Hadith 28: Upholding the Sunnah
Al-Irbad ibn Sariya reported: One day the Messenger of Allah stood up among us and he admonished us so eloquently that it moved our hearts and made tears come from our eyes. It was said, “O Messenger of Allah, you have given us a farewell sermon, so enjoin a covenant upon us.” The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
أُوصِيكُمْ بِتَقْوَى اللَّهِ وَالسَّمْعِ وَالطَّاعَةِ وَإِنْ عَبْدٌ حَبَشِيٌّ فَإِنَّهُ مَنْ يَعِشْ مِنْكُمْ يَرَى اخْتِلَافًا كَثِيرًا وَإِيَّاكُمْ وَمُحْدَثَاتِ الْأُمُورِ فَإِنَّهَا ضَلَالَةٌ فَمَنْ أَدْرَكَ ذَلِكَ مِنْكُمْ فَعَلَيْهِ بِسُنَّتِي وَسُنَّةِ الْخُلَفَاءِ الرَّاشِدِينَ الْمَهْدِيِّينَ عَضُّوا عَلَيْهَا بِالنَّوَاجِذِ
You must fear Allah, listen to and obey your leaders even if an Abyssinian slave is put in charge over you. Whoever lives among you will see many differences, so beware of newly invented matters for they are misguidance. Whoever sees them must adhere to my tradition and the tradition of the upright, guided successors. Bite onto it with your back teeth.
Source: Sunan At-Tirmidhi
In another narration, the Prophet said:
وَشَرُّ الْأُمُورِ مُحْدَثَاتُهَا وَكُلُّ مُحْدَثَةٍ بِدْعَةٌ وَكُلُّ بِدْعَةٍ ضَلَالَةٌ وَكُلُّ ضَلَالَةٍ فِي النَّارِ
The most evil matters are those that are newly invented, for every newly invented matter is an innovation and every innovation is misguidance and every misguidance is in the Hellfire.
Source: Sunan An-Nasa’i
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Hadith collections.
Spirituala collection of traditions containing sayings of the prophet Muhammad which, with accounts of his daily practice (the Sunna), constitute the major source of guidance for Muslims apart from the Qu'ran. any of the sayings from the Hadith.