In the Name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful
Imam al-Mundhiri recorded the chapter in his book Inspiring Hope and Inciting Fear:
الترهيب من ترك السنة وارتكاب البدع والأهواء
Discouragement of abandoning the Sunnah, committing heretical innovations, and indulging in whims.
Source: al-Targhīb wal-Tarhīb 1/83
Aisha reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
مَنْ أَحْدَثَ فِي أَمْرِنَا هَذَا مَا لَيْسَ فِيهِ فَهُوَ رَدٌّ
Whoever innovates into this matter of ours that which does not belong to it, it will be rejected.
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 2697, Grade: Muttafaqun Alayhi
In another narration, the Prophet said:
مَنْ عَمِلَ عَمَلًا لَيْسَ عَلَيْهِ أَمْرُنَا فَهُوَ رَدٌّ
Whoever performs a deed that is not in accordance with our matter, it will be rejected.
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 1718, Grade: Sahih
Jabir ibn ‘Abdillah reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
مَنْ يَهْدِهِ اللَّهُ فَلَا مُضِلَّ لَهُ وَمَنْ يُضْلِلْهُ فَلَا هَادِيَ لَهُ إِنَّ أَصْدَقَ الْحَدِيثِ كِتَابُ اللَّهِ وَأَحْسَنَ الْهَدْيِ هَدْيُ مُحَمَّدٍ وَشَرُّ الْأُمُورِ مُحْدَثَاتُهَا وَكُلُّ مُحْدَثَةٍ بِدْعَةٌ وَكُلُّ بِدْعَةٍ ضَلَالَةٌ وَكُلُّ ضَلَالَةٍ فِي النَّارِ
Whomever Allah guides, no one can lead him astray. Whomever Allah sends astray, no one can guide him. The truest word is the Book of Allah and the best guidance is the guidance of Muhammad. The most evil matters are those that are newly invented, for every newly invented matter is an innovation. Every innovation is misguidance, and every misguidance is in the Hellfire.
Source: Sunan al-Nasā’ī 1578, Grade: Sahih
Mu’awiyah reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
أَلَا إِنَّ مَنْ قَبْلَكُمْ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ افْتَرَقُوا عَلَى ثِنْتَيْنِ وَسَبْعِينَ مِلَّةً وَإِنَّ هَذِهِ الْمِلَّةَ سَتَفْتَرِقُ عَلَى ثَلَاثٍ وَسَبْعِينَ ثِنْتَانِ وَسَبْعُونَ فِي النَّارِ وَوَاحِدَةٌ فِي الْجَنَّةِ وَهِيَ الْجَمَاعَةُ وَإِنَّهُ سَيَخْرُجُ مِنْ أُمَّتِي أَقْوَامٌ تَجَارَى بِهِمْ تِلْكَ الْأَهْوَاءُ كَمَا يَتَجَارَى الْكَلْبُ لِصَاحِبِهِ
No doubt, the people of the Book before you split into seventy-two sects and this religion will split into seventy-three sects, seventy-two will be in the Hellfire and one will be in Paradise. It is the united community. Verily, there will emerge people in my nation who will be infected by these vain desires, just as rabies from a dog infects its patient.
Source: Sunan Abī Dāwūd 4597, Grade: Hasan
Abu Barzah reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
إِنَّ مِمَّا أَخْشَى عَلَيْكُمْ شَهَوَاتِ الْغَيِّ فِي بُطُونِكُمْ وَفُرُوجِكُمْ وَمُضِلَّاتِ الْهَوَى
Verily, among what I fear most for you are seductive temptations in your appetites and your lusts, and the misguidance of whims.
Source: Musnad Aḥmad 19274, Grade: Sahih
Anas ibn Malik reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
ثَلاثٌ مُهْلِكَاتٌ شُحٌّ مُطَاعٌ وَهَوًى مُتَّبَعٌ وَإِعْجَابُ الْمَرْءِ بِنَفْسِهِ مِنَ الْخُيَلاءِ وَثَلاثٌ مُنْجِيَاتٌ الْعَدْلُ فِي الرِّضَا وَالْغَضَبِ وَالْقَصْدُ فِي الْغِنَى وَالْفَاقَةِ وَمَخَافَةُ اللَّهِ فِي السِّرِّ وَالْعَلانِيَةِ
Three are vices of destruction: greed that is obeyed, whims that are followed, and a man impressed with himself. Three are virtues of salvation: justice in a time of pleasure or anger, moderation in a time of wealth or poverty, and the fear of Allah in public and in private.
Source: al-Mu’jam al-Awsaṭ lil-Ṭabarānī 5452, Grade: Hasan li ghayrihi
Anas ibn Malik reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
إِنَّ اللَّهَ حَجَبَ التَّوْبَةَ عَنْ صَاحِبِ كُلِّ بِدْعَةٍ
Verily, Allah veils repentance from the practitioner of any heresy.
Source: al-Mu’jam al-Awsaṭ lil-Ṭabarānī 4204, Grade: Sahih
Al-‘Irbad ibn Sariyah reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
عَلَيْكُمْ بِسُنَّتِي وَسُنَّةِ الْخُلَفَاءِ الْمَهْدِيِّينَ الرَّاشِدِينَ تَمَسَّكُوا بِهَا وَعَضُّوا عَلَيْهَا بِالنَّوَاجِذِ وَإِيَّاكُمْ وَمُحْدَثَاتِ الْأُمُورِ فَإِنَّ كُلَّ مُحْدَثَةٍ بِدْعَةٌ وَكُلَّ بِدْعَةٍ ضَلَالَةٌ
You must adhere to my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the righteous, guided successors. Hold firmly to it as if biting with your molar teeth. Beware of newly invented matters in religion, for every new matter is an innovation, and every innovation is misguidance.
Source: Sunan Abī Dāwūd 4607, Grade: Sahih
Abdullah ibn Amr reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
إِنَّ لِكُلِّ عَمَلٍ شِرَّةً وَلِكُلِّ شِرَّةٍ فَتْرَةٌ فَمَنْ كَانَتْ شِرَّتُهُ إِلَى سُنَّتِي فَقَدْ أَفْلَحَ وَمَنْ كَانَتْ فَتْرَتُهُ إِلَى غَيْرِ ذَلِكَ فَقَدْ هَلَكَ
Verily, every deed has enthusiasm, and every enthusiasm has a time-limit. Whoever is enthusiastic for my Sunnah has succeeded, but whoever is enthusiastic for something else has been ruined.
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Ḥibbān 11, Grade: Sahih
Abu Huraira reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
إِنَّ لِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ شِرَّةً وَلِكُلِّ شِرَّةٍ فَتْرَةً فَإِنْ كَانَ صَاحِبُهَا سَدَّدَ وَقَارَبَ فَارْجُوهُ وَإِنْ أُشِيرَ إِلَيْهِ بِالْأَصَابِعِ فَلَا تَعُدُّوهُ
Verily, everything has a zeal, and every zeal has a timelimit. Whoever does so properly and moderately, then hope for his success. Whoever does so for people to point at him, do not count him among the righteous.
Source: Sunan al-Tirmidhī 2453, Grade: Sahih
Anas ibn Malik reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
مَنْ رَغِبَ عَنْ سُنَّتِي فَلَيْسَ مِنِّي
Whoever does not desire my Sunnah is not part of me.
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 1401, Grade: Sahih
Al-‘Irbad ibn Sariyah reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
قَدْ تَرَكْتُكُمْ عَلَى الْبَيْضَاءِ لَيْلُهَا كَنَهَارِهَا لاَ يَزِيغُ عَنْهَا بَعْدِي إِلاَّ هَالِكٌ
I have left you upon a clear path, its clarity is the same by night or day. No one deviates from it after me but the he will be ruined.
Source: Sunan Ibn Mājah 44, Grade: Sahih
Success comes from Allah, and Allah knows best.
