Quotes From The Salaf Regarding Innovation
The Messenger of Allaah (saw) said, “Every innovation is misguidance and a going astray.” [Aboo Dawood, 4607 – Saheeh]
The Messenger of Allaah (saw) said, “Whoever innovates or accommodates an innovator then upon him is the curse of Allaah, His Angels and the whole of mankind.” [Bukhaaree 12/41 & Muslim 9/140]
The Messenger of Allaah (saw) said, “Verily he among you who lives (long) will see great controversy, so you must keep to my sunnah and the sunnah of the rightly guided khaleefahs, bite onto it with your molar teeth.
Beware of newly invented matters, for every invented matter is an innovation, and every innovation is a going astray, and every going astray is in Hellfire.” [Aboo Daawood & At-Tirmidhee]
Imaam Bukhaaree mentions:
“And they (Imaam Bukhaaree’s Companions and Shaykhs) used to forbid innovations: whatever the Messenger (saw) and his Companions (ra) were not upon due to His saying:
‘And hold fast, all of you together, to the Rope of Allaah (i.e, this Quraan), and be not divided among yourselves.’ [3:103]
And His saying:
‘And if you obey him, you shall be on the right guidance.‘ [24:54]”
[Quoted in Al-Laalikaa’ee’s Sharh Usool I’tiqaad Ahlu Sunnah, 2/172]
Ibn ‘Abbaas (d. 68H) said, “Indeed the most detestable of things to Allaah are the innovations.” [Al-Bayhaqee in As-Sunan Al-Kuburaa 4/316]
Ibn ‘Umar said, “Every inovation is a misguidance, even if people see it as good!” [Aboo Shaamah, 39]
Al-Fudayl Ibn ‘Iyaad (d. 187H) said, “I met the best of people, all of them people of the sunnah and they used to forbid from accompanying the people of Innovation.” [Al-Laalikaa’ee, 267]
Al-Hasan Al-Basree (d. 110H) said, “Do not sit with the people of innovation and desires, nor argue with them, nor listen to them.” [Ad-Daarimee, in his Sunan, 121]
Ibraheem Ibn Maysarah (d. 132H) said, “Whoever honours an innovator has aided in the destruction of Islaam.” [Al-Laalikaa’ee, 1/139]
Sufyaan Ath-Thawree (d. 161H) said, “Whoever listens to an innovator has left the protection of Allaah and is entrusted with the innovations.” [Aboo Nu’aym in his Al-Hilyah, 7/26]
Imaam Maalik (d. 179H) said, “How evil are the people of innovation, we do not give them salaam.” [Sharh As-Sunnah, 1/234]
Al-Fudayl Ibn ‘Iyaad (d. 187H) said:
“Whoever sits with a person if innovation, then beware of him and whoever sits with a person of innovation has not ben given wisdom.
I (would) love that there was a fort of iron between me and a person of innovation.
That I eat with a Jew and a Christian is more beloved to me than that I should eat with a person of Innovation.”
[Al-Laalikaa’ee, 1149]
The Authentic Base 
December 18, 2012 at 7:21 PM
Dearest brother in Islam,
Is this website an innovation, the internet was not around at the time of the Salafyoon? Am I allowed to give you Salams?
December 11, 2022 at 5:12 PM
Innovation is a general term
Innovation in religion is what is forbidden. Innovation in worldly matters is a fact of life. They are not the same thing.
Pray for guidance.
March 26, 2013 at 2:35 AM
Brother Yousouf, in matters of dunya the principle is that everything is permissible unless there is a text which prohibits it. In matters of deen everything is impermissible unless there is a text that points to its permissibility. Hence the internet, bicycles, microwaves, cars, aeroplanes and millions of other worldly things are are all permissible.
The real problem is that you have been kept in darkness and have not been taught these principles because many of today’s imams, mollahs, mawlanas, and so called scholars do not want to enlighten the masses because they fear they will lose their positions and source of money at the same time.
As for saying salaam, this is really up to you brother. Allah says in the quran that all believers are brothers. Even innovators are believers and brothers. Now if you consider those who are fighting innovations as disbelievers then It is really another matter. On this issue Our beloved prophet said when a believer calls another believer kaafir, then it really befalls on one of them. If the one who is called a kaafir is not really one then the kufr falls on the caller. Up to you to decide whether you will say salaam or not brother. Assalaamu’alaikum.