indeed, the earliest forerunners among the Emigrants and Helpers, and those who followed them in righteousness—who are the best of Allah’s pious friends in this community—repented to Allah Most High through prescribed means, not through these innovated methods. Muslim cities and villages, past and present, are full of people who have repented to Allah, feared Him, and done what He loves and is pleased with through prescribed means, not through these innovated methods.
It is therefore impossible to say that sinners can repent only through these innovated methods. Rather, it may be said that some shaykhs are ignorant of the prescribed means and unable to employ them. They lack knowledge of the Book and the Sunnah, and of what to say to people and have them hear so that Allah may turn to them in mercy. Such a shaykh therefore abandons prescribed means for innovated methods, either with good intentions—if he has religious commitment—or with the aim of gaining authority over them and taking their wealth unjustly. As Allah Most High says:
“O you who believe, many rabbis and monks consume people’s wealth unjustly and turn people away from the path of Allah.”
No one abandons prescribed means for innovated methods except out of ignorance, inability, or a corrupt motive. For it is well known that listening to the Quran is the practice of the prophets, those who know Allah, and the believers. Allah Most High says concerning the prophets:
“Those were the ones upon whom Allah bestowed His favour among the prophets: descendants of Adam, of those We carried with Noah, and of Abraham and Israel, and those whom We guided and chose. When the verses of the Most Merciful were recited to them, they fell down prostrate, weeping.”