Hadith 5: Rejection of Evil Deeds and Innovations 1. Commentary Summary Written commentary compiled by volunteers utilizing Sh. Jamaal Diwan's audio commentary above and English translation of Ibn Daqiq Al-Id's commentary on The Forty Hadith of Imam al-Nawawi. This is one of two hadiths that encompass the entirety of Islam according to scholars. The first is “Verily actions are by intention...” which addresses the internal aspect of practicing Islam. Everything we do should be with the intention of pleasing Allah S.W.T and by purifying our intentions we accomplish a great deal in our religion. Scholars say that the acceptance of actions of Ibadah (worship) is based on the above two conditions: 1) The intention - the action should be done …show more content…
Good Intentions Are Not Enough Good intentions alone are not enough. We must also ensure that our actions are done properly in accordance with the example of the Prophet S.A.W and the guidelines of Islam. Sometimes we may think it enough to be sincere, without making the effort to ensure that what we are doing is also correct. This hadith encompasses the second crucial aspect of the practice of Islam, which is ensuring that the outward performance of our actions is right. Prophet Muhammad S.A.W began his sermons with the following words, which are repeated in the opening of khutbahs everywhere, “Verily the most truthful speech is Allah’s Book and the best guidance is the guidance of Muhammad peace be upon him. And verily the worst affairs are those introduced into the religion without basis.” Ibn Rajab in his commentary on the 40 Hadith of Nawawi noted, “That which has no basis or that which is not from it,” implies that every single one of our actions and deeds should be aligned with the guidelines of Islam. This does not necessarily mean that the Sunnah of the Prophet S.A.W literally addressed every single action, but rather that all we do should fall within the general guidelines laid out in …show more content…
This is not true; every person is responsible for being diligent in making sure their actions are correct. Emulating and following the Prophet S.A.W is a Qur'anic obligation. Allah, the Almighty says: Verily, in the apostle of God you have the best example to emulate for everyone who looks forward (with hope and awe) to Allah and the Last Day, and remembers Allah unceasingly. (Surah Al-Ahzab 33 21). 3. The Difference between Worship and Daily Life Worship (Ibadah) Daily life and interactions (Mu’amalat) 1) The rule of thumb is that something is forbidden by default unless there is supporting evidence in the Quran and Sunnah 1) Non-worship actions (mu’amalat) are permissible unless there is textual evidence that prohibits them 4. Religious Innovation (Bida’ah) There is a lot of controversy over the issue of innovation in religion, or bid’ah, and this hadith is quoted frequently in that debate. It is a complicated topic about which many people are either over- or under- zealous. While the topic cannot be addressed in a few sentences, here are a few pointers that give a balanced