بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
Q: Interaction with the innovator is it like that of the sinful person as it relates to love and or association and hate and or disassociation, meaning he is loved and or associated with due to what is with him of faith and hated and or shown hostility towards due to his innovation?
A: That which Ahlus Sunnah have established (regarding this affair) and reported consensus is that the innovator is worse than the disobedient sinner, as the disobedient sinner has characteristics. He (for example) for the most part respects the people of knowledge, virtue, and uprightness, and wishes to be among them. On the contrary the innovator disputes with the scholars, harms them, is hostile towards them, and thinks low of and disrespects them. So the innovator is more evil without doubt.
The Messenger -sallahu alayhi wa salaam- said, “the most evil of affairs are novelties (in the religion)”. He -sallahu alayhi wa salaam- said about the Khawaarij, “They are the evilest of creation” and “wheresoever you meet them, slay them!” An abundance of the Salaf have determined that the people of innovation and the fabricators, those who invent lies against the messenger -sallahu alayhi wa salaam- are more harmful to Islam than the zanaadaqah. How can this be? This is due to them destroying the home from within, then opening the door for the enemies to whom which they say “enter!”
The people of innovation have wrecked the Islamic World. The lowliness and humiliation that has befell is due to the people of innovation. They have caused a multitude of Muslims to be distant from Allah’s methodology to the point where they no longer merit Allah’s help nor generosity. The Shiite, Khawaarij, Mu’tazilah, and the superstitious grave worshiping Sufi are remnants of the people of innovation. So they eat away at the home from within until they eventually say to the enemy “come inside!” Just like what was mentioned to me about the French army when they approached Algeria (or another land) a Sufi elder said, I saw the Messenger -sallahu alayhi wa salaam- say leave them to enter. Hence him being a hypocrite is not far fetched, as he says to the enemy “enter” hence their evil is very dangerous.
As for the sinners they respect the scholars, and the devout. They wish to be among them and to rid themselves of that which is with them, unfortunately the sinner (may be) unable (to do so). On the other hand this criminal (a person of innovation and desire) hates the scholars and wages war against them. He runs people away from Allah’s religion and diverts from Allah’s path. His evil is very perilous. As a result the salaf firmly established the boycotting, hatred, and uprooting of them. So this question (its questioner) I’m not sure if he’s salafi or one deceived by the methodology of muwazanah, due to him saying love him on account of his Islam, hate him on account of his innovation.
This is the methodology of muwazanah which is falsely attributed to Ibn Taimiyyah, however he did not intend such. He intended the refuting of the Khawaarij because they expelled from Islam whosoever fell into sin or innovation. They declared such to be a disbeliever, yet shaykh-ul-Islam said this type of person has not disbelieved. That was his intent, he did not intend that for every time you mention a strayed innovator you must enumerate his good deeds or that you must say I love him due to his faith and hate him due to his sins. This is worthless speech. And if this was not the case there is consensus with an overwhelming multitude of major and distinguished scholars before Ibn Taimiyyah as it relates to hatred, abandonment, revilement, and the uprooting of them. These imams reported a consensus regarding this.
Translated by Najeeb Al Anjelesi
Source: فتاوى فضيلة الشيخ العلامة ربيع ن هادي عمير المدخلي