaah. So enter houses through their proper doors.

And other such numerous verses by which it is made clear that this complete and comprehensive religion is not in need of any addition just like it is not permissible to make any decrease in it. This is why Allaah the Exalted said in describing the Qur'aan And We have revealed to you the Book (O Muhammad) , as a clarification and explanation for every single matter.

There is no such thing which mankind is in need of in their life and livelihood except that Allaah has explained it in His Book whether it is by the text (itself), or by an indication, or by something made explicit or something which is understood from the text (but is not in the text). My dear Brothers, there are some amongst the people who explain the speech of Allaah: There is no creature upon the earth or bird in the sky which flaps it wings except that it forms part of communities just like yourselves. We have not left anything out of the Book and then to your Lord will you be gathered.

They explain: "We have not left anything out of the Book...", by saying that the Book referred to is the Qur'aan. What is correct however, is that the Book is the Preserved Tablet. As for the Qur'aan, Allaah has described it in a way which is more deep and profound than what has been mentioned in the above verse about the preserved tablet by negating the ommission of anything from it. He said: And We have revealed to you the Book, as a clarification and explanation for every single matter

This is more profound and clear than His speech: We have not left anything out of the Book.

Perhaps someone may say: "Where can we find the number of the five prayers in the Qur'aan? And the number of (rakahs) for every prayer in the Qur'aan. And how can it be correct if we cannot find in the Qur'aan a description of the number of rakahs in every prayer while Allaah says: And We have revealed to you the Book, as a clarification and explanation for every single matter

The answer is that Allaah the Exalted has made it clear to us in His Book that it is obligatory upon us to take whatever the Messenger of Allaah has said and whatever he has directed us to. The Exalted said: Whoever obeys the Messenger has indeed obeyed Allaah And whatever the Messenger gives to you take it and whatever he forbids you from then refrain from it.

Whatever the Sunnah explains then the Qur'aan has (by default) indicated and directed to it because the Sunnah is one of the two types of revelation which Allaah revealed to His messenger and taught him, just as Allaah has said:

And Allaah has revealed to you the Book and the Wisdom.

Therefore, based upon this is that whatever comes in the Sunnah has also came in the Book of Allaah Azzawajall. My brothers, now that this matter has been settled, did the Prophet die while something from the religion which draws one closer to Allaah the Exalted remained which he did not explain? Never! since the Messenger explained the whole of the religion either by his speech, his action or his (silent) approval, whether that was initiated of his own accord or whether it was due to a response to a question. Sometimes Allaah would send a bedouin from the furthest region of the desert in order to ask the Messenger of Allaah a thing from among the matters of the religion which the Companions, who stuck by the Messenger of Allaah did not ask him. This is why they used to rejoice when a bedouin would come and ask the Prophet about certain affairs.

That the Prophet did not leave anything which the people are in need of in their worship, their dealings with one another and their livelihood without having explained it is proven to you by His speech, the Exalted:

This day have I perfected for you your religion and have completed My favour upon you and have chosen for you Islaam as a religion

When this matter has been explained - O muslim - know that every one who innovates something in the religion of Allaah even if it is with a good intention, then his innovation, along with it being misguidance, will be considered a defamation of the religion of Allaah Azzawajall and will be considered a denial and rejection of Allaah the Exalted in His speech: This day have I perfected for you your religion

Since this innovator who innovated a matter into the religion of Allaah which is not from the religion of Allaah is saying silently that the religion has not been completed because this matter which was left out, and which he innovated, can be used to draw closer to Allaah Azzawajall. It is amazing that a person will innovate something related to Allaah's Essence, His Name's and Attributes and then say that in doing so he is exalting and magnifying his Lord, that he is freeing his Lord from any imperfections and faults and that he is obeying His speech the Exalted: So do not set up equals or partners to Allaah

You will be amazed by this person. He makes this innovation in the religion of Allaah which is related to Allaah's Essence, and which the Salaf from this Ummah were not upon and nor its leaders, and then says that he is freeing Allaah from defects, magnifying Him and is giving obedience to His speech, the Exalted: So do not set up equals or partners to Allaah

and that whoever disagrees with that is someone who makes resemblances for Allaah and likens Him to His creation. Just like you will be amazed by a people who innovate in the religion of Allaah something which is related to the Messenger of Allaah and which does not belong to the religion of Allaah. Then they call out and claim by this innovation that they are lovers of the Messenger of Allaah (sas), that they are exalting the Messenger of Allaah . And that whoever does not agree with them in this innovation of theirs is a hater of the Messenger of Allaah and other such bad names which they give to whoever does not agree with them in their innovation. It is amazing also that the likes of such people say 'We are the ones who exalt and magnify Allaah and His Messenger. In reality when they innovate into the religion of Allaah and His Sharee'ah which the His Messenger came with something which does not belong to it they are without a doubt putting themselves ahead of Allaah and His Messenger. Allaah Azzawajall has said: O you who believe! Do not put yourselves ahead of Allaah and His Messenger and fear Allaah. Indeed Allaah is All-Hearing and All-Knowing.

My brothers, I ask and adjure you by Allaah Azzawajall, and I would like the answer to be from your hearts not from your sentiments and emotions, from what your religion necessitates and not your blind-following: What do you say about those who innovate into the religion of Allaah something which does not belong to it whether it is related to Allaah's Essence, His Names and Attributes or whether it is related to the Messenger of Allaah and then say 'We are exalting and magnifying Allaah and His Messenger'. Are these more deserving of being those who exalt and magnify Allaah and His Messenger? Or is it those people who do not deviate even a fingertips length from Allaah's Sharee'ah, who say with regard to what has come in the Sharee'ah 'We believe and treat as true that with which we have been informed and we hear and we obey with regard to that which we have been commanded' and who say about that which the Sharee'ah did not come with 'We desist and refrain, it is not for us to put ourselves ahead of Allaah and His Messenger and it is not for us to say about the religion of Allaah something which is not found in it.' Which of these two are more worthy of being those who love Allaah and His Messenger and who exalt Allaah and His Messenger? There is no doubt that it is the ones who say 'We believe and accept (as true) that with which we have been informed and we hear and we obey with regard to that which we have been commanded' and who say 'We hold back and refrain from that which we have not been commanded' and who say 'We are the least able in placing something in the Sharee'ah of Allaah something which is not in it'. There is no doubt that these are the ones who know and acknowledge their own limit and power and the power of their creator. These are the ones who magnify Allaah and His Messenger and they are the ones who demonstrate the truthfulness of their love for Allaah and His Messenger.

It is certainly not those who innovate into the religion of Allaah something which does not belong to it, in terms of belief, speech or action. You will surprised at a people who know the saying of the Messenger of Allaah : "Beware of the newly-invented matters, for every newly-invented matter is an innovation and every innovation is misguidance and every misguidance is in the Hellfire." They know that his speech "...every innovation ..." is general, comprehensive and complete, being enclosed and surrounded with the strongest particle that can be used for generalisation and inclusion and that is "...kullu (every)..." and that the one who spoke this comprehensive speech (sas) knows the sense and meaning of this word. That he is the most eloquent of the whole of creation, the greatest adviser of the creation to the creation, who does not speak except with something the meaning of which he (certainly and definitely) intends and desires.

Therefore, when the Prophet said: "Every innovation is misguidance" he knew what he was saying and he knew the meaning of what he said. These words came from him out of the perfection of (his) advice to the ummah.

Whenever these three matters come together in speech - the perfection of advice and will, the perfection of speech and discourse and the perfection of knowledge and acquaintance - it indicates that what is desired or intended by the speech is the actual meaning which it indicates and refers to. After this comprehensiveness is it correct that we divide innovations into three types or five types? Never! This is not correct. The claim of some of the scholars that there is Bid'ah Hasanah (good innovation) falls into one of two situations (and is explained in one of two ways):

1. It is not an innovation in reality but a person considers it an innovation
2. That it is an innovation, which makes it evil, however a person does not know about its evil

Therefore, this is the answer to everything which is claimed to be a bid'ah hasanah. Built upon this, there is no way for the people of innovation to make from among their innovations something which is a bid'ah hasanah. In our hands is this sharp sword from the Messenger of Allaah : "Every innovation is misguidance". Verily, this sharp sword was manufactured in the factories of prophethood and messengership. It has not been made in the fragile and feeble factories (of people) but rather, it has been made in the factories of prophethood. The Prophet designed it into this fine and efficacious art. It is not possible for anyone to challenge the one in whose hand is this sharp sword with any innovation, saying it is a bid'ah hasanah while the Messenger of Allaah says: "Every innovation is misguidance".