the Sunnah, more deeply implicated in religious innovation, and more apt to become a means by which Satan leads people astray…
He continued until he said: “The point here is that the prescribed manner of remembering Allah, Glorious is He, is to remember Him with a complete statement. This is termed ‘speech,’ while an individual unit of it is termed a ‘word.’ This is what benefits hearts and brings reward and recompense, nearness to Allah, knowledge of Him, love for Him, fear of Him, and the other lofty aims and sublime objectives. As for restricting oneself to the isolated name—whether expressed explicitly or by a pronoun—it has no basis at all, much less could it be the remembrance of the elite and those who know Allah. Rather, it is a means to many forms of innovation and error and a pathway to corrupt notions characteristic of heretics and proponents of union between God and creation… Religion as a whole rests upon two foundations: that we worship none but Allah and that we worship Him only in the manner He has prescribed; we do not worship Him through innovations.”1 Thus ends his statement, may Allah have mercy on him. It contains such careful analysis and clarity that no room remains for hesitation in this matter. The truth shines clear.
The avid attachment of these people to such innovated forms of remembrance—which have neither root in Allah’s religion nor basis in His revealed law—while they abandon the authentic sunnahs and prescribed forms of remembrance, raises question after question in a Muslim’s mind: What induced them to turn away from the Prophet’s guidance—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—and spurn his Sunnah in favor of matters for which Allah has sent down no authority and forms of remembrance for which revealed law offers neither evidence nor proof? Yet despite this, they venerate them to the utmost and greatly magnify their importance, while belittling the prophetic supplications and prescribed remembrances recited by the master of all creation, the best of the prophets and messengers, and the leader and exemplar of those who humbly submit and remember Allah. May Allah’s blessings, peace, and benedictions be upon him and upon all his family and Companions.